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It was New Year's Eve in your hometown. Night had fallen over the city long ago and it brought a slight nip in the air. The city square was decorated with bright lights and flashy decorations that it was almost blinding to look at. People crowded the streets as the minutes started ticking down to midnight, the hands of the old clock tower slowly creeping towards the designated time. The sound of people talking and laughing floated above the streets, being carried away with the wind and into the night.
You sat perched on the rooftop of your apartment complex, feet dangling over the edge as you watched the city come to life. Dazzling lights flashed above the plume and you watched the streets with fading interest. You sat alone in the darkness, your previous bottle of alcohol already empty and tossed to the side. You had taken it with you when you had left the party, enjoying the slight buzz and warm feeling sitting in your chest.
You had left your friends a while ago. You loved them dearly but you just wanted to be alone for a while. You liked to sit and think by yourself, reflecting on the year that had passed and thinking of the year to come. You remembered all the good and bad times throughout the year as you looked up into the night sky, losing yourself in a sea of thoughts. Your eyes followed the trail of stars, tracing the familiar shapes in the night sky. You briefly wondered how many there were up there looking down upon you. As you sat in a daze, you failed to notice you had company.
"I found you."
The voice startled you and you jumped on the spot, whipping your head around to find the source. Your sudden shift in position made you teeter dangerously close to the edge but a strong grip on your arm pulled you back before you could tip. Your back hit a firm chest and your gaze travelled up, your sudden spike of fear easing when you stared up into blue eyes. A smile crept its way onto your face.
"Evening, Sephiroth" you greeted.
The Commander stared down at you, a pensive frown tugging at his lips.
"You should be more careful" he stated.
You rolled your eyes at him, playfully giving him a two-finger salute.
"Yes, sir" you mocked.
You could see the way his eyebrow twitched but he didn't comment further. Instead he simply took a step back, almost causing you to completely tip backwards and onto the concrete. You were able to catch yourself before it happened and you simply grinned at the man. He wasn't your commanding officer. In fact, you didn't have anything to do with the Soldiers. You were just one of Cloud's friends and since you knew him you were eventually introduced to Sephiroth. You remember your first meeting like it only happened yesterday. He was cold and closed off to you at first but after talking with him for a while you were able to get him to open up a bit. He was a bit aloof and full of sarcasm but it was these qualities that kept you coming back for more. Over time you both came to know each other as a friend and you cherished the bond that had blossomed between you. Your admiration of the Commander had quickly turned into infatuation but no one was privy to those details besides yourself.
You pat the spot beside you on the edge, inviting your friend to join you.
"Come, sit" you said.
You weren't actually expecting him to take your suggestion so you smiled with glee when he sat down next to you, legs dangling over the edge just like you. You leaned back on your hands, eyeing the commander. The streetlights from below illuminated his pale skin and you could feel your face flush from staring at him. He looked ethereal underneath the dazzling lights and you were tempted to reach out and trace the curve of his neck. You shook your head, cursing your alcohol riddled mind. Perhaps you had a little too much to drink. Your thoughts were going south faster than you anticipated.
"What brings you up here?" you asked, trying to distract yourself.
"I saw you wander away earlier" Sephiroth replied, his eyes flicking over to you. "You've been gone for a while."
Your eyes wandered to the clock in the town square briefly as you frowned. You hadn’t been gone that long, had you? A quick calculation and you realised that yes, you had been gone for almost an hour now. Whoops. You casually shrugged.
"I love the others but they can be a bit..."
You trailed off, waving your hand around in the air like you could pluck the word you needed from the sky.
"Loud?" Sephiroth suggested.
"I was going to say obnoxious but yeah, let's go with loud. Less insulting."
You felt your heart flutter when you watched his lips curve into a ghost of a smile, a short huff that faintly resembled a laugh coming out of his nose. You shook your head, trying to shake off the warm feeling growing tight in your chest.
"I just wanted some time to think, that's all" you said, finishing your train of thought.
Sephiroth hummed, the sound making your stomach do flips. Astrals, what was this man doing to you?
"I see" he murmured.
You sat in silence for a long moment. Your eyes travelled down to the town square and you noticed the time on the clock. It was almost midnight. The time to herald in the New Year had almost arrived. You lightly nudged Sephiroth with your shoulder, gaining his attention.
"It's almost midnight" you said. "Wanna watch the fireworks?"
"As long as it's with you" he replied.
You missed the underlying meaning of his words as the countdown suddenly began. You watched the people below you gather around as they started counting down the seconds, their chanting filling the night. You missed the way that Sephiroth turned his gaze on you.
5
There was something you forgot about News Years when the clock struck midnight. You would share a kiss with the one you loved. It was a tradition that you didn’t really participate in so it slipped your mind. Sephiroth didn’t forget and it had been his intention to find you before midnight.
4
Slender fingers curled around your chin and you turned your head, your eyes focusing back to Sephiroth. You blinked in mild surprise, wondering what he could want.
3
He leaned in closer to you and you felt your heart jump up into your throat. You felt his warm breath fan across your face and it made your pulse race. This wasn't happening, was it?
2
You didn't think it was real until you felt his lips seal over yours.
1
There was a sudden loud bang and a bright flash of light went off in the distance. People cheered and celebrated as the fireworks show began. You suddenly didn't care about the fireworks when Sephiroth’s mouth was pressed against yours. They were nothing compared to the fireworks exploding in your body. His lips felt surprisingly soft and your eyes fluttered close. You melted into the embrace, brushing your lips against his. Your hands balled up into the front of his jacket, trying to keep yourself ground to reality. You opened your eyes when you parted from the kiss, your head feeling fuzzy. The kiss had been breathtaking and you were left gasping for air afterwards. You didn’t have to ask him what it meant. You could already tell how much you meant to him just by that one kiss alone and it made your heart beat like a drum, threatening to burst out of your ribcage.
Sephiroth didn't pull away as he pressed his forehead against yours, his striking eyes staring down at you through long lashes. You stared up into his eyes, becoming lost in the deep pools of colour. You noticed the flecks of gold and green in the iris making him look otherworldly. You were entranced by those eyes and you couldn't force yourself to look away. You could feel his fingertips tracing your jawline, his silver hair tickling your cheeks. Your body tingled with a pleasant warmth and it felt like you were dreaming. Sephiroth's eyes suddenly flicked out onto the horizon and you followed the movement.
"Watch" he muttered.
You noticed the fireworks were still going off, lighting the night sky in an array of colour. You both turned your heads to watch the display, settling side by side next to each other. Some of them were different colours and they painted the sky like a rainbow. Some of the fireworks fizzled and crackled while others shot up into the sky and exploded with a loud bang that you could feel reverberate through your bones. You moved closer to Sephiroth, resting your head on his shoulder as you continue to watch the dazzling display. You could feel the heat radiating off him and it made you feel comfortable. You placed your hand over his and he turned his palm up, allowing you to intertwine your fingers together. Your face felt incredibly warm with how gentle he was being. You had never seen this softer side to him before and it made you feel special that you finally got to witness it.
"It's so beautiful" you whispered, eyes sparkling as colour danced across the pitch-black sky.
Sephiroth could barely hear you over the sound of the fireworks cracking like thunder but he caught your words. When the last one popped and fizzed out everything went dark and still. You sat in silence long after the show had ended, simply basking in each other's presence. You let your eyes slip shut for a moment, simply breathing in Sephiroth’s unique scent. He always smelt like a mix of leather and iron and you had gotten used to it. It was a comforting smell and without even realising it you had been lulled to sleep.
Sephiroth gently whispered your name and you didn't respond. He noticed your head became heavier and your breathing was light. He turned his gaze down to you, a smile tilting his lips. You looked peaceful when you slept and he could feel something tugging at his heart as he gazed upon you. He placed a gentle kiss on your forehead, tucking a stray strand of hair behind your ear.
His wing slowly emerged from his back, sleek black feathers rustling in the soft breeze. The appendage curled around your sleeping form, ushering you closer into his warmth. You snuggled further into Sephiroth's side, a content sigh falling from your lips. He didn’t have the heart to disturb you and let you rest against him.
"Sleep love" Sephiroth whispered. "It's a brand-new year. We have all the time we need."