Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Twisted Compulsion ❯ 6 ( Chapter 9 )

Twisted Compulsion

Ch. 6

Aerith smiled in her sleep. `Hm, what a warm wall, a smooth wall… wait…' Aerith woke up and was staring right at Sephiroth's chest. She blushed something fierce and looked up at Sephiroth face. `Good he's still asleep.' She let out a breath of relief and slowly climbed out of bed trying her best to not disturb Sephiroth. She threw the last of the unpacked logs onto the fire. The she picked out a jacket for herself. There were only two of them. One was tan with fur trimming around the hood and cuffs. The other was black with no fur and a wide hood that would hide one's face. `I guess that one's for Sephiroth… ` Aerith thought. She grabbed the tan one and slipped it on, it was wonderfully warm. She grabbed a pair of gloves and scarf, pocketing them for now. Aerith sat down at the table and tore into a packet of bananas.

Sephiroth felt cold. He flopped on to his stomach; his arm lying of the warmth he thought was there. `What?' Sephiroth opened his eyes and looked about the room. Aerith sat at the table eating and ready to go by the looks of it. He yawned and slowly got out of bed.

Aerith turned at the sound of the bed's creaking. "Rise and shine!" she said just a bit to cheerfully for Sephiroth's tastes. He grunted in response and reached for the remaining jacket, and gloves. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes and took his seat a crossed from Aerith and tore into the last unpacked packet of food. The two ate their last meal in silence, which didn't last long.

Sephiroth stood up, "we'll it's time to go I guess…"

Aerith jumped to her feet and clapped her hand together, "Yes! I can't wait to get to Icicle Inn!"

Sephiroth shouldered his pack and grabbed one of the cords to the sled. "Yeah if we make it there…" he said under his breath.

Aerith punched Sephiroth playfully, "hey don't think that way!" She too shouldered her pack and took the other cord. They opened the door into the blinding whiteness and went immediately to the east. This trip was a lot nicer then their trek from the crater because they had all their warm gear on. The two trudged on till midday, with no sign of trees. Because of it they decided to keep going. Just as the sun began to set the two spotted the forest. When they reached it they quickly set up camp. Sephiroth went to work on making a fire, while Aerith unpacked the blankets and some food. The two finished off the last of the fruit, a pack a piece.

Aerith settled under the blankets with her pack of raisins. After Sephiroth got the fire up to his liking he joined her under the covers. "I just realized we didn't need to pack wood since we'll be travel in the woods," Sephiroth said.

Aerith giggled. "That's what happens when you over think things." She bit her lip and feeling bold, Aerith pulled her gloves off and settled against Sephiroth. One of her hands just going to her chest and the other to Sephiroth's neck. She rested her head on his shoulder. Of course she blushed the whole time so she had to look down so Sephiroth wouldn't see. `I can't help but feel safe with him… that sound crazy even in my head… but… just being with him for two days I can tell he's a changed man….' Aerith sighed happily and closed her eyes. As she fell asleep, her cheeks were still burning red.

Sephiroth was a bit dazzled by her gesture but soon he smiled because of it. In response to her gesture he pulled his arm out of it's sleeve and wrapped his wing around her. They had decided not to cut up the jacket for his wing. Which was of course a good idea because this way it was warmer and it hide his wing from view. `I guess this shows that the thoughts in my head aren't just all fantasy…' He leaned his head on hers and sighed. `It feels good for someone to want to get close to me, for protection and not just sex…hmm… Stop it!' Again Sephiroth tried to push the thoughts out of his mind as he drifted to sleep.

In the morning, as before, Aerith awoke first again. She stretched and nuzzled against the man next to her. `mmm… he smells good….' Aerith could just feel her cheeks turning red. She was so warm and relaxed she didn't want to get up. Aerith frowned knowing that she might as well get up as soon as possible since the sooner they get up the sooner they get to Icicle Inn. Aerith straighten and looked at her companion. Of course he was still asleep. "Aww…he looks so cute and peacefully asleep!" Aerith squealed to herself. She then promptly held his nose closed. Sephiroth woke up with a start. He stared at Aerith with this look said what the hell were you doing? Aerith smiled and giggled, "Time to get up! Come, come on! Let's get going!" She cheerfully pulled Sephiroth, well tried to, to his feet. She finally gave up and stared to pack the blankets he was using as covers. Then she tugged at the blankets beneath him until he finally rolled to his feet, grumbling. She quickly packed the food.

The two then resumed their trek down the forest line all day. Finally at nightfall they reached a giant sign, the Glacier Park sign. Aerith jumped up and down and hugged Sephiroth around the neck. "And you said we wouldn't make it!"

Sephiroth smiled, happy to be hugged. Aerith breath was warm against his cheek. `I don't remember the last time I got my hug, maybe by one of my old nanny's that Hojo used to pawn me off on when I was a child….' Aerith released him and began unloading the sled; they'd have to spend one more night in the wilderness. Sephiroth suddenly had a feeling of dread come over him. `What will I do when I come in contact with the townspeople, will they recognize me? Forget about these people what about the whole world? What the hell am I going to do…?'

"Sephiroth?"

Sephiroth glanced over his shoulder and looked at Aerith who sat under the blankets. "Yes?"

"Please don't worry..."

He turned fully around. "Huh?"

Aerith smiled up at him. "Don't worry about the town, and it's people… That's what you were thinking about right?"

"Yes, yes it was…"

"Don't worry about them, I'll be there to help you… you're not alone this time Sephiroth, we're together now… Neither of us can go back to our old lives so we'll have to start a new one…" Aerith had no idea why she was saying all this, maybe it's because she didn't want to be alone either and what she said was true. She couldn't go back to her mother, back to Cloud… They had all adjusted by now without her.

Sephiroth didn't know what to say to this so he busied himself with lighting a fire. "We won't need the sled anymore so I'll just burn it I guess…" chucked the whole thing into the fire and then got under the covers with Aerith. Like before he pulled his arm out and spread out his wing, using it like a wind block for the two of them.

Aerith handed him his share of food and settled in next to him. `Funny during the last few days I kind of ignored his wing….' She looked at it now, it looked like an over grown raven wing or an angel wing that was pitch black. It was very soft though. "Is it heavy? Your wing I mean."

Sephiroth shook his head, "No, not really… It just gets cramped when I had to under my jacket for the whole day. He pulled the blankets up closer and quickly finished off his food. Sephiroth looked down at Aerith who was currently leaning against his arm. `Hm… I wonder…' He smiled and gingerly lifted his arm so that Aerith kind of just slumped against his chest. He then rested his arm across her lap and waited for her reaction. Aerith just lay there blushing, tensed, and staring forward. `Hm… Is this a good thing? Well I guess it is since she hasn't gotten up or hit me…' Sephiroth thought after getting no immediate reaction from her

`Holy crap!' Aerith thought to her self. There was an awkward silence. Aerith, still blushing finally, relaxed and leaned back into Sephiroth. `He is so nice and warm!' She turned so she faced his wing and tried to find a good spot for her head. Finally she spoke up, "you're a good blanket but not a good pillow Sephiroth, work on that." Sephiroth chuckled. Aerith blushed even hard because the vibrations went right into her. She yawned and went to sleep. `I can't help but feel safe…'

Sephiroth looked down at the now sleeping Aerith. `Is she blushing? Blushing in her sleep huh…` because of the way that she leaned against him, now he was beginning to believe her. `I'm not alone…' With that happy thought in his head Sephiroth drifted asleep.

2-23-04

A/n This chapter skimmed over a lot of the details, like them walking around. The next chapter will have them entering Icicle Inn.