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“Shut up! Just stay away from me you monster!” I yell, swinging my arm at him to show I won't hesitate getting physical if he gets closer.
His content and soft expression drains, are replaced with wide shocked eyes. Along with a terribly hurt look across his face like what I said pushed him to the edge of sobbing. I almost apologize when I see that, but to be anything but hostile to him feels instinctively wrong.
This isn’t Sephiroth, he shares the same face, body, and those cruel vibrant green eyes, but this isn’t him, Sephiroth would never make this face.
I stand defensively, but it’s in vain. This man has no malice or even hint of aggression and that alone feels wrong. In fact he looks scared, but I don’t think it’s because he finds me intimidating.
“...uh- I-” He mumbles, breaking eye contact as he shrinks in on himself. For a man with a body built like a Greek God and over 6 foot, I would find it amusing any other day, but I just feel bad I made him like this.
“I’ll leave you be…” He quietly squeaks, turning for the door and leaving quickly.
I’m left in the bedroom alone, and I relax… a bit. I turn around to look at the king sized bed, large wardrobe, and the rest room that looks obviously shared.
He did say this is ‘our’ room, didn’t he? I didn’t believe a word of his speech about “We bought this house together.”, but…
I sit down on the bed, trying to process anything going on. I bring a hand up to my mouth, while trying to piece everything together.
I hate when I have lucid nightmares, but this is a new kind of horror... I’ve heard that “Dreams are what we subconsciously want” or something. This here proves that wrong, like I’d ever want to be in a relationship, with him of all people.
I feel sick and shiver at the thought of it, but I go back to thinking about the man I spoke to, because that’s not Sephiroth. Or least not the one I know.
My dream changed him? Better than how he actually is, I think. I could easily kill him like this, but if this is a nightmare then I doubt it’ll go my way… he’ll grow a bunch of wings and blast me to bits or something. I cringe at the thought.
I’d rather have a weird dream of being in a relationship with my arch nemesis than no sleep at all… maybe. It’s not good to start getting comfortable with him, but making this a dream rather than a nightmare is better I guess.
“I should say sorry before he goes off and grows wings and smiting me... “ I talk to myself, letting out a reluctant groan and standing from the bedside. Taking my sweet time and leisurely walking across the room to the entrance.
I warily open the door, opening it just enough to peer out to see any wings or feathers, when I see no abomination wings I step out. Into… a cozy hallway, I slowly walk down the hall, still pretty suspicious to see even the sight of a feather in the house. At the end of the hall I step into a well decorated room, it’s so captivating I forget I’m in a dream. It feels even cozier than the hallway, with a sense of familiarity and comfort washing out my feels of dread.
“Cloud...” I hear a meek voice call out my name, I don’t immediately recognize who’s speaking, and I glance to the source. He fit in so well with the room I didn’t even see him, with the room being mostly light colors and beige he blends in perfectly with his white long-sleeve turtle neck. Along with sitting on the dark gray couch. He looked on the edge between bewilderment and caution, his eyes darting all over me.
I’m silent for a moment, taking in the sight of how peaceful everything looks around him, even him, something I never expected to see. Dream or otherwise, not seeing him surrounded by overwhelming havoc done by his own blood drenched blade was such a stark contrast to the peaceful and content Sephiroth I’m seeing.
“Hey…” I reply in a collected tone and he relaxes just like that, his eyes lighting up a bit as he gets a small closed mouth smile.
“Have you calmed down?” He says, obviously excited to see me not being all feral like earlier. Turning himself to face me more, keeping his knees together and sitting up straight, while his hands are gently placed in his lap together.
“Mmh…” I respond as I walk past him to sit on the other side of the couch. Making sure to not spook the 6 foot tall beast of a guy sitting pettily on the edge of his seat watching me with childish admiration.
It is kinda nice, but still feels unnatural. I think as I walk by a pleasant looking coffee table, bumping my pinky toe. I’m startled just a bit, but it doesn’t really hurt.
Huh?
“Oh, you good? You hit your foot.” His caring voice rings through my head, jolting me from my mind. I quickly turn my head towards him, an intoxicatingly sweet smile and wonder struck eyes are his gift to me.
It hurt?
“No, I’m fine.” I conceal my thoughts, as I take my seat on the surprisingly soft couch, and sink in a little.
“I’m glad… I’m glad you're not freaking out like earlier too.” He says wistfully, giving a warm chuckle.
“But can we talk now?” His voice sounds a bit firmer but still kind. I give a slight nod, looking down at the table to avoid his gaze.
“Ok, w-well like I said earlier, you seem to have some memory loss. I think I took a bit of a wrong approach earlier too, with just telling you everything hoping you’d remember, sorry about that.” He turns to look at the floor, seemingly thinking of what to say next.
“... Do you... recognize me at least?” His ask in a tone so fierce but gentle it gives my spine a rush of chills. Taking my very right to breathe away when his eyes connect with mine, with the interest of a hunting predator locked on me I freeze up. My flight or fight response abandoning me.
“Ah sorry, sorry, I shouldn’t ask loaded questions like that.” He breaks his binding spell on me by turning to looking across the room, cheeks tinting pink.
“I’ll get drinks for us to talk over!” He rushes out of the room, leaving me and my ever festering thoughts to take over in his absences
This is a dream… isn’t it? What am I saying? Of course this is a dream! There’s… there’s no way I’d- My thoughts are interrupted when I gnaw on my tongue, it hurts.
It hurts. You’re not supposed to actually hurt in dreams, right? Was everything before this a dream? No, that can’t be… It- I felt… No, I’m a man of reason. This isn’t real, this nightmare is just stronger than my regular nightmares. I didn’t pay attention when he first spoke to me, memory lost from what? I bring my hand to my forehead, I can’t remember anything happening to me, so this must be the dream.
“Does your head still hurt? Would you prefer some water over coffee?” A sweet concerned voice asks me. I glance up to see him walking over with two steaming coffee cups, he goes over the table but only sets one down, presumably his cup. He stands in front of me holding the cup for me, waiting patiently for my answer.
“No, I’m good.” I gesture for him to give me the cup.
“Still hurt?” Did I get a head injury? I don’t remember what the last thing I did was before waking up here, I don’t know… did I go to bed? My thoughts rush as I take a sip of the coffee, and they stop immediately as I do. I’m taken aback at how deliciously perfect it is.
“It’s just how you like it, isn’t it?” He comments in a chirpy voice, when I glance from my cup to him, he sits back down on the couch and he smiles so widely he's squinting.
“Mm-hm” I respond through another drink of this tasty coffee, I can’t help myself from indulging.
“Made it just the way you like.” He grinned with shining pride, grabbing his cup and bringing it up to drink it.
It’s like he’s flirting with me without actually trying to do so…
I bring my cup down to my lap, reflecting as I look into it. I start thinking about how warm I feel now that I’ve taken coffee from my mortal enemy, was I cold before?
The sun filtering in from the window along with a welcoming breeze, and the cozy atmosphere of the room I was in made me so relaxed. The man sitting next to me wasn’t actually my mortal enemy, it’s obvious he loves and cares about me forevermore. The ring on my finger told me I accepted this, or perhaps a different ‘me’ of sorts did. Does that mean the responsibility of their actions are mine?
I look up to this different ‘him’, they look exactly alike, those unnatural green eyes looking back at me with nothing but delight. If he doesn’t have to bear the crimes of him then I don’t need to bear responsibility for the other me’s choices.
“Earlier, sorry. For yelling at you.”
“No, it’s alright I shouldn’t have been so abrasive and just pushed everything on you before you had the chance to process any of it.” He apologizes in a timid manner.
“Earlier, I wasn’t listening to you either…“ I avert my gaze. He lets out an airy giggle after a moment.
“I’ll tell you again as many times as you want.” He hesitantly sets his hand on the couch in between us, leaning a bit on it, but wary to not getting too close.
If he doesn’t have to bear the crimes of him then I don’t need to bear responsibility for ‘my’ choices, but this choice… isn’t so bad.