Final Fantasy VII

Rainbows, True Love, and Twister

By LuckyLadybug

Notes: The characters are not mine and this randomness is. It was inspired by the prompt Rainbows and Butterflies at 30 Hugs. It's mostly a dialogue fic because that's how it turned out. I think it's cute anyway; just a little snippet of a calm evening for our heroes. Thanks to Kaze for plot help!

"Oh, Charles, I loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you!"

"And I you, Mary. Our love was preordained in the stars and sanctioned by the Lifestream. Now we'll always be together."

"Charles . . . !"

Acute disgust passed over Sephiroth's features as the long, climatic kiss began. He crossed his arms, leaning back on the couch as he gave a sidelong, disgruntled look to Zack.

"Is there any reason why we're watching this garbage?" he asked.

Zack shrugged, turning the remote control around on his knee. "Because there's nothing else on?" he said.

"That's not a good reason." Sephiroth dared to look back at the screen. The couple was linking hands, walking off into the sunset and their happily ever after.

"Well, it's kind of a cheesy movie, alright," Zack admitted. "But it's over now!"

"Yes," Sephiroth grunted. "And so the message presented is that all trials and troubles will end because the couple was 'preordained in the stars' and fell in love at first sight."

Zack shrugged helplessly. "That's the way a lot of romance movies get sold," he said. "I never really liked the things, but I dunno . . . at the same time, it's kinda exciting to think that there's that one special person out there for you." He grinned. "I know I've found mine." The growing fondness for Aerith was obvious in his lavender eyes as he spoke.

"Did you fall in love with her the instant you saw her?" Sephiroth retorted.

"Well . . . no," Zack admitted. "But I knew there was something special about her! And I knew I wanted to get to know her better."

Sephiroth nodded. "Good," he said. Dryly he added, "If you'd said you'd fallen in love with her at first sight, I'd be very disappointed in you."

Zack smirked. "Not a believer in love at first sight, Seph?"

"I should say not." Sephiroth gave him a Look. "I hope you aren't."

"Nope!" Zack chirped. "I know you've really gotta get to know the person first."

"And life will never consist of only rainbows and butterflies after you're together," Sephiroth continued. "Part of any couple's life is learning how to work through problems. In fact," he amended, "that applies to any relationship, romantic or platonic."

Zack nodded. "True!" he said, and then smirked in mischief. "But I never thought I'd hear you say 'rainbows and butterflies,' Seph."

Sephiroth looked bored. "That's how many teenage girls would try to describe their image of what romance is," he said. "They claim to have that silly feeling of butterflies in the stomach when they see their 'true love.' And once they begin to wake up to the realities of life and find that he isn't a perfect Prince Charming, they believe something is wrong and that they need to find someone else."

Zack blinked at his friend. "Maybe some of them really do have butterflies," he said innocently. "I mean, maybe it isn't always just something that the real naive ones say."

Sephiroth grunted. "I doubt it."

"What about soul mates?" Zack wondered.

"What about them?" Sephiroth returned.

"Do you believe in them?" Zack persisted.

Sephiroth's expression said it all. Zack laced his fingers behind his head. "Okay, so you don't," he said.

"It isn't so much that I don't believe in them as it is that it seems a potentially dangerous viewpoint," Sephiroth said. "If someone is so intent on believing that there is one person just for them, they may waste their whole life looking for that person. Some may even try to say one's soul mate would be just like them--or whatever their idea of perfect is."

He looked at Zack. "That being said, you and Aerith are very compatible," he admitted.

"Yes!" Zack said, making a loose fist. Looking back to Seph, he had to ask. "What about you, Seph? Do you figure there's anyone 'compatible' with you out there?"

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. "I have no idea," he said. "I'm not even interested in actively pursuing that angle."

Zack smirked. "Too set in your ways?" he said.

"There's that," Sephiroth replied. "And I'm a general first and foremost. I doubt I would even be able to devote sufficient time to a significant other."

"I find time to be with Aerith," Zack volunteered.

"You don't command all the armies," Sephiroth said. "And you enjoy being with other people above all else. I enjoy time alone."

"I like alone time too," Zack said. "Are you trying to say you figure you'd need to spend all your free time with a girlfriend, if you had one?"

"Something like that." Sephiroth frowned. "What I'm trying to say is that I don't want to be with someone out of an obligation, and I believe that's how it would start to feel for me. I don't even know I'd be capable of giving the love that would be expected of me."

Zack studied him. "You'd be capable of it," he declared. "You're too hard on yourself, buddy. When you really care about someone, you don't stop. And you don't act like the caring's an obligation, either!"

Sephiroth grunted. "And I'm not a very affectionate person," he said. "I doubt being in love with someone would make me want to often engage in embraces and kissing. Someone else wouldn't want that kind of a relationship."

"So there's probably girls out there who feel the same way!" Zack said. "But even if you didn't find one like that, if she really loved you she'd learn to adapt."

"I wouldn't even want to ask it of her," Sephiroth said. "She should be with someone who could make her truly happy."

"But that's the whole point," Zack protested. "If she really loved you, she wouldn't be happy with anyone but you. Seph, you're a great guy. You're honest, you're smart, you're kind. . . . This train of thought you've got going here proves you're thoughtful."

Sephiroth slowly shook his head, the vague amusement playing on his lips. "Why are we even talking about this?" he said. "This is ridiculous. I don't have a significant other, nor do I plan to gain one."

"I think most of the time, when true love happens, it happens when nobody is planning on it," Zack said. "Like that expression about watching the kettle on the stove, so it never boils."

"That's a pointless expression. It would boil eventually," Sephiroth pointed out. "It doesn't not boil because it's being looked at."

"Who knows?" Zack said, giving Seph another innocent look.

Knowing that Zack was teasing again, Sephiroth just fixed him with a deadpan look in reply.

Zack set the remote on the arm of the couch. "Do you believe in true love at all, Seph?" he asked, genuinely curious. "I don't mean the trumped-up movie stuff, but where the people stick together through all the trials and still care about each other and really want to be together in spite of all their differences and stuff."

Sephiroth shrugged. "I really don't know," he said honestly. "I've never experienced romantic love, so I couldn't say if I believe it's real or not. Though every now and then I've seen couples who have been together for years and still seem genuinely happy to be with each other. If true love exists, then maybe they are the proof."

Zack poked Seph on the arm. "Does true love have to just refer to romantic love, anyway?" he mused. "I mean, can't friends have true love too? Real friends love each other."

"I've never heard it called as such," Sephiroth said. "But there's no reason why they couldn't have it."

"Then do you believe in a friendship true love?" Zack chirped.

"I have experienced that," Sephiroth said. "But I've also experienced how it comes to an end when too many barriers get in the way." Now he sounded tired and sad.

Zack frowned. "You don't think I'd ever betray you, do you, Seph?" he asked.

Sephiroth looked at the earnest boy. "I don't think you'd be capable of betraying anyone," he said.

Zack grinned. "And that's the truth! You're stuck with me, Seph!"

Sephiroth was amused. "I wouldn't consider that I'm 'stuck' with you," he said. "That implies a relationship that I don't want and would want to get out of."

"And you do want, right?" Zack was giving him a puppy look.

Sephiroth leaned back into the couch, crossing his arms. "What do you think?" he said.

"Aww, come on, Seph," Zack pleaded. "I want to hear you say it!"

Sephiroth was still amused. And he was also completely relaxed.

"Then yes," he said.

"Yes what?" Zack leaned forward, gripping the knees of his trousers.

Sephiroth fixed him with a Look. "Yes, I want your friendship," he said.

Zack leaned back. "That's what I wanted to know!" he said.

"However," Sephiroth grunted, "the next time there's 'nothing' on television except trivial romance, I'd rather do something else."

"Like what?" Zack blinked.

"I'd even rather play a game," Sephiroth said dryly.

Zack gave a mock low whistle. "Wow, you really did hate the movie!" he said, and smirked. "So, what kinda game? I could teach you Twister."

Sephiroth frowned. "What's that?" he asked. Visions of people spinning like tornados danced through his mind.

Zack hopped up from the couch. "Well, there's a big mat with colored circles on it, and you put it on the floor," he said. "Then you get on it like this." He bent over, placing his hands on the floor. "The circles are all numbered, and somebody calls out a number and color to try to reach."

"And everyone gets twisted up like pretzels," Sephiroth finished.

Zack straightened. "Yep, pretty much," he agreed.

Sephiroth stared at him. "Maybe I'd prefer the movie after all."

Zack gave him a mournful look. "Aww, Seph. . . ."

"I fail to find anything fun about the idea of being tangled up with so many other people," Sephiroth said, his voice flat.

Zack smirked, plopping back on the couch. "Not to mention them getting tangled up in your hair," he said.

"That too," Sephiroth acknowledged.

Zack stared off into space. "I know what you'd like!" he said suddenly.

"What?" Sephiroth asked, wondering if he even dared.

"A strategic board game," Zack said in a grand tone.

". . . That could be promising," Sephiroth said with caution. "There aren't any catches or preposterous rules?"

Zack shrugged. "Just a straight-out wargame," he said. "Something like chess. But man, they take forever to play!"

"Of course they do," Sephiroth said. "You have to have time to enact a good strategy."

"I guess." Zack leaned back. "Hey, what if I play a strategy game with you and then you play something more light-hearted with me?"

"Not Twister," Sephiroth said immediately.

"No Twister!" Zack agreed. "How about Monopoly? You play a business tycoon and buy stuff!"

Sephiroth was amused. "Somehow that doesn't sound like your kind of game," he said.

"It's fun!" Zack said. "What do you say, Seph?" He blinked at his friend. "Please?"

"Well . . ." Sephiroth pretended to hesitate, even though he had already made up his mind. "I'll try it."

Zack whooped, leaping off the couch so fast the cushions bounced. "I'll get them!" he chirped, crossing the room to a cabinet where he had stored several games.

Sephiroth watched, still amused. "I didn't know you'd even own any strategic games," he commented.

"I got a couple," Zack said, pulling out two boxes. "I figured maybe you'd play them with me. I was hoping you would, anyway. I even spent time reading over the rules!"

"Really."

"Yeah!"

Sephiroth remained reclined on the couch as Zack brought the games over to the end table. This was going to be interesting. Or odd. Or both.

But somehow he felt that he was going to enjoy it--even if for no other reason than because he was spending time with Zack.