To Love your Misery - LilyLylalies (2024)

Chapter 1: Subversion (Intro + Spice)

Chapter Text

Kneeling over the cold slabs of marble, she focused any strength she had left into a final prayer. Eyelashes pressed tightly against her cheeks. Hands folded atop one another before her beating chest. How many times has she relieved this moment? How many more times would she taste death? A fluid and silent pain would spread everywhere all at once before vanishing as soon as it came. Engulfed in an eternal space of empty green wisps. Fragments of souls passing by before reforming into new life the planet swallowed. Yet her spirit always stayed behind, another like her would never be born again.

She was ready to die even if she wished desperately to stay behind. To have just one more day with the strange group of misfits she now called friends. One in particular she had grown very fond of. His greenish blue eyes and blond hair were like sunshine for her in a world of broken steel. She’d made sure to have warned Cloud not to fall in love with her, but had neglected to do the same. Only now she felt the weight of her mistake, how much more painful leaving was.

She could only hope this time would be the last. No more loops. They had won after all, hadn’t they? Saved the planet from the clutches of extinction, from Calamity himself. Was this not enough for the planet? What was the Goddess so displeased with to have turned back time over and over? She pushed away those pointless questions and focused back into her prayers.

“All I want is one thing,” she pleaded softly. Truly she wanted to ask for more but the planet was not always so forgiving. She wanted to live, no matter how selfish it may be. The desire grew deep within her mind and the faint burning of tears weld. “Please… tell me how to save them.” Her knuckles turned white against her interlaced fingers. “I’ll do anything, just let the others be okay.”

She knew Cloud would make it through. She saw the warm expression that bloomed across his face whenever Tifa passed by. She also knew Tifa held her childhood friend dearly at the forefront of her heart. And Aerith loved them both. The fact those two would one day find peace was of some comfort. And then there was Zack. Although not his complete self, the thought of reuniting with him in some form tugged at something in her. Perhaps one thing to look forward to.

It was almost time now.

In the distance she could hear the faint echo of metal and boots shifting along cold steps. Aerith tried to steady her breathing, the anticipation was almost too much. She felt lightheaded. Honestly all past memories had blurred together at this point, but the fear never subsided. The air grew icy and her breath stiffened.

“Wait, it’s too soon, ” Her heart raced frantically. “Something is wrong…”

The sky above cut open and a rush of wind engulfed the room. The distant patters came quicker now as Cloud broke into a sprint.

“Sephiroth!”

Cloud must have been a single staircase away by now. Not quite like the other timelines. But the main plot unfolded all the same. Aerith's eyes squeezed tighter. With alarming speed the reaper soared down from above. The sound of metal exploded into the floor with deafening vibrations. But she felt… nothing.

“ To think I could go in such peace. ” But it still wasn’t quite right. Her ears stopped ringing and her senses grew sharp again. She felt her hair brush against her face as it fell loose. The smell of leather then crept in and the sensation of something firm pressed against her back. It was warm, surely she was mistaken. But her heart still beating at an unholy speed defied all logic.

Aerith's eyelashes fluttered open and caught a glimpse of Masamune inches deep into the marble floor before her shoulder. She felt a deep inhale from the cursed angel just inches from her neck. Before she could look up to fully grasp the situation, a leathery hand slid across her mouth and pulled her back against who she knew instinctively might as well have been the devil himself.

“Aerith!!” She heard Cloud cry out before vanishing. Black and purple smoke swirled around violently and the daunting altar of the Ancient’s was no more.

When the smoke settled, she could see millions of stars sprayed across the galaxy. “Is this heaven or hell?” More sinister than beautiful, Aerith remembered the pockets of world in between time and space Sephiroth had managed to open before leaving Midgar.

“Mhph!” Aerith only now realized she hadn’t been able to breathe properly and began clawing at the glove covering her face. The force gave away but did not ease up any pressure after finding rest on her shoulder. Still pressed tightly against what felt like a wall, he spoke so low it could have been a growl.

“You are mine now Cetra.” His breath brushed along her ear and trailed down her neck, goosebumps ignited all along her spine. The hand still on the hilt of Masumune slid off to wrap itself around her stomach. Aerith felt flushed and the heat radiating from Sephiroth’s exposed uniform against her back wasn’t helping.

“Seph-iroth?” The name escaped her half parted lips weakly. She felt like prey caught between a Behemoth’s claws. Aerith's mind was in a million places at once. Fear, confusion, and adrenaline pulsed into a forming headache. “... Am I dead? Or, a nightmare?”

She heard a scoff. “I won't make that mistake again.” His grip suddenly loosened and he came to a stand while looking ahead. “This is my domain.“

Aerith folded over barely catching herself with both hands after realizing she wasn’t using her strength at all. The long silver blade just inches before her eye instantly snapped her back into full alert. Aerith scrambled to her feet and quickly brushed out the wrinkles in her dress. Only then she was able to meet his gaze. Eyes almost lumiatied by a green hue cut though her with deep black pupils slit just like cat’s. She couldn’t read his expression at all.

“What is this?” Aerith’s eyes danced around trying to take in the environment, scanning for any form of exit. “I don't understand, this isn't how I remember.”

“Destiny is mine to rewrite how I see fit. Although, it tries to deny my birthright. Without fail I will return again and again until it yields. As you too soon will.” Aerith fixed her attention and firmly planted her feet into the ground. This Monster trapped in human skin never could accept his demise. She found it ironic, as beautiful as an angel, yet his heart couldn't mirror an ounce of comfort.

“No, you’re wrong. Whatever you may think, in the end you will always lose. You’re no God, and the planet doesn’t belong to you. There was never a corner for you to belong within it in the first place.” The last sentence felt dry on her tongue. She wondered if she’d gone too far, if that was even possible. Aerith had always believed there was a place on Gaia for even the most troubled souls, but the man before her challenged any drop of her good nature left. Sephiroth took a calculated step closer as his expression hardened.

“There is no place for you either.” The corner of his lip slightly curled upwards. “How tragic, to be nothing more than a sacrificial lamb. How deeply does the planet truly cherish its last living descendant? After you’re gone, everything keeps on perfectly in balance as you’re swallowed by the lifestream and forgotten. Not once in the endless slew of lifetimes did it try to save you beyond its own benefit.”

“Everyone's safety is worth more than my life. The time I spent alive was not meaningless. We all must return to the planet one day, so I’ve accepted my fate!”

Sephiroth slowly tilted his head to the side in disagreement with that mocking expression.

“You’re lying,” he cooed. Those two words pierced straight through her. Aerith fell back a step and Sephiroth took one more long stride before grabbing her wrist in one hand. He was too close for comfort now but she couldn’t move. Unless she wanted her hand ripped off.

“I felt your body tremble beneath me. Aerith Gainsborough, you want to live .”

She averted her gaze as the sound of her name on his lips made her heart skip. Had he ever said it before?

“I- I was just afraid. This isn’t how it’s supposed to be.”

“You also desire to change your fate. You’re nothing but a half-Cetra, a pathetic remnant of a time when the Planet could sustain itself. Only to be discarded when need be.”

Aerith gulped and her breathing became shallow. Deep down she’d never quite believed she was good enough. She was just the undercity peddler with a half working connection to the planet. She couldn’t always hear it and struggled to communicate properly. Hojo had made it clear early on she would never match up to her mothers divinity. It didn't matter how hard she tried. By default she was born inferior.

“I was always a last resort, the second choice. Either by the planet or Cloud… ” She quickly washed the intrusive thoughts back. Now wasn't the time to feel pity for herself. And she certainly didn’t want to show weakness in front of him. But Aerith wore her heart on her sleeve, and Sephiroth could easily read her emotions. He knew his words crept under her skin. Sephiroth tugged at her wrist and leaned in closer. His voice whispered to her like a soft lullaby.

“But I can save you from such an unfortunate end. I can give you back your future.” Aerith blinked rapidly before locking eyes with him. “You owe me your life, and will spend an eternity with me.”

She couldn’t make out if she was hearing him right.

“You really are insane to think that's a fair trade! Why in heavens…” suddenly her eyes widened with realization. Holy. The once tightly bound sphere within her bow was nowhere to be felt. “ When did I lose it?” Her mind filled with panic. “Did it fall into the lifestream back then?” Or worse, “has he taken it?”

Sephiroth was grinning now as he could see everything connecting in her mind and Aerith hated herself for thinking for even a second he was beautiful. No better than a siren, slowly lulling you to death.

“Every time I take your last breath, you remain like a stain on my glory. Even in death you are a stubborn existence I cannot scrub away. If I gain the ability to see events that have yet to pass, you do as well. If I try to move my puppets, you intervene. Whenever I try to make a move earlier than the last loop, you are already there.” He paused for a moment to glance at her once over. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of it sooner. To use you instead of erase you.”

Aerith may have well stopped breathing. “Use.” He somehow made being erased sound more pleasant.

“So what, you plan to turn me into one of your mindless puppets? Do you think I would ever do anything to hurt my friends or the people on Gaia no matter how much you threaten?” Aerith let out a laugh feigning confidence. “And if you’re not gonna kill me what leverage do you have? Keeping me here won’t stop the planet from fighting back. It will find another way.”

“Oh Dear little Cetra, I will make it your best interest not to defy me, and by extension the planet's best interest. That is if you do not wish those you love to be killed before judgment day.” Sephiroth raised his free hand to cup Aerith's chin. She tried to shake him off but his fingers dug into her skin and firmly held her head upright before him. “And I will not be so quick and merciful as I was with you in the past. They will die in agony.”

He was almost brimming with glee at the mere thought. “Should I make you watch as I stage another fire that slowly eats at Cloud’s flesh. I can only imagine what he would think. Perhaps having his childhood sweetheart slowly burn to ash before him as she screams in anguish till the end would fully break him. Ah, and you’re imitation of a mother-”

“STOP!” Tears were fully streaming down Aerith's cheeks now as she muffled her sobs. “Please stop.” The smile eased from Sphiroth’s face. Good , he thought, she was begging now.

“How can someone be so awful?” she cried between gasps. Never had she hated anyone so deeply. Even though she had heard the horrors of the deranged Soldier in Nibelheim from Cloud before, she’d never witnessed it firsthand. She was always more focused on the overall picture of saving everyone than any strong sense of vengeance. But in this moment she felt a bubbling rage foreign to her and wanted to say things she'd cut her own tongue over. “Something like you should have never been born.”

Sephiroth's grip tightened as he crashed into her lips with an unforgivingly rough kiss. Aerith’s voice caught against a sharp inhale causing a stilted moan to escape. Her mind was blank but her body moved on its own. Her only available hand began to helplessly push back against his chest. It was of no use, not an inch of him budged. She could feel his muscles tense though his coat as the hand once restraining her wrist released its grip to seamlessly slip around her back, pulling her in tighter. Sephiroth's tongue fought through her lips as he was fully cupping the back of her head now.

Her body writhed around trying to break free. She hated how powerless she felt, it reminded her of the time she’d spent in Shinra’s lab behind a glass tube with Hojo. Aerith tried kicking her legs against Sephiroth's leather boots but it all seemed futile. Her pelvis was already flush against his body. In the end she began to feel something harden beneath Sephiroth's coat and press into her lower stomach. Aerith didn’t know where to focus, everything was overstimulated.

His kisses turned more aggressive and her hands clawed for anything it could grab onto. Her nails dragging across his body didn’t seem to have any obvious effect. Until she reached behind and had successfully gathered a fistful of silver hair. Simultaneously Aerith bit down on Sephiroth's lower lip and yanked her hand down as hard as she could. Only then did their lips part as she gasped loudly like someone finally emerging from below water. Sephiroth’s head only tilted back slightly, eyes still peering straight down into hers. He didn’t seem to even feel the trickle of blood escape the corner of his mouth. That stupid sly grin returned and Aerith wanted to slap him.

"Oh, so feisty this mouse from the slums is.” Sephiroth licked his lip and lowered himself slightly to release the tension on his head before nuzzling into the crevice between her neck and collar bone. Both of his arms wrapped her backside in a deathly embrace that could snap her in half at any moment.

“I’ll work that out of you, eventually.” His canines lightly dragged against her skin with the looming threat to break skin. Aerith's breath was still uneven as she fought to regain composure. Her face burned from embarrassment and no sooner she thought it might catch fire.

“What do you want from me?” Her voice was almost a whimper now.

“You to fully submit. You won’t provoke or defy me. And I will give you that which you desire. You and all your little friends will live, Cetra.” He delicately brushed away the soft hair cascading off the tip of her opposite shoulder before tracing his hand back up and over her eyes. “Of course that is, in the new world reborn for me.“

Aerith’s legs gave way as her mind sunk far off into a deep slumber. She’d hoped it was all nothing more than a dream, but she could have sworn she remembered the sensation of a leathery thumb wiping her tears away.

Chapter 2: Purpose (Plot)

Chapter Text

Aerith’s eyelids twitched before breaking into a squint. The light was blinding. After being in that soul sucking void, the contrast was jarring. She hadn’t fully written off the idea she was actually dead.Maybe that was a twisted trial the Goddess put her through to see if she was still of worthy descent to influence the lifestream. Perhaps a test, to see if she’d give into selfish desires by accepting Sephiroth's offer. Not that it was any good. ‘ A new world reborn ,’ he’d said. Sounded empty and devoid of any warmth worth living in.

Aerith rubbed her eyes a few more times but once her sight came into focus, things were not as she’d hoped. Besides the simple mattress beneath her, the room was barren and made of stone walls. Clean, but clearly not designed to be lived in for a normal human. Only a small table occupied the space with a single large window peering above. She hoisted herself up and wobbled over to the window. The light only stung more. She peeked out through her fingers in an attempt to shield herself, there was … nothing? A different kind of empty. This time as far the horizon visibly stretched, a white blanket covered every inch of land.

“Snow? ” It was impossible to tell if this was the world she left behind or just another confined space created by Sephiroth. Maybe the timeline had glitched and she was stuck in purgatory. And worst of all… with him .

Aerith slowly traced over her bruised lips with her fingers. Remembering how hot she felt next to him in stark contrast to the frosty room she now stood in. With a clear mind she recalled the way Sephiroth's slippery tongue thrashed around inside her mouth, his pec muscles flexing against her chest and the grip behind….

“Ah stop that!” Aerith furiously shook her head to remove any lewd thoughts. She hated him again for that. Although there were times in her previous live’s where she’d spontaneously desired to know the sensations of intimacy between lovers. The occasion had never occurred. The first man she’d loved passed away after leaving her in the dark for 4 years, and the second one she’s not sure could have even loved her in that way if they had the time. Protecting the world was more important after all, and Sephiroth was a far cry from any sort of lover. He ripped away any sweet fantasies she could have at least savored in dreams and turned them into a horrifying version of reality.

“I need to get out of here first, and figure out where Holy is.”Turning towards the table, she noticed a glass of water and a little pink ribbon she thought was gone forever. She winced at the thought of this gesture resembling some sort of “thoughtfulness” from that man. Of course her staff was not among them, must have slipped his mind. Regardless she quickly tied up her hair again and appreciated the slightest bit of familiarity. Crouching down however, she eyed the water glass. It appeared normal but one never knew. Eyeing it from side to side, she slowly lifted it and swirled the cup to see if anything abnormal was laced inside. Her throat was certainly parched, but was it worth the risk of drinking an unknown substance? A heavy scoff made her jump back into her skin.

“Surely poisoning the water is beneath even I.” She couldn’t sense him enter the room at all. In the past a dark aura made the air instantly stuffy when he was nearby. Usually the planet would alert her of whenever he was lurking around even before Cloud noticed. Aerith turned after fixing her startled expression to see a relaxed Sephiroth leaning against the door frame.

“Come,” he commanded with a subtle jerk of his head before turning on his heels.

“Wait! Can’t you at least try explaining a little.” She glanced around the prison-like space. “You're not expecting me to live in here… do you?” The end of her sentence lost any of the courage she’d mustered up and thinned out into something almost pitiful. Sephiroth just stared in silence. Momentarily taking a glimpse of the room blankly after being unable to note anything wrong with it.

“My words come first Cetra. You may ask your questions when I deem appropriate.” With that he turned once more and kept walking.

An audible breath escaped Aerith in bewilderment. Shaking her head in disbelief. “Wow this guy really thinks he’s all that. I was really out of my mind yesterday.” She wanted to stay put in defiance but missing an opportunity to find the upper hand seemed unwise. With every heavy step she stomped away her pride and followed the long silvery blur before her.

Making sure not to follow too closely, she matched his footsteps. The surrounding corridors were lacking in any color or trace of life. The lack of windows didn’t help. The air was so stale It was as if time didn't flow properly here. Yet for its old appearance, not a trace of dust or a cobweb could be seen. Arith found that all the more eerie. It was like a house, but not quite right. They descended stairs and passed several hallways that looked so similar Aerith could have sworn they were walking in circles.

“Are you sure you know the way?”

“...”

“Hm, sure looks like no ones been here for ages.”

“...”

“But I guess you prefer boring and empty spaces, like yourself.” His pace didn't even waver. “Ah, I know, you’re still moving in.”

After being ignored again, Aerith let out a sigh and decided to stop poking the madman. Although barren, the walls were intricately decorated in brass candlesticks. Engraved marble flowed along the ceiling.

“Oh!” She hadn’t noticed Sephiroth came to a halt and collided head first in his backside. It was like landing into a metal door. Only saving grace being the long wisps of silky hair to soften the blow. Sephiroth turned his head slowly with a slight arched brow as if contemplating she might have done that on purpose. Hands on her head, Aerith rubbed her forehead in frustration. “What are you made out of, stone? A heads up would be nice, you haven’t made a sound this whole time.”

Sephiroth indeed had always been very quiet since he could remember. Unless something was worth being spoken aloud, it was a waste of energy. The only two people he once could have thought of as friends worth conversing with vanished years ago and died along with his old self. His weaker, incomplete self. Looking down at the young flower girl, he wondered how noisy the days would become.

“This way.” Sephiroth veered off to the right and opened a large door. After entering the room he turned at the knob and waited for Aerith to pass. She bit her lip before finally entering what she’d envisioned a dragon's den. However, to her surprise, the other side bore a large dining table. The room was lit by large glass windows.

“Wow,” she exclaimed, bringing her hands together and almost forgetting her whole situation. The surface was laid with various fruits and bread and jams she could only dream about. It was more than anything she'd been able to enjoy under the smog filled plates of Midgar. Costa del Sol was the closest she could remember to seeing such luxury. But they never stayed in one place long enough to indulge in such things. Her stomach now began to twist with hunger. When did she last eat or drink anything? She stared at the table, then back and Sephiroth a few more times.

“You may eat.” he ushered. Aerith walked closer to the food hesitantly. “It’s not my intent to jeopardize your health. And humans are so…” hid eyes traveled along her from top to bottom with a disapproving sigh. “Fragile.”

“Right,” Aerith said unconvinced while eyeing the flaky bread rolls. To Sephiroth’s surprise she picked up a plate and began generously filing it without a fuss. He half expected her to starve as some form of retaliation.

After finding a place to sit down she looked back up nervously at the stoic man. She was in unknown waters now. For the first time she had no visions of the future and her mind was eerily quiet. To top it off, the creature before her happened to be the most dangerous and unpredictable thing on the planet. And now he was watching her eat breakfast?

She wondered how she looked in his eyes. If this somehow resembled a feeding pen for Chocobos before sending them off to be slaughtered. She still had no idea what he wanted with her, and he was acting suspiciously docile compared to the day before. He hadn’t once touched her today.

“Don't you want to eat?” She began taking a bite of her buttery pastry filled with apple jam.

“Food is not a requirement for me to exist anymore.” Straight and to the point. Aerith rested her head into the palm of her hand while wondering if getting him to say anything of importance might be harder than she thought.

“So am I allowed to ask the great Sephiroth some questions now?” She was almost rolling her eyes.

“I suppose. But only if the little Cetra behaves and finishes her plate like a good girl.”

Aerith bit back some nasty words Elmyra would surely have yelled at her for and pretended not to hear it. After a few more bites she’d finally organized her thoughts. She wanted to ask about Holy, but on the off chance he didn't have it, she thought it best he didn't know it was missing.

“You said you would.. spare me from death. So why not just leave me alone? Isn't this all a bit excessive for someone you find oh so insignificant?”

Sephiroth leaned back into an empty chair while his hand rested upon the table.

“The planet will surely just find another way to kill you if I don't intervene.”

“Ha, do you have the right to blame the planet when it's your fault it happens in the first place. Could of at least tried backing off once before defaulting to making me as miserable as possible.”

Sephiroth thought for a moment with his eyes seemingly fixed on nothing in particular. He tapped the table in a slow rhythmic pattern.

“You are somewhat lovely when you're miserable.”

Aerith stopped chewing to prevent herself from choking. “Lovely”. Even flattery from this devil came out twisted. “ Focus Aerith. He's changing the subject!”

“Are you going to answer seriously or not?”

“Leaving you to run around would be the same as letting you get in my way.” His catlike orbs settled on her accusingly as if remembering every past encounter. “It appears you also enjoy making me miserable.”

Aerith fought the urge to grin at the thought of being able to ruffle his feathers.

“That's not true, you're just always causing trouble.” This unholy menace terrified the planet so much the lifestream practically forced her into confronting him in every timeline. “I don't believe choosing an eternity of destruction and loneliness will really make you happy. Even if you manage to succeed, the planet won't stay still. Everything will loop again.”

“If I win there won't be a lifestream like the one you know.” Aerith froze. The image in Bugenhagen’s study of the planet crumbling to dust haunted her. “The divine powers within the planet that alter time will be no more. However, I admit, why it kept insisting to repeat itself after my missteps was beyond me for a long time.” Aerith had wondered the same thing herself in every timeline. Why are they stuck in this never ending quest when it ultimately comes to a neat little close.

That sinister smile crept back into place and Sephiroth gently folded his hands upon a crossed leg. Aerith could swear butterflies were rioting around in her stomach.

“I finally had the realization that the planet didn't want me to die, and I’m not alone.” Aerith immediately didn't like where this was going.

“Losing the last Ancient was a sacrifice it deemed worth making but not necessarily the desired outcome. The world will still combust on its own eventually as Mako dries up. Yet the power of Mother can sustain itself and Ancients have the ability to regulate the lifestreams flow.”

“So?” Aerith shrugged while rubbing the back of her neck, already exhausted trying to comprehend his mess of a mind. “The time of my ancestors has already passed, and there'll be nothing after Meteor.” The remaining bits of bread on her plate no longer seemed so appetizing.

“So it would seem.”

Sephiroth unhooked his legs and began to slink his way around the table. Before she knew it he was towering above her with a hand grasping the back of her chair and his other arm stretched beside her plate. She wanted nothing more than to shrink into a tiny speck and fly away. The sound of his breath was barely audible now and her traitorous mind instantly wandered. His perfectly exposed chest was right before her eyes and she nervously tried to look away, anywhere to distract herself. “ Damnit, Why does he have to be so beautiful?”

Sephiroth didn't like it when she wasn't giving him her full attention. Even as they spoke she so obviously displayed doubt in his convictions. But he would make her see as he did, even if he had to wring the stubbornness out by force.

“Our children will be the future of the new world.”

Aerith immediately stopped fidgeting and snapped her head up in disbelief. She searched for any sign of insincerity. But his eyes didn’t hold an ounce of playfulness.

“Mother and the lifestream will finally unite, until completely one in of itself.”

“You've truly gone mad. So this is what you want me to - I’m not … Jehova will ruin everything it touches.” Aerith felt that headache creeping back as her sentences scrambled. The thought of little Jenovas running around was horrifying.

“No, Mother is perfect. She can latch onto anything and make it home, it is the lifestream that rejects evolution.”

Sephiroth leaned in further towards her ear until Aerith thought his eyelashes might brush her cheek.

“But you can control it. I saw it as the planet should have perished. You convinced the Goddess to do your bidding alone.”

Aerith flinched at the sensation of his voice on her neck. She certainly had taken control after the disaster Meteor and Holy brought forth. But only once.

“Do not resist me. Accept us. The future of Cetra will continue on into something greater than their predecessors. I might even spare your little companions.” He tilted his head to gauge her expression. She was trembling and it stirred something within him. The thorn in his life was now under his thumb and the subtle flush of her cheeks wasn't lost on him.

Aerith wasn't sure she cared if her bloodline kept on and the thought of it almost seemed wrong. For an eternity she had to repeatedly accept a life full of goodbyes. The idea of a full fledged future wasn't something she ever considered in detail. Even imagining who she'd want to have kids with made her flustered. Let alone the one being Sephiroth. But the possibility of her own being born with Jenova permanently eating away at them made her want to cry.

“Jenova and the lifestream can never coexist. One will fight until it's got control of the other.”

“Perhaps as they are now. But through Reunion everything will fall into place. The lifestream will come to serve Jenova if it means protecting the planet.”

“Yet you still plan to destroy everything and everyone alive first?! That doesn't count as ‘saving’ .”

Sephiroth found a strand of her hair and gently coiled it around his fingers.

“This world must be cleansed. Shinra is just the tip of it. Everything will be remade.”

“You're contradicting yourself.” Aerith brushed his hand away. He was behaving too familiar, as if everything had already gone his way.

“You’re also a contradiction, but you're not honest. Tell me Cetra, do you really care so much about saving everyone? Can you honestly say no one at Shinra deserves to die?”

Aerith bit her lip. She thought of Hojo, Faz, the president. All the faceless white lab coats that stood complacent in everything. She thought of the needless and confined spaces and her mother. How they each escalated her passing. Or worse, how her mothers body was not even allowed to rest after death. Having her flesh bottled up into tubes.

“I have to be better than that. Being angry won't change what they did to me.”

Sephiroth could easily imagine the extent of her childhood behind glass doors. His was spent much of the same. Alone with the smell of bleach and sterile equipment strapping you down like a lab rat.

“Neither will being complacent. Rage, hatred, despair are all human emotions. You should have bit back at the ones who wronged you. Perhaps then you would have found the strength to save yourself.”

The last drop of composure she had spilled over. Aerith pushed back with all her might and her chair skid. Furious, she had heard enough.

“And end up alone like you? No thanks!” Her nails dug into her palms. “You think you're so great, but there is more than one way to be strong. Anyone who hurt me can stay in the past, I'll forget them and enjoy my time with the people who love me. I did what I had to so I could have something to look forward to every morning. You just spend each day waiting for everything to end.”

Sephiroith tried to close the gap between them before things got too out of control. This wasn’t going how he wanted. “It’s not like you got any of them either, you ran away from Shinra too!” Aerith fought away the rage and regretted being so emotional. Hojo would always look at her with disappointment whenever she cried for her mother. Any outbursts got in the way of his ‘tests’. “It’s not my fault they took me, I never asked to be born part Cetra.”

“You must calm down.” He reached out a hand but Aerith smacked it away.

“Don’t touch me!” without warning, Aerith spun towards the door and bolted. She didn't know where any of the hallways led, but anywhere was better than being with him. She'd always been light on her feet. You had to be in the slums. Running, she was always running. Either underground from the sector mutants, from the Turks, Shinra, or her destiny. But she always found a way to wiggle by, until Sephiroth. He was the wall she couldn't climb over in every timeline.

A large double door came into view just below the balcony Aerith ran by. Almost flying she descended the staircase and grabbed both handles. Her heart was pounding in her ears. She dug both heels into the ground. It took all her weight against the passage to make the doors budge. Yet Sephiroth was nowhere near. It didn't matter. Cold air sliced across her skin like a million needles.

“Ugh!” Aerith instinctively threw up her arms to shield herself and knelt to the ground in defeat. The snow was as high as her knees, and she hadn't got a single orb of materia on her. Even the strongest barrier might not defend her long enough from the howling wind.

“Damn you!’ Aerith kicked the wall of snow. Of course Sephiroth didn't chase after her, there was nowhere for her to go.

Chapter 3: Prison without Bars (Smut)

Chapter Text

A thick leathery arm stretched across the kneeling girl. In one swift motion the doors were joined securely again. The frigid draft was now still once more and Aerith slowly lifted her head from her knees. She knew there was nothing out there, but thought maybe if she sat here long enough, an idea might occur.
Unfortunately the only thing that came to her side was a black angel full of false hope. Magnificent in every way.

“You may try walking, but I don't recommend it. If I have to search for your frozen body it'll only make more work for me.” Aerith stood to face him. If she wanted to see his eyes she'd have to look up. Her line of sight rested right around the straps that crossed his torso. The height difference irritated her. Everything about him scraped away at her goodness. A balled fist hit firmly against his chest. Not that it appeared to make any difference. Still, it made her feel better.

“I really hate you!” Again and again her fists landed with a thud each time. “Why do you have to be the worst! A nightmare that comes just to torment me, first in death and now in life.” The war hero never flinched even if the feeling was short of unpleasant. All he could do to keep his hands to himself was stare at her. She was the first to have settled so many consecutive hits on the man, but what did it all amount to? After a while Aerith noticed her hands growing numb.

Sephiroth finally seized her reddened palms.They felt so small and fragile beneath his fingers. It was a mystery to him how the Cetra had even made it this far in life. With a sharp inhale Aerith rested her head against his chest and pleaded.

“Please don't do this. There must be something else, anything else. If you have any ounce of compassion left, let me be. I know the human in you is still in there and crying out for help.”

Sephiroth wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace that could have almost fooled her as empathy. Aerith hesitated before gently reciprocating the gesture. She needed something to hold onto. But his grip tightened and Aerith knew she was caught in the snake's trap.

“It’s already been decided.” deep down she must have expected that answer. Aerith clenched her jaw with disappointment. Why did she even consider this cruel being would change his mind. Why was she even trying? Sephiroth's hand lifted her dejected face until her golden green eyes were in full view.

“I hope Hell finds you soon.” This time she meant every word. While soaking in all the fury on her face, Sephiroth thought she really did look lovely.

“I'll save a place for you.” Something about the way her usually sweet and soft features twisted into such despair for him alone was satisfying enough. Aerith thought she might have been able to predict what would happen next by bracing herself for another rough kiss. But the reality was far more harsh than she remembered.

He abruptly lifted her without warning and she tugged on the buckles across his chest to keep her balance. It didn't occur to her that the motion would only pull him closer. She couldn't tell what happened first. Him biting her lips or her backside colliding with the nearest wall. It was crushing. Aerith thought for sure she could feel every bone in her spine scrape against the stone. The weight of sephiroth's body came down on her like a mountain. A single hand cupped underneath kept her afloat.

“Hng!” She couldn't help but try to push back on his torso to no avail. His lips never left contact with hers for more than a moment in between breaths. All the while his body pressed further between her legs slowly inching her skirt higher back each time. The cold breeze sifting through prickled her thighs. Aerith's hips were almost fully exposed and the friction of her skin against his leather made her tense.

“Wait!” In one swift motion Sephiroth had removed her boots and was pulling down at her jacket. “These are the only clothes I have.” He disregarded her concerns and tossed it to the side. Using the wall to prop her, Sephiroth quickly unbuckled his own jacket and Pauldrons before gravity took care of the rest.

“You don't need them anymore.” Not a moment later he was back to spraying kisses along her neck and dared to migrate deeper towards her chest. Pulling apart her dress buttons one at a time with his teeth.

Air rapidly filled Aerith's lungs, but breathing came as a challenge. Her hands migrated up along his abdomen, over his chest and eventually around his shoulders. She wasn’t really feeling anything though. She couldn’t focus on anything with her heartbeat echoing so loudly around in her head. She thought for sure Sephiroth could hear it. She wrapped her legs around his waist for better support. Still trying to resist contact with the rigid wall till her body was completely flush with his. The motion must have excited him. Sephiroth roughly grabbed her thigh with a gloved hand and pushed it further up to feel her hips writhe beneath his length. Aerith could tell only her underwear and his pants stood between them. She tried to stop squirming. Every grind only stimulated him more and she began to feel it too. Her body was on fire.Without warning her underwear was ripped off and she could have sworn she saw him smirk. His fingers trailed along her inner thigh until sliding over her lower lips. Aerith let out a gasp even she barely recognized.

“You seem more than ready to receive me.” Aerith glared at him through all the humiliation. She was more wet then expected. His thumb danced around her entrance, teasing her senses. She felt her shoulders scrunch up with every stroke. She eventually glanced down after trying to ignore the vulgar display before her. Sephiroth was also beyond ready. The already form fitting leather around his pelvis stretched even tighter now. It only took a single motion of the zipper to release his co*ck. It fell away from its confinement fully erect. He slowly rubbed it along her entrance forcing soft moans to escape her mouth.

“I'll try to make it quick for you.” Sephiroth's voice was a hushed growl crawling against her skin.

“I… please just, it's my first…” Adrenaline swept over any slight pleasure Aerith might have felt. Every emotion was replaced with fear.

“I know.” Sephiroth was already a large person by human standards. Of course his manhood had to be just as eccentric. Aerith didn’t have too much collective knowledge to know what was or wasn’t “normal". But she was sure she’d never considered pushing something as wide as her forearm inside her nether region.

Sephiroth made no effort to ease the first thrust. He plunged into her swiftly, tearing her apart. Aerith yelped and slammed her fist against his shoulder.

“sh*t.” A hiss escaped his lips before working himself back and forth. Each time he pressed a little deeper. Her moans were short of sobs now. Eyes forced shut trying to ignore the pain. The sweet illusions of romance and kind gestures were all gone now. Everything hurt. Aerith caught a glimpse of blood between each thrust. He was moving faster now. Aerith was thankful for the thin layer of fabric left between her back and the wall.

“You’re too much,” her words came out broken. She was already exhausted and panting ”Please, slowly.” she whimpered in his ear and Sephiroth bit back a frustrated groan. This was his idea of slow. The sound of her begging already took everything he had out of him from wanting to break her. Her forbidden wails formed a song in his ears. Knowing no one else had heard them, or ever would, fueled his possessive nature. Gaia was his, and everything in it. Aerith clasped a hand over her mouth in an attempt to muffle her shameful cries. But he wasn't having any of it. Sephiroth tore her wrist from her face before pinning it to the wall.

“Look at me Cetra.” she could barely keep her eyes open let alone look at his face. She tried to glance at him through heavy eyelashes but seeing him so close just made it all more real. His skin was perfect like a doll and the sweat forming around his muscles made them more pronounced. Every time a strand of his hair brushed against her skin, she thought it was silk. His eyes locked onto hers with anticipation. It was difficult to read his expressions, she struggled to know if he was even truly enjoying himself.

“AhH!” Aerith's cries fell away each time he slammed into her. Gravity certainly wasn't on her side. Just when she thought he couldn't push in any deeper, her body would sink in around him after each swing. His tip threatened her inner boundaries and Aerith could see he wasn't even fully in yet. Her muscles were spent already and she could feel her hair beginning to stick to the back of her neck. Beads of sweat tickled around her brow.

Sephiroth turned his attention to a fully exposed breast that had escaped her bodis. It was small and plump with a little pink nub. It hardened against the room's chill. His tongue trailed over her nipple a few times before biting down. Aerith let out a whine that had her back fully arc into him. The sudden jolt made her clench hard around his length and his penis twitched.

Sucking down through his teeth, Sephiroth's movements intensified. With an arm around her back and the other coiled around her thigh, he forced in all of himself. The pain began to build into something else. A throbbing ache formed deep in her core and the sensation was like an itch she couldn't reach. On impulse she tried to match his rhythm thinking perhaps at the right angle he could rub away this sensation. Her vision was hazy at best now. “Just a bit more.” She thought. “Till this feeling is gone.”

Sephiroth knew instantly her willpower to protest had fully melted down. She was finally grabbing at him for more and there was no point in holding back. Her thighs opened ever so slightly wider to better receive him. He braced the wall with a hand before stretching her insides further each time. The sound of wet skin colliding with every impact echoed throughout the foyer. Aerith's cries grew louder and more erratic. She tried to stifle them but it only made her voice crack more in the back of her throat. She could feel his co*ck swelling inside and she couldn't take it anymore. He was so hot inside her, she imagined him burning a hole through her uterus. Her body shuttered in an ecstasy she didn't know.

“Not yet.” Near the start of her release Sephiroth grabbed at where her braid began and tugged roughly. She felt his fingers close to her scalp and he could feel her clenching all around him.

“AH!” Fleeting pleasure was again replaced with pain. Aerith returned the favor by burying her nails into the back of his exposed shoulder blades. Sephiroth leaned into her stretched neck with a sly grin.

“I thought you liked that though.”

“Asshole,” she spat through her gasps. His cat like eyes seemed to light up with feral amusem*nt. With two final thrusts Aerith felt his muscles flex all around before relaxing. She knew his seed had completely filled her. He refused to pull out. Aerith quickly tried to get her breathing under control.

She was a mess and a mixture of panic and guilt slowly closed in. “Oh Goddess, what have we done?” Now that he'd f*cked her, what was left? And for how long. A silent stream of tears spilled over her eyes. They ran along her beaming cheeks and fell onto Sephiroth's glistening chest. Realizing, he finally pulled away and tried to hold her as gently as the son of death could. Her legs had grown numb from the prolonged suspension. He kept her close to prevent her from falling.

“What is it, are you in pain anywhere?”

Aerith couldn't help but laugh through the sobs. “'Are you in pain’ he says, how ridiculous.” She brought her hands up to cover her face. Her morphed laughter only intensified under the uneven hiccups.

After fixing his pants with one hand, Sephiroth took a hold of Aerith's shoulder before scooping her out from underneath. She wasn't paying attention, she wasn't really all there. Slowly he made their way back to where her assumed room was. The only warmth left was the bare parts of his skin pressed against hers. Her sniffles filled the silence. The mansion must have been a maze because it seemed like he carried her for hours. At some point drowsiness overcame her and there was nothing to say. No sassy quips or talk of leaving. The numbness was almost peaceful.

Eventually she felt a soft and squishy mattress embrace her. She refused to look at him and he stayed silent as usual. Before falling to sleep she remembered turning on her side and muttering

“You're no better than Hojo. You're just like the rest of them.”

Chapter 4: Defiance (Plot + Tease)

Chapter Text

The next morning came too quickly for Gainsborough. Light invaded her vision and she'd slept well past a reasonable hour. She tossed around wishing desperately the next her eyes opened she'd be in her real bed. She could almost hear Elmyra yelling at her to get up and have breakfast.

But Aerith was past playing pretend. The soreness that throbbed throughout her limbs made sure of that. Especially her back, oh how it ached. Slowly, she found the resolve to ease herself up and over the mattress. Her dress was still unbuttoned in random places and strands of uneven hair fell loose. Aside from her deep red jacket folded at the water table, she assumed he hadn't seen her since yesterday.

Aerith inspected her room again once nature beckoned. Three unknown doors opposed each other. One she knew led to the hallway, but the others were a mystery. Thankfully the first one explored was all she cared about in this moment. A humble sized washroom with a tub at the corner. After relieving herself she tested the bath for hot water.

“Thank the skies.” The water ran warm and steady. It was enough for Aerith to ease out a thin smile. Comfort came in the form of small pleasures lately. Only a lone bar or soap lay nearby but that was plenty. She hadn’t bathed in days. Her clothes were already dirty but now they were infused with her sweat and body fluids. Stripping away the thin pink gown, she glanced at the mirror across the wall.

“Oh.” Aerith’s fingers tenderly traced the edge of her back and down her waist. Little yellowish blue bruises speckled her spine and along the back of her arms where she’d been pinned. Little Finger shaped bruising began to form around her wrist and inner thigh where he’d taken her. The sight of it all made her embarrassed. She realized she’d never been touched in most of these places so intimately before.

“Inconsiderate brute. He didn’t even try to hold back.” Aerith let her hair free before neatly folding the plush bow. Slowly she eased into the steaming bath and let the water soak in around her. She wondered what Cloud and the others were up to by now. She hoped they had found the real Black Materia. She remembered slipping it into Cloud's pocket after they fell into the sleeping forest. She could imagine Tifa trying to cook something up around a campfire while Nanaki and Barret bickered about where they should go next. And Cloud, always beside her. Although quiet, he’d begun smiling along with everyone more often as of late. She’d gotten used to him being her trusty bodyguard when she was unsure of what to do next.

Now it all felt so incredibly lonely. Only the sound of the faucet dripping into the tub was audible.

“I miss you guys. Please don’t leave me behind again.” With knees pressed firmly against her chest, She wrapped her arms around tightly for any kind of solace.

- - -

Time was obsolete in the water. Aerith lay until the temperature grew well past lukewarm.

"What's wrong, my child? We are always here.” She gasped, sensing the Lifestream once more. She hadn’t felt anything since her final prayer in the city of Ancients. “You’re not supposed to be here, we’re waiting for you.”

“Are the others safe? How can I find you?” The air around her lightly hummed.

“They have not strayed from the path. You too must not stay for any longer. You know how to find us.” Aerith crawled out of the tub and tried to search for anything unusual among the steam. After grabbing a towel she went to open the door back into her room. But there was nothing except the window's draft.

“Please don't go. Help me get out of here.”

“A body is but a container. You may join us at any time. But join us you must. The day is approaching quickly. ” Her fingertips rested just above her beating heart.

“I- I can’t!” It was hard enough letting Sephiroth land the final blow, but doing it herself would be impossible. How would she overcome the fear that put her in this mental mess in the first place. The humming in her mind grew louder.

“You must. Come child, join the eternal. You need not be afraid. You will never be alone again.”

“Please, help me escape first.”

“You will never feel pain again.”

“Surely there is another way. I can find one.”

“You will never cry again.”

“Stop it!” Aerith frantically swung at the air as if it might push away whatever force was in her head. Her leg’s bumped the small table over and the water glass shattered onto the floor. The whispers echoed against themselves, bouncing along her mind freely. Drowning out her own thoughts.

“If you do not come, they will perish. The planet can't survive without you among us. Every last Cetra must join the stream.”

“What?”

“It is your destiny. Or they will perish. You have not seen it, but we know. Their faces will turn white, void of the Goddess’ blessing.” Aerith fell to the floor, cradling her soaking head. The headache was back and throbbing all around. Had the planet been trying to reach out to her all this time? “We need you child.”

An image of everyone's lifeless body invaded her consciousness. Crumpled in the dirt before the Meteor disintegrated everything to ash. Looking at the rigid glass before her knees, Aerith slowly reached for a shard, hands trembling.

“I have to set things right.” The shard felt light as a feather in her palm. Sephiroth said he would spare her friends but how could she trust him. Did he even have the power to control the disaster once it was set in motion? What about everyone else? She did care about the countless innocent lives blissfully unaware of their impending doom.

“Leave this barren place behind. Do not trust him. He only brings death. Death will infect your body until it corrupts your soul. You are not tarnished yet.” Aerith froze in horror. Could the Lifestream sense a trace of him still inside her? Was it even possible for pieces of Jenova to find a way through her this way? What would happen if she died and took a piece of him with her forever? She didn’t want to ever find out. Shaking uncontrollably, her hands lifted the glass to her chest.

“Where do I…” Her eyes felt heavy with tears brimming along the edges. What would be the quickest, most painless spot to do it.

“Yes, the way it's meant to be.”

She contemplated the lower area of her neck. Her heart pulsed in protest. She could no longer tell which voices were truly hers. The shard pressed against her flesh.

“Hurry child, time is not on your side! ” The emotionless humming almost sounded afraid.

“I’m trying.” she cried out in desperation under the burden of being rushed.

Suddenly the choir was no more. Their voices cut away as Aerith was ripped back to reality by a black blur. Sephiroth was silent and precise. Before she could blink, he had torn away the glass and pinned her down. She lay pressed against the mattress, hands bound by his grasp atop her chest. For once his stoic face was uncollected and almost frantic. His eyes were shaking, perhaps realizing he had not accounted for every possibility.

“I admit, you find new ways to test me at every moment.” The silence in her mind settled. Just like that his presence had suppressed the voices. Aerith had thought the planet abandoned her, but it was him all along. Blocking her only connection to the outside world.

“Remove your hands.” Aerith became painfully aware of the fact she was adorned only in a towel. She wasn’t ready to face him yet. She shuttered under his silky hair tickling her shoulders. Sephiroth just shook his head.

“I will rethink your confinement.” He glanced at the single table surrounded in bits of glass. “It appears giving you less was still too much.”

“Too much?” She scoffed. “When did you give me a fragment of anything? All you’ve done is take from me.” Aerith seethed as Sephiroth pressed his thumb against the reddened spot on her neck. His finger gently stroked the blemish. She hated it when he touched her like that, feelings that were foreign to her knotted up inside.

“I underestimate your desire to displease me.”

“Everything displeases you.” He ignored that. Only focusing on the exposed parts of her skin. He caught glimpses of what remained from the night before.

“Your clothes will be taken care of. But I cannot watch you all day in case of an accident.”

“No need, just go away.” Aerith avoided his gaze. After seeing such an intimate version of him, it was getting harder to retain the picture of an otherworldly demon in her mind. The monster she saw him for now, was almost human. The corner of her eye noticed a silver tray on the floor leading into the hallway. The contents of what appeared to be soup and jam bread had been spilled.

“Well I hadn't planned on using it this way.” A corner of Sephiroth’s lip turned up as he guided her back into a sitting position. “But you demand all sorts of firsts from me.” Pulling out a thin black rope from his inner coat, he began lacing it around her wrists.

“Are you serious? It's not like I can go anywhere!” Aerith didn't think it was possible to have any more freedom stripped away from what slivers were left. She was surprised he hadn't resorted to magic yet to silence her.

“I intended for it to be that way, but apparently the little Cetra is creative.” His eyes refused to abstain from hers. The last knot was formed with a little too much strength and Aerith sharply inhaled. “Stay.”

In one quick motion Sephiroth headed for the last mysterious door attached to her room. It appeared to be a closet. He reemerged with various buckles attached to fastenings.

“Hold on a minute,” Aerith quickly scooted further away on the mattress. “I'm not some animal.” Sephiroth knelt beside her and tugged on her wrists to keep her from wiggling away any further.

“These were saved for the most rebellious soldiers. But I suppose it could also prevent self injury. A fair punishment.” he brought a thick leather buckle resembling a choker to her throat. Aerith thrashed her head away.

“No way.” conscious of the simple towel, she was careful not to move too erratically. If it slipped, she'd find it difficult rewrapping herself in the current position. Sephiroth gently placed a hand behind her head to steady her.

“Shhh, only for a little while.” His venomous words crawled around her ears again and down her spine. His voice could have a way about it that gripped her mind like claws. She suddenly found it hard to say no. The choker clicked into place with a silver hoop at the front. Sephiroth was careful to brush her hair away from getting caught. The damp strands clung to his gloves. He meticulously began to fasten two long straps to the hoop below her throat. The garments were then criss-crossed over her chest and behind her back. Every tug made her body jolt. Aerith's eyes followed each motion. He seemed too skilled for it to be a so-called ‘first’. The confines continued to fold back over her arms until meeting at her wrists into a final knot. She was completely immobilized like a lunatic. Not even the restraints I'm Shinra's lab had felt this tight on her skin.

“What if I have to use the bathroom?”

“Your new attire has fixed that.” Aerith glanced away. The air was frigid a moment ago after getting out of the bath. Yet her face was burning. She attempted to wiggle a bit more slack but the bonds were stiff.

“It’s uncomfortable, I won't try something like that again.“

“I cannot trust you.”

“I promise.”

“Then why do you provoke me every time?” Sephiroth grasped her face with both hands. He peered into her hopeful green eyes as if looking for some answer. “It's not enough that I’m reminded of you far more than my days will allow. Now I must worry about your foolish schemes. Mother does not like it.”

Aerith frowned. He did not often reveal his thoughts freely. She'd been forced to think of him much too often as well. He was taking over space in her world not meant for him, creating intrusive thoughts she knew shouldn't exist. That the color black only made his appearance more intense. Or that his deathly pale skin never seemed ill. Or that his eyes were as clear as marbles and his lashes were unfairly long.

“What nonsense goes on inside this little Cetra mind.”

“That you could be kinder.” She spoke bluntly.

“Kindness will not carry you far. I’ve had no problem getting what I want without it.”

“Only because you are beautiful.” Sephiroth’s smug expression fell away. “Stupid!” Aerith immediately regretted the words the moment they left her tongue. She knew all too well how much appearances could influence those around you. Her lack of perceived beauty had made life even harder in the slums. She had to exude the most perfectly angelic persona to gain others' help. Sephiroth leaned in slowly, thin black pupils danced around her face for another answer he could accept. Aerith swallowed. Instinctively she knew it wise to retreat, but movement was impossible. “Th-that is when you're not popping up out of nowhere to ruin my day.” His eyes broke contact and the hands cupping her cheeks dropped.

“My day is the one being threatened.” He stood, tugging each glove into place. “I'm leaving for a bit. Until then, try to stay alive.” The sound of his footsteps faded but Aerith could still feel his hands on her skin.

“Why did I say that? I look like an idiot.” She kicked her legs under the blanket for any extra warmth.

Chapter 5: A Fool (Plot)

Chapter Text

Sephiroth didn't even feel the wind bite his face. Flying through the northern Glaciers was nothing new. The cold invited few to even attempt making the journey this far. But solitude was more like home than anything else he knew. Growing up as Shinra's mutant protegee didn't provide much human interaction. Surrounded by hundreds of faces who all knew his name, yet none of which he could call in return. Hojos image was the only one burned into his memory. On occasion he wondered if it had been better to just finish him off, but the desire eventually fizzled with the remaining bits of his humanity. That was until a naive girl dared draw parallels between them.

It was said to be one of human's greatest joys or curse. To grow up and realize out you're just a reflection of your parents. But Sephiroth denied any connection to his father. The words “Hojo” and “Father” couldn’t mix no matter how hard he tried. He’d never been cared for or protected the way most kids were. He wasn’t “most” kids after all. He stayed in the same building as Hojo, but not really under the same roof. Hojo was more akin to a dreaded Doctor's visit. Conversations devoid of meaning, only technical terms exchanged behind glass and telecoms. People were like insects to Hojo, he took bits and pieces of them and hoped they’d combine into something worth his time.

“You’re no better than him...” The words kept replaying in his mind, he didn’t even notice his face scrunching up. The phrase certainly didn’t agree with him. Hojo wanted to bring Chaos unto the planet, Sephiroth would cleanse all existence of such evil. He wanted to tell her she just didn’t know the Professor the same way he did. But that wasn’t true. The words made his skin itch because she did know exactly who the Professor was. He shook his head.

“Nonsense.” His attention was pulled to a outlying black robe. It alerted him of some familiar movement nearby a small icy village. One of the few towns brave enough to take on this eternal winter. It was difficult to teleport around the Snowy mountains. Most of his puppets had not reached this far. Cloud and the others were still on the same continent, and Sephiroth would never admit it put him more on edge than usual. Even if they were hundreds of miles away from his retreat. Thinking back on the whole ordeal he wondered if it would have been more preferable to stage the Cetra’s death. At first he considered it could be fun to play with them all. Dangle the scared Ancient before them like a shiny new Summon. So close yet out of reach. He could lure Cloud anywhere he wanted with what was now in his possession. But the thought of her seeing them again was losing its appeal.

His prisoner was too unpredictable. One minute he was sure she surrendered to his hand, only to crawl away the next. Humans were weak to beauty, frivolous things, and a young girl would not be immune to those desires. Sephiroth was used to being the fire that lured disillusioned prey into his orbit before stomping them out. He was, however, not used to being on the receiving end. Human emotion was like a signal he could tune out at will, but the little Cetra’s entire being called his attention. She was the embodiment of everything he could not have. An annoying tease, completely unaware. She mirrored his struggle within the lifestream. No matter how much he tried to fuse with it, he was spat out. The planet denied him heritage. But the last Cetra was confined to a soft human body. Something malleable with a will of its own, separate from the collective. If he could just plant his will into her.

He smirked thinking of it. Surely she was regretting her decision to be so obstinate by now. The leathery ropes will have added to the marks she sustained previously by the time he got back. More traces of himself cemented onto her smooth skin. He intended to break her, leaving just enough alive to fulfill his bidding. But she brought an unexpected sense of excitement to his days unaccounted for. Inadvertently he found himself acting softer, deciding it best to preserve the Cetra for as long as possible. He didn't know she would feel so good under his skin. Even though it was not going well. He left her to her own devices the entire morning and afternoon. He intended to soften any resentment she was feeling with a food offering, but somehow the whole ordeal ended with her basically tied to the wall.

“She is difficult,” he told himself. How else should he have prevented the Cetra from doing the unthinkable. You give a mouse a glass of milk and it tries to drown itself instead. If she behaved everything would be easier.

“You’re doing it again, cease these feverish thoughts.” Mothers call became clear once more. The connection grew dull whenever he was around the Ancient. “The Cetra is playing mind games with you.”

“Do not worry Mother. Everything is as planned.”

“ You assume too much good in her. Cetra only appear weak, but they are wicked. Do not forget they tricked the Gi. Now trapped in an eternal hell.”

“It has only just begun. Forever is enough to break anything.”

“WE are forever. Her body will wither and age like other mortals. Quickly secure a child if that's what you wish. Then dispose of the vessel.”

Mother was not keen on the idea of Keeping Aerith around past the planet's rebirth. Ancient blood repulsed it more than anything previously encountered in the galaxy. Jenova had no problems incubating within other organisms until now. Sephiroth understood mothers caution. Cloud by all means should have relinquished himself to the call long ago. So many times he had already taken Cloud's mind. But every time the damn Cetra touched him, Jenova disintegrated and Cloud regained a part of himself.

“All will be as it should soon enough. I will decide what to do with her when the time comes.” If a child really did bridge the gap between Mother and the lifestream, there wouldn't be a single place Sephiroth's hand couldn't reach. Every child born of the planet after Reunion would now be a part of him.

- - -

Cloud had become borderline insufferable after losing Aerith. Barret was one clip away from blasting him into the next life. Nanaki barely spoke to anyone after the incident and Yufie just glared at Cloud. Only Tifa could calm him down on occasion. Losing Aerith was hard enough on her as is. But coupled with seeing him regress back into a shell of himself made each day a chore. After so much progress and healing, all to vanish in an instant. Cloud had been reduced to a hollowed out version of when they first reunited in sector 7.

“Here.” Tifa held out everyone's room keys at the inn. Cloud was in no shape to lead the group, so she did her best to step up. “They only had three rooms available, so some of us will have to share.”

“Oh Hell, I’m not dealing with guy any longer.” Barret ripped his sunglasses off.

“Finally losing steam ey big guy.” Yuffie hit his arm a few times hoping to joke away the tension.

“Fine with me,” Cloud bit back.

“Good, cause I’d sooner sleep beside Shinra himself than your hard ass.”

“Then why don’t you try it, give us some peace and quiet for once.” Coud refused to look at anyone, arms firmly crossed.

“Com’on now, this ain’t the end yet.” Cait Sith as usual was invisible to the whole party. It was like he didn't even exist.

“Guys it’s too late to be doing this, and we're all exhausted,” Tifa did her best to reason. Cid scratched the back of his head and sniffed.

“Well don’t cha worry ‘bout us.” He pointed to Vincent in the back of the lobby, practically sleeping in a chair already. Cait climbed onto his shoulder. “This wouldn’t be the first time I slept in the ol’ girl and won’t be the last. She’s quite the comfort when you get used to the metal floors.” He sported a playful smile but just wanted to distance himself as soon as possible from the child's fight unfolding. Tifa smiled warmly.

“Thanks Cid. Yufie, you good with me?”

“You know it, I can’t wait to sleep in a real bed tonight! I call dibs on the spot closest to the window.” Tifa handed her a key as she ran off ahead.

“Let’s just go to sleep so we can figure out what's next tomorrow.” All the youthful spark in Nananki’s voice was gone. He walked lethargically over to Barret as a volunteering roommate. Tifa sighed and handed Barret a key. Barret snatched it as nicely as he could, obviously having more to say. Tifa then turned to Cloud, still facing away, and put a hand on his shoulder.

“Here, Try to get some rest, okay?” She held out the last key.

“Don’t do that, I’m not some kid.” Cloud shrugged her hand away.

“I’m sorry, I just…” the right words eluded her. What could she do to help him? She cast her eyes down, still gripping the key. The sight just made Cloud more irritable. Not at her, but with himself. He was the one supposed to protect everyone. Yet Tifa was standing here comforting him instead. He hated seeing her like this. He wanted to hug her, Goddess knows he needed that comfort just as much right now. But he couldn’t escape the failure that mocked his heart. It consumed him. He’d failed. He failed as a leader, a bodyguard, Soldier, he failed Aerith. She was so close to him, just within reach and then, gone.

“It’s fine.” Cloud took the key and walked off.

Once alone, Cloud assorted his things onto the bed. Taking out the clear orb of what once must have been Materia, he pressed it to his forehead.

“Where are you?” Cloud muttered under his breath. “How am I supposed to finish this now?” He was holding out that somehow, Aerith was alive and waiting for him. He knew she’d faced a lot on her own before leaving Midgar. But Sephiroth was something else entirely different. Anyone unfortunate enough to cross paths with him was usually never seen again.

After a moment he removed the Buster sword and gazed into its blade. Sometimes he could stare at it for hours as of late. He could almost hear the metal bits vibrate against each other in a magnetic pulse. The Black M. It echoed an electronic song only he could hear, begging for its power to be used. Cloud didn't remember how or when he got it. He thought Sephiroth had it, but everything between escaping the temple and waking up in the sleeping forest was a blur. Just more holes in his memory. Cloud's eyelids grew heavy and he got lost in the pulsing static of the buster sword.

A sudden clink against his window snapped him back to reality. In perfect sync his feet planted into a fighting stance, with his buster sword angled ahead. Then nothing. Slowly approaching the windows all he could see was snow gently cascading along the outside lamps. Double doors overlooked a small balcony on the 2nd floor. He opened them a small crack. Again nothing but frozen wind brushed his nose.

“So this is where you’ve been hiding.” He knew that voice instantly, and every hair on his body lifted.

“Sephiroth!” Snapping his head up, Cloud could barely make out the black outline of pure evil. Only his silver hair caught the slightest glow of the surrounding lamps. “What have you done with Aerith?” His teeth clenched but Sephiroth just raised his eyebrows in a mockery.

“My things do not concern you.”

“Shut up! She doesn't belong to anyone.” Cloud wanted to fly up there and tear Sephiroth's smug face to bits.

“Hm, what strange emotions radiate from you. Is it truly your desire to help her, or just free yourself of this guilt?” The words prodded at Cloud's heart. He shook his head, hoping to shake off the bait.

“Where is she?”

“The Cetra has been removed from the equation.“ Cloud's heart skipped a beat. Did that mean she was truly gone? “Ah, speaking of my things.. “

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed in on the buster sword. Something about it had changed. He felt waves of dark energy coursing through it. A strong current of power called out, somehow leading him here. Sephiroth slowly began to descend.

“Your days are numbered.” Cloud braced himself for an attack when he heard a knock at the door.

“Heya Cloud, you ok? I thought I heard you yelling?” Tifa. That split second of distraction was all Sephiroth needed. A swift swing of Masamune unleashed a whirlwind that threw Cloud back onto the floor. “Cloud?!” Tifa frantically tried to enter after feeling the rumble beneath her feet.

“Tifa stay back!” Cloud didn't know where to focus. His buster sword now on the ground, or her. Sephiroth just barely came into view beyond the balcony when static erupted in his mind. The pain never got any easier. Every time the sensation of needles probing at his brain intensified. Cloud grunted.

“Cloud, you have to get up!” Tifa ran to his side and grabbed a hold of his shoulders. Through the haze of pain Cloud could see black boots slowly approach his sword.

“Now what do we have here?” Sephiroth put out a hand and the blade began to rumble. The Black Materia was being pulled out from within. Tifas eyes settled on Sephiroth and she finally got a hold of herself.

“Why did you take her! Aerith never hurt anyone!” Tifa stood up and braced an offensive position. Gloves always up and ready.

“No! Ugh.” Cloud quickly grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. He couldn't lose her too. Tifa was the last thing holding him together. He tried to stand but the static was excruciating.

Sephiroth didn't even spare them a glance. He was fully fixated on the black mass forming a sphere before him.

“No,” he drew out a long breath, slowly co*cking his head to the side. “This cannot be.” but the truth was so plainly laid out. Identical only in appearance to the orb he'd secured back at the temple, yet completely different. He was positive he'd forced the Cetra to relinquish the Materia to him through Cloud. So then what was this? The other was surely imbued with some sort of energy, but the one he held now was undeniable. He had been fooled. Just as mother predicted.

“Aha-hahahahaha.” Sephiroth threw his head back and sinister laughter filled the room. He ran his fingers through his hair. “Of course you did.” Just as Cloud was breaking through for any composure, Sephiroth was almost out the same way he came.

“I have to go.” He turned one last time to his Blond puppet being embraced by the Nibelheim survivor. “Someone is waiting for me.”

Chapter 6: Bait (Spice)

Chapter Text

Aerith did her best not to focus on the ropes biting off her circulation. The first few hours were bearable at best, but now her limbs were tingling. She was cold and hungry. Everything had grown dark without the sunlight bouncing around. Even though her hair had dried, there was nothing to combat the natural elements. A thin blanket and poor excuse of a towel did little to preserve her body heat. She cursed at the poorly constructed window.

Several phases of emotion washed over her that day. At first Aerith was patient, thinking about it would only intensify her discomfort. She tried to reach out to the Planet again, but was met with silence. Then the wave of anger came, imagining all the ways she could hurt Sephiroth the next time he showed up. That gave her a new found sense of energy. Just barely, her mouth could reach the ropes around her wrists if she bent far enough. She wiggled and bit at the knots. But after a while her teeth started throbbing and a kink formed at the side of her neck. The leather was tougher than Dragon's skin. Only thing growing loose was her resolve. Then it was anticipation. She found herself waiting for his return. Hoping for anything to get these bindings off. In a way the ropes made it like he never left. The pressure pulling around her back and up over her arms was crushing. It didn't feel that different from when he held her.

“Nope, don't even think about it.” Aerith caught herself slipping. Every so often the image of sephiroth's body wrapped around her made her skin prickly. “What's wrong with me.” Aerith thumped her head against the wall repeatedly. The mixture of instinctual need and human disgust formed a knot in her lower stomach. Most of him repulsed her, but a sliver of him had reminded her of lust. Very few times in the past had she touched herself. Even she wanted to feel pleasure like everyone else. At least she knew her own hand would never hurt her. Aerith breathed deeply, feeling each rise and fall of her chest against the confines. With the way her position mirrored a straight jacket, she couldn't even touch herself if she wanted. Her frozen thighs rubbed together.

“Screw him. He's got to have a weakness, a moment when his guard is down. I can wait.”

- - -

Sephiroth stormed through the front passage of his estate, Masamune still in hand. Bits of snow fell to the floor in melted globs. He threw open a door to his study and approached a wooden cabinet. Inside were various treasures. Among them was Aerith's staff and what he originally believed to be the Black Materia. Holding the two Materia side by side it was obvious. Perhaps not to the naked eye, but Sephiroth could feel great energy pulsing from within just one of them. He breathed in furiously and the imitation shattered within the crippling pressure of his fist. A pathetic amount of Mako leaked out. He looked up to the ceiling, as if knowing exactly where the Cetra's room lay beyond the stone walls.

Aerith was trying to conjure any form of rest. Rotating from side to side helped to relieve some of the pressure. She was exhausted yet unable to sleep. A strange draft came from the wrong side of the room and she knew instinctively. Her eyes shot open, scanning the darkness. A large dark mass stood at the foot of her mattress. The creaky window allowed only slivers of moonlight to outline his shape. The soft glow greatly contrasted the hardened look on his face. Droplets of snow were still trickling off his leather coat.

“You dare deceive me.” The accusation dripped with venom. Aerith swallowed.

“I don't understand.” Anxiety swelled inside her sleepy mind. Sephiroth trudged closer and Aerith caught the light flicker off Masamune. He gripped it tightly in one hand. She was now fully awake and scrambling to a safer position. Sephiroth bent over and took her by the straps around her chest. He easily lifted her until her knees just barely hung above the ground. She tried using her body weight to yank free.

“Let go! I've been stuck in this awful contraption all day. You might not be able to feel anything but I do.”

“Your friends had an interesting gift for me.” Aerith's eyes widened at the unexpected mention of them. She stopped for a moment. “Are they close by?” Looking at the watery residue on his shoulders it finally hit her. “ Of course, that's where we are! They must have already made it to the northern village safely.” A fragment of relief found her. It was short lived however, noting her party had also been intercepted by him.

“What did you do?” her voice thinned.

“I simply followed where you led me.” Aerith could only stare with half parted lips. “Did you think I wouldn't find out? It calls to me Cetra, your little tricks will end here.” Aerith bit her lip after understanding the gist. Holy was one thing, but she’d put special care into prolonging the discovery of the true Black Materia. “A fair effort, but as usual, in vain.”

“Did you hurt them?” Sephiroth glared into her glossy eyes. She shouldn't be worried about other people right now.

“And if I did?” The hand still gripping his sword slowly lifted. “Your soldier was in pretty bad shape, he could barely stand.”

“Cloud.” She shut her eyes imagining the worst. She reached out her mind, but found no traces that he'd rejoined the lifestream. Not that her connection was any good as of late. Sephiroth's jaw clenched and he threw her back. The sound of another's name on her lips was unacceptable. Especially that boy. The mattress broke her fall, but her eyes caught sight of his long blade. Masamune was now high above Sephiroth's head. She knew what came next and braced herself. Swift as an arrow she waited for the strike, but only a wisp of air reached her cheek. The numbing straps that ate away at her skin burst apart. Aerith took a loud, full breath now that her ribs could finally expand. She groaned at the pain pulsing where her limbs had been bound. Her circulation returned with a vengeance. The sound of his sword hitting the floor reached her ears first. Before she could open her eyes, Sephiroth was already on top of her.

“Your face is rather funny. You assume I would strike you?”

“...Never stopped you before.” She clutched her wrists and rubbed them tenderly. It was true the previous timelines left little faith in him to be desired. He took a bruised wrist and brought it to his cheek.

“I keep my promises. Your friends will not be harmed. By me anyways.” Aerith furrowed her brows trying to make sense of him. She’d made no promise to him, so any hypothetical bargain wasn’t necessary to uphold on her behalf.

“You can't seriously believe this absurd route will work. I think you're just bored with your miserable life.” Hungry lips traced along her marks, his nose softly trailing behind. Aerith winced, it made her heart act up again.

“I do not get bored. I have been amused in your presence, but have never been weary of life,” his eyes shifted to hers. “You need not worry of me tiring of you.” her face flushed.

“I am certainly not worried! I haven't agreed to anything you know.”

“I have a lot of time.” Sephiroth's hand slid under her neck and unlocked the remaining choker. Slowly removing it he smiled coyly. “Shame, it suits you.”

“If you like it so much you can wear it then.” Sephiroth tossed it to the side. One palm rested beside her head while the other started pulling away her towel.

“W-wait.” Aerith desperately folded her arms over her chest and clung to the fabric with all her might. “You're not gonna do that again already. I haven't fully recovered from the last time.” Sephiroth narrowed his eyes. For the first time wondering why the Cetra had not healed herself yet. Surely that was one gift she'd inherited without the use of external Materia.

“I said I have time, not that I am careless with it. Human births take long enough as is.” Aerith took a quick breath and mustered as much convincing courage as she could. Taking an assertive hand, she wrapped it around his front buckles and pulled him closer.

“If you want my cooperation, convince me.” Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. He did not expect the Cetra to take any initiative. He thought considerably. She was no match for his strength and he knew it would be easy taking her whenever. But he did not want to have the trouble of forcing her every single time. Despite Mothers urgency, they didn't always see things perfectly in alignment. Humans were more complex than anything Jenova had found before. Despite Sephiroth claiming the human part of himself dead, he still knew they sometimes needed more intricate measures of coercing.

“Tread carefully Cetra, you are in no position to make demands.” Aerith did her best to keep a calm face, hoping he wouldn't notice the slight tremble of her hand. She tried to keep a lightness in her tone.

“Depends on what you consider to have the most benefit for you.” With hesitation she brought her lips to his. He did not pull away or resist. She awkwardly pressed herself against him, clearly doubtful of her own abilities. To her surprise, she felt the towel release back into her care. She thought this was enough but Sephiroth leaned back in just as she was about to part. “Is he testing me?” Aerith stiffened her muscles, repeating to herself not to back away. This time his tongue found easy access into her mouth and she let herself relax into the hand caressing the back of her head. The warmth of his body eventually found its way through her and Aerith just focused on the fact she was no longer shivering. She let the charade continue until her heart was beating far beyond what was comfortable. Her tongue glided across his hungry kisses one last time before she put a hand up below a single pauldron. Pushing back with her fingertips slowly, she couldn’t believe he withdrew himself. Her hands guided him and she seized the opportunity. With the same hand pressed firmly against his bare skin, she gently traced the outline of his exposed peck muscles. He was solid everywhere. The whole thing was overly drawn out and she almost found it sensual. Still Sephiroth’s face never gave anything away, she just had to believe in her performance.

Sephiroth's eyes studied her, looking for cracks. No sign of tears or fear. But he did not believe the Cetra had fully given in. He wanted to know if she could truly keep her resolve if he pushed her a bit more. Sitting back onto his knees he took her by the hips as he drug her closer. He swung a leg over his arm and roughly kissed the inside of her thigh. Aerith grunted and hastily held down the towel against her nether region to keep herself from being exposed. Her knuckles felt a different kind of wetness on the sheet beneath her. She exhaled and stared beyond the ceiling.

“Oh,” she exclaimed, annoyed. “Of all the times” Even in the night Sephiroth could see fine. The dark red spotting around her center registered immediately. His sigh was almost a groan.

“It appears you are spared tonight.” He began wrapping the blanket around her shoulders as she sat up. “There are clean clothes for you. I will leave them with… appropriate supplies.” Aerith relaxed in her mind, perhaps it was a blessing after all despite the embarrassment. She figured Sephiroth wasn’t particularly attached to her, so if the chances of pregnancy were low, the whole act of intimacy was pointless. She placed her hand atop of his leathery glove now resting on the mattress.

“Thank you.” It was easy to sound sincere. Aerith could be thankful for even the smallest of things in her life, even if he didn’t deserve it. She’d learned how to with the Turks, and could learn to do so with the son of Calamity. Despite pretending to give her space, the men in suits never actually encouraged her well being beyond Shinra’s desires. If it meant going against the president, any bond she thought they’d formed with her was instantly put aside.

“Rest.” Sephiroth brushed his fingers through her loose hair. It had dried in uneven waves, making her look more wild than usual. She nodded with the slightest hint of a smile. The two of them locked eyes and thought,

“I’ve got you now.”

Chapter 7: Games (Plot + Spice)

Chapter Text

Icicle inn was rather comfortable despite the name. The dark cabin walls and made staying bundled up inside all the more cozy by a warm fire. Unfortunately, its residents could not enjoy its company to the fullest. The entire party gathered in Cloud’s room.

“You just let em get away!?” Even if Barret knew it wasn’t entirely Cloud’s fault, everyone could see how he’d given up on himself lately. “Man I leave you for 5 minutes-”

“Barret!” Tifa interjected. “It's not like that, besides now we know Aerith might still be out there. Shouldn’t that be our focus?”

“Hm,” Nanaki grunted. “I want that to be true but… since we last saw her I haven’t sensed her once.”

“Wait, you what?” Yufie's eyes widened.

“Aerith and I had a special connection to the plant, like strings attached to another main body. But right now, it’s like her string has been cut.” Vincent sighed in agreement and nodded his head.

“I wouldn’t put it past Sephiroth to pretend to have her as bait. I too doubt she’s even alive.”

“Everyone just shut up.” Cloud eventually found his voice. “You weren't there, I could tell. Something about the way he talked… Aerith is still out there.”

“Well if that's the case what are we all waiting for?” Barret held his palm out. “Staying here won’t do anything.”

“Aye but where do ya suppose we go? We’re low on supplies as is, and now we’ve lost the Black Materia.” Cait Sith twisted a few whiskers in his hand.

“Yeah thanks a real bunch for that,” Yufie kept glaring at Cloud.

“I think we should head back to my hometown. Bugenhagen should know something that will lead us in the right direction.”

“But won’t that take us farther from Aerith? She could be right here and we don’t know it.” Tifa's fist rested between her chest. She grew more anxious by the hour.

“He wouldn't keep her somewhere so obvious if she’s even alive. She’s likely nowhere near a village like this or any civilization.” Vincent’s eyes were emotionless and tired as usual. But his words made sense.

“Just say the word folks, where to next?” Cid finally strolled in after stomping out a cigarette butt on the balcony. The hostess repeatedly yelled at him for trying to light one up indoors. Cloud was impulsively tapping his leg on the floor from where he sat. He hated the idea of backtracking. Especially when he felt they finally got a lead.

“Trust me Cloud,” Nananki sat before him. “If we can figure out where Sephiroth is hiding, it will likely lead us to Aerith.” His foot finally stopped its incessant movement.

“Fine. But if we get there and it’s just some bullsh*t, I decide where we go next.” The team packed their equipment and quickly made their way back to the Tiny Bronco.

- - -

The clothes were… interesting. After bathing once more with the sunrise, she found a handful of simple dresses in her closet. All black. She also noticed the water table was missing.

“How original.” She sighed. The lack of color did not stimulate any of the joy she needed to somehow conjure up. But at least she still had her red jacket and pink ribbon. The important part was that a variety of toiletries were also left behind to assist her monthly needs. Her sheets still looked like a minor crime scene took place though.

The soreness around her joints had subsided but still Aerith tried healing them. To her disappointment, nothing happened. It used to be so easy. She just couldn't connect to the planet no matter how hard she tried here. If it hadn't reached out that one time, she would have believed the lifestream abandoned her. But now she was sure the bond was being weakened by some external Force.

A single dull thud at the door jolted her to attention. She quickly ran over and rested her hand on the knob. After a deep breath she swung the door open with a pleasant expression.

“Yes?” two catlike orbs peered down at her. He took his time to take in her appearance from top to bottom. To think her entire aura could change with just a swap of attire. He thought it suited her more. “What?” Aerith put out her arms and turned from side to side. “Don't I look nice?” she could have sworn his frown deepened. “ sh*t. ” she thought.

“Come.” He was already walking away before she could blink. Aerith pursed her lips. “ Maybe I'm trying too hard.”

Like deja vu he moved in silence until they reached the dining room. This time she paid special attention to every turn they passed. Just as before the table was laid with various options. Aerith's stomach grumbled.

“You have to eat. A day without food is too long.”

“And who's fault was th-” She caught herself before the bitterness crawled out. Sephiroth slowly peered at her from the corner of his eye. Aerith walked over to some fruit and changed the subject. “I am starving, Hmmm.” she put her hands together. “There's too much for me to decide. What did you used to eat for breakfast?.” she gazed at him brightly.

“...”

“ How is he even quieter than usual? Say something!” Sephiroth stared at the table before looking away, as if he couldn't actually remember.

“Meals were predetermined. They typically came out of foil packets.”

“No wonder you don't like food anymore.” Again, his frown flatlined.

“Eat.” He reiterated.

“It'd be easier if you joined me. It's weird when you just stand there.” He seemed to almost consider the idea. Aerith swallowed, not actually knowing how she’d manage a full meal with him.

“My attention is required elsewhere at the moment. I'm sure the Cetra can manage to feed herself.” She sighed, reaching for a lone pear.

“I have a name you know. A-er-ith, you should try it sometime.”

“...” Sephiroth eyed the young girl as she took a bite without hesitation. A thin streak of juice ran down the side of her mouth and she rubbed it away with her palm before licking her lips. It was almost like an entirely different person sat before him. Surely some new clothes and a good night's sleep weren't enough to evoke such a change. “You may look around afterwards if you wish.”

“Oh? What if I find your stash of Materia and steal it all?”

“Is that a joke?”

“Never mind.” Aerith kept munching at a steady pace. Every bite made her hungrier. Halfway through the pear, her other hand was already piling an assortment of breads and bits of meat onto her plate. “Well, if it’s just me here, I don't need this much food.”

“Are you certain?” Aerith glanced wide eyed around the ridiculously large table, adorned with enough nourishment to feed all of Midgar. She then realized both of her hands were full of food.

“You’re making fun of me.” Her lips curled in a bit from embarrassment. Sephiroth coughed into his fist. She must have imagined him grin in that moment before returning to his usual form.

“Behave in my absence. If you try anything, I'll know.” Without another word he walked out the door and vanished. Aerith just shook her head and enjoyed what felt like the first real meal she'd had in weeks.

- - -

Not far from the snowy mansion lay a colossal sized hole that ran deep into the planet's surface. The gaping wound was miles apart and bust the surrounding ground violently into jagged bits. The open space split so deep, one couldn't see the bottom from its edge. The endless blizzards helped to camouflage it somewhat. Every day Sephiroth would clear the area of any nearby monstrosities. The crater had resulted in several Mako leaks that intensified whatever deformed pests were crawling about.

Sephiroth's true vessel lay at the heart of it all, and he didn't need hungry insects bothering him. The feigns gathered in great numbers but went down with a single slice. The task was rather mundane and his mind kept wandering. She was even more beautiful in black, but undeniably not quite herself. Or rather because she was acting like her true self, everything seemed off. He wasn't sure how to engage with such a warm reception.

“Do not hesitate. You have everything we need.” Mothers voice was determined to drown out his gibberish.

“Almost everything.”

“We cannot wait 3 more seasons to consume this planet.”

“A child born of human flesh must be done under the right conditions.”

“No, the Ancient is already secured! Proceed as planned. Before that boy becomes a problem.”

“Cloud will succumb on his own eventually. Once his mind is gone, he'll pose no threat.”

“And the Ancient? Her lineage quells my call when you’re near her.”

“My will is the same as yours, Mother. None of that matters.”

“You’re taken with her.”

“I only wish to cease this endless cycle.”

“Then make haste.”

A puppet near the middle of the continent had caught wind of a makeshift airplane traveling south. Sephiroth did not expect them to leave the north so soon. Things were already changing in his favor. Once the sun hit its peak, he decided it was time to check on how the flower girl was fairing.

- - -

Aerith wasted no time getting to explore the maze-like house. Some doors were locked, most were open, and all empty. It was like the same areas had been copy-pasted several times over.

“My staff has got to be around here. I’m sure it was with me before we left the City.” Aerith finally found a large door that looked nothing like the rest. “Bingo.” The inside to her dismay was as uninteresting as everything else. Besides a small desk to write and thick velvet drapes along the windows. A house this big was truly unnecessary for a being that didn’t actually know how to live in one .

“Oh heavens what's the point?” she came to the terrible realization her poor excuse of a room truly was the most equipped. “I will die of boredom before anything else.” Aerith stopped looking into rooms and instead focused on trying to get off the second floor, or third, she wasn’t sure. She’d managed to find the exit once, but everything about that day was a blur.

After wandering aimlessly she found a spiraling set of stairs. They lead her down into a narrow passage with no windows. Only a few lamps adorned on the walls lit her way. A plain wooden door lay at the end with a golden knob. The darkness made Aerith uncomfortable, but there was no reason to turn back now

“Please be something useful,” she whispered. The passage opened into a fully furnished study. Her mouth dropped slightly. Endless Shelves of books and loose paper were collected in chaotic stacks. A grand fireplace carved of stone was also surrounded by a deep red sofa. She wasn't sure where to start looking first. Things appeared to be placed randomly. Several chests and cabinets also lined the high walls.

One silver chest in particular caught her eye right away. The front crest had “Shinra Electric Power Company” engraved upon it. She looked over her shoulder a few times like a child about to steal cookies before picking it up. A thin veil of dust sprinkled the lid. She set it atop a wooden table by the nearest desk light. Inside were several worn letters and trinkets. Aerith recognized the handwriting on several of them right away.

“Hojo…” she muttered his name in disgust. There looked to be report cards based around Sephiroth's physical condition. There were numbers tracking the dosage of injections and his cell response. Not everything she understood. A shiver ran down her spine remembering her own experiences. They tracked mundane things too, just to strip more privacy away. The amount of times you ate, went to the bathroom, when puberty hit, or went outside, it was all in the reports. Aerith remembered the first time she started to need a bra being one of the most nauseating conversations in Hojo's lab. During a check up the Turks had brought her in for, she recalled the smile on Hojo’s repulsive face. He spoke about her body changing with the other faceless lab coats like she wasn't even there. Like she wasn't human.

A discolored photograph was stashed below everything. She flipped the frail paper and saw a beautiful woman on the other side. She looked so much like him . The bottom of the image read ‘ Jenova ’.

“His…mother? That can’t be right.” Under her mumbling she never noticed the shadow rapidly forming behind her.

“That is off limits.” Sephiroth snatched the photo away and slammed the metal container shut. Aerith just barely tore her fingers away fast enough from being caught. She recoiled from the fury in his voice.

“I’m sorry, I-”

“You probe too much.” Sephiroth grabbed her wrist and she winced. The bruising around her joints were still evident. Aerith could smell the slight scent of death in him. No blood could be seen, but she knew better. “What were you doing?” He noticed the cabinet withholding her staff and Black Materia appeared untouched. But all the scripts and knowledge he'd secured about the planet had not been seen by anyone other than him in decades. Undoubtedly, he just hated others touching his things.

“I was just looking around, like you said.” His eyes thinned. He did say she was free to explore. But he also didn't expect her to find this place.

“How bold, to think you would enter my personal room so easily.”

“What?” Aerith frantically looked around again. It didn't look like a bedroom. But perhaps the madman no longer needed sleep. A sly smile pulled at his lips

“If you missed me that much I would have come back sooner.”

“I really didn't know. I was just curious.” Aerith tried to lean back, but her wrist still lay within his grasp. Sephiroth stepped into her retreat until her rear bumped against the desk. Her other palm quickly braced the edge to keep from falling.

“It’s not everyday someone enters my quarters.” A hand began tugging back on the collar of her jacket. “I will repay your bravery.” Aerith instinctively tried pulling back up the sleeve that exposed her shoulder. Sephiroth tilted his head as he watched the cracks in her behavior take form. Big green eyes full of distress stared up at him. Her lashes fluttered with every nervous blink. " T here she is.”

He placed a gloved hand on her cheek. Using his thumb to trace the bottom of her half parted lips. Aerith couldn't take her eyes off him. Her breathing quickened with the pulsing of her heart. Each rapid thump ran up through her ears. He leaned down and rested his head upon her chest. Silky gray hair caressed her skin, she wanted to touch it. “Did you know, I can hear it.“ Aerith bit her lip, his voice was low now. Sephiroth's hand had found its way firmly against her back, pressing her into him. “I know everytime you grow excited like this. I hear your heartbeat so clearly.”

Aerith was at a loss for words. She didn't know whether to run with it or yell and scream that it wasn't like that. He ignited all sorts of nonsensical emotions that she found it hard to distinguish each one. The only thing she knew in this moment was that she wanted to tell her raging heart to shut up.

“How much faster will it go for me?” The fingers on her back began grabbing bunches of her dress. The soft fabric was tugged up and over her knees with ease. She hastily sat onto the desk in an attempt to halt the dress from moving up further.

“Wait, it's still not a good time, you know.” She looked past him at the floor, cheeks burning. Having this conversation with her destined foe was strange enough. But imagining him watching her down there in this state was even more embarrassing. Sephiroth's hand glided up her thigh and around her back until his finger rested at the top of her underwear.

“Oh that?” His finger played with the band stretching around her lower hips. “Blood has never bothered me.” Sephiroth's head slid into her view, blocking her eyes from averting his, until his catlike pupils could see her reddened face clearly. “A natural lubricant, not that you need it.” Aerith snapped at the vulgar statement and slapped him.

“You always have to say the worst things!” she hoped it hurt but he barely even flinched.

“You must have a desire for being punished. Again you test my limits.” He pounced, and everything blurred as things flew off the table. She felt her waist flatten against the table as her wrists were secured above her head. “I'll teach you how to be a good girl.” His voice was a growl against her ear. With every inhale her chest brushed against his. Seohiroth’s other hand explored her freely. His fingers roamed around the curve of her breasts to the soft pit of her stomach. He had been craving this, waiting almost a week before having her again was seeming more impossible. Maybe if he tasted her flesh once more, he could forget about her for a while. The hand surrounding her wrists tightened in excitement and she yelped. Aerith's body jolted in pain as her knees stabbed the side of Sephiroth's torso. Tears stung the corners of her eyes.

Sephiroth slowly released some tension. Surely he hadn't pressed so hard to receive such a reaction. He scanned her face for a reason, until eyeing the more obvious bruising.

“How curious, why haven't you healed?” Aerith gulped. Unsure if being honest was wise. “Unless, it does truly excite you to remember how much you invigorate me.”

“I… can't.” She whispered through thin streaks of salty tears. “I can't anymore.”

His leathery fingers uncoiled themselves from her slender wrists and rested them on the table. He stared for a little too long at her. Sephiroth thought she was a sight for sore eyes in distress. The heavy emotion's radiated off her and he could feel all of it wrapping his skin like a blanket. He wanted her to beg him for help. But when her eyes parted through wet lashes to look at him his fists curled up. He could hear her voice, “ Convince me.” His lip twitched before walking over to a drawer in the wall. Aerith sat up and began wiping her face. Not a moment later he had returned with a little green orb in his palm.

“Here.” His hand took hers and placed the glowing Materia in it. “Take it with you.” The Young flower girl stared at him with disbelief.

“I can leave?” Aerith wrapped the smooth sphere in her palms and hugged it to her chest. The orb radiated the same kind of warmth she often received from the lifestream. It felt like her garden, her home. The inviting embrace of her mother or the hands of her friends all resembled the unique power healing Materia possessed. The tears came back. She sniffled, unable to control the flow. Tranquility filled her heart. Sephiroth's brows furrowed.

“This Cetra cries too easily.” He leaned beside her and brushed the hair out of her face. Before she could fully realize, Aerith reached out her hand and latched onto the side of his long coat. She rested her forehead against him to hide her face. Consoling her further was beyond his abilities, so he just let her sit for the time being.

“I'm sorry,” She whispered. Sephiroth stiffened, her voice was barely audible. “I didn't mean what I said. You're not the same.” That itch returned to his skin and the wrinkle on his forehead deepened. Her claim had stabbed something inside him even if she retracted it. Different, but perhaps similar, the thought made him sick. Her breathing eventually evened out and she released his coat. “I'm alright.”

“Then come.” He held out a hand. “It's time for your meal.” Aerith wasn't hungry at all, but she accepted the hand anyway. Palm still nuzzling the Materia, she let him guide her off the desk. She knew she'd probably never make it back to her room before the next sunrise if she had to navigate on her own.

Chapter 8: Two Steps Back (Plot + Tease)

Chapter Text

The dining table was set more appropriately this time. Mixed aromas of warm vegetable stew and buttered loafs filled the room. Like before, Sephiroth left her alone after she took the first few bites. That was enough reassurance for him apparently. Aerith found it increasingly difficult to finish everything halfway through. She placed the spoon down and rummaged through the pockets of her jacket. The orb was as glossy and vibrant as she remembered. Mako swirled around inside like a mini galaxy. Her eyes fluttered shut as she grasped the tiny sphere in both hands. With a quick prayer, thin veils of green energy had enveloped the flower girl. The soft wisps returned her skin to normal. One by one, any remaining soreness faded away. A smile eased onto her lips. Her flesh at least, was at peace again.

Aerith mosied over to the windows and let her breath fog the glass. The night was still young and drowsiness hadn't hit yet. Still, nothing was visible beyond the snowy mountains. Her eyes scanned for any trace of light in the far out darkness. Some proof that other life existed within her parameters. Her fingers turned numb against the window. Aerith began to dread the nightly chill that came routinely. The daytime was bearable, but the cold seeped its way through every nook and cranny once the sun set. She sniffled, recalling the lavish study.

“Why does he get a fireplace? I bet he doesn't even use it.” She wrapped her hands around her elbows. “Would he notice if I stole some cushions?” Her nose scrunched up while tapping the floor with her foot. After just barely escaping his den earlier, heading back now would be absurd. “I guess I can sit in the bath to warm up.”

From the dining room Aerith found it wasn't that difficult getting back to her assigned place of rest. To her surprise, the sheets had been changed. Not a trace of blood in sight. She looked around for any sign of Sephiroth. He was good at disappearing when need be. Aerith remembered it was almost impossible to keep eyes on him even when Cloud was chasing right behind.

After impatiently drawing some water, she crawled into the boiling tub. Aerith didn’t mind turning into a prune if it meant feeling this relaxed. She stretched over the edge for the bar of soap. Besides, with the bleeding it was more convenient to clean this way. The soap glided across her skin like butter and smoothed out all her worries. Even gently rubbing along her inner thighs and neither region made her flinch. No matter how gentle she was, the area was always tender around this time. Her fingers ran over her lower pelvis as the suds were dispersed. Aerith’s mind wandered farther away with each stroke. Midgar was always warm thanks to the pillars sucking up every drop of Mako from the planet. As a result the desert surrounding Shinra’s greedy metropolis grew larger each year. Adjusting to this glacial wasteland was not going to be easy. Yet somehow Sephiroth was always so warm. He looked colder than death to her, but he held as much heat as the sun. She supposed if she got too close she’d burn to ash anyway so it wasn’t that different. Still, in another universe, it might have been cozy all snuggled up in his big arms during the snowfall. The moment his head met her chest, her skin set ablaze everywhere. Those leathery fingers teased far more than she was comfortable with today. Remembering the sensation made her breath deepen. Aerith’s toes curled and she realized she’d been circling her lower spot for too long.

“Oh curse him!” She dunked her head under the water and immediately began washing other parts of herself.

- - -

Icicle Inn was a lot more lively these days than they were used to. Occupancy kept filling up with strange guests, or so the hostess thought. A women and five men came in just as the town had gone to sleep. Two of them were in all black suits and walked with a pace that insisted they were important. The other four were more obvious with their metal helmets. After reaching the front desk, a tall bald man refused to remove his sunglasses. The hostess thought it reminded her of another man she saw the other day who also kept his sunglasses on even at night.

“Hello and welcome to Icicle inn, how can I help you?” the receptionist smiled as politely as she could. They were with Shinra, and that always meant trouble.

“Rooms for Six please.” The man spoke with a deep and tired voice.

“We have three available. We were fully booked until a group left unexpectedly this morning. So it’s your lucky day.” The small blonde girl in all black grunted. She looked up at the man beside her with a matching uniform.

“Seriously? Well just so you know, I get a room all to myself.” The young blonde snatched a key off the desk. The man's eyes furrowed but he didn’t deny or argue. He thought it was obvious she’d get her own room. But the energy to retort was long gone after spending the last 6 hours stuck in a helicopter with her. He looked back to the receptionist.

“That’ll do. About that group that left earlier. Do you know where they were headed?” The hostess shrugged.

“We don’t make it a habit to pry into our guests' business.”

“Figures,” the girl said under her breath with a scowl. The hostess looked up, trying to remember something.

“But they did ask about any nearby locations further north. Unfortunately, aside from a few skiing trails, the mountains are too dangerous to cross. Not much is accessible without the risk of getting lost in the blizzards.”

“Hm, I see.” The man held his chin for a moment before taking the remaining keys and walking away.

“I told you they’d come this way,” she chirped.

“Elena, pipe down.” The bald man handed a key to the four troopers. “Get some shut eye. We regroup tomorrow after breakfast.”

“Yes sir!” With a brief salute, the men were already marching off. Once they’d all gone, Elena folded her arms and leaned against the cabin walls.

“Why are we here anyway? Isn’t chasing the Ancient freak Tseng’s jurisdiction?”

“If you’ll remember he’s still recovering from the last mission, and Reno just barely got back on his feet.”

“Still seems like a waste of time. All that just for the Temple to be a bunch of nothing, no promised land in sight. I think the president is chasing a dead end.”

“Just do as you’re told and you’ll be fine.”

“Well I’m sleeping in tomorrow, so don’t wake me.” With a wave she was gone. The man in black signed deeply while staring at the ground long after she’d left.

“I sure miss you partner.”

- - -

Sephiroth glared at the metal Shinra box in his study. He tucked it up high enough on a shelf to where a certain snooping flower girl wouldn’t be able to reach. He ran his fingers through his silvery mane before relinquishing himself to the red sofa in the middle of the room.

“I shouldn’t have let her leave.” Regret settled in for straying off course. He could have just given her the Materia once he was finished. The Cetra was too delicate, she would just accumulate more scratches after he'd had his way with her. Trying to make her come to him on her own this soon might be a barren endeavor. “Tsk.” She put up a good front this morning, but he could clearly see the panic written all over her face the moment he grabbed her.

“ That is why I said just use her. Stop hesitating.”

“It will all end as planned.”

“ So don't care about the method. Just take everything and summon a world reborn. ”

“In a few days she'll have no excuse.” The girl was crawling around places she didn't belong. When she said she'd find his Materia he didn't actually expect her to get so close. “Well that encounter ought to keep her away from this room.” The more he tried to forget about her the more vivid her image became. He could feel every curve of her body beneath the soft dress, yet he hadn't seen all of her yet. He was too quick the first time.

“ Stop that.”

“What?”

“If you're not going to mate quickly then don't go near her until her body is in prime again. Your focus is misguided lately.” Regardless of Mothers wishes, he'd come to like seeing the Cetra daily.

“We are eternal, it's better to keep things interesting.” Sephiroth rubbed his chin as a grin pulled at his lip. He could almost still feel where her nails scraped across his cheek. He'd have to make up for that. Sephiroth released a long exhale. He was still aroused to an extent. He'd been left cold this afternoon and quickly abandoned the Cetra afterwards. She followed along so peacefully for dinner, completely unguarded. After she sat down, the image of taking her over the dining table from behind suddenly flashed in his mind. Her hair gathered in his fist with her small body bending to his desires. He had to leave quickly before undoing the rapport he'd built in the study.

Sephiroth didn't need to sleep. His main body was technically resting even if his mind was free. He preferred to recoup here when jumping from the eyes of all his puppets scattered along the planet. But there was nothing in particular he needed to monitor, he wanted to see her again. He abruptly stood up and ignored the itch growing below. The flower girl should be sleeping now, so it would be fine to check on her. Anytime he needed to place something in her room, it was easiest at night. Sephiroth began waking down the pitch black halls. Very few corridors had windows that allowed the moonlight to leak through. They weren’t necessary, his vision was just as sharp after hours. In these moments he realized how much she truly slept. Humans lost so much of their limited time on this planet to their dreams. It was essential for them, he couldn't remember the time he used to dream.

“Ouch.” The sound of shuffling around a staircase snapped him back to reality. Sephiroth was naturally discreet, the Cetra never even noticed him. Her ability to sense him appeared to have weakened lately. “C'mon you!” She exclaimed her frustration in hushed tones. “I know you have something, you've just got too.” Sephiroth listened to her fumbling with a knob. After a few more strides she came into view. She adorned the simple nightgown he'd left and wrapped a sheet around her shoulders. After a few more tugs she gave up and kicked the barrier before her. “Fine, I'll look elsewhere.” The flower girl reached her hands out like a blind man to trace along the wall. She was headed his way. Her hands moved up and down the enclosure, presumably looking for another door. Sephiroth stood and waited.

After a few more steps Aerith found herself colliding with a boulder-like figure. She was already walking crooked and not prepared to hit her shoulder first before tripping over her legs. Sephiroth didn't even break her fall. He watched her topple over, half amused that this creature had survived the slums all this time.

“Damnit.” Aerith reached out from the ground and began grabbing at Sephiroth's leg, trying to decipher the sturdy object. The leathery boots instantly gave him away. “You!” her head shot up, scanning the void. He decided to just lean over and help now that his fun was over. A firm hand squeezed her arm.

“More snooping? Didn't you learn your lesson earlier?” The outline of him was just barely starting to form.

“Just how long were you standing there? And I’m not snooping, I’m freezing.”

“What?” The air seemed fine to him. Sephiroth never noticed a difference in temperature. Anywhere he went, his body perfectly adjusted. Aerith suddenly grabbed his arm, as if preventing him from disappearing again.

“I need more blankets. Or some fire Materia if you’re feeling generous.” Sephiroth scoffed.

“The last thing I need is for you to burn down the house.” He could feel how jittery she was under his attire. Did the cold cause that? “I will get you something, so go to bed.”

“Well, the thing is…” she shuffled a bit closer to him. “I can’t see where I’m going.” With an awkward laugh her fingers gripped tighter. Sephiroth was a bit perplexed, perhaps not being able to see him made him less threatening. A devious smile settled on his face.

“I’m rather busy.” Sephiroth pried her hand away from him.

“In the middle of the night?”

“Perhaps if you said, please.”

“Huh?”

“Then again, I’m not sure the next time I’ll be back.”

“Wait!” Aerith hastily reached out with both hands this time to secure any part of him. In pursuit of a real blanket she sacrificed the sheet protecting her bare shoulders as it fell away. “Then P-Please.”

“Hm?” Aerith grunted in annoyance.

“I know you heard me.” she felt him pull further away. “Please… take me back to my room.” Each word came out disjointed, as unwilling to form the phrase as she was to say it.

“And?” His head tilted to the side in anticipation. Aerith resisted every urge to hit him again. She never imagined her pride being worth the cost of some coverage in this snowy hell. She took a deep breath.

“Please take me back to my room and get me some blankets, thick ones. I’d appreciate it.” Sephiroth finally gave in and slipped a hand around her shoulder. He felt her shiver slightly underneath. Even the slightest touch from him made her skin feel as though a million cactuar needles were prickling her. Walking slowly from behind, his hand never lost contact. Aerith tried to keep a steady pace, making sure not to trip again. The night was eerily quiet. Their footsteps could have echoed if not for the shadows swallowing everything up.

“You should have mentioned it sooner.” His voice startled her.

“It wasn’t exactly my top priority.”

“And what counts as a priority?” No words could find her, and she became increasingly stiff. What was she supposed to say? Getting as far away from him as possible? She feared creating a foul mood, but the silence was painful. “Heh,” a puff of air escaped his lips. “I already know, Cetra.” Aerith frowned at the pull of her heart. For some reason she almost felt guilty. Once they entered a corridor with windows, it was clear they'd made it back. He felt her spine relax again.

Sephiroth stopped walking once they reached her door. The view from behind wasn’t bad. Her hair fell all around her shoulders and stopped just around the curve of her waist. The thin nightgown clung to her body and left little to the imagination. She looked so fragile next to him. The urge to grab her was becoming unbearable again. Reluctantly, he removed his hand. Cold air immediately consumed the spot his palm once rested, stealing any built up warmth. She turned slowly, gazing at the floor. If she asked when he’d be back with her things, would she look too impatient? Sephiroth could tell her face had something else on her mind. But staying longer would be trouble.

“What is it?” Before he could fully realize, two delicate arms were folding around his waist. She steadily pressed up against him until her cheek was flush against his chest. Sephiroth's foot quickly hoisted him from behind him in order to keep from swaying. His hand twitched, unsure what to do.

“Just for a moment, you owe me.”

“Excuse me?”

“For today. It’s payback.” Aerith closed her eyes and let his body heat envelop her. The frigid air subsided whenever they made contact. “ Aerith you are going crazy.” Her conscience tried reprimanding her but logic had long left. She'd gotten increasingly sleepy since the bath hours ago. If she could fall asleep standing here she would have by now.

“You play dangerous games.” Sephiroth stroked her hair, letting it glide through his fingers.

“It's called a hug. It’s supposed to comfort you.” She spoke through a yawn that escaped. “You're so warm,” she mumbled.

Sephiroth's pulse quickened. The flower girl was physically his, and soon her mind would be stolen too. He placed a hand on her back and it only encouraged her to melt further into his skin. Mother was wrong, he hadn't lost focus. He could have her right now if he wanted. Her body was pitiful compared to his grand stature. It would take less than a second to have her on the ground and remove that poor excuse of a gown. His face scrunched up.But he already did want her, yet he'd allowed her to slip away twice. Her sincerity seemed precious, something in him didn't want to squander it. But how long could that last? She would eventually have to surrender her body nightly. Then where would that sweet defenseless expression be? He thought maybe simply holding her didn't feel so bad for now. “ Stop .” His mind filled with Mothers warning. “ Your focus is misguided.”

“Sorry. I need to sleep.” Embarrassment crept into her cheeks as her grip loosened. She looked up at him, he hadn't said a thing. She thought perhaps she acted too presumptuously. His face was twisted in an expression she couldn't gauge. Was he angry, or disgusted? She moved her arms in front to try and distance them, but he wouldn’t budge. His hand refused to release her. “Sephiroth?” The sound of his name on her tongue took the last drop of patience.

“Enough of this ,” he thought. “I did not bring you here for comfort.”

He cupped her chin and pushed back until they collided with the door. It shook on impact. He found easy access to her mouth as she gasped for air. His kisses were always sudden and left little room for escape. He was more impatient than usual, wasting no time in sliding her nightgown up over her hips.

“Mmhph!” Aerith held onto her dress desperately and wiggled her head free. “Wait, I didn't mean to-” Sephiroth had already hoisted her off the ground while barging through the door. He let them fall to the mattress, keeping a hand behind her to soften the impact. Her hands roamed around for any control, desperately trying to put space between them.

“I thought you were cold? There are other ways I can warm you.” Aerith's face burned and she immediately regretted being so vulnerable. Of course he would just twist it around. “You are strange, Cetra. You were the one clinging to me a minute ago.”

“That's different.” She spat back. “Not everything is an invitation for sex.” The crass tone made Sephiroth's eyes widen with amusem*nt.

“Then please enlighten me of your intentions.”

“I don't know, I-” The right words couldn't find their way out. She bit her lip and looked down. Was it compassion or a gesture of friendliness? It didn't seem right to associate such pure emotions with him. She’d let her guard down in the hall, he just seemed so normal. He watched her eyes dart around. “I just wanted to.” His hand found its way to her lower stomach, palm pressing flat against her skin.

“You've gotten too comfortable. Do not forget who you belong to now.”

“...My mistake.” Aerith's voice was reduced to a lifeless whisper. Sephiroth continued to remove her dress until her breasts were exposed. It slipped over her shoulders easily. She was beautiful and full of uncharted territory. Despite her attempts to cover herself with her arms, he saw everything. She didn't yell or fight. Her dejected expression was stuck in place, her mind seemingly elsewhere. It was hard to tell if she was even breathing. He grit his teeth and gripped the mattress.

“You will be ready for me when I say so. Your days of luck are almost up. Remember that.” He stormed out of the room and Aerith finally exhaled. She held back her sobs, completely humiliated.Sephiroth's knuckles refused to uncurl themselves. He couldn't understand why he was so bothered. After grabbing his sword he quickly left to eliminate any nearby feigns. Perhaps Mother was right. He should avoid her until it was time.

Chapter 9: Runaway (Plot)

Chapter Text

Aerith wasn't able to sleep at all that night. Her mind was a mess. By the time light fell from the skies, she had already changed into regular clothes without much thought. She was anxious, but Sephiroth never came by. A shaky hand forced down a bit of porridge. Somehow the reality of the whole thing was just starting to settle in. It had all played out like a hypnotic dream until now. Layered with sleep deprivation, she spent the entire morning on edge. The moment she grabbed him wouldn't stop playing over and and over in her mind. A constant annoying loop.

“Why did I do that? He gave me healing Materia… because I shouldn't die? You touched him, that's weird. I was tired. He looked lonely. My bleeding has slowed. What do I do when I see him? I hugged him like an idiot. That asshole took advantage of you. I hate him. I shouldn’t have asked for anything.”

Aerith walked the halls completely consumed in her own rambles. She didn’t expect to find anything, but needed to feel like she was doing something of value. She assumed Sephiroth would be gone again for most of the day. Last night he said he didn’t know when he’d be back. She assumed he was just trying to get under her skin, but now wondered if it might be a day or two. “Why did he get angry? Because I grabbed him? If he was disgusted, why did he jump on me?” Aerith's finger rubbed her upper lip while biting at her thumbnail. She couldn't tell if she completely hated his kiss, of if she just wasn’t ready for it. It was the way he moved without asking or warning that bothered her. Sometimes he acted like her existence mattered to him. Like she was someone worth more alive than dead. But then he would shatter the illusion and make her feel like something to be disposed of.

“Child, you are still here. This is not right. ” Aerith’s head snapped into focus.

“I’ve been trying to reach you.” She opened her heart and grabbed hold of the thin string connecting her to the planet.

“You are neither here nor there. You are not among us, yet your body is disconnected.”

“But nothing’s changed. I’m still well and alive as always.”

“The land you stand on is wounded and dying. It is difficult to see you. A hole that eats away our essence is near.” Aerith thought for a moment. It was always natural to hear the soft humming of the lifestream when she was in her garden. Flowers swayed in the wind and brushed secrets into her ear as she passed by. But here nothing survived. The ground was frozen and she hadn’t seen a single lifeform that could grow. Everything was stone, metal, cement. Not even the sun's blinding rays could penetrate the cold.

“He has the Black Materia. I know it’s here. Please, help me find it.”

“Unspeakable evil, we cannot touch that.”

“We can prevent calamity from ever happening, can’t it be destroyed?”

“It does not matter. As long as he lives, nothing is safe. You must return to us. It’s the way it should be.”

“I have to try. I can deal with him later.” The connection went silent for a few moments. Aerith feared they’d gone again.

“Find your Black Materia and get out stubborn girl. You must find living land, or our next meeting remains unknown.” Aerith nodded her head.

“Alright,” she said to herself. “I think I already know where to start looking.”

- - -

Sephiroth's puppet was fading. Most of its lifespan had been expended after spending the last 10 hours cutting down monsters like a lunatic. The area had been secured long before the sun rose. But he kept going out, further and further, looking for anything to ruin. He needed to locate another vessel nearby. A hoard of black robes should reach the north region soon, but they were too slow on their own. Sephiroth quickly realized the art of distraction was not among his strong suits. Even when she wasn’t there, the flower girl's face was invading his mind. No reimagining of Reunion or breaking Cloud’s mind or the destruction of Shinra could block out the image. It only fueled his rampage. She should have stayed insignificant. The planet's last Cetra, their ultimate weapon, to be turned against itself and used to aid in his rise to Godhood. But oh it was going so wrong. Destroying obstacles was always simple, but trying to eliminate someone who should not be killed was a wall he could not climb. The wicked Cetra as Mother had said. She was slowly stealing bits of his mind reserved for other things worthy of his concentration. “ I never got her the requested cloth.” SLASH . Just as the thought emerged, he quickly buried it away under the vibrations of Masamune. Spilling the flesh of a deformed creature.

“Blankets are a trivial matter." He carried on south. But those fragile arms trying to wrap all around him fought for his attention. He wondered if she’d ever dare taking the initiative again. The gesture was outside his comprehension. It felt too intimate to, but she insisted it wasn’t with lewd intention. “Then for what? The cold, comfort, Pity, love?” SLASH. Another monster spilled onto the snow and stained it an ugly green. Sephiroth's shoulders jerked up and down as he fought to control his laughter.“That is a stupid idea.”

He couldn’t recall ever being hugged. Embraced without expecting anything in return. He supposed it's something a mother would have done. If this cruel world hadn’t killed her and stripped Jenova of her birthright. This twisted life stole many things he could never get back. But the past was done, only the future could be made.

“They will all burn. Do not worry Mother, I will purify this rotting world.” A black robe near the Corel Regin caught sight of a tiny airplane gliding southwest. Without a moment's notice Sephiroths consciousness filled the vessel roaming the desert. The other body would soon be buried under snow anyways, if something didn’t eat it first. It appeared his favorite soldier was heading towards Cosmo Canyon.

- - -

Breakfast at Icicle Inn was plain, but it was hot, and that was all the Shinra troopers really wanted. The Turks however were used to a finer palette and found the unsalted eggs with plain bread to be underwhelming. Elena pulled a forkful of undercooked eggs to her nose and let it fall back onto her plate after taking a whiff.

“Travel hundreds of miles without getting paid overtime on a frozen hill for this slop? No thanks.” She pushed the plate away. “Rude, you’re not really eating it?” Despite his ridged appearance, Rude ate politely with straight posture and a napkin folded in his lap.

“I’ve had worse. You’ll regret it later on an empty stomach.” Elena groaned and reached for some bread.

“Sir! Everything is accounted for. Backup is confirmed and transportation is ready for takeoff.” The four troopers that accompanied them stood in formation. Rude dabbed at his mouth with the napkin before placing it neatly on the table.

“Good.” He stood up. “Elena, we're leaving.”

“Roger that.” Elena shoved another piece of bread in her mouth before following them from behind. Outside the village entrance a second helicopter joined them. Fifteen more troopers and a few third class soldiers were among them. Rude pushed his glasses into place with a middle finger before securing his tie.

“Don’t let your guard down, and remember, the Ancient is your only priority. Once she is secured, leave immediately. She’s expected to be with the terrorist group Avalanche, and an ex-first class Soldier.”

“Yes sir! Permission to shoot on site?” Rude wrinkled his nose. A particular bartender with beautiful black hair and ruby eyes was also suspected to be with them.

“Only if you have to. Remember Avalanche are wanted alive for interrogation. Leave them to Elena and I. Your mission is gathering the Ancient and returning her to Shinra. Don’t underestimate her.”

“Understood, sir!” The men saluted in unison before marching off into an assigned chopper. Rude tossed up a pair of keys.

“Elena, you’re up.”

“Seriously?”

“It’s time you got more flying practice.” Elena grinned with confidence she always pulled out of nowhere.

“I’ll get us there in no time sir.” Rude took a deep breath, preparing for a bumpy ride. It might have been best that they didn’t eat too much after all.

The first few hours were uneventful. Nothing but Snow and blank space. Once the snowstorm began to pick up, even Elena started showing signs of apprehension.

“Are we sure they even came this way?” She stared ahead in horror. Nothing could be seen beyond the white flurries engulfing the windows. Only the radar could detect their location now.

“It’s our best lead. We know for sure they stopped at the inn. They wouldn’t have come this far for nothing.”

“If we die out here, I will personally come back to haunt you.” The helicopter jerked from side to side under the pressure of the wind. Despite his calm demeanor, Rude gripped the control stick until his knuckles turned white to help her steady it. “Uh, sir, what is that?” Elena pointed to a yellow dot on the radar that seemed to be steadily approaching them. But yellow dots were fixed objects.

“Veer left, now!” Without warning the chopper sharply turned. The howling winds took that momentum and hurled them further into a dizzying array of circles.

“Sir, we have to land!”

“It’s too dangerous, we don’t have a clear sighting of the ground.”

“Who cares! If we can’t get out of this storm there’ll be nothing left of us to land!” Rude grabbed the telecom above his head.

“Troopers, disengage! Land immediately!” There was no response. “Troopers, your positions?!”

“Forget them, it’s out of our hands.” Elena gripped the control stick and pulled back with all her might. The landing wasn’t just rough, it sent spine breaking pain through everyone. The groans of Shinra troopers in the cargo filled Rude’s ears. He turned to Elena, seemingly unconscious.

“Elena?!” He shook her shoulder violently in hopes of a response.

“Ugh.” She hissed through her teeth and swatted his hand away. “I’m fine. My head f*cking hurts though.” Rude sighed and quickly regained his composure before turning around.

“Anyone still alive, say ‘I’.”

“I…” The men in the back reluctantly spoke up while rubbing their throbbing joints.

“I’ll check the situation outside. See if you can get the engine lights on for takeoff out of here.”

“On it.” Elena unbuckled her seatbelt and started messing with the machinery. Rude crawled out of the dented door after having to slide it open manually. He stared up the colossal mountain that almost flattened them. Now that they weren’t moving at such insane speeds, the snow was easier to see though. Rude could see smoke in the mountain. A small flame was visible even from a hundred miles up.

“Great.” There went the backup. Little dots in the sky caught his attention as he squinted. Rude ran back to the helicopter. “Flare gun, Now!” One of the men tossed the firecracker his way and in one swift motion, Rude set it ablaze. The little dots began drifting towards the light. Some survivors had managed to eject themselves in time. Elena eventually joined her comrade outside.

“Sir, The body took some damage but all the fuel lines seem to be working. I think we can make it.”

“And the radio?”

“I’m not sure yet. I’ll call for backup as soon as I get it working.” Rude’s face finally relaxed. She was young and impatient, but undeniably a Turk.

“How many do you think made it?” Elena asked flatly.

“Maybe six or seven that I see.” Rude adjusted his sunglasses as if it would help the view.

“Sir, Our helicopter can only hold nine.” Rude said nothing. “I best get that radio going then.” He suddenly grabbed her shoulder just as she began to turn away.

“Elena! What do you see over there?” He pointed far off behind the curve of the Glacier. Elena put a hand above her eyes to shield her from the snow falling over her vision.

“Uhh, a … house?”

“Tell the men to arm themselves. We’re not done here.”

“Yes sir!”

- - -

Cloud and the party wasted no time getting back to Bugenhagen’s Observatory. The second they landed, Cloud was nearly running. Nanaki and Tifa were the only ones who kept up. Cid insisted Barret stay to help with repairs. Vincent didn't care much for crowded towns and Yufie had had enough planetology speeches to last a lifetime.

“Welcome to Cos-”

“Move it.” Cloud brushed past the gatekeeper and kept walking without so much as a glance of acknowledgment.

“Sorry.” Tifa smiled apologetically to the man but also kept a steady pace.

“Nice to see you again, but we’re kinda in a hurry!” Nanaki trotted by, tail wagging. Cloud barged through the front doors of the Observatory. Bugenhangen was already there waiting, as if somehow expecting guests.

“Oho, what is this? You’ve returned sooner than I thought.” The old man floated over. “Although with a bit of audacious greetings.”

“Grandpa! You’ll never believe the places I went to.” Nanaki couldn't contain his childlike demeanor whenever he came back home.

“Cut the chatter. We don’t have a lot of time.” Cloud disregarded any small talk. They could barely get him to move the last few days, but since his last encounter with Sephiroth, he was practically jumping all over. Nanaki stopped wagging his tail and sat down.

“We wanted to ask some questions.” Tifa stepped forward. “Aerith is, she’s gone.” Her voice trailed off and her eyes fell to the floor.

“I see.” Bugenhagen brought a sleeved hand to his chin.

“Is it possible to lose a connection with the planet? I used to feel Aerith’s presence, but after she vanished, so did our attachment.”

“One doesn’t not simply lose their connection. I’m afraid my boy, that usually means she’s one with the source again.” Nanaki’s ears dropped. It wasn’t the response they hoped for.

“No, Sephiroth is the one who took her.” This pathetic meeting wasn’t going to cut it for Cloud. “If he was trying to hide her, I know he could pull off a trick like this. He has the Black Materia, we need to find him.”

“Ohohoho, that's quite the conundrum. Perhaps Aerith has left some clues for you. If she’s still among us, she would surely be fighting.” Cloud pulled out the clear Materia Aerith handed him back in the sleeping forest. Nanaki’s eyes lit up.

“That's- Aerith said that was her special Materia, before the whispers stole our memories.”

“Did she say what it was for?” Tifa eyed the sphere with confusion.

“She didn’t tell us anything.” Cloud responded, furrowing his brows. Aerith had a plan but shouldered everything alone. If only he hadn’t lost sight of her in the forest, she might still be here. “She told me to take care of this, and that she’d deal with Sephiroth. I think… she was praying when I last saw her.”

“How peculiar. If I’m not mistaken, the strongest call of defense on the planet is from the sacred relic, Holy.”

“Holy?” Cloud blinked, he’d never even heard of it.

“Only the chosen ones can summon its power through their prayers. If Aerith truly was a Cetra, the planet would no doubt heed her call.”

“Maybe that's why Sephiroth was there, to stop her from using Holy.” Nanaki looked over to Cloud hopeful. “If we can find Aerith and get our hands on Holy, maybe we can stop both the Meteor and Sephiroth!”

“Hoho, thats the spirit my boy. I suggest going back to the scene of event’s. There might be something else hidden in the city of the Ancients.”

“But what about the Black Materia, it’s still too dangerous to just it leave alone right?” Tifa's eyes were unconvinces, nothing was guaranteed.

“Perhaps your friends in the black robes can guide you.” Bugenhagen stroked his beard. “They seem to be drawn to something not of this planet. Following them may yield promising results.”

A few sickly men in black robes had already crept past the guards of Cosmo Canyon. They didn’t say or do anything no matter how hard the locals tried engaging with them. The guards decided they didn’t pose any threat, planetology was for everyone after all. One of the robes however, moved with more intention than the others. Sephiroth hid within the body of a lost soul who had the number 035 tattooed on his arm. He figured it’d be better not to show his true face. He liked sneaking around like a cat, it gave him the upper hand. No one ever knew when he’d strike next. Sephiroth shuffled to the town's heart. A man with a gun for an arm stood there.

“Hey, so what did the old man say?” Barret still had some oil smeared on his face, he never could turn anyone down.

“He thinks Aerith left us something back at the Forgotten Capital.” Nanaki spoke excitedly.

“We’re looking for a Materia called Holy.” Cloud walked out in front. “It could stop Meteor from destroying the planet. I think Aerith had it the last time we met.” His face had finally relaxed a little.

“But what about Sephiroth? I thought we were looking for him?” Barret scratched his head, not really following.

“We are, but figuring out what Aerith’s plans were before she disappeared is also important. Finishing what she started might be of more help to her right now. The sooner we leave the better.”

"But we just got here. Everyone's strength is running thin, maybe we should rest a bit." Tifa watched him nervously. Cloud tried to be the strongest one, yet appeared fragile at times in her eyes. His headaches were growing worse and he wasn't sleeping right.

"We came here for answers and we got them. We leave now." Cloud looked to the sky as everyone headed back. “The next time we meet, I hope you can rely on me.”

Sephiroth listened with complete stillness. They weren’t any closer to finding his Cetra, but Holy could be a different problem altogether. He strategically made sure to intercept Aerith before she had finished her prayer. But securing the holy Materia wasn’t part of that. He was positive she didn’t have it, he’d stripped her down enough times to know every belonging she might have hidden. Sephiroth assumed it fell into the lifestream, gone forever. On the off chance it hadn’t been absorbed by the planet, he had to be sure they never found it. If Aerith ever got her hands on it again, there could be trouble. After he’d heard enough, Sephiroth knew it was time to head back. He’d left her for too long. Just as his mind was about to slip into another puppet, he noticed some stalls selling fur blankets. He halted and flexed his fingers. If he took anything with him, he’d have to trek back home the long way.

“I keep my promises.” He thought, detaching himself. It wasn’t emotion, simply a matter of principle. Sephiroth waited till he was outside of town to transform into his normal body and carry back the things he’d taken. The little pink flower he found along the way in his hand was apparently also just principle.

- - -

After a bit of backtracking, Aerith found the spiraling staircase. The hallway was as daunting as she remembered. This time she'd brought a lamp from the dining room. Her fingers wrapped around the golden doorknob and she pushed it tenderly to avoid the wood from creaking. She peaked her head inside and scanned for Sephiroth. As expected, he wasn't around. Her heart raced and her palms grew sweaty. Before she had come with innocent intentions, but now she was looking to steal.

“Ok think. If I was an egocentric madman, where would I hide my most prized possession.” Her eyes darted from one shelf to another. The amount of stuff he had accumulated was overwhelming. She walked to the desk and set her lamp on it. It was still a mess from yesterday. The clear space created by Sephiroth's hand swiping away everything in order to make room for her was still there. She could almost feel him breathing on her neck. “I'll teach you how to be a good girl.” Aerith slapped her cheeks with both hands and shook her head. “Get out of this place and never think of him again.” She swallowed down the butterflies in her stomach and began rummaging through the drawers.“He kept healing Materia around here, he must have all sorts of stuff.” She sorted through a variety of pens and paper, but nothing special. “Hm, nope, not it, Nuh uh.” The drawers were so ordinary she could scream. Wicks to reset the lamps, oil to clean his sword, tissues. Next she scanned along the bookshelves with her finger, but everything was just as they appeared. No hidden levers or doorways.

Aerith fell onto the couch and scanned the compartments closest to the ceiling. Her eyes zeroed in on a silver case.

“The Shinra box?” Seeing as he’d taken care to place it far away, she figured the more important stuff might be on the top shelves. Accept there was no way she could reach it. Normal people had a rolling ladder, but nothing about Sephiroth could be associated with normal. After looking around, She dug her fingers under the edge of the desk and lined it up with the wall. She thought If the bookshelves were strong enough to hold her weight, she could use them as a step and shimmy across the edges.

Her legs shook climbing along the wobbly wood, but she was determined not to fall. It almost reminded her of the times she crossed rooftops with Cloud. The memory made her smile. Messing up Sephiroth's room was kind of fun. At least if she could get out before having to face his wrath. She slid along the dusty wooden ledge until she reached the Shinra box. She’d already seen its contents once, but various other boxes sat alongside it. With a trembling arm she lifted the lid of one box. More books. Aerith grunted and kept side stepping. Once she made it to the fireplace she began reaching for more containers, but her arms were growing sore. “Should I just throw them to the ground and search that way?” A knot was forming in the pits of her stomach. Less and less room for error was being left. If she didn’t get out tonight, there’d be no way to put back this mess. She reached for a leathery box, and just as her fingers brushed the side, she felt the shelf below her give way. She slipped fast. Clawing at everything to no avail. She reached for a wooden cabinet above the fireplace, hoping to catch the handle. But the cabinet wasn’t secured to anything and toppled over with her.

The impact wasn’t very forgiving. She heard her shoulder crunch over the hard floor and her fingers were sliced in several places due to the shelf corners. She was thankful to at least have the healing Materia of all things.

“Ohhh.” Aerith whined and she rolled onto her back. She grit through the pain and panic, observing the damage. It looked like a hurricane came through. “What have I done?” She bit her lip and crawled over to the cabinet that fell. She tilted the case upright and heard the familiar jingle of metal inside. Her eyes lit up. She impatiently threw the doors open and a grin stretched from both her ears. “My staff!” In perfect condition, and all previous Materia still equipped. “Oh thank the Goddess! With this I should be able to leave.” But that wasn’t all. A sinister black orb rolled around the bottom shelf. Aerith swallowed and picked it up slowly. An electric sensation pulsed through her fingers where the glossy surface made contact. A shot of adrenaline flowed through her veins.

“Ok, time to go.” Aerith grabbed her staff and began running out the door. Halfway up the staircase she heard crashing. Her steps ceased, frozen with terror. He was back. "Was Sephiroth ever this loud before? sh*t, is he looking for me?" Still she had to keep moving. Aerith made haste with lighter steps. She wasn’t sure of the exit but had to just believe she could find it again. She darted down the hallways and prayed she didn’t run into him. If he saw her, it was over. She clutched her staff and glanced at her equipment. Barrier, Wind and various support extensions. She cursed herself for not having more offensive slots. But getting to the city of the Ancients was supposed to be her last stop. She just needed to get there safely, not fight anyone.

She turned the corner and dug her feet into the ground. She skid so far it almost knocked her off her feet. Impossible. She stared wide eyed into the face of another person in all black. A young woman with short blonde hair.

“No, freaking, way.” Elena pointed at Aerith like some exotic animal being seen for the first time in years. “Rude, I found her! The Ancient freak is up here!” Elena was basically swimming with glee. “Oh I can’t wait to go home.” She drew her pink gun and the Aerith quickly brought forth her staff to shield her.

"What is happening, how did they find me?” Aerith needed to quickly redo her entire plan.

“Don’t even try it.” The gun pointed straight for the Ancient's head. “Tseng got pretty roughed up because of you.” Aerith winced, he was bleeding out the last time she saw him. But it seems he was rescued before it was too late. “Cat caught your tongue? Where are the others hiding?” Aerith heard several more footsteps approaching, she had to get past them somehow. If she timed it right, it was possible. She lowered her staff and slowly approached the young Turk.

“I wont give them away. Even if you take me, you can’t have my friends.” Elena scoffed. She began nervously checking the blind spots around her shoulders.

“Don’t think of surprising me, it won’t work. The sooner they show themselves the better." Aerith just shook her head defiantly. "The higher ups would rather you came in clean,” Elena smirked. “But I don’t have any problem making things difficult for you.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you.” Aerith’s voice was firm. The gap between them slowly closed, and the other troopers should be here any second. “By the sound, maybe… five are coming?”

“Good, gives me no reason to hold back then.” Her finger hovered over the trigger.

“Elena, no!” Rude's voice didn’t reach her in time. That was all the confirmation the Ancient needed. Just as he came into view Aerith sent a blast of wind hurling them back before breaking into a sprint. The impact knocked both Turks onto the troopers that followed oh too closely behind. She swiftly jumped over their bodies that scrambled against the current.

“Sorry,” Aerith sang while waving at Rude as she darted by.

“Move!” Rude began shoving at the useless troopers weighing him down.

“Be careful, the other terrorists are hiding nearby,” Elena warned.

“Elena, you and these men search for the others, I’ll take care of the Ancient.”

“But sir! I was just getting warmed up.”

“Thats an order. Remember, we’re not here to kill them.”

Aerith was as light as a feather on her feet. It felt good to have her staff in hand again. For the first time in a while she didn’t feel so powerless. She heard a few more armed Soldiers approaching and she swiftly cast a barrier. They were a low rank, no match for her. Just a few strikes was enough to stagger them till she was long out of sight. A deep rhythmic thumping approached from behind. Rude was gaining on her. He was the only one who could match her pace in the slums. She had to think quick to get away from him. He had his own dirty tricks. If he managed to touch her, she’d be out.

“Aerith!” He shouted. “Don’t make this hard for us, or everyone gets hurt.” Aerith rolled her eyes. The Turks always leveraged the threat of innocent bystanders to guilt her into following them obediently. They had no idea what she'd gone through the last few days, 'everyone' wasn't on her mind. An indoor balcony was unfolding before her eyes, making her heart skip a beat. The exit. She glided down the steps, hopping over every other one to quicken her pace. With the twirl of her staff she knocked out two more troopers guarding the entrance. She extended her hand to the door before Rude abruptly landed in front of her. The quick change in direction almost had Aerith flat on her back. He must have jumped off the balcony and skipped the stars all together. “ Damnit ,” she cursed. Rude brushed off his jacket sleeve and took a step towards her.

“Why can’t you just stay put? You’re coming with us one way or another.” Aerith frowned, remembering all the years they had control over her.

“That complacent kid from Midgar isn't here. I’m not sorry. You helped steal too much of my life.” Rude sighed and prepared to lunge. Just as Aerith cast another gust of wind, his arms came up to block the impact. It set him back a few feet, but he retained his balance. Going back up the stairs was pointless, so she turned on her heels and kept flying through the first floor. She did her best to keep ahead, he wouldn’t stay behind for long. A sharp turn was coming up and she wagered everything on it. The moment she was out of view she unleashed a blast that shook every door open. The hallways were all the same, with eight identical rooms mirroring each side. Before Rude turned the corner Aerith picked a random entrance and duked inside. He’d have to search all sixteen rooms to find the one she was in. Unless, of course, he picked correctly the first time. She heard the thumping behind her halt, accompanied by a drawn out groan.

“Aren’t we too old for this?” He taunted her, but Aerith just held her breath. She hid near the center, and it sounded like he skipped over the first few rooms entirely. She scanned her space for anything. Across the room was a large mirror covered in sheets beside a glass window. Rude’s footsteps slowly approached and she covered her mouth. Her heart was ringing up into her ears again. She suddenly remembered him. “Did you know? I hear your heartbeat so clearly. ” Aerith pressed her eyes shut and she shooed the image of him away. She fought to control her pulse. Finally, he passed her spot and settled for a room further down to search first. Aerith swiftly snuck across the open space and gathered a sheet as quietly as possible. Once she was sure he had gone into another room she took her staff and slammed it into the window. It shattered into a million pieces that grazed her skin. She couldn’t feel it though. In that split second the deep thumping returned and she cast one final hurl of wind to slam the door shut in his face. She leaped out the window with barrier still in tact and the white fabric wrapped over her head. In the blinding snow, she became practically invisible. Rude kicked down the door and wanted to shove it through a wall after seeing the broken glass.

“Sir, what's the situation!?” Elena finally caught up.

“Outside now, she’s escaped.”

“What?!”

“She won’t make it far, What about the others?”

“I don’t think there are any others. This place is empty, it gives me the creeps.” The whole thing was very odd. Aerith was also dressed strangely now that he thought about it. Even if the situation was peculiar, they didn’t have time for this.

“Let’s go.” Anyone not unconscious from Aerith's rampage had already gathered in the foyer. Rude pointed at the third class Soldiers left. “You two, with us. The rest of you stay behind to find your comrades to secure the area. Backup will come eventually. Elena, we're getting back to the Chopper now.”

- - -

Sephiroth had been flying for hours, but the new vessel he acquired was in good health. The sun was starting to set by the time he reached the northern glacier. He wondered how the Cetra spent her day. Would she still be angry? Probably. But upon returning, something immediately was off. The constant snowfall had erased any unsuspecting tracks, but everything else was just wrong. The front door lay open a crack, and had dents all along it. As though something had forced its way in .

The entrance had muddy puddles of melted snow sprinkled about. He could hear them. Several tiny heartbeats in his domain. Little weak rats had found their way through. Sephiroth dropped everything in his hands and emerged without warning to where the intruders crawled about. Ten Shinra goons were standing around his dining table, nibbling on some leftover fruits. Half were not spared a moment to even realize the light fade before Masamune severed six heads. The remaining troopers stood in shock, unable to comprehend all the red filling their vision. Then the shrieking began. Feet ran in all different directions. One man sank to the floor while the others tugged at the exit to leave. But the passage was sealed shut.

“Impossible, I thought backup was coming!” Sephiroth plunged his sword into the chest of the screaming fool. His head scanning the remaining three.

“Where is she?” Despite asking calmly, the men only grew more terrified. A demonic relic of war reincarnated they thought, back from the dead.

“Please spare me, we were just following or-” another head hit the floor with a dull splat.

“Wrong answer.” Sephiroth took a step closer to the other two and pointed the tip of his sword out. “I won't ask again.” The two trembling men glanced at each other. One poor soul had already wet himself. They knew the truth wasn't satisfactory.

“She … “ he gulped. “The Ancient is already gone.” The man's voice cracked. It was his last breath. Both troopers' stomachs emptied onto the floor. Sephiroth gripped Masamune and stormed into Aerith's room. Empty. He couldn't hear her anywhere. The last place he checked was his study. Perhaps she was hiding there. But he was only met with the disgraceful state of his chambers. Rage and unease were building up rapidly. The empty cabinet on the floor was all he needed to see.

Aerith was no longer here, and she didn't go empty handed.

Chapter 10: "Aerith" (Plot)

Chapter Text

Aerith knew she could be stubborn and impulsive to a fault at times. If she saw an opening, she took it without waiting to see if the second option might be better. The snow was up to her calves and a slog to get through. There was no way to tell how long she'd been walking. Barrier helped keep away the bitter winds, but that didn't change the below freezing temperatures. At least the constant hike uphill kept her blood pumping. Her wind moved bits of snow into a more manageable path, but that path wasn't leading anywhere inspiring. She could be out here for weeks before she found any sort of civilization. That's when the dread set in. The realization she was utterly alone.

The sheet didn't provide much protection besides helping her blend into the snow. The Turks finding her wasn't even a concern anymore. She was beginning to wish it was. Perhaps escaping after boarding their helicopter would have been a better avenue. But the idea of being placed back in Hojo's lab was enough to make all logic dissipate. Regardless, her mind had no room for self pity, the sun was setting, and she needed to find shelter.

“When I get out of here I'm going to drink nothing but hot chocolate for a week.” her thighs burned with every step. Her pace slowed as each breath took longer to complete than before. “And I'll buy my own big fat blanket. I'll never complain to Mom about the summer again.”

A slew of mountains that cut off the horizon were growing near. Chunks of rock peaked through their snowy tips. She thought there might be a ledge worth hiding under for the night. If only she had some fire Materia. The sheet had gone soggy against her body and acted more like deadweight than a shield. If anything the cotton refreezing against her sweat just made the chill more intense. But the mini summits before her got closer by the hour, she only had to journey a bit farther. At times like this she wished to grow wings and fly away. Sephiroth could do it, she never quite understood that part. Just this once, she wished to switch bodies with him.

“That bastard,” she huffed. “ Oh I’m going to save you , he says. He's made more trouble for me in one week than I've had all year. No, the last five years!” Although nothing was ever so cruel as the pain she locked away in memory of her mother Ilfana, the son of Calamity was competing for a top spot in second place. “Oh Planet, can’t you hear me now?” She tried reaching out for guidance, a signal, anything. The plea was swallowed by the white void. “Of course, fine then. It works out for you all the same if I perish out here anyways.” Aerith wrinkled her nose in frustration. It was so strange. Before, the Whispers were infuriatingly clingy at every turn to ensure she was never harmed before her fateful day at the altar. But now she wasn’t worth even comforting in what could very soon be her final moments. The gentle caress of the Lifestream that once lingered everywhere she went was getting harder to recall. “I should have eaten more this morning.”

Had she been in better shape, the sound of hissing growing near would have been more noticeable. Only after the crunching of snow was right behind her did Aerith turn to the mutation. A lizard with iridescent scales and icy blue eyes had its eyes on her staff. The light bouncing off its pure silver tip must have shone through the storm. Monsters could be quite the hoarders. They often found all kinds of treasures on them. The creature's head swayed slightly, almost like a snake sizing up its prey. Aerith quickly gathered herself and gripped the rod.

“I won't go easy on you.” The lizard just screeched and bore its venomous fangs. Vile green salvia dribbled out. The one element she needed most would have finished the miserable thing quickly. But of course she was stuck going about it the long way. The creature lunged just as she dodged, abandoning the useless sheet. The thin cotton flying about distracted it long enough for her to cast Tempest. Several blinding shards of light emerged at will, trying to slice the scales. But its outer layer was too tough, no doubt hardened overtime by the rough weather with a side of Mako poisoning. The monster snapped its head around to spray globs of venomous acid. Aerith was doing her best to run about, never letting her barrier weaken. She had to find the creature's soft spot. With a single swoop the lizard’s tail whirled in a circle, knocking her backwards. She kicked against the snow but the creature was already on top of her.

“Ugh, c’mon now you.” Aerith grunted under its crippling weight. Holding her staff up with locked elbows was all she could do to keep the lizard's sharp talons just inches from her face. It was gearing up to spit acid at her again. Her eyes darted around frantically for an out before noticing the monster's lower stomach. The skin looked thin, with not a scale in sight. Aerith dug her heel into the squishy abdomen until it screeched in agony. The scream tore at her eardrums. Her head wanted to split but she couldn't miss this chance. With the sharp end of her rod, she stabbed clean through the monster's belly. It staggered back, hissing with rage. Too slow to attack, the mutant stumbled about. “Let's finish this shall we?” In one final blow, Aerith let her ray of judgment slice through its exposed stomach until nothing was left of the creature. Once more, brutal winds filled the deafening silence . She winced at all the dark green and purple blood. It stood out like a sore thumb and gave off the stench of rotting flesh.

Aerith had moved away from her original path now, and tried to regain her sense of direction. Her toes had already turned numb long ago. She didn’t even register the ground giving way beneath her feet. The snow had built up so far over the edge, one might not realize a surface to walk on no longer existed. Her scream was muffled as her legs twisted up in the sheet. Gravity took care of the rest as she was sent flying over the steep incline. Each roll spiraled faster, with her staff clutched firmly up front in an attempt to protect her face. Once the momentum slowed, she grasped for any stable ground. Her legs and hands trembled uncontrollably. Pure adrenaline allowed her to stand before pushing on. She wanted to cry, but even that took too much effort.

“I can make it.” She deluded herself into believing it wasn’t that bad. The small Mountain was within her reach now. A small opening appeared just as she’d hoped. The cave was shallow, but enough to block any harsh winds. Most of all, the inside was dry. Once curled up into a corner, she pulled out the healing Materia. That ought to keep the frostbite at bay. Shivering hands rummaged through her soaked pockets. “No, no no no!” Hysteria split through her fatigue as she stripped off the jacket, shaking it about in the air. The Black Materia wasn’t here. It must have rolled out during the fall. Aerith buried the jacket in her face before leaning against her knees. “Idiot, how could this day get any worse.”

- - -

Sephiroth knew he was fast, but never had he bothered to truly test that potential until now. Space would be a melted blur if not for his enhanced sight. Years of Mako infused eyes and natural born Jenova cells made him like none other. His mind cataloged every last inch of land in view, down to the hovering snowflakes.

“Will not a single day with her pass as I design?” He couldn’t remember the last time he felt this way. Panic was not on his list of welcomed emotions.

“Abandon this trial, even if it means rewriting history again.” Mothers echo spread over the back of his conscience. Fighting for a spot at the forefront. “We can conquer all without her. Holy is lost, I am absolute.”

“She has my property, the reunion of worlds lies within her palm.”

“Not worth the trouble. The Black Materia will call again. Just remove it after her death. ”

“You decide with too much haste, both will be returned to me in working condition.”

“ f*ck her or kill her, anything is better than this cycle of cat and mouse. You forget yourself, playing with poisonous food, meanwhile the Cetra stalls my everything.”

“ Those who enter my domain will be extinguished first. And I shall conquer in this life, not another. The Cetra has spent her cards. Even the toughest sword will yield when the kinks are forged out.” Sephiroth knew trying to revert back to the way things always were, would also likely bring the planet and himself to its same final chapter. No matter how much knowledge he retained in each loop, mother was locked in place, more or less the same as the first time the Universe played out. Despite sharing parts of Sephiroth's mind among the collective, Jenova was hardwired into a default ideal. Only Sephiroth had the power to mold the fate of Mothers power to his wishes. Her will was his will after all. Speaking to her was like speaking to himself, just another part of his consciousness.

Shinra trash were among his favorites to erase. Every time one of them stopped breathing, he felt as though his planet got that much cleaner. But the last thing he needed was for more to show up when he was already preoccupied. The Cetra would be returned to him, and the electric power vermin would be left to rot. Simple, or so it should be. Sephiroth just couldn’t shake the bad feeling he had. Until she was back at arm's length, everything in his way would burn.

- - -

The Turks weren’t having much luck of their own. Although they managed to get the helicopter back in the air, Shinra’s so-called rescue team wouldn’t be here for another twelve hours. To make matters worse, fuel was running low. They weren’t supposed to be out here this long, and the Ancient was nowhere to be seen.

“Sir, it’s time we call it off.” He knew she was right. Elena had no history with the Ancient, so her judgment was sound. But Rude just couldn’t let it go. Even if the job required him to make tough choices, that didn't mean he couldn't try to make the child's time under Shinra less uncomfortable. Aerith was always a little rebellious, but no one ever seriously got hurt. Maybe Reno would walk with a few bruises, but in the end she usually did as they asked. Maybe she had a trick up her sleeve and was fine, maybe she was picked up by her friends, regardless he had to be sure. If the Ancient froze to death out here it would weigh over him. Tsung would never let him live this down, and Shinra would be more than dissatisfied losing their key to the promised land.

“We'll search until backup arrives.”

“With all due respect sir, She's not out here. We're going in circles and it's about to be too dark to see the ground, let alone a person.” Rude was struggling to make a decision when the system alert sirens went off. “The hell?” The radar was picking up a red dot moving in their direction. It was traveling twice as fast as they were, but that shouldn’t be possible. Rude tilted his head and leaned closer to the screen, thinking there must be some error. But before he could come up with a logical explanation, something slammed into their aircraft. The entire body shook, sending any loose cargo flying about.

“But we didn’t hit anything!” Elena was struggling for control, unsure if they were crashing or not. A gust of frozen air whipped across Rude’s neck before hearing the fading screams of Soldiers that once accompanied them. He turned to see a massive black figure hanging onto the doorway with long silver hair.

“Elena!” Rude was already unbuckling his seatbelt in preparation to abort the helicopter all together. She followed suit without fully understanding.

Sephiroth had ripped the side door clean off and thrown the Soldiers out into the abyss. His eyes scanned the cramped compartment. But not a trace of the flower girl was evident. Slowly, he turned his attention to the two Turks squirming in their seats.

“Where is she?” The venom in his voice made both Turks halt. Elena finally turned around in shock and for once had nothing to say. Rude was just barely piecing everything together. He’d heard whispers of the President's assassination being linked to the reclaimed war hero. But that wasn’t possible for a dead man, and after Shinra put the blame on Avalanche, the higher ups stopped mentioning Sephiroth all together. Yet here he was in the flesh.

“This is above my pay grade,” Rude remarked before slamming his fist on a big red button. The Turks went flying out of the rooftop with parachutes ready to deploy. Sephiroth crumpled the metal in his hand like a piece of paper. The Chopper collapsed in on itself as it went down propellers first.

He kept looking for any other potential aircraft to search, but there wasn't anything else around. Elena and Rude hit the ground running. They had devices that would allow Shinra to ping their location, but it wouldn’t matter if they couldn’t separate from the flying monster first. Sephiroth wouldn't make it that easy though. He landed with enough force to send a wall of snow hurling over the two. Guns drawn, they prepared for the worst once the air cleared. But he stood patiently, Masamune ready to strike.

“The Cetra?” He said again. His voice was lower. Each syllable came out slowly, despite growing more intolerant by the second.

“We don't have her.” the blonde Turk spat.

“Elena.” Rude encouraged her to keep quiet.

“It's true. The freak ran out in the snow on her own.” Sephiroth raised his blade to their eye level. If he sensed a lie, it was over for them. Rudes nose twitched as the ex-war hero’s head tilted.

“We lost contact with The Ancient long ago. She's still out here somewhere.” Sephiroth's eyes narrowed in. The Turks were always a pain in the ass. Too co*cky for their own good. And now they'd created unnecessary problems by touching his things.

“I suppose one wasn't enough.” His hilt shifted in hand. “Perhaps you can join your friend at the temple.“ Elena's eyes widened and she let her emotions get the better of her. She immediately pulled the trigger, but the bullet never made it past his blade. Before she could blink she was flying back with her gun on the ground. Rude dodged in front to block her from getting sliced. Masamune grazed his gun as it swiped past. His fingers might have been lost if not for the thin metal armor built under his gloves. He had to think of another way, fighting head on wasn't an option.

“The Ancient is probably long gone with her group. I know her, she wouldn’t run into this storm unless she had a plan.” Sephiroth knew that wasn't true. Her friends were on the other side of the planet. And Aerith certainly would sacrifice herself blindly if she thought it benefited the lifestream. They were all alone up here, and she had no equipment for this terrain. Maybe death was her plan, and removing the Black Materia was her final stab at him. The sky was fading from orange as stars prepared to emerge. How long could a human last out here? The Cetra often made bold choices without a foundation for doing so. Sephiroth turned to the horizon, surely she would at least know to head south. Rude took this chance to put distance between them. The gun rose quickly, but Sephiroth was faster.

“Sir!” Elena screamed. Despite his attempt to duck, Masamune had made contact with his side. Rude staggered back, gripping his waist. Blood staining perfectly white snow. Elena had already removed her blazer in preparation for a tourniquet. Rage was boiling up in her, but the monster had already taken flight.

Sephiroth scanned the perimeter before deciding he'd have to check near ground. He tried to think where she would go based off the land. The puffs of air escaping his mouth became more frequent, he knew time was running out. There were mountains not far from here, that would be his best bet.

- - -

Moonlight spread over the cave's opening and the raging storm no longer ate at her skin. Aerith’s eyelids wouldn’t open even if her mind was lucid. Her heartbeat slowed, like a flame starting to burn out. Her body didn’t feel the cold anymore, her flesh couldn’t register anything. Only her mind experienced the weight of drowsiness that grew stronger by the minute. Hypothermia might have frightened her if the end wasn't so peaceful. All the pain was melting away, after struggling for so long, she could relax.

Aerith thought of her mom, and how she never got to hug her one last time before leaving Midgar. She thought of Cloud and regretted not just saying ‘I love you’ at least once. She longed for Tifa's smile, the only real friend that never judged her. She knew they could've survived without her, but her heart ached knowing she failed without them.

“Heh, how silly.“ Aerith mumbled through the delirium. Fate couldn't be broken no matter how hard anyone tried. Her final days were written in the stars and not even the devil himself could change that. At least this way the ones she held dearly wouldn't have to watch her go. The thought of being forgotten crushed her heart further, but she knew Cloud’s final memory of her caused him even greater agony. She could bear this much alone.

“Aerith!” Strange, she could hear him now. Crying out exactly the way she had remembered in other timelines. Her mind must have left this life already.

“Don't cry Cloud, it's ok.” Her thoughts swam in circles. “I'll always be with you.” Aerith's body suddenly felt weightless. If she didn't know any better, almost warm again.

“Foolish girl. Wait for me next time.” Even though she couldn't see, she was able to smile.

“You came for me after all. You never change.” Firm hands pulled her closer.

“Shhh, Hold on till we get back.”

“You know, I'm okay now.” Aerith's words came out weakly, her breath fading fast. “I'm sorry, I lost the Black Materia. I wanted to do one last thing for you.” Tears welled beneath her eyelids. “But I couldn't even do that.” she swallowed dryly. A gloved hand brushed the hair out of her face.

“It doesn't matter. I will get it later.” A faint laugh escaped her.

“That's why I love you Cloud. You always take my terrible ideas in stride and fix them.” If she wasn't half conscious she would have thought he hugged her tenderly. But she drifted off before she could thank him.

Chapter 11: Gentle (Smut)

Chapter Text

For the first time Sephiroth could barely hear her heartbeat. Healing Materia would only go so far, her body and organs needed to be warmed up immediately. The help of his wing guided them back without delaying any longer. He’d never flown so fast while trying to shield someone from the current. The front doors slammed open the moment they'd returned. After taking her to the study, her limp body was gently splayed along the sofa. With an easy flick of his wrist, flames ignited from within the hearth. It didn't take long to heat the area when using magic. Fire was his specialty, he could make rocks to melt if he wished for it. Her soaked jacket was removed and put aside. She needed all new clothes. So did Sephiroth. Having to search by land allowed ice to settle into every crack of his uniform. He placed a hand on Aerith's chest, her pulse finally stabilizing. While she rested, only the sound of buckles unfastening and the cracks of firewood slipped into the night. His jacket and Pauldrons hung by the fire while removing both of their soggy boots. Now all that was left was to wait. He settled down with his back to her on the floor, taking in all the damage done to his room. Sephiroth sighed and ran a hand through his damp hair.

“You truly test my patience…” A sharp inhale stole his attention. The flower girl was becoming conscious again. She took deeper breaths while her body rose from its weakened state. Her lashes fluttered open a crack, not recognizing the ceiling. She squinted.

“Another dream?” Her voice was no more than a murmur. Sephiroth turned to her.

“You’ve escaped eternal slumber. This is reality.” Her head rolled to the side. Two brilliant cat-like eyes were staring into her soul.

“It can't be, you don't look upset.” Sephiroth took her icy hand and pressed it to his chest. Her fingertips were still a bit blue.

“I am real. And I am angry.”

“No, I was far away.” Aerith's eyes wandered while memories returned. “I was outside, in the cave, my staff.. the Materia!” She shot up in an attempt to stand. Her body was not prepared for gravity to overtake her limbs without mercy. Sephiroth's hands were already in motion to catch her, guiding the Cetra into his lap.

“And now you are back.” Aerith's head rested along the crevice along his chest. She thought she saw a vision of Cloud before the end, but perhaps she was mistaken. She gulped, eyeing the open cabinet across the room.

“I lost it.” The confession was as much for her than him. A pathetic affirmation of her worthless attempt.

“You've already professed your foolish schemes in spite of my regards.” He put an arm on the couch and leaned in. "At least you're aware your ideas are terrible." Her lips curled in on themselves. She didn't know if the conversation she had with Cloud was even real or wishful thinking. But it ended up for the worse, having shared a vulnerable moment with the wrong person. Her hand covered her mouth, deeply regretting the slightest mention of ‘love’. She could almost hear the son of calamity laughing at her. Sephiroth grabbed a cloth nearby that had been soaking in a bowl of water. He pulled her hand away before wiping it clean. The cloth rubbed away any traces of blood and dirt from her nails. “Your rod looked as atrocious as you.”

“It's seen worse.” her eyes drifted to the door. “But what about -”

“I already took care of them.” Aerith gulped. She didn't particularly feel bad. They worked for Shinra and entering this place was a death sentence. Her arms had a slight tremble she couldn't shake.

“I thought I died.”

“Almost. For someone who wants to live, you're not very proficient.” The corner of her mouth tugged upwards.

“Yeah, I guess I'll have to work on that.”

“That is twice I've saved your life now Cetra.” Sephiroth frowned. The Black Materia was lost again. Perhaps worse than before. Finding it would be as nauseating as getting her to just stay with him willingly. But both were things he couldn't give up on. The moment he saw her lying in the cave, he assumed the worst. Trepidation drained him of any will to be furious with her. If she died again, what did any of it matter? Sephiroth took his arms around the Flower girl and pulled her even closer to his bare skin.

“I-I think I'm warm enough.” Although her limbs still tingled from the frost, the sudden embrace startled her.

“Not yet. I have to be sure.” He squeezed tighter. The familiar sound of her heart had almost become nothing more than a memory he had to live with.

“Well, you're holding me too tight. I can't breathe.” she felt her breasts rise and fall against him with every exhale. It slowly dawned on her that she was practically naked. Her dress was soaked, and clung to her skin with transparency. Sephiroth's hand cupped her from behind in a desperate attempt to make sure she couldn't get away. Aerith gasped under the growing pressure. Her knees were forced apart until she was practically straddling him. With every breath she grew painfully more aware of his presence, every inch of him could be felt beneath her weight.

He'd gone quiet, resting his head along the slender curve of her shoulder. This beautiful monster now appeared almost afraid in her eyes. She placed a hand on his back and gently stroked his head with the other. His shoulder was solid like iron but hair was as smooth as she imagined. It parted through her fingers like water with every touch.

“I’m safe now.” she hummed softly. “Thank you for coming to get me. Honestly, freezing to death wasn't exactly on my bucket list.” She would never have expected to feel relieved to be back here of all places. She could feel the flexing of his back muscles against her fingertips every time he squeezed her tighter. Apart of him bewildered her. She wanted to let her hands wander lower and feel all the rigid curves. The faint scent of cedar and pine still lingered on him. He smelled nice to her. She shoved the thoughts right back down. He kept doing this, being almost sweet before flipping the situation on its head. The room was cozy, but nothing was ever as it seemed here. His grip loosened a bit.

“The things you need are in your room.” Aerith bit the inside of her mouth. “Already?” She didn't want to go back to that cold empty hole. Now was the most comfortable she'd been since entering this forsaken place.

“Can't I stay here?” The thin narrow slits in his eyes slightly widened as his head lifted to meet her. He couldn't tell if it was from the fire burning so close or if her face was really as red as it appeared.

“Do you know what you ask for, Cetra?” Her pulse quickened, making her fingertips quiver slightly against his shoulder blades. She was hesitating. But Sephiroth could wait an eternity until he heard it clearly.

“I do.” Aerith tried to sound confident. She might regret it later, but for tonight she didn't want to have to think that far ahead. The weight of the future on her shoulders could wait for a night. A beautifully sinister smile stretched across his face. Butterflies built up as her braid was already being pulled free. His body shifted effortlessly, every muscle rippling through the motion. Once flat against the rug, the light of nearby flames dance across his skin captivated her. It was like she was really seeing his perfect stature for the first time. Every bit of him was carved out meticulously. She didn’t know if this was the body of Soldier, or a testament to Sephiroth himself. A leathery glove came to her chin.

“You won't be able to leave. You'll remain here until I say so.” His fingers trailed under the strap of her dress until it met the stitches above her chest. He watched her eyes carefully for the change in heart.

“...I understand.”

“Then you don’t need these.” With the easiest tug, her dress shredded under his grasp. The wet fabric was tossed into the fire before disintegrating. Aerith swallowed while watching it burn. His carelessness with things made her nervous, sometimes she thought he did not know his own strength. Her soaked undergarments were in just as poor shape. Sephiroth could see her nipples peeking out beneath the coverage. The twitch in his pants grew stronger.

“You have to promise to be gentle.”

“Gentle is not something I can give.”

“That is not true. Here.” Aerith reached for his hand and steadily removed a glove. It was the first time she'd seen him without one. She brought the back of his hand to her lips and softly kissed his skin. Her fingers treated him delicately even if the veins and hardened muscles proved it unnecessary. She prayed this plea would be enough to make him compromise. “Like that.” Whenever she touched him on her own, his self-restraint thinned.

“Tsk.” He tore off the other glove and allowed his hair to fall around them as he lowered to her level. “Like how you scratched my face?” The memory made her eyes widen. She’d never hit someone like that before.

“You were being unreasonable.”

“No, you don't know your place.” Aerith’s breath hitched as his lips trailed over her skin. Staring above her throat and quickly migrating lower. “I’ll return as much as you give.” Rough hands followed suit, tearing away the poor excuse of a bra till the strings snapped. His tongue took its time along her tender breasts to distract from the fingers slipping beneath her underwear. Her hips squirmed in protest while her lower spot was stroked. His thumb found the bump above her entrance and pressed down repeatedly. He could almost fully reach around her ass if he gripped firmly enough. Anxious breaths slowly turned laborious. This sort of arousal was forbidden to her, wrong. Knowing she shouldn't be here with him, and would never tell a soul just made her more feverish. She didn’t want to admit it felt good.

A finger found its way to her opening, sliding against her walls. Each touch dragged slowly at first, testing her sanity. Aerith’s arms rolled up over her head, unsure where to put them. The slick building up let his finger slip in and out with ease. His thumb circled her spot with more vigor. The growing pressure was making her mind go blank, she shut her eyes to steady herself. Sephiroth's canines slowly trailed along her nipples, occasionally causing her to flinch. Each nibble resulted in her seizing up around his hand. He smiled, she was too easy to read. Once her hips began inching towards him, he knew she was getting close. The beating of her heart suddenly picked up and Sephiroth abruptly pulled away. A whine escaped her. All the sweet pleasure vanished. Leaving her core aching an unsatisfied. Her eyes eventually opened, realizing the relief wasn’t coming.

“Tell me what you want.” He wore that arrogant smile again. Her insides twisted, he was gonna make her say it. Aerith squeezed her eyes shut and breathed. Between shame or the throbbing between her legs, the answer was obvious.

“...Don’t stop.”

“Stop what?” He just couldn't let her off this once. She bit her lip till it stung. Finding a way to express her desire without vulgar words was hard enough.

“Don’t stop touching me.” She couldn’t dare look at him. Wet fingers teasingly tranced along her knee and up her thigh. Each breath was getting harder to control, waiting was unbearable.

“Hm, You have to be specific. Touch can mean a lot of things.” He cooed smugly, clearly enjoying this too much. She thought this must be his sick way of getting back at her for the last few days. Aerith’s gaze eventually settled on him through fiery cheeks. Good heavens he was beautiful. The need to be quenched compelled any bit of self restraint she had left.

“Inside me, I want you to touch me there.” Each trembling word was enough to send him reeling. One hand swiftly unbuckled his pants in a single motion. He caressed her face, taking in the way her eyes darted around him anxiously.

“I can give you pleasures beyond this life.” The thumb on her cheek pushed its way past her lips. Pressing down over her tongue. “So never forget you belong to me Cetra.” Sephiroth kissed her deeply, marking his place in her existence. He wanted to taste all of her, own all of her, the lifestream, the universe. Aerith felt a large burning mass fall over her lower belly. His hard member rubbed against her skin, waiting for the right moment. She gripped his arms breathlessly.

“You said my name before.” Sephiroth almost seemed to hesitate. “I'm not just ‘Cetra’.” Slowly he sank to her ear with both arms beside her. His breath was hot against her skin, so close his nose brushed against her.

“Aerith.” The sound was all it took to make her entire body shudder. In that moment his entire length slammed into her. She cried out in both relief and pain. Nothing ever prepared her enough for the fulness that stretched her apart. Each repeated thrust tried burying itself further, leaving her gaping for oxygen. She grasped her forehead with a mix of euphoria and misery showering her face. It pleased him. He'd gotten the planet's perfect little beacon of hope to crumble over something so self indulgent. She was biting back her moans, trying to hold it all in. All the tension was too much while her toes curled in on themselves. “Just let it out. Only I am here.” she shook her head through the sweat building up. It took everything to contain the vulgar cries at the tip of her tongue, yet he barely seemed affected. “You'll end up screaming anyway.”

“Mhph.” Aerith felt all of him slide out at once, it left her with an uncomfortable sense of emptiness. Once on his knees, both hands grabbed hold of her ankles. Her back drug against the plush carpet until her legs dangled around his torso. Her ass was lifted to meet his throbbing co*ck before filling her up again. Little moans caressed his ears, turning more coarse. The position made his tip slide against her more roughly. It burned inside, his length pressing against the boundaries of her uterus. Her desire was boiling over, both hands grabbing at the rug. Aerith was forgetting herself, where or who she was fizzled into the static shrouding her mind. She could barely keep her eyes open. Her cries dripped from her lips like honey, slow and sweet. “Yes-” the affirmation slid through a pleading whisper as her body clenched up around him. Sephiroth grunted, keeping his pace steady, meticulously riding along her every nerve with each stroke. Her voice was breaking free, the wails of pleasure couldn’t stifle no matter how she resisted. He rode through her org*sm, pushing her scream higher. Her pelvis twitched and she heaved, trying to find her breath again. Still he kept going, each thrust building momentum. The sensation overwhelmed her. The melting caress of him within quickly turned into electrifying shots flying through her legs.

“Wait, I can’t anymore.” Aerith pushed against his solid thighs.

“You’re not done yet.” Sephiroth grabbed her hands and pinned them back. Leaning over had him plunging deeper between her legs. She yelped under the pressure. The sight of her was fit to be devoured. The sway of her exposed breasts fell into the rhythm of his control. The trails of sweat falling around her neck made her glow against the fire. “I still have a lot to teach you.” A final knock had his hips slamming into her soft skin. A rough and low exhale spilled over his lips as he emptied inside of her. She writhed, feeling all of him fill every last drop of space she had left. Aerith’s back was finally released to the ground, already sore from the scrunched position.

Again he refused to pull out, laying along her. Her body was completely lost beneath him. Parts of her still shook but she focused on the man before her. His skin was smooth against her hands. She pushed back strands of silver locks that clung to his forehead. Mysterious cat-like eyes found hers, not even the slightest bit of exhaustion to be found in them.

“Will you kiss me?” She ushered him sweetly and let her hands guide him closer. The lingering effects of pleasure had numbed any sense of this life's right or wrong. Aerith spoke whatever she wanted selfishly without a care. The spot on his lip she licked was salty from the sweat. His tongue wandered freely as she prepared to relinquish herself into the soft rug. A hand snaked around her waist just as her muscles relaxed.

“What are you doing?” He lulled between the few breaths that parted their lips. “I said we’re not finished yet.” Aerith gasped into his mouth as her legs tried kicking free. She could feel every inch of him hardened again from within. His growth stretched along her already tender skin, as if their previous entanglement hadn't just happened.

“How? I don’t think I can do this again.” She started to panic, thinking he must not be human after all. The smile on his face never faltered, not even considering her plea for a second.

“The first one was for you. Gentle.” His finger flicked away the hair covering her shoulder. “The next is mine.” Wicked delight ignited behind the flames that danced around his eyes. Sephiroth pulled her up by the arms in one swift motion. The strength to hold herself up was fleeting, let alone the ability to resist. But the fear in her eyes was clear as day. “We have all night thanks to you after all.”

Chapter 12: My Turn (Smut + Plot)

Chapter Text

It was too late for regret or to wish time could flow back. Her options were spent. The hands that confined her had no intention of letting go. Aerith was kneeling when a broad arm turned her by the shoulders. Every drop of perspiration tickled her back as she flattened against his abdomen. She’d always been told to be careful what you wish for. Instead of freezing into the night, she was going to burn away until nothing was left of her former self. Sephiroth removed damp hair from the nape of her neck and watched little beads of sweat glide down the slope of her posterior. His co*ck pressed against her back, resting above the curve of her bottom cheeks. Aerith could still feel a mix of fluids running down her inner thighs.

“Haven't we done enough?” Her voice trembled ever so slightly. She knew there was no point in trying to reason. Once Sephiroth had a task in motion, damn all the odds if he let himself be interrupted.

“I have to see all of you.” A quick tug of whatever was left of her soiled underwear ripped away. His hand skimmed over the nobs in her spine. His fingers trailed slowly, pressing down harder each time until her palms braced the ground. Her skin was silky beneath his calluses. The more he touched her, the less satisfied he became. Like a hunger that couldn’t be satiated. The only reprieve was to keep indulging himself. Her ass was on full display for him, and he took note of how pink her opening’s were. Everything was still so wet, begging for another round. Aerith's elbows wobbled as her eyes nervously looked around. She couldn't see him anymore. Anything he did to her would be a surprise. She felt too vulnerable, unable to tell what he was imagining when crouched on all fours. Suddenly his hardened member was rubbing up and down between her lower folds. Her entire backside flinched as the arousal slowly crept back. Sephiroth leaned over and laced an arm around.

“Spread your legs.” The low hush vibrated against her ears.

“What? I'm already-” She tried to face him but his hand abruptly pushed her down with a force that bowed her back. When she tried to get up he immediately grabbed her wrists, securing them behind her back. He leaned into her once more.

“Spread your legs, Aerith.” The order seized every muscle she had. Slowly her knees shifted along the ground until her face was flat against the rug. “Good, just like that.” Her face burned, she was sure she looked as ridiculous as she felt. The angle was embarrassing enough without the pressure of someone staring into the parts of herself even she couldn’t see.

After succumbing to a satisfactory position, he released her arms. His hand massaged the smooth surface of her ass in circular motions, squeezing every so often. That vulgar itch she was becoming more accustomed to was growing stronger again. It bloomed in a place she couldn't reach on her own, the urge to yell at him to just hurry up crossed her mind. Sephiroth watched her entrance clench repeatedly before deciding he was sick of playing. Without warning his co*ck swiftly split her apart. Aerith cried into the floor as her hands pulled at the ground.

“Thats too much.” Head resting atop her fist, she panted through the discomfort. “You won’t fit.” Her passage was still tight, sucking him in further.

“You’ll learn to accommodate me.” His thrusts grew impatient. Forcing down his length was easier like this. He wanted her to feel around every inch of him.

“Mmhph, sh*t.” The curse slipped through a whispered hiss. Swells of pleasure were being overrun by rough strokes. Her knees throbbed against the floor as her body scrunched up. He rammed into her with all of his weight, paying no mind to the enormous biceps that channeled all of his strength into her spine. The pinch forming kept her lucid. Each of his fingers dug into the skin protecting her hip, making sure her torso absorbed the blunt of his ravaging, Aerith's fingers continually flexed in and out while trying to endure. She could have sworn he felt bigger than before. The work it took to fully enter her made her see white.

“Se-Sephiroth, wait. You don't have to be so harsh.” Her moans were a lullaby in his ears that encouraged him.

“But you're enjoying it so much.” He bent over to grip her breast, twisting a nipple between his fingers. “It’s so snug, your puss* wont let me go.” She squirmed under his hold, caught between the urge to crawl away or ride back into him further. He wondered how much more she could take before collapsing.

“Don’t say it like that.” Things she’d never even dreamed of in the darkest corners of the night, now unsettled her reality.

“Does the truth frighten you?” A breathy laugh crept over her shoulders. “I’ll keep your secret with me.” His hand trailed around her neck and rested there for a moment. Feeling every shaky breath and swallow she took. She shrank beneath his grasp, fully aware he could end her at any time. The Cetra's delicate existence was at the mercy of his desire. He gripped with a potency that should have frightened her.

“Changed your mind? That was quick.” Sephiroth smirked, the nerve she had. Of course he wasn't about to eliminate the only entertainment he'd found in weeks.

“You'd like that wouldn't you.” His thumb stroked her throat a few times before sliding into her scalp and gathering a fistful of hair.

“I'm not like you.” She heaved. “I don't enjoy playing with others' lives.” The grip on her hair tightened. Aerith winced as he used the tension between her locks to propel himself faster into her rear. Nothing could stifle the cries that erupted. Every fiber of her knew it hurt, but her body wasn't behaving. Half of her wanted to scream for it to stop. But the other half kept whispering to hold on a bit longer. The bliss budding within her core was almost at the forefront again. “Just once more.” she told herself. The craving for an oncoming release intensified. Sephiroth felt her tense up and abruptly yanked the knot of hair until her upper body was off the ground. The sudden jolt made her scream. She completely arched into him.

“Not until I say so.” He hissed with a tone she'd never heard before. The playfulness had all but gone. Only that poor temper remained. She hated herself for thinking it was almost alluring. He loosened the grip on her hair, locking a forearm over her collar bones. Trying to balance on her knees while he being impaled was exhausting, and she subconsciously welcomed the change. But relinquishing her legs had her sinking deeper into the form of punishment going on below.

“It hurts,” she whined. All of her weight was resting on the thick veiny member that tore at her skin. Her hands searched blindly for his thighs in an attempt to push him back. Anything to slow him down. He grunted in disapproval.

“Tsk, you should know better.” His sneer followed up with an even rougher pace. Shifting into a series of rhythmic jerks that challenged the edge of her cervix. The jolt of pain had her arms swimming around frantically to get away. Before Aerith could recover she felt herself falling. Sephiroth bent them over, knees still firmly on the ground. One arm was all he needed to prop them both up. Squeezing tight, he pounded her from behind without remorse. Aerith’s eyes squeezed shut to focus on trying to breathe. She didn't recognize her own voice. For once the heat of his jagged exhales brushed over her ears. The sound of him losing himself made her melt.

“Sephiroth please!” She implored him to end the madness. Her body could only resist for so much longer. Just as her sanity was about to shatter, he set her mind free.

“Come for me.” His command washed over her. One final gasp rattled every aching muscle. Her body spasmed as she came. It that moment his co*ck swelled, and finished planting his seed as far as he could go without snapping her in half. Air couldn’t fill her lungs fast enough, everything was spinning. Sephiroth lowered his shaking Cetra to the ground. “Good girl.” He muttered tenderly while tucking loose strands of hair behind her ear. He could go on forever. His body performed at will and his arousal knew no end if he should so choose. His design was perfect in every way, even for mating. But the limp flower girl was already filled to the brim with his fluid. Considering she'd already escaped death once today, he decided not to put her through a second trial.

Aerith was too tired to move. Her eyes kept shut, not able to think about anything. Her shoulders couldn't stop shaking with every heave. Sephiroth sat up to grab his coat from beside the mantle. Smoldering leather slid over her skin. The weight of it further cemented her into the floor. She barely noticed the arm slither over her stomach to pull her in.

“Don't ever, try to run again. I will find you Cetra, and I will ruin you.” No matter how callous the threat came out, it hardly managed to register through her fatigue. His clothes still had the faint scent of pine from outside. She snuggled up under the molten leather and subsequently, into him. Aerith waited to fall into the next dream, unsure what she'd open her eyes to next.

- - -

Cloud couldn't shake the tick in his leg, the ever present anxiety eating away his mind. Traveling around was taking too long even if with their own private transportation. Cid didn't mind flying at night, but the party was fed up. Staying cramped in the Tiny Bronco was only adding more bite to everyone's sleep deprivation. It took all day to reach the edge of the Corel Region. Costa del Sol would be the last stop before trying to get back to the Forgotten City. They'd managed to discover it thanks to pursuing Aerith last time, but finding it again was a mixed bag. The sleeping forest seemed to make time flow inaccurately, anything that happened there was no clearer than a dream.

“Man this place is gonna be crazy at night, we're just as sure to find room to sleep on the sand.” Barret wasn't just cranky, he was sick of squatting on metal crates.

“That doesn't sound to bad aye? Gentle breeze by ye ocean waves?”

“Says the cat that won't have to and just unplugs himself. Waking up to bugs crawling over me, no thanks!” Yufie would have shaken him if not for bracing the wall with one hand and covering her mouth with the other to repress the sickness.

“Guys I'm sure Johnny will hook us up, it'll be fine.” Tifa looked to Cloud for reassurance but his mind was preoccupied. He just stared out the window, arms folded. His silence said enough, he didn't want to stop. If he could, he'd probably fly away on his own tonight.

Once they landed, everyone stumbled onto the dock. The hum of music and people laughing still hung in the distance. Costa del sol never truly slept. The street lights were colorful and full of life. And the second round of excitement was just getting started.

“Well then, this oughta be a good time to refuel and grab some supplies. I'll meet y'all later.” Cid never came off as a loner, but he was surprisingly adept at keeping himself busy.

“See you later then.” Barret waved him off apathetically.

“I'd prefer to sleep under a real roof tonight.” Vincent was already disappearing into town before the rest of the group quickly followed suit. Nanaki fell behind to match Cloud's pace. He was still lingering by the dock and staring into the black horizon.

“Hey Cloud, you really think Aerith is out there?”

“I know it.” He secured his buster sword before joining his four legged companion.

“Hearing you say it makes me feel better. You know sometimes I'm hopeful, but others … ” Clouds expression softened. Nanaki was still young for his age, and had grown very attached to Aerith. Almost as much as he had in their short time together. Nanaki even warned him something might happen to her, yet he was unable to do a thing. Facing him was difficult lately.

“Don't worry about it. Most of us can't sense other people, but we still manage to find each other.”

“I guess you're right. But I don’t get the sudden change of heart, Sephiroth never bothered her in Midgar.”

“Aerith didn't tell me exactly what she was trying to do in the City, and later I somehow ended up with the Black Materia. I think it had something to do with that.” Cloud looked ahead, biting back the corner of his mouth further and further. It was indeed odd no matter how he reasoned. “ My things do not concern you.” It was those words that ate away at him constantly. Sephiroth said it after questioning her whereabouts. Like Aerith's existence was his right, something Cloud wasn't privy to. But they'd barely met, let alone spoken outside of riddles before. It left a sour taste behind.

“Hey look!” The sudden shouting quickly snapped him to attention.

“Yufie wait!” Tifa held the impulsive ninja back by the arm, preventing her from making any rash decisions.

“You chickens back for more?”

“Sir don't worry, I've got this.“ A blonde woman quickly put an arm out in front of her bandaged comrade.

Cloud braced the Buster sword before emerging in front. At one of the luxury hotels were a group of Shinra troopers exiting. But that wasn't as surprising as the poor state the two Turks leading them were in. Cloud released his grip and Crossed his arms.

“You look like sh*t.” he jerked his head up at the suits. They were in no position to fight.

“Hmph, I've known better days.” Rude sported a crutch, with bandages covering most of his torso and arm. Elena didn't look much better with the giant bruise on her cheek and a busted lip.

“Tell that freak of your's we have unfinished business.” Elena glared at Nanaki. He was growling with his paws ready to pounce. “I’ll deal with you losers later.”

“What?” Cloud raised an eyebrow. Rude hopped forward, signaling Elena to relax.

“I see you got away safely?” He scanned the party. “I don't see her.” Clouds eyes were suddenly very much awake.

“We're not sure what you mean.” Tifa's head tilted to the side. Rude coughed after gaining the young bartender's attention and tried to stand up a bit straighter.

“The Ancient, she ran into the snow, said you guys…” The color slowly drained from his face. Their expressions were all lost. Aerith never found her comrades, they were never there to begin with.

“You saw Aerith?” Cloud strode forward. The Shinra troopers pulled out their guns in unison to prevent him from coming closer. Tifa couldn't contain her sigh of relief while locking eyes with Barret. He nodded back in assurance. The Turks had gone silent.

“So she beat you up this bad?” Yufie gripped her stomach in an attempt to control the laughter spilling out.

“Where?” Cloud's demeanor suddenly became more hostile.

“Back off pretty boy. If she's not an ice cube by now, that’s classified Shinra business.”

“Try me.” Cloud and Elena planted their feet, but Rude just gripped his forehead. He couldn't stop thinking about it.

“Did Aerith abandon them? Is she working with Sephiroth now? Nonsense. What if she's still out there?” It tugged slightly on his conscience until a large helicopter with the Shinra logo broke any tension. Troopers swarmed the Turks as a metal ladder descended.

“Sir, it's time to go.” Elena helped Rude take hold before they were pulled up.

“Hey! We're not done here!” Cloud drew his blade and the mindless Shinra drones took aim.

“Woah whoa, Hey there now!” The town's mayor came running out of the hotel. People had begun stopping to watch the scene unfold. The happy atmosphere was quickly turning sour. He put both hands out. “Let's not get carried away, we’re civilized after all. We wouldn't want to open fire out here with all these lovely customers right?” Everyone’s shoulders pulled back and Tifa put a hand on Cloud's arm.

“C'mon, we better leave.” He grit his teeth, never taking his eyes off the helicopter.

“Hey Cloud, it's too late for this.” Barrett was waving them over towards Johnny's place. “We'll catch em later.” The ex-Soldier turned away begrudgingly. Nanaki's hopeful eyes met him.

“We know now, You were right.”

The Turks were helped to their seats. But they did not expect to be greeted by the president himself and a mad scientist.

“Mr. President!” The two Turks quickly stiffened their backs to greet him.

“At ease, you may sit.” The two glanced at each other before Rude cleared his throat.

“The President didn’t have to come all the way out here on our account.” Rufus smiled.

“Of course, you're both important employees that hold Shinra together after all. But don't flatter yourself too much, we were simply in the area for business.”

“If I may ask, how is Tsung Mr. President?” Elena was less intimidated by the hierarchy. As the new kid, she often said whatever was in her mind, not knowing the sins these men collected by the hour.

“His vitals have improved significantly. He's resilient if anything.”

“So then,” Hojo waved his hand, already getting bored. “What about our specimen? It appears your success rate is rather low” He eyed the Turks up and down, dissatisfied.

“I’d also like to be briefed on the mission details before you start recovery in Midgar.” Rufus crossed his legs, waiting for an excuse he could accept. His face might have seemed young and sweet to people who didn’t know him, but the Turks understood he was practically gleaming after his fathers murder. Cold blood ran behind his every decision.

“There was an unfortunate accident-" Hojo cut off him with a loud sigh.

“How difficult can it be to secure one little girl from a group of misfits. Have you grown soft?”

“It’s not that. Sephiroth seems to be residing in the glaciers. He intercepted us.”

“Hm?” The scientist adjusted his glasses, suddenly very interested.

“I see,” Rufus thought for a moment. “He needs to be expunged soon, shame really. Considering Wutai is overdue for cleansing.”

“It appears he’s been hiding in the Northern mountains. The Ancient seemed to be in his custody, or was…” A disgusting giggle erupted from Hojo.

“How interesting. What an unseen fold of events! Say, how did the Ancient appear when you last saw her?” The Turks just shook their heads, unsure entirely what he meant.

“She looked more or less the same as usual.”

"Tsk." Hojo sat back with a scowl and folded his arms.

“Separating them might be a difficult task. Are you the only ones who know the location?”

“Yes, Mr. President.” Rude was happy the sunglasses shielded any emptiness in his eyes. All of their company had died trying to get away.

“Wonderful. Make sure to add it in your report.” Rufus’ calm smile had returned.

“Perhaps if we wait for a while, and seize the specimen when they’re not expecting it. Of course, if we could secure each of them as samples, who knows what sort of creations might become of the research I unfold!”

“One thing at a time professor. Your main focus is to enhance our weapons in preparation for war.” Hojo just kept giggling to himself as Rufus turned his attention to the Turks. “And I want surveillance on the Ancient once your wounds have healed. It’s best we have an upper hand when going in next time.”

“Yes, Mr. President!” The two spoke in unison. Neither wanting to mention the fact they didn’t actually know if Aerith would still be there once they returned, or if Sephiroth had any intention of letting the girl live had she not already frozen solid.

- - -

Aerith awoke feeling somewhat relaxed for once. She had rolled into her pillow with squished cheeks. The wall staring back at her was blank and a familiar worn out mattress sunk beneath her. As if time reset itself and the last two days never happened, she was right back where she started. She reached over for the pink ribbon beside the wall. It sat in her hand as memories glazed by. A sickly knot formed at the base of her stomach, slowly recalling each and every indecent thing she’d done.

“There’s no way, I would never.” Despite the denial, her body said otherwise whenever she tried to move. Her limbs were exhausted, her lower back particularly sore. Heat crept into her cheeks after running her hands over her skin, she was still naked. She wouldn’t have gone to sleep without a nightgown if it weren’t a dream. Slowly, she slid into a sitting position, wasting no time tying her hair back up. The realization she was no longer cold eventually dawned on her.

Her attention narrowed in on the new covering that enveloped her body. The blanket was thick and made of soft furs that caressed her fingers. Her hand gilded back and forth over the luxurious texture. Only the skies knew how long she sat there, just stroking it with a blank face.

“What now?” The question repeated itself over and over. She’d lain with the monster. How could she ever walk with her head up again? “I expected him to be more upset with me.” She bit at her nails. “No, that second round was definitely uncalled for. In what world was any of that gentle.” Aside from stealing the Materia, she’d trashed his precious study. Normally, her instinct compelled her to apologize, but imagining it made her cringe.

“I should have broken more things. He deserved at least that much.”

“And what might that be?”

“Agh!” Aerith jumped out of her skin and scrambled to hide herself under the blanket. Sephiroth just stood in the doorway with that stupid smug smile always stuck on his face.

“I’ve already seen everything. There is no part of you I don’t know.” Aerith wanted to die, if lightning or anything could just strike her now. She curled into a ball and covered her head with the blanket.

“Go away!” Maybe if she ignored him long enough he’d leave. A fool’s hope. The smallest exhale escaped him, the flower girl's emotions were difficult to keep up with. He approached the mattress where she lay and placed a small tray down on the floor. The faint scent of eggs and sausage waft past her nose. She felt a heavy mass sink into the mattress beside her.

“Eat, it’s long past noon.” Aerith continued to wither under the blanket and tried not to focus on her hollowing stomach. “Eat this, Eat that” she was sick of him always mentioning it like a nagging mother. Sephiroth could only extend his good graces so far among her silence. His hand pried the blanket from her despite how desperately her thin fingers curled around the edges. Her face resembled that of a tomato more than a human. Aerith turned away on her side defiantly. He brushed the hair away from her ear, exposing her tender skin. Each time she shivered from his touch, it stroked his pride. He slyly grazed her cheek with the back of his hand. “If you don't I will force you.” His thumb roughly ran over her lower lip, waiting to push its way inside. Aerith smacked it away and quickly adjusted herself.

“Fine, fine, I get it okay?” After making sure the fur was secured tightly under her arms, she reached for the tray. She ate the first few spoonfuls begrudgingly, but the savory flavors quickly brought forth her appetite. The food here was always to her taste. She didn’t even notice Sephiroth just watching her. She froze mid-swallow and stared back. His dark lashes perfectly shaped each luminous green eye. If she focused closely enough, she could see the slit pupils slightly widen and shrink presumably along the flow of his heart. She wondered what he saw through those eyes, if the planet looked different to him. “What?” She was suddenly very self conscious.

“I thought you'd be more distressed, but you seem fine unfortunately.”

“Do I?" She snorted. “I've been nothing but distressed since I got here. You just don't know what my happy face looks like.”

“Hm, you seemed pretty happy curling into me last night. I've never seen someone smile while falling asleep.” Aerith almost choked. She hadn’t fully processed how she felt. Her insides were flipping around, trying to repress the confused hurricane bubbling up. Anger, relief, shame, loneliness, the chaos surely just hadn’t connected to her mind yet. What could she even call this mess between them? Aerith from a week ago wouldn’t have dared to ask if she could stay in that room with him no matter how drunk on death she was. The only thing she was growing sure of now, was that she was becoming less afraid of him and more scared of herself.

Chapter 13: Aftermath (Smut + Plot)

Chapter Text

Aerith had cleared her plate long ago and was waiting for him to leave. Sitting next to Sephiroth was more awkward than she anticipated. Even with his clothes on, the image of his bare skin kept flashing by. She cleared her throat.

“Ok, I finished everything. You don't have to stay.” He eyed the bit of egg on her mouth.

“My time is limited,” he brushed the crumb away, making her flinch. “So I'm making sure you truly stay put this time.” She sunk into herself.

“You're not gonna tie me up again are you?”

“Do you want me to?” He leaned in until her back bumped the wall.

“Obviously not!”

“You're not very honest. You keep doing the opposite of what you say.”

“Hey yesterday was out of my hands. It's not like I have control over Shinra.” She put up her hands in protest. But her eyes avoided him, knowing full well she had every intention to leave.

“Ah yes, the little Cetra grabbed my Materia in hopes of incinerating some humans. And not passing it off to a particular young boy? Who in fact, has not come for you.” Reality was always bitter. She didn't want to talk about Cloud. Not after what happened last night. Did she even have the right to hope he'd find her anymore? He probably thought she was dead.

“I really don’t have any plans to go anywhere. I'll stay for now.”

“For now?” Sephiroth placed a hand on the blanket above her leg. Blood drained from her face, it almost sounded like she wanted to stay.

“I didn't exactly enjoy being stranded outside and all.”

“But you enjoyed trashing my space.” the grip on her leg tightened.

“Th-that was an accident.”

“The mess was excessive. It appears you were throwing my things about for fun rather than in pursuit of anything particular.”

“You stole my staff.”

“You stole my Materia, and then dropped it into oblivion.”

“It's not your Materia-” His hand suddenly slammed into the wall beside her. The vibration made her freeze. Those same hands held her very differently last night. “...I didn't mean to break the bookshelf. I was desperate.”

“As desperate as this insufferable loop. Tell me, has an eternity of death made you numb to consequence?”

“I can't let this planet end.” Her voice fell to a Whisper. “I care about it, even if I also want to live.”

“Then care more for the latter.”

“Huh?” Her brows furrowed.

“How lucky for you the Black Materia is impossible to eradicate. Unfortunately for me, you are much more difficult to preserve.” Aerith struggled to comprehend his method of conveying emotions. Was he mad at her for delaying his plans, or getting hurt? Or did he see them as one in the same. “If there are any more ‘accidents’ ropes will be the least of your worries.”

“There won't.” She hugged the furry covering tighter to release the tension in her arms. Yesterday's stunt may have bought more time than she considered. Shinra was another issue though. Now that they’d seen her, more trouble would undoubtedly follow. Sephiroth released her leg and slid his hand firmly around her cheek to steal back her attention. His eyes were swimming around the light green windows reflecting back at him, searching for a hint of any mischievous intent. Of course he didn't trust her.

“ If only I could change his mind ,” she thought. But that idea was a pointless endeavor. “It’s unfair.” Fate insisted they go back over and over until the planet met an ending it was satisfied with. Yet they were never allowed to rewrite their own history. If only Sephiroth hadn’t repeatedly gone through the same perverse experiments, everything might have been avoided. Aerith walked with scars, but she had overcome them to an extent. She’d found her place in this world and the few who did accept her were worth more than any wealth Shinra had combined. But the consequences of Shinra’s tampering had suffocated Sephiroth till nothing of his natural self was left. He lived in a hole Aerith couldn’t see the bottom of. His despair was so thick he decided everything just needed to be redone from scratch, and she didn’t have enough hope for the both of them.

She reached up and took hold of the leather hand, unbeknownst to the pitiful expression on her face. The gesture startled him. Sephiroth abruptly pulled away and just shook his head. Without warning he stood and began to leave.Aerith's wrist lingered in the air for a second too long. Being rejected so flatly stung a bit, but she wasn't entirely sure why she even cared at all. The feeling quickly faded and she decided the best thing for now was to clean up. She wanted to be dressed properly again.

“Oh!” The moment her knees began to straighten, she fell forward. Sephiroth froze outside the doorway after sensing the thud beneath his feet. Her legs melted to jelly as a tingling sensation sprinkled over her thighs. Aerith inhaled knowing instantly where the soreness originated. It kept making her think of his arms flexing around her torso while his hips remained glued to her. She buried her burning face into her hands. “Oh Aerith, please stop thinking about it. Pretend it didn’t happen if you have to, just please for the love of the Goddess.”

“Are you hurt?” Long fingers were prying her hands apart all of a sudden. Cat-like eyes observing her.

“Uhm no?” Her thoughts were so deafening she never even heard him come back. Sephiroth started stripping the blanket back, scanning the surface of her body. “Hey, stop that!” She thrashed around, tugging another corner of fur over herself each time he removed one.

“Perhaps the storm affected you greatly.” Aerith thought there's no way he didn't know, yet to feign innocence.

“I’m not ill you moron, it’s you! It’s your fault I hurt everywhere so stop looking at me already.” She threw her hands up to block his eyesight. Aerith sucked in her lip, immediately wishing she chose different words. She was too tired to deal with his anger so early, but instead a low chuckle escaped him.

“Ah, of course." His grip loosed. "Stay in bed.”

“I’m not sick. And I've slept long enough, I'd rather bathe.” He lifted a doubtful brow while she readjusted the covering. After hiking in the snow and surviving this demon's sad*stic hunger, she'd sweat more in a single night than her whole life. But he wouldn't leave. Instead he laid a palm out before her. Her gaze shifted up and down curiously.

“Well? Or do you intend to wait forever?” She slowly took his hand, still keeping the blanket firmly secured around her. The second attempt to stand was already easier, but her wobbly knees had a mind of their own. His hand embraced the back of her waist to steady her. It made her arch slightly . His touch never failed to spread shivers under her skin.

“Ahem, I can take it from here. You're busy after all.” Aerith pushed away and reached for the wall to hold herself. Now her elbow was shaking. She knew she looked absurd. He was just making the situation worse, causing her to get flustered. If he had just left, the feeling in her legs would return in a minute. Sephiroth refused to release her hand and yanked her back.

“Are you playing games Cetra? Come.” He tore away the blanket in frustration. It's weight allowed for the fabric to slide away effortlessly.

“What are you doing?!” Her arm immediately folded around him.

“You can't bring that with you. Enough of this.” Aerith's mind went completely blank as her stomach dropped into the pits of Gaia. She clung to him awkwardly to hide herself. Every part of her squished against his torso felt like torture. She knew he could feel her heartbeat, but if she moved back everything would be exposed.

“Why do you have to make everything so difficult for me?”

“You complicate this life alone.'' After enough dawdling he just decided to carry the girl. She was easy to mold in his arms. Aerith held on for dear life in spite of the humiliation. His lack of modesty wasn't something she thought she'd ever get used to. “If you cling to me this much, I shall never go easy on you again.”

“Oh just hurry up!”

His feet tapped lightly on the bathroom floor until placing her along the edge of the sink. Her arms struggled to find the best way to shield what bit of dignity was left. Relief only came once his back was turned. Sephiroth began filling the bath and removed his gloves to test the water. She watched somewhat bewildered. Most times he acted so out of this word. Witnessing him perform random domestic tasks looked so strange. She never saw him eat, sleep, or clean his sword. He started every day like a robot that didn’t require maintenance. Sephiroth peeked over his shoulder, expecting her gaze. She quickly looked away.

“Heh,” a breathy chuckle escaped him. “The Cetra is too uneasy.” He stood after the tub had filled noticeably.

"If you're finished, I can take it from here." Aerith wondered how much longer he would insist on ruining her bath time. In just three long strides he was towering over her, sliding her into his arms again. Her skin felt as soft as it looked in the light. The curve of her small breasts were still noticeable no matter how hard she tried to hide them. “You are lovely enough.”

“What are you saying?” Aerith choked on her words, wanting to disappear. “If you’re gonna help, stop messing with me already.” She scrunched up further into herself. No one really considered her beautiful. She’d seen real beauties before, and she knew he must have too. Cloud had always been the most lenient with her whims to play pretend date, but even getting a compliment out of him was like trying to make a rock talk back.

Slowly he lowered the flower girl into the water until she gripped the ledge. Kneeling behind, he released her hair. He was getting sick of seeing that pink bow. A faint memory of his days in Shinra was all he needed to know where it came from. Just another Soldier that tried standing in his way. If only he met her first, perhaps converting the Cetra to his side would have been simpler. But the memories of each life only came fourth after his mind was set free in Nibleheim. One at a time, he unfolded the twists in her hair.

“I can do that.” Aerith reached her hand around. “I know how to bathe, you know.” Sephiroth smiled.

“I do know. I like watching you.”

“You! I thought you were busy?” His hands smoothed out the strands of golden brown.

“I have a little time.” Aerith sighed. Moments in the Bath were the only bits of relaxation to be found here. Now she couldn't even let her guard down. Chilled soap suddenly slid along her nape. He held her hair to the side and watched the milky substance glide over her shoulder blade.

“I'll do it!” She fumbled around to retrieve the soap. Struggling to think of anything that would distract from the situation. “You must like vintage stuff, huh? Most people use showers and light bulbs.” He released her hair to the water.

“It's not that I like anything in particular. I hate most modern man made constructions, showers are just one of many.”

“Why?”

“My time with Shinra was not that pleasant either.”

“Oh.” Aerith's voice dropped. The labs were obsessive when it came to germs. Occasionally several times a day, she was forced into a dark tube. Scalding hot saltwater would spray from above. It hit with enough force to remove bits of skin if you weren't careful. “They got rid of those a few years ago actually. I guess Hojo got sick of his experiments walking out with blemishes not done personally by him.” Sephiroth kept stroking her hair. She leaned back a little so he could work it into the water better. “Now they just have men in hazard suits strip you down and spray some kind of disinfectant while he supervises.”

“Doesn't sound that improved.”

“Oh It's not.” Aerith's frown deepened. “I'd rather take the shower than him loo… anyway, it's in the past.”

“Yet you never killed him.”

“I wanted to. Sometimes... I imagine it when I think about everything. But I don't like myself that much when my mind goes to dark places. It's like I lost, if I fall to his level.”

“There's no fault in wanting to remove stains. He does not contribute anything of value.” Aerith tilted her head back until she could see him.

“Then why didn't you do it? I thought you would have been treated like Shinra royalty. Being a war hero and all.”

“I was simply one of their many experiments. Shinra has a talent for making life dependent on them. I was too young before I realized.”

“So Hojo did this?” She pointed to his eyes. Sephiroth sighed and grabbed her hand, pulling it back down.

“For the most part.”

“I can't imagine what kind of parent just leaves their son with him.”

“I wasn't. It was his right after Mother died. The lab was my home since birth.” Aerith's mouth hung slightly open. She never considered Hojo might go as far as to create something using himself. They looked nothing alike. The realization made her ill.

“I'm sorry.”

“I do not need your pity. Everything will be set right in due time.” He continued massaging the strands of hair between his fingers.

“What if they come back here?” Aerith stared into the ceiling. It took her a lifetime to finally abandon the steel sky for good. Cloud gave her that strength, and now he was gone. If she ever got put back in Hojo's lab, she wasn't sure she'd have the courage to do it all again. Sephiroth's hand snuck into the water and around her waist.

“Then they will meet their promised land quickly.” He moved her closer to the edge of the tub. “Idle hands that touch my things are dealt with.” Her heart skipped a beat. She almost asked to clarify which category she fell into.

“Well, I was protected because of my staff. I'd like it back.”

“You don't need it anymore.” His hand slowly traced the side of her submerged abdomen.

“I highly doubt that.” She tried grabbing his arm to stop the tickling sensation.

“You have me now Cetra.” Aerith's breath hitched in her throat. How could she have anything of him? Was she just supposed to walk around and use the great Sephiroth whenever she ran into trouble like a summon? The thought almost made her laugh.

“Really? I never let go of free favors.” She tried joking away the implications of his statement. “You might regret it later on.” His fingers wandered lower. Massaging the outline of her hip bones.

“I do not regret. And nothing is free.” His middle finger kept advancing until Aerith inhaled sharply. Her shoulders tensing up over the rim of the tub.

“You are very sensitive.” She immediately grabbed his wrist still. Her mind almost lost itself again.

“Um, yesterday..." Her mouth went dry, she didn't want to ever speak of it again. "I wasn't in my right mind, so...” Sephiroth pressed his lips to her burning neck.

“So?”

“So, you can't just keep doing things like this.” She tried wiggling free.

“The Cetra got her night and is now running away.” He smiled Coyly, twirling a piece of wet hair around his fingers.

“I am not. I didn’t plan for any of, well... you know.”

“How cruel. Do you usually discard partners this way?”

“P-partners?! I have never- and we're not like that.” Aerith thought she'd combust into a flame she could barely talk. He was speaking absolute nonsense and making her seem like some bad guy.

“Hmm, If I remember you're the one who asked to stay.” He took told of the hand trying to restrain his wrist and interlocked their fingers. Her focus scattered. Despite trying to pry him away, his other arm was already reaching for one of her legs.

“Like I said, I wasn't thinking straight. So don’t get used to it.” He teased the inside of her thigh. Lightly dragging his fingers back and forth.

“And then you asked me to touch you.”

“Do you have to remember everything?”

“No, I forgot where, remind me.” She couldn't take it anymore. Suddenly twisting around to violently splash water all over his face.

“Stop confusing me! I know you're messing around, it's not funny.”

“If you wanted me to join, you only need ask.” Sephiroth never lost his smile while pushing his long hair back and stripping away the drenched leather coat. She was too easy to rile up. Her true desires and sense of responsibility kept tripping over one another.

“Don't you dare, you just stay right there.”

“Are you upset because you regret laying with me, or because you enjoyed every second of it?”

“I'm angry at myself!” Her shame boiled over. “ I wanted to do it with someone I love.” She bit her lip, realizing the spoiled pipe dream.

“Then love me Cetra.” Aerith's eyes expanded in disbelief. “If that makes your time here easier just think of me, please only me.” It was an impossible request. He stood before entering the water. She immediately turned to shield her eyes. She was embarrassed enough without having to stare at his most intimate parts at ground level.

“You don't mean that, you don't even know what love is.”

“Then indulge me. Show me why it's so important for you.”

“I can't. You hurt too many people, people I care about.”

“You can't save them all, their souls simply returned to where they belong.” Thick arms wrapped around the feeble Cetra. She felt her body being pulled about to make room for his legs. The tub barely fit the both of them.

“That doesn't mean they're not worth protecting. Our lives are short, and every moment matters. Whether we all end up in the same place or not.”

“That is a wishful way of thinking. Though I don't intend to waste any time with you.” He licked the top of her spine and took her breast in hand. She sat perfectly within his grasp. “ As it should be ,” he thought. Nothing didn't fit. As if the universe had designed her just for him. She was the last remnant of her people, and he was the first. The old planet started with her and would end with him. How could it not be destiny's will?

Aerith thought her heart might burst. It was thundering so loud against her chest. The warmth of him all over her wasn’t something she should ever rely on, let alone crave. His hands danced around all the parts of her she never knew needed soothing. From every inch of her flesh to the depths of her soul, it calmed a repressed sense of loneliness she carried around. She spent so much of her life waiting for the people who said they loved her to come home, to find her, but they never did. They kept vanishing when she needed them most. Aerith wasn't even allowed to be upset, knowing it wasn’t their fault. But any solace found here would no doubt be temporary. Getting close to the son of death would just cause more pain in the end, she was sure of it. “ Love me?” she scoffed at the idea. She was tired of loving people who never reciprocated her feelings clearly.

“Come closer.” He breathed before nibbling on the spot beneath her ear. Suddenly her entire lower pelvis was cupped in his fingers. He gently stroked between her tender folds, circulating the bump above her entrance for any reaction. It wasn’t long before her pulse shifted into a series of shallow breaths.

“Stop it, not in the daylight.” Pushing away with her feet just propelled her further into his grasp. She immediately recognized the stiff part of him resting along her lower backside.

“You’re an important piece of my future, regardless of the time of day.” His thumb rubbed against her cl*t as two other fingers slid into her. A small whine struggled to fully escape her. She was biting back her lower lip with shut eyes and gripping the side of the tub. Everything was still so tender. Every time his thumb flicked away at her, it felt like being pricked instead of the delightful strokes of last night. Aerith's head bent back into his shoulder. Sephiroth watched the flower girl struggle in his arms to regain any sliver of sanity. It was an amusing sight on its own, the rise and fall of her chest every time his fingers drug along her inner walls. Her hips writhed around his arm erotically. Like a puppet responding to the strings he so specially laid out. But her sweet voice and alluring expression just made him want to push further. His wrist knocked in and out with more vigor, expectantly waiting to see her response.

“Ahh!” her moans finally emerged as her back slipped under the water until almost fully submerged. The pent up tension growing between her legs had her feet trying to plant themselves, only to keep slipping along the tub’s base. She reached back to grip Sephiroth's upper arm. Her nails dug into his muscle.

“You have to relax.”

“Easy for you to say.” Both of her hands latched onto him to keep from drowning further. “You just do whatever you want regardless of what I feel.”

“My needs also serve yours do they not? Right now, your entire being clearly says it feels good.” His fingers rolled around inside of her, wanting to feel her squeeze up around them each time. The momentum was used to help push her upright. A low groan sifted through his grit teeth as her back rode up against him. All her fidgeting provoked a desire to just take her from behind right here and now. Her skin kept slipping along his shaft like velvet.

“I think I've gone insane because of you.” It was as if she was speaking his own thoughts. Her cry bounced off the stone walls. It was this moment when her mind shattered over and over. Every time she climaxed she wanted to hold onto that pulsating ecstasy for a second longer. She convulsed around the parts of him still buried deep between her legs. Pleasure dispersed like a wave that slowly faded back into the ocean.

“You come so easily for me Cetra. Are you sure you weren't waiting for the day I’d find you?”

“In your dreams. I never thought about you before the whispers ruined my life.” He bit down on the curve of her neck before licking the spot. Aerith yelped, aware of the erection along her bosom growing. “Please, I can’t do it all again. Not like yesterday.”

“I am aware of your fragility.”

“Coulda fooled me.” she huffed.

“This Cetra provokes too much. Disciplining you has been enlightening, as my generosity appears to be lost on you.” Aerith swallowed. Perhaps he wasn't joking and yesterday really was his idea of gentle.

“Can't you just let it go this time?” He liked it when she begged. So he took pity on the girl and drove her hand against his co*ck instead. Encouraging her to grab it on her own.

“Finish it yourself then.” Aerith hesitated, but slowly found herself curling each finger around. The base was too thick to fully wrap, but she tried. Even If she couldn’t see its grand size, she could feel every vein and the slight twitch whenever her hand moved. Perhaps this was his way of compromising.

“What do I do?” Her body shifted to the side, too flustered to entirely look at him. Touching him this way felt more lewd than regular intercourse. Sephiroth smiled with a feral charm.

“You have to grip it harder.” Aerith adjusted her hold, squeezing a bit. “Harder. With as much strength as your small arms will allow.” She took a deep breath and this time tried to wrap him with both hands. Honestly she was afraid of hurting him, but drug her hands up and down anyways. “Thats right, good.” He hissed through her strokes. She tried using her weight as leverage to push her hands down each time. Her sways made the water slosh about.

“It’s not, uncomfortable?” Her green eyes were full of innocent wonder. His anatomy was so different from hers, she couldn’t tell if he experienced pleasure from touch the same way she did.

“No, do as you please.” Aerith let her hands wander around his co*ck. Her fingers rolled over the tip every so often. The circular motions made his head reel back ever so slightly. He could almost close his eyes, but didn’t want to miss a second of her. He brushed the wet bangs out of her face. Lose stands stuck all around her wildly. Her grip burned against his skin, and he fought the urge to just let loose on her. The image of her mouth struggling to fit in all of him was tempting if not for the water. Her breathing grew tired in an attempt to stroke him faster. The pulsating under her fingers seemed to be a good sign. Her nails lightly slid along his length while trying to keep up the pace. The scratches sent shivers through him. “f*ck this.” Before it was too late, he lunged for the flower girl and lifted her up to thrust everything he had straight through her tight entrance. The intrusion spread her apart roughly, making her shout.

“No- Mhph!” He secured the back of her head and dove into a kiss to muffle her scream. Aerith beat against his chest as hot fluid emptied throughout her depths. All the faded soreness from yesterday shot to the forefront of her core as he swelled within. The water made him slip through too easily, not realizing how painful forcing her to expand to his full size on the first try would be. She fought back the sting of tears welling up. Once he’d tasted enough of her he let their lips part. It felt too good inside of her, he couldn't let the opportunity waste. It took all of his restraint to let her push away and break the connection.

“You have a purpose to fulfill. How did you put it, every moment matters?” Aerith frowned and covered her arms. The motive diluted any trace of sincerity she imagined feeling from him. It wasn’t the real intimacy she longed for. Just f*cking.

“Leave.” She bit out. Sephiroth co*cked his head to the side. He wanted to stay, pester her some more. But he’d let himself stray for too long, he never intended to linger past her breakfast. He reached for her face but she pulled back.

“Last night was just the beginning. It’s up to you how easy or difficult time here is spent.” With that he rose up and began to exit the bathroom. Aerith sat long after the water had turned cold. Trying to let him fill the loneliness in her heart just ended up leaving a space more hollow than before.

Chapter 14: Out of Sight (Plot)

Chapter Text

Sephiroth was growing tired of this. Every time he destroyed a flying drone, more appeared.

“A nuisance in every form.” They were Shinra property of course. “I should have gutted them.” Leaving survivors always meant trouble. And Turks were among the slimiest. They were trained to slip through missions quickly, stealing what they needed before running back to their President like a dog with its tail between its legs. Now they had his location.

In previous timelines they'd already discovered his real body, but it wasn't a concern, by now he’d also had the Black Materia. With the change in course, more time was required. At least his recent herd of puppets had finally reached the Northern Region. Soon Sephiroth would have his hands everywhere. Locating the Black Materia would also be easier once his clones were on the lookout. However, the drones were a bit unsettling. Shinra's style usually entailed blunt force without much thought. An army would be more expected, but dozens of peering metal eyes? What did they intend to supervise?

“Hojo.” the name sat in the back of his throat, uncomfortable to even speak. No doubt the depraved scientist would have caught wind of the Ancients' existence. For now, Sephiroth would have to cut back on the monster control. Mutants out here liked shiny things. It's not like they could hurt him anyway, so letting a few live to pick off the spying guests should be fine. He needed to get back to the Forgotten capital, not practice sword play in the snow. Problems kept piling up, yet Sephiroth found himself in a better mood than most days.

Things were finally connecting. Now he just has to see how long it would take. The Cetra was slowly opening up. Once she was carrying a part of him inside her, where else could she go? No doubt having his offspring would shatter her beloved. He frowned. Cloud, the relentless puppet. If only he would succumb to the call and disappear into the collective mind. In a way, Sephiroth also thought of Cloud as one of his things. The flower girl had mentioned ‘love’ back then, it made humans do stupid things. The idea of his property running off together was unacceptable. He shook the thought away. Cloud right now couldn’t win in a solo fight anyway regardless of his feelings. Sephiroth knew his puppet's headaches were getting worse, controlling Cloud would be easier than ever soon. Especially without his precious healer.

- - -

Cloud eventually let exhaustion get the better of him, or so he thought. His back felt like it was hitting a tree, he didn't usually sleep sitting up since leaving Shinra. It’d been days since he’d gotten more than a few hours of rest so the method didn’t really matter. But it was peculiar, his mind kept wandering, but his eyelids refused to open. Surely it was almost time to go. He considered just dozing off deeper until he heard a familiar giggle.

“Wake up, silly. What are you doing all the way out here?” It was as if a spell had been lifted. Her blurry figure slowly came into view.

“Aerith?”

“Who else? Unless you’re dreaming of some other girl I should know about.” Cloud huffed and eventually focused on the light shade of pink in front of him. She was leaning over, peering down as if nothing had happened.

“Are you alright?”

“I think you should ask yourself that first.” Aerith tilted her head to the side with a worried expression.

“Me? I’m fine.” Putting a hand on his knee, Cloud hoisted himself up. They were back in the sleeping forest. Dewy mist glazed everything in a green hue. “How did we… no, what happened to you?”

“What do you mean?” She put a finger to her chin. “Don’t I look like myself?”

“Seriously, Where are you?”

“Waiting for you of course.” Aerith sung as if the answer was obvious.

“Then why did you run off on your own like that? I’m really… we’re all really worried about you.” Aerith sighed and started walking with her hands behind her back. Cloud promptly followed.

“You probably don’t remember this place, but it’s special to me. It was the last time I got to see you.” Aside from the split second she'd seen his face crumple before her heart was silenced. “Well, a somewhat happy version of you.”

“What are you talking about, I’m not dead.”

“Right, not you.”

“I’m coming for you. You’ll see me again.”

“I wish you wouldn’t.” She hung her head as her pace slowed.

“Why?” Cloud stayed exactly two feet behind before stopping. “Did he hurt you?” No words were able to find the girl before him. “If he touched even a-”

“There’s a lot more important things to focus on.” She promptly cut him off. “You’re in a lot of pain, right?” Cloud looked to the side and shrugged his shoulders.

“Nothing I can’t handle.” The migraines were becoming less tolerable by the day. He should have fallen into the lifestream by now.

“You have to find yourself.” Cloud was sick of the riddles. He walked up and took her arm. Still, her eyes stayed locked to the ground.

“Just tell me what I need to do. I don't understand any of this.”

“If you can’t become whole again, I don't think you’ll be able to save anyone.” Cloud loosened his grip. The sentiment stung coming from her. Aerith never cast doubt in his abilities before.

“Hey, I’m working on it. I’m just glad you’re ok.” He wanted her to return to her chipper self. Smile, anything to show it was gonna be ok. She was usually the one softening the mood and pulling him up. “So, I never got to ask you about that Materia.”

“Hm?” Her eyes suddenly lit up.

“The one you gave me, it looked empty.” She just watched him intently, listening. “I figured you wanted me to have it for something specific, but then, Sephiroth got in the way.”

“I don't remember that well.” Aerith suddenly grabbed his shoulder and leaned in. “Hey, won't you show it to me?”

Cloud was taken back by her close proximity. Her grip was so tight, he didn't even notice her eyes were different. “Maybe then I'd remember.” That awful headache suddenly came swirling back with a vengeance.

“Ugh!” Cloud suddenly cradled his head. Static blinded him, slicing his brain like knives. Aerith's hand followed his shoulder as he slowly crumpled to the ground.

“You've got to snap out of it Cloud. Or everyone's going to die.” Cloud was heaving, doing anything to keep his eyes open. Aerith was backing away. He reached out a hand.

“Wait!”

“I can’t wait. You let me die, and I’m out of time.”

“Huh?” His sight was fading from black and white. The forest air was already thick, but the ache in his mind was just making it harder to see.

“I thought you would protect me. But you just stood there, just like that time.” The fires of Nibelheim flashed before Cloud. He could hear their screams, the sound of metal severing heads. Looking around, it was like being in the heart of it all over again. By the time he'd turned back to see Aerith, she was almost gone.

“No, ngh!” He pushed off the ground with trembling hands. “Aerith come back, It's dangerous!” Somehow he found the strength to move with haste. With a hand still supporting his head, Cloud managed to wobble through the reminiscence of his lost childhood. Desperate not to lose sight of her again. Aerith ducked behind a tree. He almost thought he could hear her giggling. Once the woody brush was before him, not a trace of her remained.

“Help me Cloud.” Her cry echoed over his neck. He whipped around to catch her. But the nightmare was just settling in.

“Yes Cloud, why didn't you help her?” The maker of all his agony was smiling at him. With that sorry expression Cloud itched to rip away.

“Sephiroth!” He reached for his sword despite his shaking arms.

“Do you want my help? If it were I, no terrible fate would befall her.”

“No thanks. Your help is the last thing I need.”

“Don't be so sure. Listen, can't you hear the Planet's cry?” Sephiroth's arms reached to the sky. “The essence that keeps this Universe afloat is running out. You won’t be able to stop the Reunion, let alone protect those you cherish.” Cloud wasn’t even listening, he swung with all his might. But the buster sword just fell through Sephiroth as he dissipated into a swirl of black feathers.

“Coward!”

“Now, now, I’m being quite generous here.” Cloud was frantically looking around, trying to figure out where he’d respawn.

“You can try to hide. But when we find you, it’s over.”

“How bold, considering the many times you’ve already failed. Your destiny of triumph is more bleak than you could possibly imagine.” The sound of thin metal being unsheathed set Clouds reflexes into overdrive. He promptly swung back to block the oncoming blow from Masamune. “If only you set your mind free, you could see things more clearly.”

“Shut up!” He slid forward with an uppercut motion in an attempt to remove Masamune from the demon's hand. But it only pushed Sephiroth back a few feet at best. “Your games won’t work on me. You'll just end up killing everyone regardless.”

“No, not everyone. But time does run its course eventually. You have to choose wisely who’s worth it, Cloud.”

“You sure like to talk a lot. I will find Aerith, no ones going to die.”

“But you already let her go. Many, many times. You simply cannot see what has already been laid once before.” Everything just made Cloud more unnerved. They worked so hard to find out she was alive, but now his words echoed as if she was already gone. He didn’t waste another moment and impaled the buster sword through Sephiroth's abdomen. The smug bastard had left himself open for far too long. For a moment the grand being almost seemed to go lifeless and limp over. Blood trickled out the edge of his mouth. But then a twisted smile curled up as a leather hand took hold of the blade. Cloud panicked and tried reclaiming his weapon. But Sephiroth wouldn’t let go. He was laughing at him. To his horror, Sephiroth started easing further into the blade, inching closer. “Do not deny me. Or you will suffer.”

The static induced headaches took hold of his mind, staggering Cloud. By the time he was able to clear his vision again, Sephiroth was gone. Instead an unconscious woman lay stained red along his blade. Cloud was mortified, immediately pulling back.

“No…” He took hold of the lifeless body, sliding down on his knees. “Aerith, hey.” He kept sweeping the hair out of her face. Lightly shaking her didn’t bring the response he wanted. “I can fix this.” His hand pressed into the open wound, a feeble attempt to stop the bleeding. He pulled her closer as tears began to burn at the back of his eyes uncontrollably. “Aerith, I need you to wake up. Please.” Her skin had already turned cold. Only the blood pooling around his knees held traces of warmth. His heart was pounding into his ears. It all felt too real. Like he'd seen it all before, felt this way before. The slow creep of snickering came in from behind. Sephiroth was laughing again.

“You have to snap out of it Cloud.” He could barely hold back the tears now. He couldn't deal with this. Cloud wanted to just disappear, it was hard to even breathe.

“Cloud! Wake up!”

The mirage faded away as his consciousness went dark. Cloud stirred in his seat before slowly opening his eyes.

“What's wrong with him?” Barret was holding onto the back of his chair, peering over.

“Cellular degradation most likely.” Vincent sat on a metal box, legs folded over top one another. “All Soldiers face it one day.”

“Degra- what now?” Yufie never understood most of their rambles. She was just worried about the panicked ex soldier.

“Hey dial it back, I think he's waking up.” Tifa was kneeling beside Cloud. She had his hand in hers and tried to shake his shoulder with the other. Cloud blinked slowly, but his glossy stare still seemed to be in a trance. His mind far away. “Cloud, are you with us?” His eyes were still trying to focus.

“A-erith?” His voice came out weakly. Tifa's lips curled into a thin line.

“No, we're on the Tiny Bronco. Remember?” He looked around at the metal enclosure. His head was still pounding, sweat covered his back.

“Must have been one hell of a dream.” Barret rolled his shoulders and eased back into his seat.

“Weren't we... In Costa del sol?” Tifa glanced back at the others worriedly.

“We left hours ago before dawn. You're the one who insisted we get a head start.” Cloud leaned forward with a groan, shaking himself out of Tifa's grasp. He didn't remember any of that. He couldn't even recall falling asleep the previous night. Yet he had a full conversation and led them onboard? Was he finally losing it? Losing himself. That nightmare felt more real than anything he'd done the last few days.

“You sure you're ok man? I thought you were gonna choke to death in your sleep.” Barret removed his sunglasses. Cloud swallowed and wiped the sweat off his face. He did feel out of breath now that Barrett mentioned it. Realizing everyone had witnessed him go through some sort of unconscious meltdown didn't help the growing nausea.

“I'm fine. I just needed some sleep. All this erratic flying would give anyone bad dreams.”

“My what now?” Cid took a double take over his shoulder. “Ya think you can do a better job? Be my guest you ungrateful sh*ts!” Yuffie let out a laugh and the atmosphere seemed to return a bit to normal. Tifa wasn't convinced though. If anything, the way Cloud always brushed off his burdens made her more concerned. She was used to suppressing her own feelings to please others, she could tell he wasn't right.

“Here.” She handed him a canteen full of water.

“Thanks Tifa.” He tried to smile as normal as possible while taking the cylinder. “I'm always relying on you.”

“You say that like it's a bad thing.” She chuckled and eased back into her seat. “We're a team, remember. That's what we're here for.”

“Right.” Cloud stared into the water sloshing around. “A team, huh? Is that why you lost her?” His thoughts stayed shrouded in self doubt. ‘ You let me die, so I’m out of time.’ The remnants of her voice challenged what little confidence he had left. “No, that wasn't Aerith, it couldn't have been.”

“Ahem, I know it’s still a bit early in ye mornin’, but I think we really ought steer clear of plain sight.” Cait had been antsy all morning. From the moment his electric body sprung back to life, he was nagging them non stop.

“Will ya quit your yapping already? I already said ain't nothin’ gettin’ between me and the skies.” Cid was sick of feeling like today's target after being such a willing chauffeur.

“What's Wong?” Cloud turned to Cait.

“Well the thing is, I sensed an updated Shinra report in the database. Highly classified, even I can't see all ye details. But what I do know, is they be headn’ this way! Icicle Village is a new spot of interest.”

“What's it Matter now? We're already over water, there's nowhere to land.” Nanaki had a good point. Cloud thought for a moment. Shinra usually didn't venture up this far, it was harder to dig for Mako when the ground was frozen. But if it had to do with finding the promised land, Aerith was likely involved in their vision. A part of him wanted to see what they were up to, but changing plans might just have them going in circles. Still, being spotted probably wasn't the best idea.

“Hey uh, guys what's that?” Yufie was the only one looking out the windows.

“Everyone brace yourselves!” Vincent shouted. A glance was all he needed to recognize Shinra missiles.

“How did they find us?” Tifa strapped herself in quickly.

“I told ye they were on a way!” Cait was jumping around in a panic, pulling at his ears. “But no one ever listens to me now do yeh!?”

“Not again you assholes.” Cid had just got his girl up and flying again. “Everybody hold on tight. It's about to get bumpy!” The party felt their stomachs drop as Cid plunged the nose of the aircraft down.

“sh*t sh*t sh*t.” Barrett was desperately clinging to the wall fastenings. There wasn't much security in his makeshift cargo seat. Cid’s scream was the only one that sounded different than the others.

“Ahahaha Whoooooo!” The first missile barely brushed past the tail stabilizers. Its momentum made the entire plane shake. But another shot was coming up fast. “Alrighty here we go folks.” The plane jerked back up and to the side. Everyone felt their weight shifting towards the ceiling.

“You can't outrun them.” Vincent might have known more about Shinra's equipment than anyone, but he never did inspire much confidence.

“Then what's your big idea, wise guy?”

“We need to land. Better hidden from the ground than falling from the air.” Vincent spoke calmly, no matter how dire the circ*mstance.

“What land?!” Nanaki shouted. “The coast is still miles away!”

“You kids just can't take a bit of excitement.” Cid veered back down again as the second missile plunged into the ocean. “There, ya see?” Cid sometimes let his ego get the better of him. He was so focused on the first two attacks, he never noticed the others hurling from behind. A second Shinra chopper had joined up.

“HEY!” Before Cloud could finish telling him to pay attention, the right wing was completely clipped. Everything shook as smoke exploded from the propellers. Cid slammed his fist on the dash.

“Damnit! This ain't over.”

“We have to live first!” Yuffie was screaming again. Regretting every life choice that ever brought her to this moment. The plane was twirling downwards erratically from the imbalance.

“Whoa- guys!” Nanaki was losing his grip on the floor. There wasn't anything he could hold on to.

“Lookout!” Barret let go of his straps and lunged for the poor creature being thrown about. He just barely grabbed a hold of Nanaki as his back slammed into the mental ceiling.

The rest went black.

“Everybody alright? If ya still breathin’ say Aye!” Everyone just groaned. Either not hearing or completely uninterested in whatever Cid might have to say. Cloud‘s hands patted over the parts of his body he could reach, wondering if he was really ok or if the shock from impact numbed out any pain. Once they smashed into the water the lights went out. Only thin strips of sunlight leaked in from the windows. He looked over to his side.

“Tifa!” Cloud immediately unfastened his seatbelt and grabbed her arm. She was barely lucid. Blood was running down her brow at an alarming rate.

“Ow.” Tifa rubbed the side of her head. The collision must have caused her skull to scrape against the metal walls.

“Don’t move. Can you remember where we are?” Cloud held a cloth up to her face.

“Uh, I think so.”

“Can you move?”

“Yeah...” She rolled her joints laboriously. The ache could be felt from her bones. “I just need a minute.” Cloud sighed with relief.

“I don’t think this is a simple matter.” Vincent's voice called everyone's attention. He was leaning on the ground, rolling an unconscious Barret onto his back. Nanaki was out cold beneath him. Blood was scattered everywhere, making it impossible to tell whose it belonged to. Yufie gasped and looked away.

“sh*t.” Cloud ran over to the Cargo and started rummaging through a sack of Materia. “Cid, we need to get to land, now!”

“I can try to use the backup propellers, but I can’t make any promises.”

“Just do it anyway! Vincent, find something to stop the bleeding.” A huge gash had pierced right through Barrets back. The metal cargo lining was never meant for comfort. They were jagged and full of rusty bolts that stuck out far too much. Hitting them multiple times at inhuman speeds would slice about anything open. Cloud cast healing for both of his unconscious party members, but they didn’t wake up. Only the bruising subsided as small scrapes closed up temporarily.

“I don’t understand. Why isn't the Materia working?” Yufie was almost crying. “He’s made it through way worse before, right?” Cloud's gaze fell to the ground in silence as he clenched his teeth. Tifa turned with a somber expression, her voice practically a whisper,

“That was Aerith.” Healing Materia could only fix what you already had. It couldn't bring dead things back to life. Once limbs were gone that was it. Organs couldn't be regrown and new blood cells couldn't be remade. Only Aerith's magic had bent the rules. Her healing was like turning back time, to before the body was injured in the first place.

The team felt the Tiny Bronco rumble as the engine struggled to start. After a while they were finally moving again.

“I think I can see the coast over yonder, just hold on till then.” Cid wasted no time shifting into gear. Nothing was going right today. Cloud cast healing again, using any mana he might have left to help his wounded comrades. It was hard to tell if it made any difference. Falling back he pulled his knees up to his head.

“Aerith, I need you.” His mind had forgotten how to conjure the courage to hold himself up. “I can’t do this alone.”

“I don't think you’ll be able to save anyone… Do you want my help?” The memory of Sephiroth's voice was merging into his own.

“f*ck you.” Cloud murmured under his breath. He swore no matter what, to not fall for Sephiroth's plea.

Chapter 15: Longing (Plot)

Chapter Text

Aerith stood alone in the dining hall. Nibbling on a sandwich in hand, she leaned against the grand windows. The snow was almost pretty if not for the ice being a constant reminder of this confinement. But the gleaming mountains were beyond her blank stare. Each time she thought of Sephiroth her gut swirled around. Morphing any lingering anxiety into confusion. After leaving the bath, she had noticed the little pink flower that hung pitifully on the small water table. It was a poor excuse for a flower if she’d ever seen one. The petals were clearly drooping and it looked like it’d been wrangled out of the dirt by an animal. It was almost comical imagining such force of evil trying to handle anything delicate. It’s a miracle the plant made it back to this hell alive.

“Don’t do things like that. Just keep on using me and being mean.” Aerith had stopped chewing a while ago. “I can’t really stay, not in the way you’re thinking.” Her hand rested over the slight curve of her stomach. It made her wince. Aerith didn’t know the chances of actually becoming pregnant after the last few times. It seemed unlikely. But worrying about it was irrelevant, he would just keep trying. How many times a week would he call on her? No, how many times a day would he need to be satisfied? The implications of a child were beyond her years of experience. The idea of him hurting a treasure she thought impossible to ever have in any life just upset her more. If she did get pregnant, she wouldn’t be able to part with the child easily. Not after everything she went through with her own mother. But that would be a problem for another time. At the moment, imagining Sephiroth stripping himself down every day before her was dizzying. All the madness occupying her soul was beginning to spread to her head. He acted insatiable. Thinking back, she’d been too relaxed. She’d felt no indication he would climb into the tub earlier. He was messing with her mind. At first he appeared to touch her regardless of the intent to produce offspring, just for it to end in his favor regardless.

Aerith didn’t notice the juice from her layered lunch dribbling onto the ground. Her appetite had been lacking since this morning. But with everything going on, it was understandable. Her finger ran along the rim of the luxurious window. How could a monster change so much? The one who laid her grave also plowed through a storm to find her. She didn’t think he would care that much. Well, perhaps for the Black Materia, but the fool said it didn’t matter. If she got away again, is there anywhere she could hide? Aerith huffed, almost letting a laugh form.

“I think I see now why you were so paranoid about him.” Cloud was forever on edge since the day she’d met him. Seeing traces of Sephiroth in the shadows around every corner, taunting him. It drove the party insane, they never did see anything. If she left, would his spirit haunt her forever too?

Almost by instinct, she found herself wandering back to Sephiroth's room. The maze was getting easier to understand, Aerith was getting confident that she’d almost memorized the layout. With little to do, she hoped to find some direction in his cozy cave. Perhaps clean a bit of the mess she’d left behind.

“Geeze, I don’t know why I even feel bad about it.” She scrunched her nose at the thought. “With this let’s just say we’re even for finding me.” The golden knob turned easily, she kept half expecting him to lock it one of these days.

“Wow.” Aerith turned from side to side in amazement. There was already a lot to begin with, but now the mess was just a nuisance to look at. The man who cared for nothing, was surprisingly keen on books. More so than a bed, or windows or any other normal entertainment usually found in people's rooms. “He really doesn’t sleep then, huh?” It had occurred to her that she knew almost nothing about her destined foe. And this was as good a place as any to snoop. She’d begun to suspect Sephiroth didn’t have Holy, surely he would have kept it with the Black Materia. Of the two, Holy should be less important to him.

She mosied over to the pile where she’d fallen and slowly picked up the books one at a time. Most of them were about science and legends of the planet. Some of the scrolls had faded text, presumably dated long before her time. A few spines even had Shinra’s logo. Likely stolen from Hojo’s lab. It was strange, Sephiroth was apparently raised in a similar vein as herself, yet she couldn’t recall ever running into a young boy. Aside from the short years with her mother, she was entirely alone. She bit her bottom lip. Maybe he had been isolated just like her. Aerith scoffed.

“Alright, that's enough pity for you.” She grumbled to herself while placing books one at a time back onto their respective shelves. “He was their war hero dummy. He got to go all sorts of places.” She assumed he probably had friends, a lover, admiration. She couldn’t remember a time anyone really liked her all that much. Aerith would have given anything for human connection, but the harder she tried, the more people pulled away. Cloud was a sweetheart though, he always let her pull him along. He never really complained. She liked to think Cloud was actually learning to have fun again. Yet Sephiroth never even tried to please others and people were crawling at his feet. She remembered every time she went to sell flowers on the upper plate, everyone was in awe of the First class Soldiers. Men and women either wanted to be like them, or with them. They had their own fanbases, and each sector had their own favorite. “What was he like back then? Was reading his hobby or something?”

Aerith recognized a leather bound book on the ground. It was dyed black with a string tying the side shut. She had attempted to grab it once before the shelf collapsed. The book’s weight was easily felt and the cover was barren of any title. She took a moment to unravel the protective layer. Aerith gasped, it was written in the image of Cetra. Rather than an alphabet, her ancestors wrote through symbols. She wasn’t sure how she inherited the ability to read it, but after getting through the temple, Aerith found understanding the language came naturally. The front sheet had small faded images conveying “Forbidden ”. Flipping through the pages, it appeared to be a sort of spell book. Something she’d certainly need more time to decipher later. She placed it on the mantle and sighed.

“Can’t get distracted yet.” She put her hands on her hips and looked up at the bookcase. “Now then, what to do about you.” The one she’d stepped on had slipped out of its nook. It now slanted off into the next shelf. If she were ten feet taller she could easily adjust it, but the same problem as before kept appearing. How was she going to reach the top half?

After looking around at a loss, she noticed the cabinet she’d taken down with her last time. It was sitting up right against the wall and still open. To her disbelief, her staff was once again just sitting inside. Aerith smiled and scratched her head.

“Someone's confident.” She walked over and took the staff in hand. All the blood had been polished off. Sephiroth didn’t seem eager to return it, yet he’d just left it out in the open like this. Even took care of it. “Did you want me to find it? Smug bastard.” Aerith knew the chances of killing him with her current equipment was slim, but she could still use it to annoy him. Leaving it like this just felt like he was mocking her. “Hm?” Her eyes lit up as the wind Materia reflected in her eye. Surely she could channel its flow to reposition the top shelves. “Well then, this just got a whole lot easier.”

- - -

Hojo was a peculiar creature that creeped among mankind. He preferred to hide away in his lab where the sun couldn't reach. If he ever had a regret, it was that he couldn't live forever. Endlessly toying with life, mixing and taking from it to see what results would be born of his curiosity. It was the love of his life that no one could understand. Well, they were beneath his genius. It was too much to ask such simple humans to comprehend his methods.

Where would Shinra be without him? His Jenova project single handedly made them triumphant through war. Yet they kept chasing after some childish fantasy about a promised land. Instead of giving him the tools to secure the very real and tangible Ancient. Ilfana's organs were still useful of course. But nothing could surpass the potential of a living subject, a female no less. He was giggling to himself again while watching some blank monitors. His assistants knew to just tune him out.

“Now now, Don't be shy. Why not share your findings?” He mumbled to himself as usual. The few dozen drones he'd sent to the north kept losing their signal. They were expensive prototypes. One minute Hojo could see the snowy mountains, and the next a black blur filled the footage before cutting out completely. Rude had left a full report of all their helicopter locations. Yet he wasn't able to get even close to this suspected residence where the Ancient was spotted. Hojo was dying to see how she was faring.

He'd already sulked enough for not thinking to combine the shining star of his Jenova project with the last Ancient sooner. Had he been diligent, they could be supervised from his very own glass box. But all good things came with time. He did not expect his creation to find her willingly after all these years.

“You must take after me after all. Your stubbornness however is not so endearing.” Hojo had only found success mixing Jenova cells with the essence of Mako. But trying to combine what was left of Ilfana's cells with Jenova never bore any fruit. The two wouldn't harmonize despite his many attempts. It always ended the same. Both parties succumbed to infection and died. But two half humans being used as a proxy to combine Jenova and the lifestream? The outcomes were endless.

He was getting close to a breakthrough. A serum that could neutralize the negative effects brought on by Jenova. Normally he wouldn't bother to stop the beauty of chaos overtaking its hosts. But too many of their Soldiers were succumbing by cellular degradation. It was happening much quicker than before. And the President was putting pressure on him to strengthen their forces, rather than treat them as expendable.

“Excuse me, Professor.” An assistant entered the office after knocking. He didn't wait for a response though, Hojo was often too lost in his own ideals.

“What now? This better be worth my time.”

“The President asked this to be delivered immediately.”

“Very well.” With a sigh he took the folder from the nameless man. Hojo's eyes scanned the document before a slimy smile cracked his face. He glanced back at his static filled monitors. “It appears we may meet sooner than expected.”

- - -

“That outta do it.” Tifa brushed her hands off one another. Proud of her makeshift bandage work. Their generous host had said a doctor wouldn't be back for a few days. The room's they were offered to stay in for the time being were more than enough. After reaching the coast, they were lucky to have found a thriving town from the start. Bone Village, they had called it.

“Thanks.” Barret was smiling after waking up, but it was obvious he was in a lot of pain.

“If you need anything, just say so.” Cloud's arms were folded in indifference. But the truth was he hadn't left Barrett since they crashed.

“Aww don't you guys get all soft on me. It'll take more than a few scrapes to finish this guy off.”

“Where's Aerith when you need her right?” Yuffie was hurling over a nearby bucket, still recovering from motion sickness. Nanaki smacked her with his tail to be quiet. But it was too late, everyone grew quiet and averted their eyes from one another. It was true. Aerith's healing magic wasn't like the others. It cost her nothing to use it, and she didn't seem to require Materia. Not only that, but the effects were stronger. She'd saved them from a few near death post battle injuries more than they could count.

“I guess we relied on her too much.“ Tifa put her hands together. Clouds fists scrunched up. Once again he was reminded of his shortcomings. How many more of his friends would get hurt along the way?

“Hey guys, don't fall up short because of me. We're on a mission remember? I can stay back and let you take a head start.”

“What?” Tifa gasped, as if the thought was preposterous. “We can't leave you here.” Tifa was adamant but Cloud was already considering the idea before he had said anything. It could be a week before his wounds closed up enough to walk. Let alone fight. Tifa looked to Cloud for backup, but he was just looking at Barret and nodding his head. His decision was made.

“Well that settles it.” Cid came barging in. “Flying is a no-go. And I don't see any rivers we can sail across to get up north.”

“Then we take it by foot.” Cloud's voice was firm.

“Are you sure this is a good idea? Maybe we should wait till the repairs are done and Barret is better.” Nanaki stalked over to Cloud.

“We managed it before. We can do it again. If Shinra's going north too then we're already behind.”

“Cloud, it doesn't feel right leaving like this.” Tifa pleaded.

“Then maybe you should stay.” Cloud didn't intend for the words to sound harsh, but the shocked expression on her face said it all. He hated it when she looked like that. “To be safe. I just don't want you to get more hurt.” He tried to soften the initial blow but Tifa was at a loss for words. She knew he was bullsh*tting her. He knew better than anyone she was capable of protecting herself as much as anyone else.

“Hey now, you're not doing this alone.” Nanaki's voice was returning to its deeper tone. “The sooner we find Aerith the better. Thanks to Barret I only got a few bruises.”

“Go on Tifa.” Barret knocked his head towards her. “You know me, all’s good.” She nodded her head.

“I'm coming too. So don't even try to go on your own.”

“Hmm. Well, if that's the case I guess there's no point in fretin’ over the small stuff. I’ll stay behind too and fix up the old girl. In a few days, just send up a signal, I’ll find ya.”

“I’ll stay too.” Cait climbed on top of Cid’s shoulder. “Maybe there's a computer here that’ll give some information about Shinra’s scheme.” He looked over to Vincent just laying in the back. “I hope’d ye might help me with some firewalls ey laddie?” Vincent just shook his head in agreement.

“Well I’m going, who knows what Materia we’ll find out there.” Yufie punched Cloud's shoulder, hoping he’d cheer up a bit.

“Then it’s settled. We leave tomorrow, everyone rest up.” Cloud was already walking away as Tifa sighed in releif. She half expected him to try to leave immediately.For once Cloud was looking forward to getting a good night's rest. This time, he wanted to meet the real Aerith. Even if it was only fragmented in dreams.

- - -

Sephiroth was sure of Cloud’s location now. That last illusion gave him enough time to wiggle through the deepest parts of his puppet's mind. Previously he’d only been able to control Cloud that strongly before he’d fallen into the lifestream, but without his memories, he would just keep breaking down. It was perfect really. If Sephiroth struck the same deal with the Cetra and Cloud to do his bidding in exchange for each other's safety, there wasn’t anything he couldn't ask that they wouldn’t do.

The sound of stale rocks crunched beneath heavy steps. The Forgotten Capital was impossible for most people to reach, but Sephiroth had been here many times. Even if each visit was cut short. The place was unearthly, being in the home of the Ancients never felt welcoming. Everything from the remaining houses and temple remnants were deserted. Nothing from the old civilization survived, yet the essence of the planet ley thick within in the air he breathed.

“Get out quickly. The stench is vile.” Mothers voice crept over the hum of the planet. He was near the Capitals entrance now.

“This won’t take long.” Sephiroth wasn’t eager to stay either, he could feel the glorious rage emitting from the air. The planet was upset with him, for what he’d taken. Within these walls the lifestream should have reunited with the last Cetra’s blood, yet he had claimed her instead. If Holy was lingering behind, there’s only one place it could be.

“Drop it into the abyss, from whence it came. Let the universe swallow its treachery, never to be used again.” Sephiroth had planned as much, half expecting it to have fallen in already. But he remained unnerved. His puppet said something about a different Materia Aerith had gifted him. Something he had never heard of. What good is Materia if it’s hollow? Perhaps his Cetra was still planning some sort of trick. It wouldn't be the first time.

His footsteps echoed as he approached the sacred marble floors. A single stream of light still flowed in from above. He looked to the sky, never having viewed the sanctuary from this angle before. Standing in the center was uncanny. He could imagine the praying girl right before his eyes. Sephiroth just stared blankly at the spot of marble where her blood should have stained.

“What do you hesitate for? The hour is running thin.” He couldn’t respond. A growing knot forming within the deps of his stomach couldn’t be untangled. Trying to decipher the emotion was even more unpleasant. It played out so clearly every time, he could still recall every defining second. Masamune wasn't in his hand, yet he could feel the slight resistance before his blade pierce straight through her back. He never missed, splitting her heart perfectly down the center. The urge to return and see the flower girl was suddenly becoming overwhelming. He wanted to hold her down and hear her heartbeat. Proof of her existence. Was she really alive? He’d spent an eternity without having such a thing at his side, the last few weeks with her amounted to no more than a fleeting blip in history. A deep agonizing groan pulled back his absent mind. The room seemed to slightly vibrate. Screeches from an abomination miles below reverberated through the crystalized architecture.

“It would seem I am not welcome here.” Sephiroth quickly gathered himself and took a quick once over the area. As he expected, no traces of Holy remained. Still he walked to the edge of the altar and peered into the lifestream. No doubt the Planet's weapons stirred even here, sensing him as a threat. The massive monstrosities were a nuisance no doubt, but nothing he couldn't handle if it came to it. Lingering a second more in this uncomfortable relic was a waste of time. Sephiroth unleashed his wing and took off for the sky. With his suspicions about Holy cleared, only one person occupied his mind.