The Apprentice - Chapter 4 (Sephiroth x Reader)

For Sephiroth's Lovers
Sephiroth x Reader

Chapter IV


Without giving it another thought, you promptly grabbed Sephiroth’s arm, yanking it out of Marika’s possessive grip, and you compelled him to partially turn around. You forcibly seized his black tie, pulling him acquisitively toward you, and you crashed your lips onto his.

And yes… you kissed him. You had to stand on your toes in order to reach the distinct height of his, and you pulled at his garment to ensure your own balance. You could tell that he was taken aback at first by the unusual harsh and demanding actions coming from your part, but it didn’t take much time for his shoulders to become less tense, and he deliberately inclined his head in order to give you full permission to claim his lips. Marika gasped rather loudly at the scene and attempted to stomp in and intrude on your kiss, but Sephiroth caused her to shrink back as he tossed the champagne glass in her direction, letting it drop to the floor and be smashed noisily into pieces, and as a result the sparkling liquid splashed across the floor and onto Marika’s feet. “Aaah!” She shouted with exaggerated revulsion. You did hear her complaining, but you didn’t care about her presence – not anymore. You clang to him even closer, kissing his lips ever so roughly. You heard his throat grunting satisfactorily, and then you felt his gentle fingers grazing the skin of your face as he kissed you back.

The robust side of yours was short-lived though… it happened so quickly, and you felt it, when the submissive yearning within you began to crawl across your body, leaving you completely helpless under the soft touch of the man you loved the most. You were certain that you were going to melt into his arms if you stayed there – you didn’t wish it to happen however; you wanted to end it right then while you still could. No longer clenching his garment, you pushed him away from you, tearing your lips apart, and you glared at him with strikingly daring eyes while keeping your flat hands fixed to his chest. “What do you think you’re doing?!” Marika’s deafening voice shrieked in your ears, but you only gave her little regard, if not none. Your glower was set on Sephiroth alone and that was when you did something much crazier than your previous actions. “I hate you!” you hissed, pushing him out of your way and you stormed toward the bar’s exit, rushing out of the pub and onto the street.

The man whom you left back in the pub was utterly staggered; he kept standing motionlessly in his place, staring deeply at the door through which you had left. Marika, on the other hand, was furious! Had you been there still, you would have been strangled by her right then and there! Avoiding the broken glass and the paddle of champagne scattered over the ground, she stepped closer to Sephiroth, placing her hands over his chest and asking: “Baby, are you okay? Sephy, look at me…” But he did not turn to look at her, nor did he answer her with a word. She, however, was determined to regain his attention, so she moved one hand to the side of his face and pressed it to his cheek in order to make him turn his head and look at her: “Honey, what’s…”

But Sephiroth stopped her as he grabbed her hand and guided it slowly away from his face: “Don’t touch me.” He ordered, still keeping his eyes looking in the direction in which you had gone. “What are you..?” She queried, but her eyes widened in surprise after noticing the smile that was gracing the man’s lips. He was smiling; but it was far from being considered mischievous – it was a real smile, a genuine one.

“You no longer have the right to touch me…” he uttered, not bothering to look at her, “because I have found her… at last.”

“Sephiroth, what are you talking about?! Have you lost your mind?! You must be hallucinating!”

“No.” He replied, finally shifting his eyes to settle on her while keeping the same smile on his handsome face. “I am fully conscious, I assure you.”

“What?!” She spat. “This is stupid?! What has she done to you?! That witch! I’m gonna show that pathet-…” She was cut short when Sephiroth tightened his grip around her wrist, so forcefully which made her wince in pain, and he glared at her while threatening to break her arm: “Don’t you even dare.” He growled.

“But…”

“If anyone would speak about my woman that way…” he wrenched her arm only to make her whimper and then resumed: “I will kill them.” By that, he shoved her away and moved toward the bar’s exit. “Your job here is done, whatever your name was.” He wrapped up the brief conversation as he walked away.

“Sephiroth! Come back here, right now! Sephiroth!” She shouted, stomping angrily behind him. He did not listen to her though; however, her immoderate high heels that were supposed to make her look attractive on that occasion were in fact going to be the key factor for her pitiful humiliation. Her ankle got twisted and she lost balance, eventually falling on her palms to the ground, emitting a heavy thud as her body hit the floor. She started whining and yelling, smacking her palms onto the tiled floor while bleating rather annoyingly: “Sephiroth! You fool! You are going to regret this! You hear me?!” He did not pay her the slightest regard though; he did not even glance back at her. He didn’t care to give Marika a hand, for he had to go somewhere else to find that girl with the broken heart and make her whole again – to make her his own.

Shortly after storming out of the bar, your feet began to slacken their stride, finally submitting to the exhaustion after all that had happened that evening. You held your forehead with the palm of your hand and exhaled heavily: “I can’t believe it… I… I actually did it… I… I kissed him.” Your hand then slowly fell and stopped over your mouth, letting your fingers graze the soft skin of your lips ever so gently. “I… kissed him…” You weren’t able to believe it although you could still feel, even then, the warmth and silkiness of his lips brushing yours. You clucked: “Tsk… this is stupid! This is so stupid!”

The street was dimly lit by the light poles that stood tall on the sidewalks, and it was pretty empty compared to how crowded it was earlier. It was so quiet that you could hear you very footsteps and they strangely seemed a bit too loud for your ears, enough to drive even you – the calm and patient girl – completely insane. There was just too much that you were dealing with at that moment, and you grew tired of all that madness. “It was all your fault! All yours, Sephiroth.”

“And now you blame me.” A husky voice spoke somewhere behind you. You whipped your head around and a great shock took over you. He was following you with hushed steps, his silver hair gliding with the breeze of the night and his breathtaking eyes looking nowhere else but at you. “Sephiroth!”

“I just came after you because I have forgotten to tell you… how beautiful you look this evening.” He said it so naturally, walking with relaxed steps toward you. Without giving it another thought, you gathered pace and started running farther away from him. You strongly believed that what you have done back in the bar was extremely shameful, and you preferred not to face Sephiroth at the moment… you weren’t ready at all.

You thought you could break away from him, but this is SOLDIER first class Sephiroth we’re talking about here; where could you ever hide from him?! No one can beat Sephiroth in a chase game, not even you. It didn’t take long for him to catch you up; he grabbed your wrist and pulled you toward him, causing you to twirl and be caught in his arms. “Quit running away.” He muttered. You strained to free yourself from his hold, hitting his chest lightly with your fists: “Please, Sephiroth… let go!”

“Tell me. What was all that about?” He asked.

“What?”

“All that ‘drama’ you caused back in the bar?” He explained, smirking in an obvious way.

“I… I…” you began stuttering. By saying the word ‘drama’, he sure was hinting at the kiss that you had given him. That alone made you blush torridly. “I guess… I was drunk… I didn’t know what I was doing.”

“Stop kidding me.” He hissed, pushing you against your will, taking full advantage of his tall and muscular stature, and pinning you onto the brick wall that stood along the sideway. “You weren’t drunk… you didn’t even drink tonight, at all.”

He’s… too close! The feeling of his warm breath stroking the rosy velvet of your cheeks was beginning to drag you out of your comfort zone. You knew you couldn’t free yourself from this cage that his body had formed around you; once trapped inside, escaping him was absolutely out of the question. You turned your head to the side, ignoring the intimidating looks in his crystal eyes. “What do you want?” you asked in a hushed tone.

“Is it true?”

“What are you talking about?” You queried, forcing yourself to gaze at him again.

“Is it true, the thing you said before? That you hate me?” His orbs did not fail to stare at you for the whole time.

“It’s…” you couldn’t conceal the tremor that has accompanied your voice: “It’s true.”

“Hmph…” Sephiroth grabbed your bare shoulder with his large hand and squeezed it gently, making you shudder uncontrollably under his dominion: “Really? You hate me?”

“Yes.” You replied somewhat hastily. A chuckle escaped his mouth at hearing your response and he leaned forward and let his lips brush the temple of your head, moving ever so slowly down to your cheekbone: “So, you hate me. Huh?” he mumbled against your skin. You soughed weakly upon feeling his delicious lips savoring your delicate skin, and your panting got heavier as he left few butterfly kisses over the apple of your cheek, blowing hot breath onto your already burning skin. “Se-phiroth… please… s-stop…” you breathed.

He held both sides of your waist, securing your body between himself and the wall, and with graceful movements he detached his lips from your cheek only to regain the ardent connection but with your own lips this time. You clutched his suit jacket firmly at the unheralded contact, and your body didn’t/couldn’t struggle against it. The taste of his kiss was also unexpected: it was tender. It was gentle in every way. He did not even move. His lips were pressed lightly against yours, but that was enough to make you forget how to breathe. You just sighed into the kiss, surrendering to the affectionate yet inevitable pleasure. Your lips parted only a little and he looked into your eyes: “How about now? Do you still hate me?”

“I…” you were nervous, bewildered and totally lost. You were completely numb in his arms and your whole body had fallen into the hypnotism of his charm. “I… I don’t know.” You uttered under your breath.

He snorted after sensing the uncertainty of your words and without a forewarning he cupped your face using one hand and bent over you, pressing his lips firmly on yours. His other hand traveled to the nape of your neck and pulled you deeper into him. He was forceful this time; the kiss was rough, aggressive and most of all, desirous. There were many things that you just couldn’t understand, but the way he was acting was the most baffling of all; why did his breathing sound somewhat uneven? Why was he slightly trembling the more he deepened the kiss? Why did he seem to be so craving, lusting for you? Was it real, or were you simply imagining things?

After ensuring that your lips were immovably secured onto his, he let his hand fall from your chin and down to your lower back, feeling your body with his palm as he did so and causing you to moan lowly against his lips. There was no point in concealing the blazing passion inside; you loved him and you yearned for him. You allowed your arms to leave their spot on his chest and you hung them over his shoulders, running one hand through his silver hair and the other across his back. You always knew it, but now it became confirmed: he was all you wanted. You felt complete. You were complete, with him. O, that feeling! It was heavenly! The silky texture of his long argent hair between your fingers, the throbbing heart inside his chest against your own, his strong hands roaming your fragile body, and his lips… his moist lips moving blissfully and synchronously with yours… you thought that everything you were feeling was but a dream. However, it wasn’t. It was real, and how grateful you were when you have finally realized it!

Gradually, he slowed down his vigorous actions only slightly as he continued to feast on the sweet honey of your lips, rubbing your back with his right hand while playing roughly with your hair and ruining its tidy coiffure using his left. “Se-phi-roth…” you mumbled into his mouth. You needed to breathe some air for it had grown too scarce into your lungs. Your lips seemed as if they were hooked onto his as he pulled away reluctantly; both of you didn’t wish for the kiss to end. He rested his forehead on your own and breathed heavily, and so did you. You bit your lip in embarrassment and wished that Sephiroth wouldn’t be looking at you at that moment, for you were certain that your whole face was awfully painted in red. However, not only was he gazing at you, but he also was pondering each and every feature of your face. He took a deep breath and then exhaled: “I’m asking you for the last time, _______” He groaned. “Do you hate me?”

While still avoiding looking directly into his mesmerizing eyes, you swallowed nervously and shook a ‘no’ with your head. But that was not of a satisfying answer to him: “I want you to say it.” He dictated.

“N-no.” you answered mutely. “I don’t.”

He chuckled softly: “Hn. So… you like me?”

You did not reply to his question in an immediate way; you attempted to calm yourself first and think carefully before giving him the definite answer: “No.” you said plainly.

“No?” He was no longer wearing the smile over his face after hearing your direct answer and a solemn expression has come in place. He drew away only slightly and straightened up, breaking the circle which your arms had created around his neck as they withdrew to settle back onto his chest. “And you’re still trying to deny it.” He obviously wasn’t happy… at all! “After all that has happened… after all that you and I were trying to reveal… you want to convince me that you have no affection for me whatsoev-…”

“Sephiroth! It’s not like that…” You interrupted him. “I don’t… just… like you. I…” you lowered your head and let your orbs set their sight on your hands that were lovingly feeling the flexed muscles of his chest. “I… I love you.” You whispered.

There was silence after that – heavy, unpleasant, awful silence. You didn’t like that. You wished he’d say something and shove that unbearable stillness away, but he didn’t. All he did was eye you quietly. Although he already knew about my feelings for him, I told him anyway. I confessed to him… but why is he silent? Why doesn’t he say something? Anything?

He did respond, not the way you have expected though; he began chortling – oh yes, he just cracked up laughing! You shot a surprised look at him, befuddled by his sudden change of mood. “You _______ are full of surprises.” He chuckled.

“Huh?”

“I mean… I never would have thought that you, the mighty _______, could get jealous.” He said, grinning.

“Jealous?!” your cheeks flamed immediately. He stared wordlessly for few moments at the unblemished purity that beautified your face before explaining: “You know… meeting Marika at the bar was a pure coincidence, truthfully. I did not expect her to be there… but then I thought that it wouldn’t hurt making good use of her presence. And… I guess it worked well.”

“What? What are you...?”

“It wasn’t the best thing to do…” he continued, “but you had left me no choice; I had to exploit her presence in order to see how you’d react. And I must say… if I had known that jealousy was the only way to your heart, I would have tried this a long time ago.”

Touché!

This guy is… impossible! You just gaped at him, utterly astounded. So this man was actually the one who had planned and directed this whole ‘drama’ thing. There indeed was no limit to Sephiroth’s viciousness! You shook your head disapprovingly and battered his chest with your fists: “You’re too mean!” you yelled at him, pushing him and stomping furiously away from him. You couldn’t take more than a couple of steps farther however, for his arms were quick to take you into their hold, pinning you back to the wall. “Mean, you say?” He uttered. “I believe that the only mean person here… is you.”

“How so?!” you exclaimed.

“I’ll tell you how so… you know very well, _______, that I can have whatever and whomever I ask for, right? No one has ever said ‘no’ to me, and no woman was able to push me away. I wasn’t interested in any of them though. Then you appeared… and I tried to approach you. But what did you do?”

You raised your eyes fearfully and silently to meet his icy ones, as he resumed: “You rejected me – heartlessly. You didn’t give the slightest chance to either of us. You lied about your feelings, although we both knew the truth. You may think that that was a minor thing; but it wasn’t. I have never been rejected in my whole life, never… until you came with all that ‘self-righteousness’ of yours. Well, congratulations _______! You were, officially, the first to turn me down. And, just to let you know, I am a man with my own sense of pride, so it wasn’t easy for me to accept the fact that someone like you could spurn me. I didn’t like the feeling of being rejected… it doesn’t suit me.”

You lowered your gazes abashedly: “I’m… I’m sorry.”

He sighed then went on saying: “However… if you promise me that you’ll stay by my side, I swear… I won’t make you taste the same bitterness of being rejected. Never.” His voice was hoarse, yet his words were a whole different story. They seemed to you as if they were spoken by the lips of an angel. Sephiroth – he was your guardian angel, the one who had granted you the gift of love. Your orbs shone beautifully as he bent his head and pressed his lips on your forehead, letting them linger there to his heart’s content. He hugged you fondly, giving you the urge to return his hug with another. “Thank you.” You breathed. He removed his lips, placing his own forehead on yours this time, and he let the tips of your noses touch.

He was real. You felt his warmth, his touch and his love with all of your senses. Everything that you had asked for was coming true; Sephiroth, your one and only dream, has become real. Yet, what was that uneasiness that hadn’t left your heart? “Sephiroth?” you uttered.

“Yes?”

“Um… what… what about Marika?”

As soon as that woman’s name left your mouth, Sephiroth pulled away a little to have a better look of your face and he asked: “What about her?”

“She likes you… doesn’t she?”

He thought for a moment then answered: “I don’t know. I don’t think so. But even if she does, I do not care.”

You kept silent for some time before asking again: “What about you? Don’t you have any feelings for her? I mean… she’s… she’s gorgeous. Really gorgeous. Even I can tell that she is more attractive and much more beautiful than me… why, then, did you leave her and fol-…”

“_______.” He broke in gently. “Look. Marika is just… an annoying, irritating woman. I don’t need someone like her, okay? Just… just forget about her.” He replied in a laid-back manner. You nodded meekly, although not quite satisfied with his answer. Sephiroth, however, was able to discern the unsolved query in your eyes; he knew that what you needed to hear was more than just a simple answer. He brought his left hand up and placed it on the bare skin of your shoulder, pressing his thumb lightly on your flesh, and he said: “Listen, _______... there are three words that I wouldn’t say to any woman in this world… but one…” With his other hand, he raised your chin up, inviting you to focus your eyes on his own, and with a solemn expression on his face he resumed: “I love you.”

Three simple words have emerged from his lips; three simple words have left you speechless, completely breathless. Your heart was about to leap out of its ribcage. Your whole body was motionless on the outside, but quivering insanely from the inside. Eyes fixed only on him were coated with a thin layer of a transparent and warm liquid, increasingly blurring your sight. “______.” He whispered, shortening the insignificant distance that separated you: “I love you.” He muttered, finally finding your lips and kissing them ever so passionately. You closed your eyes and allowed the fluid crystals to fall down across your cheeks, whimpering mutely against his lips. You were shedding hot tears, but you were in fact on cloud nine. You couldn’t remember a day when you were this happy! Out of all people, it was him whom you adored, while he in turn had chosen you to be his One and only. It was a miracle, finding your twin flame!

“I love you too.” You sniffed as you broke the kiss.

He used his thumbs to wipe the stains of salty tears off your rosy cheeks: “What is it now? Why are you crying?”

You embedded your face in his chest and cried a bit more: “I’m… just… happy.”

He placed one hand over your head and held you tight, resting his lips over your hair: “_______. You don’t need to cry. You don’t even have to strive so hard to become stronger.” You removed your face from his chest and stretched your neck to look at him:
“Huh?”

He smiled reassuringly and said to you: “As long as you’re with me, you don’t have to be afraid. I will protect you. I promise.” You gazed minutely at his marvelous face with eyes filled with bliss, then you stood on your toes, folding your arms around his neck, and you placed a chaste kiss on his tender lips. His smile stretched into some sort of a smirk, a portentous one. You stared innocently into his eyes: “What is it?”

“You really thought that you could simply cut and run, without receiving your punishment?” He chuckled.

“Punishment?” You asked, utterly puzzled.

“For saying that you hate me, remember?”

EEK! "What?!"

“Don’t ask me why. You brought this upon yourself.” He continued. “But as for the nature of your punishment…”

Geez… I’m doomed…

He thought for a moment before revealing on his face an ‘I-have-found-a-great-idea’ expression: “How about… tomorrow, after training… one hundred push-ups. That’s an order, non-negotiable.”

“One… one hundred?!”

“What?! A hundred isn’t enough?” he teased.

You tutted in annoyance, crossing your arms in front of your chest and pretending to be absolutely fine with straining your muscles after a prolonged session of stupid, pointless push-ups: “Easy one. A piece of cake.” You pouted.

“Hmph… I’m not done with stating my rules yet. Angeal, Genesis and Zack will be present as well.”

“Why would they?!”

“Because I said so. And one more thing.” He said, grabbing your hips and trapping you one more time between his arms: “As your three beloved friends will be witnessing…” he resumed, “You’ll have to give me a kiss for each push-up you do.”

“Sephiroth!”

“Piece of cake, huh?” he grinned. “We’ll see about that.”

“Not fair!”



THE END.