Title: Happily Ever After
Chapter: Woefully Dark
Author: Raserei Hojo
Summary: FF Crossover. When you die, you're not really gone. In two separate worlds, two young men with different goals died. In the darkness, they meet. But, within a short amount of time, will their souls be erased from time as the law states?
Rating: T
Feedback: Very much so desired!
Story Warnings: Male/Male, shounen-ai
Pairings: Kuja/Sephiroth
Disclaimer: Any recognizable characters of Final Fantasy VII or Final Fantasy IX belong to Squaresoft. Any that are NOT recognizable belong to me. However, feel free to use them in any story you wish.

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Bitter darkness managed to weave its way into everything; into his body, making him stiff; into his lungs, making him struggle to breathe. It was an utterly unpleasant feeling. If this was hell, it was unusually quiet and empty. The silver haired youth wondered why.

"Am I dead? Is this my punishment for trying to live?" He lay there, or perhaps he was floating. Whatever was underneath his stretched out body seemed solid enough. He rested the back of his palm against his forehead and sighed. "Is this truly my fate? To be alone for eternity?"

Staring at the never ending darkness made his stomach churn. Needlessly, he closed his eyes and huffed a heavy breath of air. "I miss the color of things," he stated blandly. "I also feel very self-conscious, talking to myself to stay entertained. If this isn't death, I'll simply go insane until I am dead."

He frowned, discontented that his voice didn't echo. "Why are you doing this to me?" he shouted into the nothingness. He sat up, propped on his elbows. "I know there has to be someone there. If you don't answer me, I'll..."

"Shut up."

The young man obeyed, though not strictly out of obedience, out of surprise and fear. The silence didn't last for very long though. He stood and brushed off the clothing he couldn't see. "So, I was right."

"You've been here for what couldn't be more than two weeks, and you've rambled to yourself until even I've become senseless. Stop it."

"Who are you?"

"I don't need to answer to you. I don't need to answer to anyone anymore."

Stretching out his arms in a vain attempt to find the male speaker, the young man shuffled forward, trying to continue the conversation. "Can't you at least tell me where we are?"

"No."

He sighed, retracting his arms, standing still. "Is that because you don't want to tell me? Or...is it because you simply don't hold that knowledge yourself?"

"Just shut up, will you. Your voice is giving me a headache."

"No. I want to know your name. Here, I'll help you even, my name is Kuja. I'm from Terra." When he didn't receive an answer, he continued. "I was created by a man named Garland and sent to cause chaos and continental wars on Gaia. But...I was just a prototype, you could say. I wasn't meant to outlive another creature Garland created after me. I have...no, had, a time limit on my life. Long story short, I tried to do the only fair thing and kill everyone else so I wouldn't have to die alone."

"You're just talking to yourself again, you do realize that."

Kuja clenched his hands into fists. "Don't you have any respect? Dignity? Anything relating to human emotions?"

"Why contradict yourself?"

"I am not contradicting myself!" shouted Kuja.

"Yes you are. You said you were created by another man. This makes you non-human. And this, being non-human, you can't possibly have human emotions now, can you?"

Kuja's arms limply dropped to his side. He had never really thought about it like that before. He glared into the darkness, anger rising within him. "Who are you?" he demanded again.

"We're the only ones here, you know."

"That wasn't what I asked you," Kuja sourly replied. "I asked you who you were. I don't want other facts right now, I want your name!"

"And why should I give you my name? What deems you worthy to be the keeper of my name? I most certainly don't believe you worthy to know my name."

"And what is it that gives you the right to be so cocky with me! All I'm asking of you is your name, nothing else. Is that so hard to give me? Or maybe, you don't have a name."

The other man didn't reply for a while, leaving Kuja to stand there feeling very vulnerable. "My name is Sephiroth."

"Thank you." Kuja slowly sat back down. "Why wouldn't you tell me before?"

"Why don't you just shut up already?"

"I hate it when my questions are answered with questions. You're doing this on purpose."

"Of course I am. Eventually, you'll get the idea and you'll shut up like I've asked you to several times."

Standing once again, Kuja huffed and lashed out his arms, focusing on casting a spell. He had tried many times before, but all that he had ever managed to do was create a few sparks of a dying flame. He concentrated hard, feeling the warmth envelop his arm. Releasing the built up energy, Kuja held his breath and waited.

Nothing happened. Nothing until the quiet laughter of Sephiroth shook the silence and grew louder until Kuja shouted for him to stop. With a sigh, the mage buried his face into his hands. "You enjoy this, don't you?"

"Perhaps. Why don't you go to sleep and wait until the morning to be childish?"

Sulking, Kuja silently obeyed the voice. There was nothing else to do, and he was tired of this Sephiroth person constantly mocking him. "There's a morning here?"

"There is morning, day, and night everywhere. You don't have to see it to know it's there."

Kuja closed his eyes, the cold ground stealing any warmth of his face. "Well, good night then. I don't suppose you deserve a good night, but it's good manners to wish your companion a good night."

"Whatever. Enjoy your rest."