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Sepsis	By : ladysanzennine Category: Final Fantasy VII > Het - Male/Female > Sephiroth/Aerith Views: 2066 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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Chapter List
- 1-1
- 2-2
- 3-3
- 4-4
- 5-5
- 6-6
- 7-7
- 8-8
- 9-9
- 10-10
- 11-11
- 12-12
- 13-13
- 14-14
- 10
- 11
- 12
Sepsis
Chapter 11
By Lyralina Sanzennine
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy 7 is property of Square Enix.
It had been easy. Sephiroth had covered his tracks and erased all signs of their presence in the ancient city. When the puppet and his troupe arrived, it was to empty houses and unstirred ground.
He’d cocooned the girl in enough batted coverings to keep her warm, then simply scooped her up and flown north to the Corral valley caves. There, he’d stayed tucked away in the shelter of one of the larger cracks in the face of the cliff. He’d kept the girl securely nestled against him, on his lap, for a few hours until he was certain that AVALANCHE had come and gone.
He used the time to silently contemplate all that had occurred in the last few days. It was…odd. He didn’t know what to make of the events that had transpired and that angered him for the uncertainty it represented. He still did not know what that staggeringly foreign experience had been, when he’d slept with the girl the first time, and it was clear now that no answers would be forthcoming from her.
It had been euphoric. He imagined that drugs produced similar sensations from the descriptions he’d heard many years ago about what “being high” was like. But it was so much more than just that. It was as if, for one instant, the universe had blinked away into nothingness then opened and surrendered itself to him, and with it, all its infinite secrets.
He’d thought that he already possessed all the knowledge the world had to offer. When he’d fallen into the Lifestream so many years ago, it had fused with him and Jenova and given them unbelievable powers. It had opened his eyes and told him all he needed to know and even rid him of the need for materia. The knowledge of the Ancients was within him and that meant all the knowledge of magic that ever existed.
Yet there was more.
But he couldn’t recall any of it. Only the knowledge that it had been there.
Had he actually glimpsed something sacred through her? Ludicrous. The girl could not be that special.
Still, whatever the truth was, it had become painfully clear to Sephiroth that something had happened that night that he had never expected and had been unable to plan for.
And that was not acceptable.
The girl would dance to his tune, and he would not allow himself to be swept into such a situation again. He would use her up, destroy Cloud Strife's heart, and ascend to godhood.
For now, it was time to return to the city. He tensed the muscles in his legs and steadied his arms beneath the Cetra that lay on him, still unconscious from his Sleepel spell. He stood and twisted his body so that they could fit through the uneven, narrow entrance of the cave. When they were clear, he smoothly levitated upwards and turned to fly down the path that led back into Ajit. In a few minutes, he reached the house they’d been staying in. He lowered himself until his feet were planted firmly on the ground in front of the door.
Sephiroth made his way up the spiral structure and into the small room tucked away in the corner that he’d designated as Aeris’s. He set the girl down on the bed then stepped back to study her before returning to her side, unrolling her from the confines of the layers of bedding. He repositioned her and returned the covers.
When everything looked just as it did several hours ago, he was satisfied. He turned from the room and left.
* * *
Aeris opened her eyes lazily. She had no idea how long she’d been asleep for, but she guessed it had been a while. She felt wonderfully relaxed and generally, well…good. It was disorienting.
She yawned and slowly pulled herself up while rubbing at her eyes with the backs of her fingers. The blanket covering her slid down carelessly to pool around her bare waist. She opened her eyes and looked around, still blinking sleepily. The windowless bedroom gave her no clue as to what time it was. It was dim as always, lit by the blazing fireplace.
She was alone. That was immediately clear.
Aeris felt relieved at that. It was good to be away from him for a moment. She didn’t feel like she would have been able to deal with him if he’d been present, or worse, next to her in bed.
Her mind was pleasantly blank and for that she was thankful. Caught in the eye of the world’s possible destruction, it was a rare moment of peace. Undeserved, possibly. Maybe even downright foolish, but it was a treasured moment all the same. Petulantly, Aeris thought that after all she’d been through, she deserved some time off to not think about all the horrible things that had happened and were still to come.
But, no, now was not the time. She’d deal with it later. There would be a perfect moment to sort all the conflicting, headache-inducing emotions out and figure out what to do. Later.
Her stomach let out an embarrassing growl. She glanced down at it and chewed her lower lip thoughtfully. Would Sephiroth have left her food? Somehow, she doubted it.
It was peculiar. She felt healthy and overall, pretty normal, which in itself was strange after having been bedridden for so long. Her…what was he to her? Her murderer? Her savior? Her...lover? She couldn’t bring herself to think of him as any of those. Stuck, she backtracked.
He was off somewhere and she had no idea how to find him. That wasn’t uncommon, but in days past, she’d been unable to do anything but lay around and wait for him to return to take care of her.
Not any more.
With that, she quickly threw off the coverings and climbed to her feet. It felt so good. She spared a moment to stretch her limbs languorously, thoroughly enjoying the novel freedom of her limbs. Then she stopped. She had no clothes.
She would not venture outside naked nor would she let such a trivial thing get in her way. She desperately wanted to feel the sun on her face and inhale some fresh air. It took only a second for her to come to a decision. She pulled the covers off the bed and wrapped and tied one sheet around her as a makeshift dress. The blanket she folded and draped around her shoulders like a cloak for added warmth.
A quick search of the house told her that it was empty, devoid of both food and Sephiroth. Aside from her bedroom, the house looked untouched. It’s ancient but well-preserved furniture had not been disturbed.
Bravely, she drew in a deep breath and told herself to ignore the fact that she didn’t have shoes. Resolutely, she pushed the door open and stepped out into the Ancient City.
It was midday. She closed her eyes and tilted her head up towards the distant sun – bright, but still cool to the northern continent. It was so, so good to see daylight. Even the brisk wind was welcome for the time being. It cut across her exposed skin and through the material she wore around her. It tasted and smelled clean.
Aeris breathed in and out, deeply, slowly. She opened her eyes and looked down at herself. She was paler than she had ever been. Her uncovered arms seemed almost translucent. She knew she was too thin, could see the unattractive protrusion of the bones in her hands and arms thanks to the hard week following her forced ressurection.
It was likely foolish, but she was too happy with the sense of freedom, false as she knew it was, to simply turn back into the house. What would she do inside, anyways? The last time she’d come to the city, there had been no time to explore it and see the remnants of her ancestors’ lost civilization. She’d headed straight for the altar to pray.
Perhaps it was odd, but remembering her last visit to the city brought no feelings of bitterness or remorse. There was merely calm acceptance, like gazing at a painting. The painting simply was; the image depicted neither tangible nor consequential to the future. It had been done, she had died, but it had all ended, happily even. There was nothing more to say.
As for this…well, she knew in her soul that somehow, things would work out. The question was, at what price?
Aeris wandered down the dirt path slowly. The ground was cold beneath her feet and the northern air was icy against her skin. Her mass of unbound hair whipped frenetically in the wind, obscuring her sight.
She went from house to house, taking her time, leisurely examining the beautiful, lost architecture of the city. Each house held a hundred of its own memories, things that Aeris could only guess at based on the subtle differences of their interiors. Each house had its own flavor – its own personality.
They also had paintings and portraits, faded though they were. All those long-dead people, all a part of her genealogy. This dead city was her heritage.
It wasn’t long before she found herself within eyeshot of the crossroads at the city’s main entrance. She wasn’t sure how she felt at the sight. Curious, perhaps. Like the last time she’d been here, she felt a strange pull drawing her towards the Forgotten City that lay beneath the ground. She wanted to see it again.
Aeris walked towards the crossroads, the point where the path branched into three. She didn’t even consider trying to escape. Where would she go, without food, clothing, or even shoes? She wouldn’t get far before either Sephiroth found her or she died of exposure. Well, that or the monsters on the outskirts of the city would eat her. That wouldn’t be a very productive use of her second life.
More than that though, she was here for a purpose. Vague and incomprehensible as that purpose was, it wasn’t to run away from him.
She walked slowly, step by careful step, into the heavily shadowed center of Ajit. The massive trees that surrounded both the central shell structure and the path that led to it filtered the sunlight so much so that the area always seemed bathed in moonlight. They blocked out the wind too, but Aeris’s skin was still covered in goosebumps at the sight of the shell and the lake in front of it.
She’d seen this place before, of course. Even after her death, she’d seen it when she’d watched over her friends. But somehow, in life, it was different. She felt neither angry nor sad, looking at the site of her grave. She certainly wasn’t happy either.
Aeris frowned and wrapped her arms tightly around herself in an effort to keep warm.
She tried to remember what mission she’d been charged with. Save the world, get rid of Jenova, etc. That much was obvious, but how? Her memories had returned. She could recall all her experiences both in life and in death, but her duties in this new game were still a complete blur.
Was that intentional? She pressed her lips into a thin line. She didn’t like it when Existence used her as a pawn. Or was Jenova still sealing away some of her memories? Keeping her from fulfilling her purpose?
What if she was meant to be acting right now? What if she was wasting valuable time?
Aeris turned and bolted in a sudden wave of irrationality, not knowing what she was doing or where she was trying to head. Back to the house, maybe? To regroup? That didn’t make any sense, did it?
She ran into an immovable something and with an oomph fell backwards to land sprawled on her backside. She blinked rapidly and gritted her teeth against the sudden spark of pain in her tailbone.
“My apologies. I wasn’t expecting you to turn and run so suddenly,” a deep, familiar voice said.
“That’s okay,” she replied out of habit.
Aeris looked up through her tousled bangs to see him keeling beside her. Firm hands reached out and grasped her by the shoulders to steady her and help her sit up. So many thoughts and feelings arose at the sight of him that in the cacophony of her mind, they resulted in blankness.
She blinked stupidly at him.
He gave her a small, amused smile. “I’m glad to see you’re well enough to go for a stroll.” His eyes flicked downwards. “Your clothing is very…inventive.”
Aeris openly stared at him. Sephiroth ignored her expression and moved away slightly to sit cross-legged across from her with his coat fanned out behind him.
She really had no idea what to say or do and she imagined she probably looked like a terrified waif. A terrified waif facing a megalomaniac while dressed in sheets covered in dirt.
“Hi,” she said falteringly. She blinked at him again and furrowed her brow.
“Good afternoon,” he replied.
Looking into his expressionless face, Aeris felt a thousand different emotions clamoring within her heart. Anger, fear, humiliation, longing.
He tilted his face up to the dimly illuminated foliage that hung high above their heads. “You’re in luck. The weather favors you today.”
She opened her mouth to respond but nothing came out. What was he playing at, speaking to her as if they were friends out for a nice stroll?
“What do plan on doing with me?” Aeris asked him pointblank.
He didn’t look surprised at her sudden question and merely appeared to consider it for a moment before returning his gaze to her again with a smirk and narrowed eyes. “I don’t know. I suppose we’ll see,” he told her.
“Are you being coy?” She asked, surprised and a little horrified. His ambiguity could mean anything.
Sephiroth didn’t answer. He turned his head slightly to the side, tilting it downwards to face the edge of the lake they sat by. Still silent, he pulled off one glove to bare strong, pale fingers. His veins were clearly visible beneath the skin of the back of his hand. His fingers skipped across the still water of the lake’s surface as if in idle play.
Aeris watched him and frowned. They were sitting by her gravesite, sort of chatting, and now he was playing with the water. It was downright creepy.
“This is twisted,” she commented with a scowl.
He shot a sidelong glance at her but didn’t remove his fingers from the water. Part of his face was obscured by the fall of his hair. “Life often is,” he smoothly replied. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
Aeris crossed her arms beneath the sheet she wore as a cloak around her. “Only because people make it so.”
“Hmm,” he acknowledged. He lifted his hand from the lake and gently shook off the clinging water droplets from his fingers. “But what is life if not people?” he said with a faint smile. His opinion of people, and therefore life, didn’t need to be stated. He reached up to brush his hair away from his face and asked, “How are you feeling?”
Aeris was floored. She simply stared at him with wide eyes.
“During my years with Shinra I was thoroughly trained in etiquette,” Sephiroth informed her without inflection. “Does that surprise you?”
“No,” she answered hesitantly. “I guess not. And that does make sense. There’s a difference between a social chameleon and someone who actually cares.”
“And you are comparing me to a lizard,” he said. His eyes were too bright in the midst of their dim surroundings.
“Well, you certainly don't actually care,” Aeris retorted. She turned away from him, pretending to study the shell structure across the lake. Beneath the sheet, her hands rubbed at her arms in an attempt to warm herself.
“Are you so sure?” he asked.
For a moment she hesitated as the barest glimmer of uncertainty took hold of her. Was there a chance that –
No. Absolutely not.
“Sephiroth, you killed me,” Aeris reminded him with a hard glare.
He chuckled at her words. “So I did, four years ago,” he conceded. “Have you ever wondered if I came to regret my actions?”
She raised an eyebrow at him skeptically. Did he really think her so clueless? “No,” she answered succinctly.
“No?” his gaze was almost quizzical. “Perhaps I do.”
“You expect me to believe you?” she retorted.
“Are you so sure you shouldn’t?” he asked.
Aeris narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. “I have no reason to,” she answered.
It was his turn to raise an eyebrow, just a fraction, at her. That slight change in his expression was enough to clearly convey what he was thinking. All that had happened, all that he’d shown her.
All that they’d shared.
But none of that had been real, had it? Or had it all been painfully true and merely unexpected? Was that possible?
Was that truth?
Aeris used the silence that settled between them to study him as he in turn studied her. Neither of them moved for several minutes. With the surrounding trees shielding them from the wind, not even their hair or clothes stirred as they stared each other down. Aeris had no idea why she continued to look at him.
Finally she asked, “What now?”
“I leave that to you,” He readily replied.
“Hmph.” For a second, she felt the urge to stick her tongue out at him. “What are you saying? If I tried to leave, would you let me?”
He appeared to think it over for a moment. Finally, in a low voice he replied, “After that…experience…we shared,” he said, referring to whatever had happened to him the first time, “Perhaps not.”
“So even if I tried, I couldn’t get out of here.”
He laughed. “So you choose complacency instead? I’m impressed. You are much smarter than your friends.”
She glared at him again.
“I believe a better question is,” he continued, “Do you want to leave?”
She replied without hesitation, “Of course.”
“Oh?” Sephiroth asked. “Where would you go? Back to Cloud, I presume.” He flashed her an easy, brilliant smile that somehow instantly changed his demeanor. “Now, be honest with yourself, Aeris,” she inhaled sharply at hearing her name on his lips for the first time. “Do you really want to do that?”
She opened her mouth to answer him again that yes, she wanted to leave and find her friends, but nothing came out. Yes, she was duty-bound to stay for reasons that she couldn’t even recall, and yes, she was completely helpless, so trying to escape would be nothing but foolish, but was that all?
Or was there something deeply fascinating that she saw in him? It was nothing but a surface glimpse so far and all the more intriguing for the mystery it entailed. Was she drawn to fire like a moth, too stupid to realize what she was headed towards? Or was she right in sensing…something…beyond both his icy and perfect exterior and the raging insanity that lay beneath?
He had asked her if she really wanted to leave. And if she were to be truly honest with herself, mission, duty, and feasibility aside, the answer was no.
- 10
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- 12
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Sepsis