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Memories

An ambulance drove along the streets to the hospital with its blue light flashing and siren wailing. The ambulance reached the hospital within minutes.
Of course, the ambulance was already expected by a few doctors and nurses. The paramedics opened the back door of the ambulance and pulled a young woman, who was lying on a gurney, out of the ambulance.
After that, a man with a worried face also got out. The woman was in terrible pain, groaning repeatedly with each new contraction.
The woman was taken by the hospital staff and immediately wheeled into the operating room, while the husband was asked for his personal details.
“Um, yes, my wife's name is, um, can't we do that later? I have to see my wife, please?” the man pleaded, looking agitated and somewhat desperate, his head glistening with sweat.
“Please, there is nothing you can do for your wife right now and we need to have your personal information. Please be reasonable,” the receptionist spoke calmly to this man.
The man nodded and then said, ‘My wife's name is Fabienne Lymand and my name is Randir Lymand,’ he then gave more or less willingly.
After that, the nurse asked him to take a seat in the waiting room. Bathed in sweat and very nervous, he waited and waited and waited?
Seconds became minutes, minutes became hours, and these almost became an eternity.
Meanwhile, in the operating room, doctors and nurses were trying to save the lives of Fabienne and the unborn child.
Unfortunately, only Fabienne's life could be saved. The child was stillborn.
The child died during the cesarean section to deliver it.
Since Fabienne had been put under general anesthesia, she was naturally unaware of what had happened. She only found out about the death of her child later and collapsed from it. The death of her child, whom she had been looking forward to so much and had waited for so long, had been very difficult for her. She had a hard time coping with the funeral of her child and had to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital for a while.
*-*-*
All this happened about a year ago. Everyday life had been largely restored, but Fabienne, understandably, never quite got over the death of her child – her little son Toby, whom she had nevertheless given a name to.
To make matters worse, Fabienne was unable to have any more children, which intensified her grief even more. She constantly visited Toby's little grave and spoke to him. Day after day she was here with him and Randir, who had thrown himself into his work, only went with her at the weekend.
All of this had hit him very hard, too, but he tried everything to suppress the death of his son, which of course was very difficult for him.
Once again, Fabienne was in the cemetery, talking to Toby. The day was beautiful, the sun was shining down from the sky and it was as if Toby himself had painted the sun in the sky. Nevertheless, it was bitterly cold because it was winter and there was snow on the ground.
As Fabienne spoke, as always, about Toby's grave, she suddenly heard a soft whimper. Was she just imagining things? Was she already having hallucinations? But as she continued speaking, she heard the whimper again. Now it was getting too eerie for her and she went to find out where the whimper was coming from.
She knew that the whimpering could not have come from the grave.
Just a few meters from her son's grave, she found a small carrier bag. She bent down and looked inside. What she saw shocked her deeply. Inside was a small baby, who was surely only a few days old, crying and whimpering heart-wrenchingly. It was almost frozen blue.
What kind of monster, what kind of woman, or whatever, could have the heart to abandon such a small baby here in the cemetery in this freezing cold???, Fabienne wondered and shook her head.
Fabienne took the baby in her arms. She opened her coat, held the child against her body and carefully closed the coat again. The child immediately snuggled up against Fabienne and was instantly quiet. She also took the carrier bag with her and went to her car by the quickest route.
She sat down on the back seat and looked at the little bundle of warmth. It's so cute, she thought. She was very taken with the baby from the first moment. While she was warming the baby, she looked again into the carrycot and found a note inside.
*-*-*
Hello, the one who found the baby, please take good care of him.
It's a little boy and I named him Sephiroth.
He's only three days old, but I can't keep him, I'm sorry.
My parents beat me. They beat me because I gave birth. They didn't understand.
I beg you, take care of Sephiroth and please give him a good and loving home.
Thank you and I wish you all the best and good luck with the little one.
Best regards,
the unknown mother.
*-*-*
Fabienne didn't let go of the little one and put the note in her coat pocket. With the little one under her coat, she sat down at the wheel and drove home as quickly as possible?
*-*-*
From a safe distance, the unknown mother had seen everything. And she was happy for her little boy, because she knew that he would have a good home and a happy childhood with this woman, who came to this cemetery and visited this child's grave every day?
*-*-*
Soon Fabienne arrived home, parked the car and ran into the house after removing the carrier bag from the car.
Once inside, she ran into the living room and found, to her surprise, her husband Randir there.
“Randy, my darling,” she greeted him and beamed, ‘Look what I found.’ She began, unbuttoning her coat and showing her husband the baby she was holding under her coat, beaming with joy.
She told him the story of how she had found the little one, then, completely euphoric, she asked Randir:
“Dearest, could you please go buy baby food and everything else we need?”
She wrote him a list of everything she needed for Sephiroth.
“Stop! Stop! No, that's not how it's done. Dear, you can't just keep the little one like that. We have to notify the youth welfare office and the child has to be examined by a doctor,” Randir explained to his wife, in his very matter-of-fact manner.
Startled, Fabienne looked at her husband and with tears in her eyes she shook her head.
“NO, I won't give Sephiroth away. You can forget that. I'll keep this little bundle of joy and give him a wonderful home. And if you won't go buy the needed things, I will,” she replied, holding the baby protectively in front of her.
“All right, all right, you can keep him for all I care,” Randir finally agreed.
He took a closer look at the little one. He nodded and smiled, saying,
“I can see why you're upset. He really is cute. We'll keep him and raise him as we would our own son.”
He couldn't do his wife any harm by taking the child away from her. She suddenly seemed so completely different, full of joie de vivre, and he was sure that she would be a wonderful mother to the little one.
Beaming with joy, Fabienne kissed her sweetheart, then he took the note from his wife, left the house and went shopping.
Meanwhile, Fabienne took care of the little one. She climbed the stairs with the baby – “her baby” – and went first to the nursery, which had not been changed since then, and undressed the baby.
After wrapping him in a soft bath towel, she took him in her arms again and entered the bathroom with him. She ran pleasantly warm water into a small children's bathtub and then bathed the little one.
Afterwards, she took the little one to the children's room, where she dressed him and spoke lovingly to him.
“Well, my little one? You're so cute. Who could have brought you here? But I promise you, my little one, that I will always protect you from now on, no matter from whom, and you will have a good home here. I love you so much, my little prince?” and almost adored him.
Eventually, Randir came home as well and brought everything they had asked for.
With Sephiroth in her arms, she went to meet her lover.
“Look, darling, isn't he adorable?” Fabienne beamed, delightedly, and placed Sephiroth in Randir's arms.
It almost looked as if the baby was smiling slightly at his 'father' Randir, which of course wasn't the case, but it looked that way. Of course Randir was also very fond of the little one.
*-*-*
Both kept little Sephiroth and officially adopted him only a short time later. From the first moment, the little boy was treated like a prince by the two. There was nothing they denied him. No wish remained unfulfilled. It didn't matter if it was just a bedtime story, walks, trips, or material things?but the loving care that Fabienne and Randir gave Sephiroth was at the top of the list. In short, Sephiroth lacked for nothing?
Of course, Fabienne and Randir never forgot their first child? Toby. But now they only went to Toby's grave once a week, and soon even less often than that.
Of course, Fabienne always took Sephiroth with her. Fabienne never left her young son alone. Every time, Fabienne placed a few fresh flowers on Toby's grave and said a few words to the grave...
*-*-*
The years passed much too quickly and soon Sephiroth had reached the age of sixteen.
Sephiroth had been very much spoiled by his parents and he liked to show it a little to those around him. He was something better. However, he never let his parents feel this. He adored and loved his parents very much, although he knew that he was “only” adopted. Both had told him at some point that they had adopted him and also told him the story of how Fabienne had found him in the cemetery.
Fabienne and Randir were the only parents he ever had and would ever have, Sephiroth was sure of that.
His biological mother never got to know Sephiroth, because she had taken her own life at some point.
She saw Fabienne again and again when she went to the cemetery with Sephiroth. She was pleased to see that her little son was doing well. The unknown mother also saw Sephiroth learning to walk. And she saw how cute and pretty her little son was. However, she could no longer bear it. It hurt her too much that she could not take care of the little one herself, and so she ended her own life at some point.
*-*-*
Sephiroth had the most modern, expensive and best things ever. At school, only selected students were among his friends. Of course, he was the leader of the clique that HE had founded.
His academic performance was excellent, so he occasionally gave tutoring – but only when it suited HIM.
It was just another normal day at school – crowds in the hallways and chaos in the classrooms. Sephiroth was still chatting with his clique when a twelfth-grade student suddenly bumped into him.
“Excuse me,” the student said hastily, and continued on his way – or rather, he wanted to continue on his way?
“WAIT A MINUTE!” Sephiroth shouted after the student.
He grabbed the bastard, as he called him, in a flash and held him by the arm.
“Listen up, you little creep. You can't just bump into me and say ‘excuse me’. Who do you think you are and who do you think you're dealing with? Sephiroth hissed at the guy in front of him.
The guy just grinned and didn't let himself be intimidated by the other guy.
Oh, I'm sorry, little guy. Did I hurt you? You're the little spoiled brat. I've heard a lot about you at school. You're Sephiroth, aren't you? You're easily recognized with your long silver hair. Go home to your mommy and get a decent haircut, little Sephiroth, who isn't even a man yet. The other guy laughed at him, freed himself from the silver-haired boy's grip, and continued on his way.
Sephiroth was furious and swore revenge, and his boys agreed with him, of course. They all stuck by him and during the next breaks they planned their next move.
In one of the longer breaks, the four of them were sitting in their usual spot, against a tree in the schoolyard.
“Hey Seph, how about we waylay Damien, that's the guy's name who bumped into you, after school and give him a good punch in the face,” suggested Zack.
But Sephiroth was somewhere else with his thoughts. He wanted to pay back this guy alone. He wanted to get rid of him, destroy him, eliminate him. Although it was only an accident, Sephiroth felt that his honor had been violated, that the guy had offended him.
There was no way Sephiroth could let that go.
Seph??, Zack asked, nudging his buddy lightly.
Uh? Yeah? What is it then?, Sephiroth asked, pulled out of his thoughts.
Were you listening to me?, Zack asked, grinning slightly.
No, sorry, please, what were you saying?, Sephiroth replied.
Zack told him everything again, but Sephiroth just waved it away.
“No, I'll take on Damien alone and I'll destroy him, you can count on it. And don't any of you dare interfere?” Sephiroth threatened, looking at his friends with threatening glances and a slightly raised fist.
His friends looked at him and nodded: “It's okay,” Genesis said.
“Do you already have a plan how you want to accomplish that?“ Angeal wanted to know.
“Yes, of course, but that's and remains my secret,” Sephiroth replied, quietly? threateningly?
*-*-*
School was over and the friends went home, each on his own. Sephiroth walked along the street, lost in thought. He was still preoccupied with the matter of Damien and was already hatching a plan.
“Well, if it isn't little nerd Sephiroth,” it said, after Sephiroth had bumped into something because he hadn't looked and paid attention.
He looked up and saw someone standing in front of him – exactly the one he hated with a passion, whom he wanted to destroy – Damien!
Clear the way, Damien, or you'll curse the day you were born, I swear to you!“ Sephiroth warned Damien, looking menacing as the wind played with his long silver hair.
“Oh, really? Is that supposed to be a threat, little guy?” Damien grinned, taking a closer look at Sephiroth.
Grinning, he looked at the other, but thought his part.
“I don't associate with scum,” Sephiroth turned away.
Sephiroth went in the opposite direction, because he could also get to his parents' estate in the other direction. He would and wanted to deal with Damien later, when the time was right.
But if Sephiroth now thought that he had lost Damien, he was far from it. Damien followed him. Damien was above Sephiroth's threats, he was used to that. Gently, Damien took Sephiroth by the arm and turned him around.
“What's the matter, Sephiroth? A moment ago, you swore revenge on me, and just now you even threatened me. You haven't changed your mind, have you, my little nerd?”, Damien said provocatively to Sephiroth.
“First of all, don't call me 'my' little nerd, because I'm not, and secondly, let go of me immediately?” Sephiroth replied, with the friendliness of a full-grown king cobra and? there was coldness in his voice – icy coldness.
His eyes also radiated a coldness that would freeze even hell.
“No, I won't let you go, Sephiroth. What's the matter? Are you uncomfortable when I touch you?” Damien wanted to know provocatively.
Yes, Sephiroth was very uncomfortable when he was touched. Even his friends kept more or less distance to him, they knew that Sephiroth didn't like it. So they left it alone if they could. The only ones allowed to touch him were his parents. Sephiroth himself did not know why that was.
Seemingly calm, Sephiroth stood there and looked at Damien with his cold eyes narrowed to small slits.
“So, you won't let go of me, then I'll have to teach you a lesson,” Sephiroth whispered with a threateningly calm voice, looking like a cobra about to attack.
Then, as if he had missed something, Sephiroth brought Damien back down to earth. With a quick and very skillful move, he had thrown him to the ground, where Damien remained for the time being, very bewildered and somewhat shocked. This was not what Damien had expected. Then maybe Sephiroth wasn't the mama's boy and a nerd after all, as Damien had thought.
Finally, Sephiroth kicked Damien with his right foot, standing on Damien's chest. Then he spoke triumphantly:
“Let me tell you one thing: I don't like it when I'm touched – only my parents are allowed to do that. And another thing, I'm neither a coward nor a nerd – I'm a perfectionist. What I do will never be half measures. I'll finish you off one day, be aware of that. And Damien? Don't you dare come too close to me again, got it!? Then Sephiroth took his foot off Damien, smiled maliciously and deviously, then went home?
Damien quickly stood up and watched Sephiroth go. He really wasn't who Damien had thought he was. Sephiroth had much more to offer than what he was usually willing to show. He was much stronger than he appeared. But you couldn't tell by looking at him.
Slowly, Damien began to admire Sephiroth. From now on, he would leave him alone. Well, at least that's what he decided. Besides, this little lesson from Sephiroth was a lesson to Damien. He would certainly not mess with him again. And yet, there was something about this boy that... Wait a minute, what was he thinking?!
After Sephiroth had arrived home, he was greeted warmly by his mother Fabienne, as always.
“Sephi, my angel. There you are again. Well, how was your day? Dinner will be ready soon, dear,” she said, giving him a loving embrace and a kiss on the cheek.
He didn't particularly like it, but he let his mother have her way. However, he rolled his eyes and looked up. Of course Fabienne knew that her son didn't like it when she kissed him on the cheek. But she couldn't help it? she loved her son too much.
“My day was okay, thanks,” Sephiroth replied with a grin, and then continued, ‘Mom, I'd like to be alone for a bit, okay. I can eat later, right?”
“That's okay, sweetheart. I'll leave you alone,’ Fabienne respected her son's wish.
Sephiroth went up to his room, closed the door and sat down at his desk, which was right in front of his window. Thoughtfully, he looked out. Then he saw Damien! What was he doing here? He hadn't followed him, had he? Didn't he live in a completely different part of town? But maybe one of his friends lived nearby.
But why hadn't he seen him around then? Questions upon questions went through Sephiroth's mind, but for every answer he found, another question arose.
Was that a doorbell ringing? Not that it mattered, but it was too late to think about it now.
“Sephiroth?” His mother called up from downstairs. ‘Could you come down, please?’ she asked him.
Sephiroth went to his door, opened it a crack and called down.
“What's the matter, Mom?”
“There's someone here who wants to see you, shall I send him up?“ Fabienne asked.
“No, Mom, I already told you I want to be left alone,” Sephiroth refused the question, consistently.
“It's all right, Sephi,“ his mother agreed, and then there was silence.
“I'm sorry, Damien, but if Sephiroth wants to be left alone, then I accept that. Please come back another time,” Fabienne asked, and she was about to accompany Damien to the door when he said,
“You know what, I think your son is a little spoiled and pampered mama's boy, someone should really tell him that and wean him off it.” With those words, he walked past Fabienne and up the stairs without saying another word.
Then he opened the door to Sephiroth's room without knocking first. After all, he had been able to see where Sephiroth's room was when the latter had opened the door a little.
Damien found Sephiroth on a soft sofa, where he seemed to be resting.
So, so, the little one rests and lets himself be pampered. Get up, Sephiroth!” Damien spoke loudly and stood next to the sofa.
Sephiroth turned away: “Leave me alone. And get out of here, once and for all.” What the? Sephiroth stood up and stood right in front of Damien.
Then he asked, “What the hell do you want from me?”, and glared at Damien.
“You're not really asking me that, are you? I want you to get off your sofa, get moving and stop letting people take care of you all the time. Who do you think you are, anyway? You're no 'prince', just a spoiled little brat! You need a good spanking!” Damien said, getting a bit louder, and he again stole a glance at Sephiroth, unnoticed.
But then it was suddenly over, because Fabienne entered the room and raged like a fury:
“You will leave my son's room immediately, or I will call the police and have you thrown out! How dare you talk to my son like that! Get out of here, or I'll forget myself!
Grinning, Damien retreated.
“All right, I'm going, but Sephiroth, we'll meet again, you can count on that,” he winked at Sephiroth and disappeared through the door, followed by Fabienne.
Fabienne still raged and now paid close attention to make sure that Damien didn't try any tricks. She only gave up when Damien had left the house through the door and she had locked it from the inside.
Finally, Fabienne went back to her son's room, knocked, and then entered. She slowly approached Sephiroth, who was still standing next to the sofa, staring at the wall in front of him.
“Hey, my little one, what's wrong?” Fabienne asked, gently taking her son in her arms.
Sephiroth snuggled up to his mother and asked her in a whisper:
“Mum, am I really that bad? And why have you never spoken to me like that, or Dad? What did I do wrong?”
Fabienne caressed Sephiroth tenderly.
“My little one, I never had any reason to talk to you like that, and your father never had any reason to address such words to you either. And you haven't done anything wrong, my son. You're the best thing that could have happened to us and you'll always be that. You've never been bad, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. We love you.
Thanks, Mom. I love you too., Sephiroth whispered and was really happy to have such parents.
On the way home, Damien was sorry again for what he had said to Sephiroth. Because he really liked the little one? that charisma? those long silver hair? that slender figure? to seduce him? a dream?
In his thoughts, it seemed to really revolve only around Sephiroth.
However, Damien also knew that it wouldn't be easy to confess his feelings for Sephiroth. He wouldn't understand, would probably run away, or curse at him. It would certainly be hard work, but he had to try to win Sephiroth over.
To win him over? Almost a life's work?
*-*-*
Sephiroth had meanwhile lain down again on the soft sofa and looked thoughtfully at the ceiling. Somehow he had the feeling that he had to change something. Or were changes already on the horizon? He sensed that something was going to happen to him soon. But what?
Well, that would become clear very soon?
The rest of the day was mostly boring, except for a long phone call that Sephiroth had with Genesis.
“Say, what about Damien? Wouldn't we be better off taking him on together? I think there's something strange about that guy. He ran into me earlier and spoke to me. You know, he actually wanted to know if you had a girlfriend or a boyfriend. Man, he wanted to grill me about you. Of course I didn't give him any information. Why should I? Hey, he was walking in your direction, did he come to see you?
“It doesn't matter, I don't want to talk about it,“ Sephiroth replied quietly, sounding rather sad.
“What's the matter, Seph? Can I help you in some way, should I come over?” Genesis asked worriedly.
No, don't bother, I, I already said that I don't want to talk about it, I don't want to see anyone right now,?
Sephiroth replied annoyed. Seph, now I'm really worried about you. What's wrong with you? Did Damien do something to you??
No, he didn't. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye!, Sephiroth just replied, then he switched off the phone.
Finally, he got up from the sofa, changed his clothes and left his room.
Mum, I'm going out again. I'll be back soon. Oh yes, and I wanted to say: I've already done my homework. Sephiroth spoke to Fabienne and then left the house.
“It's okay, my darling. Take care!” Fabienne called after Sephiroth, but he was already gone.
*-*-*
It was already dawning and the streetlamps slowly began to light up.
Sephiroth walked, slowly, along the streets. Still completely absorbed in his thoughts, he paid no attention to what was happening around him. He walked towards a very busy street and crossed it without paying attention. Some cars screeched to a halt, which almost failed a few times.
Then, however, a big truck approached and almost ran over Sephiroth if Damien hadn't saved him in time. Damien quickly grabbed Sephiroth and took him to safety on the sidewalk. He stood Sephiroth in front of him, grabbed him firmly by the shoulders and shook him gently. He didn't care whether the boy liked to be touched or not.
Sephiroth! Do you want to kill yourself or what? What's wrong with you?, Damien asked Sephiroth very angrily, who then just looked at him questioningly.
Sephiroth? Hey, kid, what's wrong with you? Something bothering you? Can I help you? Damien wanted to know and slowly calmed down again.
Slowly Sephiroth also returned from his thoughts to reality, looked at Damien and also saw that Damien had grabbed him by the shoulders. With icy eyes he looked at Damien and whispered threateningly:
“Let go of me immediately, or you will regret it bitterly, I swear it to you!”
Quickly, and because Damien knew full well that it was better not to mess with Sephiroth, he let him go.
“All right, all right, calm down. I saved your life, don't you think you could at least say thank you for that?”
No, that's not what I mean! Bye!“ With these words, Sephiroth turned his back on Damien and was about to leave without saying a word or even thanking him.
“Wait a minute... where do you think you're going, kid? You can't just walk off when I'm talking to you!” Damien called after Sephiroth and stood in his way.
“Let me pass immediately,“ Sephiroth spoke with a normal voice, but it sounded completely expressionless.
“No, Sephiroth, I'm not going to let you pass now. Please, I want to talk to you and, well, I have to tell you something important,” Damien replied, looking Sephiroth directly in the eye.
But he couldn't withstand his cold gaze for long and looked away slightly.
Sephiroth continued to look at Damien with his cold, unblinking gaze, looking down on him.
'I don't want to talk to you. Now let me pass or I'll do you in?'
Sephiroth, please, just let me finish,? Damien pleaded, and there was longing in his eyes,?longing for?.
I don't want to hear your words, and I don't care what you have to say to me. Besides, you don't have anything to say to me,? Sephiroth said again, with the friendliness of a fully grown cobra.
Oh yes, you will have to listen to my words now. Because? I've fallen in love with you, Sephiroth., Damien confessed quietly.
What? I don't believe my ears! You've got a crush on me?! You can't be serious! And now pay attention: I don't love you, got it!? I'll never love you? I hate you and now leave me alone!, Sephiroth raged and was now a bit shocked.
Then he ran as fast as he could, past Damien, along the streets, home?
*-*-*
Damien stood there, watched Sephiroth for a while and couldn't help but smile broadly, because he had already expected this reaction. From now on, his hunt for Sephiroth began, and for their shared love, which Sephiroth unfortunately still rejected. No wonder, he was only sixteen years old.
He probably didn't even know what love was? the only love he probably knew was the love he received from his parents and felt for them. Well, Damien would show him?what it meant to love someone or to be in love. At least Sephiroth knew now, that should be enough for now.
Sephiroth arrived at his parents' estate in a state of utter exhaustion, entered the house and ran up to his room. The door slammed shut and Sephiroth collapsed on his bed.
“Damn it!” Sephiroth swore, fighting back tears.
What does Damien think? He can't love me when I hate him so much. Besides, isn't it impossible for a man to love another man? Sephiroth spoke loudly towards the ceiling.
His father Randir overheard his little soliloquy and entered the room. He slowly walked to his son's bed and sat down next to him. Gently, he placed his hand on his son's hand.
“My son, please listen to me now. I heard your little 'talk' just now and I want to tell you something: it's perfectly okay for a man to love another man or to fall in love with another man,” Randir explained to his son very matter-of-factly.
But that can't be. What? Because I don't love him, I even hate him, Sephiroth replied.
Then you should tell him so that he doesn't have any false hopes, do you understand?
Yes, but I told him and he just smiled. I don't think he takes me seriously.
Then I'll stand by you if you want me to.”
“Oh, Dad...,” Sephiroth began to cry, stood up and embraced his father.
He snuggled up against his shoulder and cried his heart out while Randir stroked his son's back.
Shhh? It's all right, Sephi. I'm here. Is it really that bad? Or is there more to it than you want to admit? Hm?”, Randir tried to calm his son down a little, but couldn't resist provoking him a little.
Sephiroth let go of his father and moved away from him a little, then replied indignantly:
“Dad, what do you think of me?” ‘I'm sorry, Sephiroth. I shouldn't have asked you such a question.’ ”It's nothing, and it's not a big deal. I don't have to admit anything because there's just nothing there.”
I understand, but should you need help or advice, you know you can always count on us., with these words Randir stood up, stroked his son's head once more and then left the room.
Sephiroth got up immediately and locked the door. Then he lay down on his bed again and cried. He didn't even know why he was crying, it just happened. But still, he had his thoughts:
Tze? Me loving someone and then also Damien? Of all people? My arch-enemy. Never! The moon will fall before I would throw myself at the feet of this? this wannabe hero. Maybe I should? But no?
He quickly pushed these thoughts away again. He would simply behave as he always did, that was that. And he didn't have to think about Damien, even if he would inevitably meet him at school, which he couldn't prevent. He could just ignore him then. But what should he do if? yes, if Damien didn't leave him alone and continued to get on his nerves? Why did he actually call him by name? He was just a brainless idiot, after all.
*-*-*
The next morning, when Genesis, Angeal and Zack wanted to pick up their friend Sephiroth from home, Sephiroth had really overslept for the first time in his life.
Randir and Fabienne were at work and so far everything had always worked out very well, but today he had either not heard the alarm clock or he hadn't wanted to hear it.
Zack rang the doorbell – once, twice, three times – and finally Sephiroth went downstairs, to the front door, and opened it. Half-naked, wearing only a pair of boxer shorts, he stood before his friends, who looked at him a bit strangely, because his friends had never seen him half-naked like this.
“What's so important that you had to ring my bell?“ Sephiroth asked still very sleepy.
“Yes, we wish you a good morning, sleepyhead. Hello?! It's school day, Seph!” Genesis replied.
Um... Yeah, come on in. I'll be ready in a minute. Then he went to the kitchen, made himself a coffee, sat down at the table and enjoyed the sumptuous breakfast that his mother had prepared for him, as she always did.
After Sephiroth had finished his coffee and finally finished breakfast, he finally got moving, went to the bathroom and showered thoroughly. Then he dressed, styled his hair and went back downstairs to go to school with his friends.
Man, I really don't feel like doing all that stuff today. Especially when I think about that??, Sephiroth didn't continue, but swallowed the rest of the sentence.
Genesis, however, wanted to hear the rest and asked his friend: 'When you think about 'that something'?
'Oh, nothing, just forget it, okay,' Sephiroth replied annoyed and kept quiet.
The four boys had almost arrived at school when Zack asked him, “It doesn't have anything to do with Damien, does it?
WHAT?!! NO! Leave me alone with this shit, man! Sephiroth got upset, ran away and just left his friends standing there.
The three friends just grinned and nodded at each other. Then Angeal spoke:
I think we should follow him. This definitely has something to do with Damien. If there's nothing more going on there than hate, then I don't know what else could be going on with him. Because, to be honest, I don't quite buy his version about him hating Damien. Have you ever seen how he holds his head? He used to hold his head proudly, but now? He looks troubled and if you ask me, our friend is lovesick.
Right, I noticed that too., Zack replied. Why else wouldn't he want us to go after Damien together?
Yes, now I understand why he didn't want to talk to me about Damien on the phone and instead hung up,' Genesis replied.
Come on, we should follow Seph. He might do something stupid,' Zack suggested, and the others just nodded, skipping school for once.
Sephiroth was now more important to his friends.
But Damien also had his concerns about where the clique, led by Sephiroth, was today. Had something happened to them? Damien couldn't help it, he left the school grounds and made his way to the Lymands' estate.
Sephiroth had run home, entered the house at lightning speed, dashed up to his room and locked himself in.
No one – and he meant no one – was to disturb him now.
He sat down on the sofa and let his upper body fall forward. Leaning on his thighs with his forearms, he hung his head and sighed.
Why couldn't they leave him alone? Damn it, he didn't love anyone but his parents and himself. Why didn't anyone understand that?
While Sephiroth was lost in thought, the doorbell began to ring. Again and again?there was no end to it. Sephiroth got up because the constant ringing was getting on his nerves. He looked out the window secretly and without anyone noticing and saw Zack, Angeal, Genesis and? Damien!
What? Had his friends joined forces with Damien against him? If not, why were they all standing in front of his house?
Sephiroth was very annoyed. But he didn't even think about moving out of his room, let alone out of the house.
Unfortunately, this state of affairs would not last very long, because his parents would be home soon. Then he really should come up with an idea. But luckily he had locked his room and he had parents who would certainly not hand him over to the others?
Damien had met up with Zack, Genesis and Angeal after he had left the school grounds. At first, the three friends had only teased Damien. But when Damien confronted them and revealed to them that he loved Sephiroth, they listened to him, albeit somewhat skeptically.
Because the three of them had also been very worried about their best friend. Together they had all gone to the Lymands' estate.
When no one showed up after repeated ringing, everyone's concern grew even more. So they all sat down together on the cool stones and waited. If Sephiroth wasn't at home, he would have to pass here sometime. And if he was at home, then his parents would surely show up here soon. If they explained it to them, they would surely be allowed to see Sephiroth.
*-*-*
However, the four were in for a very different experience than they had anticipated. Because the first person to arrive was Fabienne, coming home from work. When she saw the four teenagers sitting in front of the house, she first asked what they were all doing there. Of course she knew her son's friends, but she wasn't in the mood for a chat right now.
Genesis replied, “We apologize, but we believe that something is wrong with Sephiroth. We are really worried about him.”
“I believe that my son is all right, and I also think that you should leave now. Especially you, young man. With these words she turned to Damien.
She unlocked the front door and was about to go inside when Zack stood up and politely asked her.
“Mrs. Lymand, may I at least talk to Sephiroth? Please, I'm really very worried about him and he wasn't at school today either. We weren't at school because of him either, because he ran away. Please, let me talk to him.”
Fabienne nodded and let Zack in with an inviting hand gesture.
Zack immediately ran up the stairs to Sephiroth's room and knocked.
“Leave me alone!“ Sephiroth shouted from inside his room.
“Seph, please, I want to talk to you. Please, let me into your room,” Zack begged.
NO! I said, get lost! You're all traitors? Have you joined forces with this idiot?, Sephiroth got worked up.
Zack was about to say something when Fabienne interfered:
Zack, if my son doesn't want to talk to you, then he doesn't have to do it.
Yes, but I... Zack wanted to say something when Fabienne, with a little persuasion, removed him from her son's room.
Sephiroth rubbed his hands together and laughed softly and meanly when he heard his mother drag Zack away from his door and how Zack tried to defend himself.
But not for long, and Sephiroth opened the door and said to his mother:
“Mum, please let him go, I'd like to talk to him after all – one last time.”
Fabienne let go of Zack, who then immediately ran into Sephiroth's room. Sephiroth closed the door, stood in front of Zack and then said:
“What do you want, Zack?”
Seph, please, I'd like to talk to you, actually, the others wanted to talk to you, too, but you don't let anyone get close to you. We met Damien on the way and he told us that he's in love with you. And his words were honest, please, believe me. ' replied Zack calmly and collectedly.
Yeah, great, that's exactly what I don't want. That fag rat can find someone else, but not me. Man, I'm not gay. What do you take me for? Sephiroth continued to get worked up.
“Can I tell you my honest opinion?”, Zack asked.
'Just one wrong word and you're out,' Sephiroth threatened.
'To be honest, you feel a lot more for Damien than you're willing to admit. You can't or won't admit it. You're the leader of the clique and the biggest one and you don't want to show any feelings, do you? But even if you had fallen in love with Damien and were going out with him, do you really think that we would abandon you because of that? Man Seph, none of us would abandon you. Each of us would continue to stand by you.,” Zack explained calmly and asked his friend, ”What are you actually afraid of, Seph?”
Sephiroth took a few steps backward and then sat down on his bed. Thoughtfully and sadly at the same time, he let his upper body fall forward...
No, damn it! I don't want that. And I'm not afraid either...
Sephiroth got up again and paced around his room, like a caged tiger. Finally, he leaned against a wall and hung his head with a sigh. He no longer knew what to think.
While Zack and Sephiroth were talking, Randir had also come home and saw the 'gang' sitting in front of the house. He was also told the situation and, against his wife's will, let the boys into the house.
He wanted them all to get along, after all. He then led the boys to his son's room, knocked, and let them all into the room. He locked the door from the outside and left.
Sephiroth saw them all standing in his room and initially remained standing against the wall. Like a shy deer, he first looked at his friends, then at “Damien”.
Without Sephiroth noticing, Zack, Angeal and Genesis gave a sign, then the three disappeared from the room.
Zack quietly closed the door and the three friends ran down the stairs. Randir caught up with them and asked,
“How about something to drink?”
“Very much so,” the friends replied, as one.
Randir offered them all a seat and served them.
Meanwhile, very different things were happening in Sephiroth's room?
Damien stood in the middle of the room while Sephiroth did not move a millimeter.
Finally, Sephiroth broke his silence and spoke, almost threateningly:
“Get out of my room, Damien?”
No, I'm not going to budge from this spot. You already know why. I've fallen in love with you, Sephiroth. Why can't you just let it be?, Damien replied.
Damn it, haven't you ever considered that I might not be like you! That I might not be gay! The mere thought of getting into bed with a guy disgusts me!“ Sephiroth now shouted at Damien.
“All right, all right, I'm going. That was clear.” “Take care, Sephiroth. Maybe I'll see you at school.” Then Damien went to the door, opened it and stepped out into the hallway.
He was just about to close the door when he heard something completely different from inside?
Sephiroth had only looked after Damien for the time being, then he lay down on his bed and began to shed bitter tears. He couldn't have known, let alone suspected, that Damien was still aware of what was happening.
Carefully, Damien opened the door again (thankfully, the doors here didn't squeak or possibly creak) and looked into the room again. Then he saw Sephiroth lying on his bed, crying. Very slowly, Damien approached Sephiroth's bed, sat down on the bed next to Sephiroth and stroked his back?
When Sephiroth realized that someone was stroking his back, he turned around a little startled. Then he sat up quickly and looked at Damien.
“What are you doing?“, Sephiroth asked with tears in his eyes.
“Sephiroth, why are you crying now?” Damien asked lovingly.
I'm not crying. Leave me alone and go away,' Sephiroth whispered.
'No, I'm not going anywhere, no matter what you do. We're going to talk this through sensibly,' Damien insisted.
'Well then, you talk, but you won't get a word out of me,' Sephiroth said, becoming very stubborn.
“Fine, then I'll talk, or even better, we'll both keep quiet. What do you think of that?” Damien replied and then continued speaking, since Sephiroth was saying absolutely nothing.
“So you weren't crying. Good, I didn't expect you to. Hmm? The only question is, where did the tears in your eyes come from then? Don't you think that's a little strange, too? I mean it couldn't have been a dust particle, since there's no breeze at all. Sephiroth, talk to me now, or should I tell you even more nonsense? Hm? Damien spoke and looked at Sephiroth grinning.
Sephiroth, however, turned away from Damien; he saw no reason to talk to him.
Okay, Sephiroth, so you don't want to talk to me. Fine, then we'll just sit here until you do, even if it takes all night. I have plenty of time and even more patience. Do you mind if I make myself comfortable in the meantime? Damien provoked Sephiroth, and made himself comfortable on Sephiroth's bed.
Of course, Sephiroth was annoyed by so much audacity. But he didn't want to talk to Damien, so he didn't respond to the provocation. Even though he would have liked to have given Damien a good smack in the mouth?
*-*-*