Setting: The fabled Obelisk, haven for all creatures Jenova... that being simply the two characters here gathered, Sephiroth and Tiphareth

Tiph Nightshade: ::She appeared, looking a mess for lack of a better word. Disheveled and having gone sleepless for much too long, her eyes were deathly dim, bloodshot, and her cheeks gaunt, sunken. An open wound oozed shining blue blood from her back, and her small delicate hands were cut deeply on each palm, and a parallel cut opposite that, down to the bones of her slender fingers. Through the dried mass of blood, the stark black "2" tattoo was clearly visible. The chestnut brown tresses were tangled and in disarray, her demeanor was desperately dire. She sat unceremoniously down on the cold stone floor in the center of her Obelisk and held her head in bloodied hands, sobbing softly to herself::

Sephiroth Enigma: ::He materialized slowly from seemingly nothing, his perfectly muscled form coming into view behind her, gentle glowing eyes fixed on the defeated figure, and they softened as he saw all she was thinking, and felt the full extent of what was troubling her. He sighed audibly and stole up on her in silence, resting a caring hand tenderly on her shoulder, and the other to smooth her matted hair::

Tiph Nightshade: ::She started slightly as he touched her, eyes drizzling a never ending trail of tears. She pulled her hands away from her face and turned around slowly, looking up at him through a gaze marred by a combination of abject misery and the stubborn, unending secretions of her Mako eyes. She choked out softly, her voice faint and pained:: I don't even think he knows what he does to me

Sephiroth Enigma: ::He winced inwardly and pulled her gently into his arms, at a loss as to what he could possibly say to comfort her, if anything, finally deciding that actions might be the only means to soothe her many strifes. Noticing her wounds now, he began an ancient incantation, in their shared alien tongue, and passed his hand over the wound on her back, slowly erasing it, and resealing her suit as well. He then took each of her hands into his, in turn, and seamlessly healed those wounds as well. Dropping her hand, he moved to hold her once more, resting his cheek against the side of her head, swallowing down a lump in his throat, knowing physical wounds were so simple when compared to what anguished his beloved partner at the present::

Tiph Nightshade: ::She nestled her head beneath his chin and cried into his chest, her tears spilling down over his exposed collar bones. They were tears wrought from a mixture of emotions, part of it being the fact that she was frustrated, infuriated at the annoying, taunting little voice in her head that sneered, rubbing her nose in the fact that she had to seek comfort from someone other than her husband.. seemingly he was beyond the point of being able to give it to her. Do what she might, she could not escape that painful knowledge. Worse than all that, she had found that she could no longer comfort him, and that realization had been all too painfully recent, the wound still raw and fresh on her heart. She began to wonder now where things were going, and if she could ever regain what she had lost, and at the state of her marriage. She couldn't help him, he couldn't help her... so what could possibly be left?::

Sephiroth Enigma: ::He sat carefully down, tugging her gently down with him into his lap, cradling her in his strong arms, as if she was a lost and frightened child. He rocked her, humming some meaningless alien syllables into her ear, not merely wanting, but needing to ease her pain and soothe away what ailed her. They were so connected, when she felt bad, he felt worse, though he hid it expertly. One arm was looped under and around the crook of her knees, the other around her back, his hand resting lightly on top of hers. He had shed the gloves and the tattoo stood boldly out on the pale skin of the back of his right hand. He whispered to her in a deep, sincere and almost mournful tone:: No matter where I send you, you're never safe. I wish there was some way that I could whisk you away and shelter you from it all, so you would never have to hurt again.

Tiph Nightshade: ::She took in a shuddery breath and craned her head back to stare into his face, eyes becoming hateful and cold. Something inside of her had snapped, and, needing someone to blame for all this, since Sephiroth just happened to be there, he was unwillingly elected. Her face contorted into a snarling expression of rage, and she hissed at him in an icy voice:: If you hadn't sent me here none of this would even matter! How can you say you love me, let alone care for me at all when bullshit like this is what you subject me to? ::She was irate and irrational, but didn't realize it or very much care to think about what she was verbally hurling at her innocent and unsuspecting partner:: Everything bad that I've gone through here can be traced back to one person, you. ::With that she wrenched herself roughly from his arms, stood, and stalked out the door::

Sephiroth Enigma: ::His eyes widened slightly, in disbelief, and a shocked expression washed over his usually non-expressive features for the tiniest portion of a fleeting millisecond before the calm indifferent look returned to him. He got to his feet swiftly and followed her outside, speaking in a clear even tone:: You may have forgotten one tiny detail, dearest.. had I kept you there, you would have died, and I do not hesitate to point out that pained is much preferable to death. In death there can be no change, it is permanent and final. ::At that point he caught up to her, and whirled her around by the shoulders, clutching her too him tightly. His voice lowered a tad and he spoke softly to her in a tone that hinted at the prospect of hope:: Pain can always be alleviated.

Tiph Nightshade: ::She shook her head blindly, sputtering:: This doesn't go away, I can never escape it, and it's all your fucking fault. ::She pushed away from him, well, tried to anyway, and finding herself unable, she was content to pound his chest with her small fists, moaning "I hate you" over and over until her breath and strength failed her, petering out after a good hour or so, at which point she leaned weakly against him and sobbed. Having vented her rage, now she emptied all her sorrows out, and wept until she had no more tears to spill, trembling in his arms, never for a moment throughout all of the ordeal did she stop to ponder the reactions he would have.::

Sephiroth Enigma: ::He simply stood and took her "beating", being considerably stronger, she wasn't really hurting him much anyway. Knowing full well that her words weren't sincere and that this was just her way of coping, he stood unmoving, said nothing, and waited until she was done. When she broke down, he smoothed her hair with a gentle hand and then easily hoisted her up into his arms again, walking back inside with soft pale moonlight glinting off the impossible mane of silver silk that ran down his perfectly muscled back, long sable cape rustling with a surreal fluidity with his graceful, measured movements. A hurried spell and an empty hammock appeared suddenly in a corner, hanging from thin air::

Tiph Nightshade: ::By this point she had quieted down and regained sense enough to harbor a good amount of guilt over the pounding she had just given him. Subdued and submissive characterized her manner now, and clinging desperately to him she whimpered her apology:: I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it, any of it. I could never hate you ::At that she raised a delicate hand to his cheek and looked at him in all sincerity and seriousness, her eyes begging his for forgiveness::

Sephiroth Enigma: ::He laid a gentle finger to her lips, to hush her, and nodded wordlessly, having dismissed her "wrongs" almost before they had happened. Lying her carefully down in the hammock, he removed the armored shoulder plates and cast them to the floor, next unbuckling the straps that crossed his chest, releasing the clasp at his waist, and shrugging the jacketed cape slowly off his square shoulders. He tucked it around her, whispering to her hair as he kissed the top of her head:: Sleep... ::Then stepping back, looking down at her as he folded his arms over his bare chest, muscles rippling, kissed by the cool air::

Tiph Nightshade: Please don't leave me alone..::She pleaded with him, for it seemed as if he was about to depart from her. Even worse than the heartache she had been forced to suffer through, was having to try and endure it alone. She could take just about anything as long as she had some source of strength, loved ones to lean on until she was strong enough to figuratively stand on her own again. Slender fingers laced through the woven fabric of the hammock and clutched at it, those glowing eyes slightly wide, fixed on the figure of her partner; though the details were left a mystery, she knew full well that whatever it might be, the outcome would be at very least, less than pleasant if she was to be abandoned again::

Sephiroth Enigma: I'm not going anywhere until you want me to. ::His tone was rich and equally as reassuring as the words he spoke. He backed to the opposite wall, a few feet away, and slid down slowly, to rest, legs bent, on the balls of his feet, elbows on his knees, chin cupped in large, graceful hands. The glowing emerald eyes possessed with an almost frightening acuity settled on her face::

Tiph Nightshade: ::She was flooded with nothing short of blissful relief, and a sense of security that would never be rivaled in it's wholeness and entirety. A lone tear of gratitude slipped down her cheek before she closed her eyes, the long, lush, luxurious lashes settling to tickle lightly at the delicate skin beneath the glowing depths of azure alien orbs. In time her breathing became regular and deep, and she was finally released to the rest and repose of slumber::

Sephiroth Enigma: ::He stood vigil the entire night, his eyes never leaving her as she slept. His thoughts private once more, as she could not read them unless awake, he worried over Tiphareth's uncertain future, and had he any reason to place a belief in prayer, he would have pleaded for her safety and content. He did not allow himself such foolish indulgences however, and instead, silently swore his resolve to protect her until the madness had completely abated::