Chapter 92
Alex felt a rush of many different emotions when Sephiroth made that declaration. Fear and despair were the first to pass through as she remembered what happened, but they quickly made way for an overwhelming feeling of warmth. He didn't need to say more about how he felt. She could see it in his eyes, and the depth of it shocked her. They had gone so long in denial that this grew between them without her even noticing.
Alex threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around him tightly. She felt tears prick her eyes, but they weren't sad. She felt too full for that. When she finally sat back, she grasped his face in both her hands as she smiled at him and said, "I didn't get to finish telling you then, but I still want to say it. I lo—"
The door opened, cutting Alex off and earning a glare for the person that walked in without knocking first. However, her ire turned to confusion when she saw it was Genesis, and Sephiroth disentangled himself. She frowned at the general as he stood and nodded at both of them before he said, "I will leave the two of you to speak."
A frown crossed Alex's face, and she was about to tell him not to bother. Her eyes widened, and she stared in shock as Genesis did it for her. He sighed and gestured to the seat the general had just stood from. "You should stay for this. We all need to talk."
Sephiroth sat back slowly while Genesis pulled a chair to the other side of the bed. Even though he had been the one to suggest that the general stay, he all but ignored him when he took Alex's hand. He hesitated uncharacteristically before he said, "I am glad to see you awake and well. Angeal is still asleep, but I will be sure to wake him once I leave."
Alex felt her confusion only growing. This was the same man that had done nothing but shout at either her or Sephiroth for weeks, right? He certainly didn't seem it. Still, she held her tongue while he gathered his thoughts. When he looked up finally, he gave her a sad smile before he said, "I thought you had died. We all did. It was a miracle that Sephiroth managed to wait long enough for that monster to be destroyed and still pull you back from the abyss at the last moment."
Alex swallowed thickly at the reminder that she should have been dead. Even though she had been the one to ask for it, she wasn't upset that it didn't happen. Genesis continued without giving her a chance to comment. "When I saw him holding your body, I found something that I truly never expected to see. I saw a broken man grieving for something precious. I saw a person that had lost the very will to live."
Alex felt a sudden stabbing pain as she considered for the first time how her request might have hurt Sephiroth. She looked over at him and could see the discomfort at the words, but also the shadow of the truth still lingering in his gaze. The sight of it caused her tears to spill over, and she grabbed his hand.
Sephiroth managed a tiny smile and squeezed her fingers before he nodded toward Genesis and said, "I do not believe he has finished."
Alex had to take a deep breath before she could look at Genesis. She didn't know what to think when she turned back and saw he was still wearing that same sad smile. He gave Sephiroth a grateful look before he continued. "I do not mean to bring you pain with this observation, but it is integral to the point I need to make."
He paused and pulled something from the inside pocket of his duster. He then turned her palm up and placed it into her hand. Alex looked down at the ring he had once given her with utter confusion. Thankfully, he was quick to explain. "I still care, Alexandra. I probably always will. But I understand now. When you told me, you loved me and wanted me to be happy, but we weren't meant to be. I want the same for you. That ring is yours, and I ask that you keep it as a reminder of something beautiful that we once shared instead of a symbol of pain."
"I cannot say that we will be able to fall back into the friendship we once enjoyed, and that pains me, but it also gives me hope that it will one day overcome this barrier between us. In the meantime, my only wish is for you to be safe and happy. If your happiness comes from Sephiroth, so be it. At least I now know that you will be loved unconditionally."
Tears were already flowing down Alex's face by the time he was finished, and she wrapped her fingers tightly around the little piece of metal and stone. For the first time in ages, she hugged Genesis and did not feel stressed about it.
When he pulled back, he cupped her cheek gently and wiped away a stray tear with his thumb before he shook his head and stood. He gave them both a respectful nod before he said, "I will let Angeal know you are awake. I'm sure the others will be pleased to hear as well." With that, he turned to leave and shut the door behind himself.
Once he was gone, silence settled across the two remaining people. It was a little awkward, but there was much still unsaid. Finally, Alex worked up the nerve to look at Sephiroth. He had been watching her hand, which only tangled her emotions further. Still, they needed to clear the air between them, and it wasn't going to get done with silence.
The first thing Alex did, was take Sephiroth's hand in her empty one and waited until he was looking into her eyes before she said, "I apologize for asking that of you. It was the only thing I could think of to get her out of me and keep her from getting to one of you. But that doesn't make it right. I didn't mean to cause you pain."
Sephiroth looked away with a sigh, and it was several seconds before he looked back and focused on the hand that still held the ring. Alex wasn't entirely shocked by his next question, even if she hadn't wanted to hear it. "You still love him, don't you."
It was Alex's turn to sigh. How in the world could she possibly explain how she felt to him when she barely understood herself. Still, he deserved an honest answer. "Yes, and I likely always will, but it isn't in the way you may think. We grew up together, and before anything else, he was my best friend. I know that isn't likely what you wanted to hear, but I can assure you that anything I feel for him does not keep me from loving you. Nor will it be the kind that will tempt me back. That chapter of my life is closed. It has happy memories, but that is all it will ever be."
She then placed the ring on the table next to the bed before she got on her knees and scooted so that they were facing each other. She took his face in both her hands and smiled at him, despite her renewed tears. "Whatever the future holds, I can guarantee it won't be easy—not for us—but I promise that I will be by your side as long as you'll let me. I love you."
Alex felt her heart racing in her chest as the silence stretched. Sephiroth had not moved her hands from his face, but he had also not responded. She was beginning to wonder if it was too much when he shocked her by wrapping his arms around her waist. He lifted her from the bed and pulled her into his lap before he leaned in and kissed her. The action was so sudden that she gasped, but she didn't think about it for long. There was so much passion and feeling in that one kiss that she felt like her racing heart was about to burst.
When he finally pulled back, he rested his forehead on hers as he said, "I never expected to be shown what love is. It was nothing more than an abstract concept to me. However, I believe I have figured it out."
He then raised his head so he could look into her eyes as he continued, "I hope your promise to stand by me is strong. If I have my way, you will never leave. I—I love you too."
As tangled as everything else was in Alex's head, this one thing was easy for her heart. She smiled brighter than she had in a long time as she leaned in and kissed him again. It was a long time before either of them moved from that spot as they both basked in the light of their mutual revelation.
A/N: There's nothing like almost dying to really put things in perspective. As I said before, this is a major turning point in the story, and things will start moving toward the end now. We still have a lot to do, but they'll be set on getting it done. I hope you enjoyed this little interlude in the meantime. In other news, now that we are no longer sitting on the edge of a horrendous cliff, I think I will be working on some of my other stories as well. This one has held me hostage for longer than usual, but I have a lot of inspiration across the board. That being said, this one will not be left like this for long either. I'll just be going back to my usual update what inspires me mode lol. Thank you all for reading and cheers. Please review and let me know what you think! Thanks!
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For Honor or Glory
FanfictionAngeal and Alexandra Hewley. Two sides of the same coin, or at least the same womb. Growing up as part of an inseparable trio made for a blessed childhood, no matter how hard times got, but that changed when the boys left. After a chance encounter...