Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Path of Seduction ❯ Chapter Twenty Eight ( Chapter 28 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII is the property of Square-Enix. No profit is sought from this work. Original characters and elements are my own.

Path of Seduction

Chapter Twenty Eight

Aeris nuzzled closer to Sephiroth's chest, sighing contentedly. "Good morning," she murmured. Sephiroth's only reply was a light snore. Aeris tweaked his nose. “Wakey wakey, sleepy head.” Sephiroth batted half-heartedly and slipped back into stillness. Aeris decided to try another approach. She ran her fingers lightly through Sephiroth's hair and pressed little kisses all over his face. The man did not move.

Aeris huffed and rolled back a little, away from the persistent pressure near her thighs. She glanced down and smiled wryly. “At least somebody's up this morning.” She scooted down to be close enough. “Good morning, Masamune-san! You're looking very perky today!”

Sephiroth twitched awake just long enough to glare at Aeris and roll over so she could not carry on conversations with his anatomy. Aeris sighed and ran her eyes over the muscular length of back. “Well,” she said, running a finger all the way down Sephiroth's spine, “this isn't a bad view either.”

Sephiroth jerked up, conveniently rolling his backside away from curious fingers. “Don't wake me up for your little games, woman,” he snarled, eyebrows angled like the wings of a hawk swooping down for the kill. Then he slumped back to the ground, practically on his stomach, looking for all the world as if he had not woken at all.

Aeris sat frozen, still seeing his eyes glowing furiously just inches from her face. “Fine, then,” she grumbled, “you can just play with yourself from now on.” She scooted away and curled up with her back towards him, stealing all the covers as she turned. She smirked at Sephiroth's gasp at the sudden exposure. Served him right. She gripped the blanket even tighter around herself so there would be no chance of him getting any.

Sephiroth wrapped his arms around himself, fighting for sleep, but it was too late. The cold seeped into every crevice and woke him fully. He reached backwards with one hand to try to tug some of the blanket over but Aeris wriggled out of his reach as soon as his fingers brushed the fleece.

“That's what you get for treating a girl like a booty call.”

Sephiroth only grunted.

“Well, good morning to you too, Sunshine,” the voice drawled. “Listen, I'm not exactly wild about the fact that you're banging her, but you better fix things quick if you expect this relationship to continue.”

“She shouldn't have woken me up like that!” Sephiroth insisted, “I need my sleep.”

“Women have needs too, Seph. It wouldn't kill you to at least act like hers matter.”

“After last night how can she possibly need more?”

“What?” The voice gloated. “Are you saying you're not up to the job?”

Sephiroth growled at the insinuation. “I'm up to anything. She said so herself.”

“Then why the snapping? If you're not in the mood you could at least let her down gently.”

Sephiroth sighed. “I suppose.” He could feel his half-welcome guest waiting in his mind. It was almost like having someone pacing inside his brain. It itched.

“So are you going to patch things up, or what?”

“I don't want you watching.”

“Fine, fine,” the voice conceded, fading slightly. “If you need me you know where to look.”

“Do I?” But the voice was gone. Sephiroth probed the inner recesses of memory, searching. He seemed to be alone in his head again. He sighed and rolled over.

“Aeris,” he called gently, “Aeris.” She did not answer. He reached out to rest a hand on her shoulder. She stiffened at his touch and shrugged his hand off. Sephiroth was too tired to really get angry at it even though he found it childish. He let his fingers play in the loose fold of blanket. “Aeris, I'm sorry I yelled at you.” Aeris scoffed and huddled down even more. Sephiroth was at a loss.

“Psst,” came a whisper from the deep. “You have to say it with sugar on it.” Sephiroth chased after the voice but it faded faster than he could follow. He sighed.

“Aeris, I'm sorry with sugar on it, whatever that means.” He heard her stifle a snicker and it seemed that some of the tension went out of her shoulders. He inched towards her, close enough to feel the welcome heat of the covers. He tugged lightly at the nearest folds and slid himself underneath, skin to skin with Aeris. She did not quite melt against his body but he didn't get an elbow in the ribs either.

Sephiroth took a chance and kissed her shoulder. She tasted of salt and smelled of him all over. Sephiroth shivered despite his earlier protests. He slid an arm around her and she did not object. Now that he took the time to look, he could see the marks he had left on her, little red love bites on her throat, tracing a path down to her breasts. Her hair was a tangled mess. All anyone had to do was look at her to know that she was his. Sephiroth slid his hand up her body to grasp a breast. He ran his fingers from one to the other and found her nipples peaked and firm. From more than just the cold, he hoped.

She shifted slightly and he took the chance to slide his other arm under her. He pulled her closer and trapped her in his grasp. No more sliding away, not now. She had taken her chances and roused the beast and there would be consequences. He sucked one earlobe into his mouth, then ran his tongue along the curve of her ear. She gasped a little, but held back, still playing hard-to-get. Sephiroth purred. He was definitely up to anything, including her little challenge.

He ran his lips over her neck, raising himself enough to lean over and get her throat. He made hungry nips at her jaw line but she refused to give him her mouth just yet. He licked her cheek and won a squeal. When she turned her head to wipe off the dampness on her shoulder, he caught her lips and did not let go till she was breathless and trembling.

She slumped to the ground, unable to stop him. Sephiroth moved one hand down to her thighs and urged one leg up and over his own. She obeyed, glancing back over her shoulder. Sephiroth kissed the corner of her mouth. “It's okay.” He kept one hand on her breast and guided himself in.

Aeris shivered as Sephiroth entered. She shut her eyes tight and whimpered a little with each breath. Sephiroth kneaded her thigh and whispered encouragement. He kept his motion slow, his thrusts shallow and studied what he could see of her face for her every reaction.

True to form, she began to move in time with him, following his guidance, urging him to do more. He wanted to give her everything, but their position kept things steady and frustratingly slow. The blanket grew too warm and Sephiroth had to toss it aside. Aeris struggled to get loose, to roll into a better position for the pressure she needed. Sephiroth gripped her tighter. She grabbed the arm that held her thigh steady and clawed at it, just shy of drawing blood. Sephiroth growled and twisted, capturing her hand. Aeris cried out in protest, hungry and denied.

Sephiroth slowed a bit and moved her hand between her legs, fingers intertwining with hers to show her what he wanted her to do. She stiffened in his arms at the first touch. She was slick there but it wasn't enough, so Sephiroth brought her hand to his mouth and sucked her fingers. She tasted of everything they had done the night before. Sephiroth swallowed it down and guided her hand where he wanted it to be. Her eyes opened wide as he worked her fingers between her folds. She caught on quickly and Sephiroth left her to it, watching her eyes glaze over.

The first tremor shook her and Sephiroth got ready. Aeris cried out briefly, cutting her voice off until she could not hold herself back. She went rigid and Sephiroth moaned as she tightened around him. He held on to her, never stopping. Climax washed over him. His murmurs ended with a harsh sigh. Then he was still.

Aeris turned her head slightly. Her cheeks were flushed and despite the coolness of morning, she felt almost too warm. Too damp and sticky for sure. “Seph?” She wormed her way out from under his arm to turn over. “Seph?”

Sephiroth started out of a light doze and blinked wearily at her. “Please, Aeris, no more.”

Aeris laughed. “Oh, am I wearing you out, Soldier?”

“And then some.” Sephiroth stretched slightly, just enough to feel the kink in his lower back. He would be feeling that one the morning after.

“It is the morning after.”

“Then go away and let me enjoy it!”

“Seph, are you alright?” Aeris began to knead Sephiroth's shoulder. “Want a back rub?”

Sephiroth raised one eyebrow. “That's your plan, isn't it?

“Plan for what?” Aeris blinked, a picture of innocence.

“To distract me and rescue that prisoner of war,” said Sephiroth, reaching up to yank on the bra that had gotten tangled in Aeris' hair. “Sneaky.”

“Oh, I knew something felt funny.” Aeris grimaced and tried to see how to get the bra loose. Sephiroth brushed her cheek to still her and worked the hooks out of her curls. “Thank you, Sephy,” Aeris said but Sephiroth would not let her have it.

“Not so fast, little lady,” he said, holding it out of her reach, “The prisoner was apprehended while attempting to escape. Some punishment is in order.”

Aeris crossed her arms and pouted at him. “It's a bra, Sephiroth. What are you going to do? Put it on the rack? Besides, you promised I could have it back in the morning.”

“How about a prisoner exchange? You could ask her for your heart back.”

“I'll trade you. A few minutes more sleep and it's yours.”

“Hey, don't ignore me!”

“Deal.” Aeris brushed Sephiroth's hair out of face and watched him sleep. It did not seem to be a particularly deep sleep - his lips twitched a little now and then and his breathing wasn't all that steady - but it looked restful enough. Aeris inched forward and rested her forehead against his chest. He stirred just enough to let her tangle herself up with him as she pleased, settling right back down when she was still. Aeris watched the fall of light on his shoulder change slightly. It was just enough time for her body to cool and feel clammy. She groaned a little and shifted, restless.

Sephiroth's eyes flew open. “Aeris, don't move your knee any higher!”

“What is it?” Aeris froze and took stock of her position. She had one leg between both of his, her knee dangerously close to bruising the fruit. “Oh,” she said and carefully straightened her leg out. “Close one, huh? Sorry.”

Sephiroth shifted away and sat up as soon as he was able. “Not the best way to wake up, but no harm done. And as promised…” He held the bra out.

“That was enough sleep?”

“It will do. I just needed to time to wake all of me up.”

Aeris snickered. “Yeah, I noticed.” She played with one of the rocks that had encircled their fire the night before. “I could really use a shower.” Sephiroth made a sound of agreement, then went perfectly still. He had drunk some tea yesterday, hadn't he?

“I'll be right back.” He sprang up and bounded away across the sand.

“Wait,” Aeris called, “Where are you going?”

“Nature calls,” Sephiroth cried over his shoulder and tried to find some place out of sight. Eventually he could not wait anymore and just took aim at the closest shrub.

“Praise Ifrit! The eagle has landed!”

Sephiroth jerked so hard he almost splashed his feet. “Do you mind?”

“What, aren't you glad your plumbing's in working order?”

“Yes, but I don't need you watching.”

“I'm not watching. I have my eyes closed.”

Sephiroth snorted. “Do you even have eyes wherever you are?”

“Well, metaphorically, yes, I think.”

Sephiroth scowled. “Look, just back off. I don't want you listening either.”

“Aye, Sir, General Grumpypants! Oh, and don't forget to shake.”

Sephiroth waited a little longer to make sure the annoying little voice was gone before heading back to the makeshift campsite. He found Aeris wrapped loosely in the blanket, staring out at the sea. `How about a bath?” he offered, tilting his head towards the ocean.

“That water must be freezing.”

“I'll warm it up for us.” He helped Aeris up and led her to the sea, briefly glancing around to be sure no one was coming to intrude. True to his word, he used a very mild burst of energy to warm the water around them. Not too hot because Aeris didn't want him cooking the fish right there in their own home.

The saltwater stung them both a bit in all the sore spots but that didn't last long. Nevertheless Sephiroth guided Aeris through the current till they eventually came to the mouth of a small stream. “Saltwater baths aren't too great when you dry off,” he explained. They found some rocks to sit on in a small pool and sat there watching their hair twine in the swirling water.

“Bath time should always be like this,” Aeris breathed, leaning back in the water.

“For us, it will be,” Sephiroth promised dreamily. He watched the love bites fading from her body and traced them with his fingers before they disappeared. Aeris offered to wash his back for him and he obliged, holding his heavy mass of hair out of the way for her. She made slow passes along the length of his spine and spilled handfuls of water over his shoulders. When she fit herself against him, breasts pressed flat against his back and arms wrapped around his chest, there was no urgency in it, only closeness.

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Cloud lay watching the sun cross the ceiling for a long time. It meant something but he could not remember what. There was something he was supposed to be doing but it could not have been that important. He would not have had so much trouble remembering it if it had been. He sat up and took a look around. Barret and Cid were sprawled out on the futon beside him. Even Vincent was still sleeping, if fitfully, on the other side. Everything seemed to be in place.

Still, something did not feel right. He got up and went to the bathroom to try to sort himself out. He splashed some water on his face and checked his eyes in the mirror. Still blue, still glowing, nothing out of the ordinary there. He leaned over the sink and tried to pin down what was bothering him. He stared down at his hands as if they were a stranger's. They were a touch too small, a little too fine, callused but not in quite the way he had expected.

He shook his head at himself. They were his hands. They fit his body perfectly. Why would he somehow be expecting something else? He stared up into the mirror again and was struck by just how bright his hair was. Yes, he was aware in a vague sort of way that he was blond, but he never paid much attention to it and goodness, weren't people right when they compared his head to a chocobo? He tugged at his spikes and tried to get them to fall right but they never would. They were right for him just the way they were, weren't they? They had always been that way. Why did he think they should be something else?

Cloud went back to the guest room to gather his things. He could not sort everything out just now, not by himself. Maybe Aeris could help. She usually did. And if she couldn't, then Tifa surely would.

A brisk walk took him to Yuffie's place. He only thought to be wary of waking people up for no real serious reason after he knocked. Yuffie cracked the door open and peered out carefully.

“Oh, it's you, Cloud,” she said and opened the door a little further. She was dressed in some kind of robe and she looked a little rumpled. Cloud guessed he had woken her after all.

“I'm looking for Aeris,” he said.

Yuffie looked back quickly. “Um, she's not here.”

“Do you know where she went? It's kind of important.”

Yuffie shook her head and fidgeted in the doorway. “She probably went for a walk. You know how she does it.”

Cloud tried to go inside but Yuffie stepped up to block his way. Cloud could not see why, but it was her place. “You know where Tifa is?”

Yuffie nibbled her lip. “She said she was spending the night with some drummer or something.”

Cloud was floored. “She… she— what?”

The particular tint of what she had said in Continental hit Yuffie till she was red in the face. “I didn't mean it like that!” she squeaked. “She said she was spending the night at his house, meeting his family and all that.”

“Oh, that's nice, I guess.” Cloud was shaking with relief.

Yuffie closed the door slightly, hoping Cloud would get the hint. He didn't move. “You need coffee or something, Cloud? Cuz I don't have any.”

Cloud shook his head. “No, I just… I just need some space.”

“Well, if you just need to cool down a bit, how about helping Mrs. Kitazawa next door with her cats for a while. That always works for me.”

“Cats?”

“Yeah. She has dozens of them.”

Cloud looked down at his boots. “Okay. I guess. Thanks.” Yuffie watched him wander off and ring the door bell. The old lady came out soon enough. She was up with the chickens. She watched Cloud awkwardly explaining himself, counting the seconds and thanking her lucky stars that Cloud was rather suggestible sometimes. As soon as he disappeared inside the house, she slid her own door shut and ran over to the sleeping space.

“Yuki!” She nudged the boy with her foot. “Yuki, wake up! It's morning!”

Yuki shot upwards, wild-eyed and twitchy. “Tell me I didn't—“

Yuffie hugged herself. “I'm afraid you did.”

“Oh, sweet Leviathan…” he scrambled for his coat. “We are so dead!”

“Not if nobody sees you leaving. It's still early.”

Yuki nodded, jaw set. “You got a back door?”

“Yeah, this way.” Yuffie led him out and took a careful look around before letting him leave. “Run like hell,” she warned. “Oh, god, you're not a ninja. You don't know how to hide, do you?”

“I can hide. I may not do it the same way you do.”

“Then just… be careful.”

Yuki looked Yuffie right in the eye, lingering despite the rush. “You know I will.”

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

“Sure you don't want any?” Aeris offered Sephiroth a bite of the sweet. Sephiroth took only a tiny nibble.

“Breakfast should always be like this,” he said, still chewing.

“What, naked?” Aeris leaned back in his arms to give him a quick kiss.

“You're not complaining, are you?”

“Not one bit.”

“Good.” Sephiroth reached over to the rumpled heap of clothing. “We can get moving when you're done eating.”

“Moving where?”

Sephiroth frowned. “Anywhere you like. You did say you wanted to go someplace warm.”

Aeris tensed. “When did I say that?”

Sephiroth dropped the clothes he was holding. “Last night. Don't you remember? You said you would come with me.”

Aeris blinked. “I did?”

“You did.”

The woman flushed. “Oh, I didn't mean right away. I couldn't have.”

Sephiroth felt the warmth rush out of him. “What do you mean you couldn't have?”

“I can't just leave my friends without a word, Seph.”

Sephiroth pulled away from her and refused to meet her eyes. “You forget about me when you're with them,” he grumbled.

“Oh, no, Sephiroth, never,” Aeris shook her head and set her hand on his arm. “I forget about them when I'm with you.”

Sephiroth looked at her out of the corner of his eye. “Is that so?”

Aeris nodded. “When I'm near you, Seph, everything else just… falls away.”

“Really?” Sephiroth cocked an eyebrow. “You don't just want me for my body?”

“Well, it is a very nice body.” Aeris ran her fingers down his thigh.

“I knew it,” Sephiroth groaned. “You just want to get in my pants. When I'm no use to you anymore, you'll probably take me out back and shoot me like a worn-out stud chocobo.” He threw himself back on the blanket.

“You won't wear out. There's a pill for that now.” Aeris threw herself down on top of him “Besides, it's your own darn fault for making yourself so available. Don't advertise what's not for sale.”

Sephiroth snorted. “Your mother must be a real prude.” Aeris smacked him.

“She's protective.”

“Whatever you say, Aeris. Just as long as you come with me.”

“Not now.”

“But soon.” Sephiroth held Aeris' hand against his chest. “Don't make me wait forever.”

Aeris felt her pulse move in time with Sephiroth's beating heart. There was so much she needed to say to Sephiroth and she needed time to say it. “Soon,” she promised.

Sephiroth smiled up at her. “Then I'll wait.” They lay together until the sun grew stronger and Sephiroth felt they had best get moving before Aeris ended up with a very nasty sunburn. He sorted out their clothes and watched Aeris put on the troublesome brassiere, shaking his head at how easily she handled it.

“Here you go,” he said as he handed her bag to her, “By the way, your blanket's probably going to need a good wash.”

Aeris wrinkled her nose. “I noticed.” She pulled out a ribbon and sat beside him to work on her hair. Sephiroth watched the wild strands in her bangs blow across her face. The sun bathed her in pure light but she had a rosy glow of her own. Sephiroth sighed lustily.

“What's the matter, Seph?”

“You're beautiful.”

Aeris' cheeks flushed a deeper rose and she looked down immediately. Sephiroth began to reassure her but she caught his open mouth with a kiss and would not let him go. Sephiroth shivered and let himself melt into it, returning the kiss with all the sweet desperation Aeris had brought to it.

The first intense rush faded and it became a gently play of lips which neither of them was willing to end. Sephiroth opened one eye to take stock of the unspoken contest. Aeris was still intently kissing him, her tongue teasing the tip of his own but her fingers were still flying, twisting long coils of hair into a neat corkscrew.

“Something wrong?” Aeris mumbled, still nibbling at his lip.

Sephiroth was forced to yield. “I can't believe you can kiss me like that and still be doing your hair.”

“It's a gift.” Aeris smiled and leaned against him. Sephiroth kissed the top of her head and wrapped an arm around her.

“Women, huh? Just amazing, the things they can do.”

Sephiroth tried not to make any outward sound. “They do think with both sides of their brain.”

“And in the meantime, you're losing half your blood supply to a second head.”

Sephiroth glanced down. “Better get dressed then, or we might never get off this beach.”

The presence twisted inside Sephiroth. “Hold up. You want to get away from her now?”

“She has to say goodbye to her friends and I have a few things of my own to take care of. The sooner we get that out of the way, the sooner we can be together for good.”

“Ah, I see.” Sephiroth could almost feel the voice nodding. “Makes sense.”

“Don't I always?”

“Not lately.”

Sephiroth snorted. Aeris glanced up. “I'm done now,” she said. “Want me to do yours?”

Sephiroth followed the twisted coils up to the large pink bow. “No, thank you.”

“Too bad.” Aeris shrugged and turned his head so she could plant a kiss on him. Sephiroth felt something rustle by his ear when she took her hand away. Straining his peripheral vision, he managed to see the blurry outline of a grass flower.

“Aeris.”

“Yes, Seph?”

“You stuck a flower behind my ear.”

“Yeah, sure did.”

Sephiroth hunched over. “I'm doomed.”

Aeris patted his back. “Don't worry. You'll enjoy it.”

Sephiroth sighed and passed her dress. He could not tear his eyes away as she did up the buttons. After she slid on her jacket, she patted herself down, smoothing any wrinkles and stray hairs. She looked at him expectantly. “Your turn.”

Sephiroth reached for his pants, shaking his head. Dressing and undressing with an audience was hardly new. Occasionally that audience had even been lustful but Aeris stared with a frank appreciation that made Sephiroth feel something akin to a flush of wicked pride.

“Don't you have any underwear?” Aeris asked, more curious than anything.

Sephiroth shrugged. “Ran out once during the war and stopped bothering entirely with it.”

“Ran out of shirts too?”

“No, just… well, the tags in the back were always too itchy.”

Aeris laughed. “So you gave up on shirts?”

“That's about it.” Sephiroth toed the pile of leather, searching for all his belts.

“Well, it's a good look on you, at any rate.” Aeris stepped closer and nuzzled his chest. “You know, they make tagless shirts now.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, they just print the washing instructions inside the shirt instead.”

“Hmm, imagine that.”

“Yeah, tagless shirts and penis pills! Life is looking up!”

“Do you mind? My woman happens to be nibbling my—“ Seph hissed. “Nipple!”

Aeris laved the spot with her tongue. “Too rough?”

“A little.”

Aeris murmured an apology and moved over, still intently nipping Sephiroth's skin. Sephiroth stared for a while and shifted a little where he stood. Aeris showed no signs of stopping. Sephiroth clawed at the sand with his feet, digging two tiny trenches to hide his toes in. Eventually, he had to cough slightly to get Aeris' attention. “Are you finished?”

“In a minute.”

Sephiroth's left leg began to twitch. “Aeris,” he pleaded, “you're going to have to stop that.”

“Why?”

“Because,” Sephiroth sputtered, pulling away. “Look at what you're doing!” He looked down at himself, clearly dismayed. “How am I supposed to get my pants buckled up properly over that?”

Aeris glanced up at him through her eyelashes. “Don't worry,” she said, kneeling down. “I'll fix it.”

“Aeris! You're making it worse! Don't - Oh, hey, okay…”

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

“You're late, Yuffie.” Godo turned away from the window. “You just missed your future mother-in-law.”

“You never said anything about an audience this morning.”

“I know.” Godo began to pace but he did not seem too put out. “I've been thinking it over, Yuffie. I know we're both agreed that duty to Wutai may sometimes be a heavy burden…”

Yuffie rolled her eyes. The old man was at it again. He would go on and on about honor and duty and the greater good, the nobility of self-sacrifice, the importance of tradition. She settled herself down for a long wait. When he got like this, it was likely to take hours.

“But there will occasionally be times, in the modern world, when one has to cast off that yoke, break with tradition, if you will, to achieve that foremost goal, the well-being of the nation.”

“What?” Yuffie blinked. Godo did not adhere to the tenets of Wutai tradition as much as he pretended to, could not, with what the world outside Wutai had become, but hearing him voice it was something new.

“The times have changed quickly,” Godo went on, staring out into the distance. “Perhaps a decision made yesterday is not right for today.”

“Uh huh.” Yuffie tried to hurry him up. What was he getting at?

“Perhaps an earlier promise of strength may not have panned out and what seemed delicate before has blossomed into a force to be reckoned with.”

“Is this about me whipping your butt yesterday?”

“The times call for strength and firmness. Wutai needs strong leaders.”

“And here we are,” Yuffie said, even though she knew Godo never actually listened to anyone when he had an audience for his monologues.

“Yes! Here we are!” he bellowed, surprising her. “You and I, Yuffie, warriors both, tested in battle!”

“Uh huh. What's this about?”

“Wutai needs warriors, administrators, diplomats even. We can't have just anybody in power. This isn't the time for dancers, or—“ he frowned, “musicians.”

That flicked a switch in Yuffie's brain. “Hold up, is this about me and Yuki?” she blurted out. Fortunately, Godo did not seem to notice her informality.

“It may be time to break with tradition.”

“Did his mother tick you off or something?”

“We must have no sign of weakness in what is to come. You have your mother's spirit, Yuffie, and I would hate to see you chained to someone who cannot match it.”

Yuffie narrowed her eyes at him. He really did hope for her to marry some hide-bound samurai guy, someone just like him, someone he could approve of. With his comparative lack of weapons training, Yuki was not that. “You realize breaking that kind of arrangement is just asking for dishonor upon our House, don't you? Besides, I don't really have a problem with it as it is.”

Godo blinked. “You don't? After all that yelling yesterday?”

Yuffie shrugged. “I thought it over. If it's for the good of Wutai,” she paused, making an effort to look put upon. “I can deal with it.”

“Well, that's a pleasant surprise, I suppose.” Godo eyed his daughter, wondering what she was getting at. “But Wutai needs a strong House at the front.”

“Absolutely,” Yuffie chirped, “and a House involved in a disagreement with another isn't really strong.”

“Yes,” Godo said slowly. He had forgotten that.

“If that coming thing that you keep hinting at is so big, this is no time for the Kisaragi clan to get involved in a dispute with another.” Yuffie looked thoughtful. “It's probably not a good time for a wedding either but you weren't planning to marry me up right away, were you?”

Godo reached for his seat, feeling things quickly getting away from him. “Well, no.”

“Then we should leave things as they are,” Yuffie said, trying hard not to smile too broadly, “for the good of Wutai. We can deal with it later when the time is right.”

Godo nodded weakly. “Yes, I suppose that's best.”

Yuffie reached in and dragged out her `innocent' face. Time to really stick it to the flip-flopping old fart. “And when that time comes, for the good of Wutai, we'll want to avoid the lack of potential successors we had this time around, right? So I figure this Takeda Yuki and I better have lots of kids.”

Godo went white. Yuffie smiled. “You'd like having lots of grandchildren, wouldn't you? We'll name them Yuuri and Yuuji and Yusuke and Yuna and Yutaka and Yumi and…”

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

“Left you all by your lonesome, didn't she?”

Sephiroth said nothing. He sat facing the ocean, arm on one knee. He could still feel the imprint of Aeris' last lingering kiss on his lips. She had left him with a promise and a lukewarm bottle of sake in a puddle of wet sand. Sephiroth sighed.

“Snap out of it, Sephiroth. It's not like you to have your head so tied up behind some woman.”

“I can't help it.” Sephiroth tried to muster a glare at a passing seagull but he could not find it in him.

The presence treaded lightly through Sephiroth's recent memory. “You're really in love with her, aren't you?”

“Looks that way.”

“I guess I can't ask for more than that,” the voice said sadly. They both sighed together.

Sephiroth looked back over his shoulder, towards Wutai. “She hasn't been gone for ten minutes and I miss her already. Is that normal?”

“For somebody who's completely smitten, absolutely.”

“What do I do now?”

“You're asking me?” The presence stretched a little. “Bide your time till you're together again. That's about all you can do.”

Sephiroth nodded, eyes tracking the seagulls lower down the beach. A trickle of water near his finger drew his attention to the languishing sake. He stared at the bottle for a while, contemplating.

“Sephiroth,” the voice warned, “you be careful with that.”

“It would be a shame to let it go to waste,” Sephiroth said and opened the bottle. “To love,” he declared and started chugging.

The presence shook its metaphorical head. “This won't end well.”