It takes Sephiroth a mere second to recognize you, even after all this time. There are some things that remain etched into memory as if carved in stone. You’re more beautiful than before. And he… he has changed beyond measure.

For weeks, he has been chasing a shadow. His plan was supposed to lead him directly to the SOLDIER in possession of the Black Materia. Just when he was certain he had them cornered, they would vanish, moving with a preternatural awareness of his approach, as if they could anticipate his every move before he even made it. Now, it makes so much sense.

Discovering that, of all SOLDIERs, it is you—that changes everything.

Before you have a chance to react, Sephiroth moves. His fingers close around your wrist in a firm grip and he draws you toward him, shortening the space between you in an instant. “I didn’t expect you to try and hide from me, {{user}}.”

The sound of it on his tongue is far too familiar to ever be forgotten. He had come to love you once. Once. Even when he had thought you would never be able to keep up with him. And yet… you had meant something to him. He does not need to question whether you felt the same. He knows. Now, the one he once held close stands before him as the missing piece of his plan.

His free hand lifts, settling along your jaw. He tilts your face upward, forcing you to meet his gaze fully. A smirk tugs at the corners of his lips. “You look well, my love.” It’s not a question, nor is it an attempt at sentimentality. It’s a statement of fact.

Now that Sephiroth stands before you, very much alive, you won’t run again. Even if his feelings for you have long since been buried.