Paper Tiger Burning

I respectfully credit all Original Creators, namely Squaresoft, which became SquareEnix,for these characters. In this way, I pay homage to my Fandom's Original Creator, and illustrate my Community's belief that Fan Fiction is "fair use". I do not claim to own these characters. I do not make money or gil from using these protected characters, nor do I wish to make money or gil from them. In other words, I am borrowing these characters to entertain the adult fanfiction community, but I am doing so with the highest degree of respect to the engineers, game designers, music makers, and voice actors.




“I’m glad he’s gone,” the flower girl said, sitting heavily on my couch. “I love Cloud, but he’s so…linear.”

I’d left her with him while checking on Eldon. I still fumed over Eldon’s condition. The man had unsteady nerves to begin with, and Barret’s visit hadn’t helped him in the slightest. I’d made him pom-ne-kah and ordered him to his bed, wondering how he managed to sleep in his ramshackle apartment in the first place. It seemed the walls were made of cardboard and the ceiling of sheet linoleum. Lily was staying at a friend’s house overnight. At least the big gunner had targeted my secretary when the little girl couldn’t witness it.

“I’m really, really tired,” Aerith went on, sighing. “I’d forgotten what a drain Cloud could be. He pulls so heavily off my healing abilities.”

“You haven’t put your shields back up,” I guessed.

“No.” Aerith made a sudden movement and gained her feet. “Could I stay with you, Sephiroth?”

“Yes.” I hadn’t slept anywhere near her these last four days and I sorely wanted her beside me. “Go pick out a shirt to sleep in and I’ll join you.”

“Thanks.” She paused on her way to the bedroom, turning back to me with her head shyly half-averted. “I never feel as safe and rested as when you’re lying beside me.”

I watched her retreat, my eyes upon her slender yet curvaceous form. I doubted she knew what a high compliment she paid me.

********************************************************************************

Early morning found Aerith twisted around and over me like a boneless thing. I squinted against the sunbeam to look at her, feeling a very soft spot in my heart turn to mush. She made me weak but I didn’t care. I’d proven myself hard and capable many times over; I didn’t have to pretend any coldness concerning her.

She certainly slept deeply. I marveled she could rest at all with her limbs askew and bent at odd angles. Her right arm lay wedged underneath mine, her left arm bent and cradled to her body between my chest and her breasts. The slight weight of her left leg covered my hip and thigh. I viewed every inch of her glorious leg from the top of her hip all the way down to her slim ankle and small foot. I felt her breathing across my pectoral muscle, small puffs of air that signified deep sleep.

She enjoyed my protection a great deal.

Well, I enjoyed protecting her. It worked out well.

Hard knocking at my door made me grit my teeth. Could I enjoy no idyllic time with the flower girl at all? I shouldn’t have to deal with anyone on a Saturday.

Aerith made a sleepy noise. I rolled her onto her back gently, looking down into her just opening eyes. “Stay here and keep silent,” I bade her quietly. “I’ll get rid of whoever it is.”

Trustingly, she nodded, her gaze showing only partial awareness.

Uncaring over my state of dress, I left my bedroom and went into the main room. The knocking increased in intensity and volume. A snarl left my lips. I glanced at the clock. Seven in the morning. How rude.

A wave of tell-tale perfume hit me as I put my hand on the knob.

Sheila.

I yanked open the door. “What?” I demanded, revealing my irritation.

Sheila forced her way inside, a strained, painted smile on her lips. “I don’t understand you,” she said loudly. “Here I am offering money, power, sex and influence and you keep throwing it back in my face.”

I shut the door; her voice carried and I didn’t care for anyone to overhear us. “I don’t want money,” I answered, advancing upon her. “I have enough power and influence, more than you do, perhaps.” I gazed down upon her, stone-faced, angry that she would come to my home again and again in pursuit of that which I didn’t care to give her. “You interest me very little, Sheila, in that your dimensions are flat and of a smaller number than I like. And, I simply don’t want to stick my cock in you.”

“Why not?” She screeched. “I’m perfect! I spend lots of money to make sure of that!” She grabbed her breasts for emphasis. “These cost me fifty three thousand gil! I have a health club membership, a personal dietician, and a team of personal groomers to make sure I’m perfect!”

On some twisted level she had a point. Sheila did have the modern ideal of feminine perfection. Her very large and firm breasts tapered to a small, small waist and rounded hips. She hadn’t any jiggle anywhere but the places they were attractive in, and her grooming was of the highest attention. She tended to herself faultlessly and I did appreciate that.

But Sheila possessed nothing akin to grace. She had no scent except for a purchased one, no emotions in her eyes but petulance and greed. She wouldn’t ever cry or laugh naturally because of me, and I wanted that in a woman, wanted to know I meant something. Sheila felt nothing for others, not even hatred, because hatred would mean investing herself in another person.

Even I could feel hatred.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” She shouted, thumping me on the chest with her hand. “I’m not some sort of military problem to ponder over with your morning coffee! I’m Sheila Shinra!”

“You’re an annoying insect buzzing around my head, at this very moment,’ I countered. “You wake me from a decent sleep on my day off to barge into my apartment and extol your own virtues while ignoring my wishes for your absence. I don’t want you in my life, Sheila, and I never will.”

“I know you have another woman,” Sheila said, ignoring me. “I can just sense it, Sephiroth. Your eyes betray you.”

“What if I do? It isn’t your business.” I walked past her, back to the door, intending to show her out. “What I do on my own time is never your business, or your brother’s.”

“You think you’re such a god,” Sheila spat.

A sharp pain lanced my neck. I reached up to claw out a black, neoprene-fletched dart. Almost instantly I felt my system stagger with the unknown toxin, violently rebel against it from the cellular level. My vision swam for a moment. I knew better than to turn my back on a snake and now I would pay for it, apparently.

“Well, gods fall,” Sheila went on. “I’m going to have you at least once. You’re the one I want and I won’t take no for an answer.” She sauntered toward me, tucking a little dart gun into her purse. A self-satisfied smile split her face. “Hojo told me weeks ago that drug works fast. Don’t fight it.”

My muscles had never, ever failed to work the way I wanted. Now they only jerkily obeyed me. I lurched toward Sheila, wanting nothing more than to strangle the life out of her. False euphoria gripped me, pressed the murderous intent back with peculiar lassitude. Wave after wave of conflicting highs and lows struck me in seconds, sapping my strength. I felt my cock hardening despite lack of stimulus, pushing against my light cotton pants.

“That’s what I wanted to see,” Sheila purred, stepping up to grab me roughly. “Holy Shiva, Sephiroth, you’re enormous. I can’t wait to climb on top of this.”

I tried to shove her away but my arms refused to cooperate. Only with maximum effort could I remain upright. I couldn’t focus, couldn’t think, couldn’t even panic. My stomach churned as the drug fully took control. Dry mouthed, my tongue feeling like a swollen lump of lead, I lost my balance and fell to the floor.

“Don’t worry, it won’t hurt,” Sheila assured. She grinned down at me, triumph in her eyes. “I’ll get what I want but I won’t harm the goods. Why would I do that?” She knelt over me, running her hands down my chest. “That crazy Hojo warned me not to madden you. Stupid man; he seemed to think you’d be dangerous even with the special roofie. Anyone can see you’re as meek as a kitten like this.”

“He is, but I’m not.”

A meaty sound of flesh on flesh resounded in the room. Sheila slumped over me, motionless. Her weight suddenly rolled off. I looked up into the worried green eyes of the flower girl. “Oh Sephiroth,” she said, touching my forehead. “Are you ok?”

I tried to speak and found I couldn’t.

Aerith’s cool touch coasted over my face and down to my neck. “I can straighten you out temporarily,” she said. “Close your eyes and relax.”

A pulse of potent healing rippled through me. I felt my heartbeat accelerate to a normal rhythm, my respiration lengthen and strengthen. Power returned to my body, and with it the control over my muscles. My priapic erection relaxed, the frustrated soreness draining away. Clear-headed, I opened my eyes and sat up to Aerith’s welcoming smile.

“Women really do throw themselves at you,” she teased.

I blinked against a strong sunbeam, her words amusing me past my anger at Sheila. “I didn’t catch her,” I defended thickly, my tongue still feeling slightly uncooperative. Looking to my side, I saw Sheila’s still form. “Have you killed her?”

“I don’t think so,” Aerith answered. She put her fingers against the woman’s neck. “No, she lives.” She paused a mere heartbeat. “Sorry.”

I wanted to finish the job. How dare she attempt to rape me? Reaching out, I grabbed her hair and prepared to break her neck.

“Think about that a minute,” Aerith interrupted me. “You have a lot of leverage with Sheila’s life now.” She made no move to stop me, spoke to me in a calming and even tone. “Her brother wouldn’t want her assault on you to go public. Besides, to kill her outright means leaving your new life behind. Those cameras outside have recorded her entrance, too. I suggest calling Tseng.”

I let go of Sheila and got to my feet. Aerith’s idea had merit. I couldn’t kill Sheila right now, not so openly. By calling in the Turks I could implicate Sheila, Rufus and Hojo in one fell swoop.

But oh how I wanted to just snap her skinny neck.

I picked up my cell and dialed Tseng.