Even Demons Can Be Saved

Alliances

They laid together like that for a while longer, and Eve had started to doze again before Sephiroth stood. She almost protested at the lack of warmth until she saw that he was removing his overcoat and abdomen plate. She felt her face heat, and her eyes widened before she called out. "Uh, Sephiroth?"

He looked at her with curious eyes until he caught sight of her blushing cheeks. He could not refrain from giving her a smirk. "I felt that if we are going to sleep, it would be far more comfortable without my armor."

"O-oh." Eve felt better at his explanation, but her cheeks only got hotter when he headed back to the cot.

Since her expression had not changed, he stopped and gave her a worried look before he knelt beside the bed. "I do not want you to feel that I am pushing your boundaries. If I do anything to make you uncomfortable, please speak up."

Eve didn't stop blushing, but she gave him a smile. "It isn't that at all." She had to look away before she could continue. "It's just that... surely you are aware of how... how attractive you are." She nearly buried her face in the pillow at that point. She couldn't believe she had managed to say that to him in the first place, much less without combusting on the spot.

When he didn't say anything in response for several moments, she finally worked up the nerve to look back to him. When she caught his eye, she suddenly realized that she wasn't the only one affected. She had never expected to see that expression on his face, and it was fascinating. At least until she had to laugh at how awkward the whole thing was for both of them. She finally shook her head and held out a hand. "You're not going to make me uncomfortable. Why don't we save the discussion about the rest until we are not in the middle of a war zone?"

He didn't move at first. Apparently, he really had not been thinking about how much more intimate his actions would make their sleeping arrangements. When she started to stand, he finally moved to stop her. "If you are certain?"

She shook her head with a smile. "You won't hear me complaining if that's what you're asking."

If Eve had been standing at that point, she might have fallen from shock when she saw his cheeks dust with a slight blush at her admission. She tried to push those thoughts back as they settled back together again. As much as they both thought their new positions would make things awkward or uncomfortable, it wasn't long until they had fallen asleep.

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It was several hours later that they were woken with a raised voice outside the tent. "General, I apologize for the interruption, but we have intercepted a message to the Wutainese Capital that seems to be about the attack yesterday. Is Dr. Marx up to help with the translations?"

Sephiroth had already sat up, but Eve was still groggily mumbling and trying to finish waking up. The General called out for Captain Hawl to enter. He regretted that instantly when Reno was on the Captain's heels.

"What did you do to Dollface, yo?"

Eve sat up when she heard his voice. She had previously been hidden from their sight by Sephiroth's body on the cot in front of her. She didn't get a chance to say anything as Reno whistled as soon as he saw her.

"So that's how it is, huh? Ya know, if I'd of known ya were only doin' this, I woulda already been in here."

It didn't take Eve's confused expression long to clear, and she glared at Reno. "Firecracker, get the hell out of here and quit being a perv." Eve smiled when his only response was to laugh and walk back out with a wave. She knew that was his way of showing he had been worried.