(Untitled)

[pure_lineage]

Characters: de-faulty-hero, notaflowergirl and Pure-lineage
Location: Sephiroth and Cloud's apartment
Rating: G + AwkwardRoth
Time: 11th of December, lunchtime.
Description: Marlene wants to meet Cloud's friend, so he brings her home to meet him.

Comments

[pure_lineage]

The look the child had given him had Sephiroth falling silent. A small frown marred his features similar to the one on the child's as he considered the situation. What did height have to do with anything? He had never been plagued with such useless thoughts in his youth, and could not understand why such a thing seemed important to this child.

He didn't go with them as Cloud took her inside, and instead remained out on the balcony as he considered their situation. This was something he was doing for Cloud, he knew, but he couldn't help but feel the pang of exposure at being seen as he was by another from his world. He'd even gone to great lengths to hide it from his remnants, but to have one such as that child see him was a great risk as well. He had gone to great lengths to hide his true self from those of his world and had only opened himself up to Cloud. How would this meeting change that path? Sephiroth was uncertain, but he also hadn't regretted this decision either as he had seen how Cloud was reacting around her.

Cloud... needed this... and he would momentarily sacrifice his privacy so then his Meister could have something positive to hold onto from their world.

Sephiroth's attention shifted back to the apartment as he heard Cloud's return to the living room. Cat-like eyes regarded the blonde before flicking back to see if the child was in tow. When it appeared that the child was preoccupied with Cloud's cat, Sephiroth finally stepped back into the apartment. The balcony door remained open, however, as he silently made his way over to the kitchen.

Skip Marlene as you talk~

[notaflowergirl]

"Mmkay," she answered distractedly, her lap filled with the heavy, fluffy mass of purring. Scratching Jenova behind the ears, she couldn't help but laugh at how demanding she was, how affectionate. After everything that happened at home, there really wasn't enough to take care of pets, if any wandered into the dying city.

Not dying anymore. Reviving.

While she was sure that Cloud wasn't trusted in the kitchen, maybe Sephiroth had more luck.

[de_faulty_hero]

Cloud made his way to the kitchen silently, stopping to peer into the fridge before deciding that he wouldn't burn something on the stove. He was learning after all, forced to fend for himself all over again. He was certain that even his mother would be proud that it only took him twenty-one years to figure out how to cook.

He pulled out the ingredients from the fridge and set them on the counter, pausing to regard the silver-haired man who had entered the kitchen. He began to cut some cheese and gestured at the bread and cheese he had laid out. "Do you want one?"

He cast a knowing look to his Weapon. "You took that better than I thought I would. How's the scenery way up there in tall-land?"

[pure_lineage]

He entered the kitchen just as Cloud began withdrawing all of the ingredients from the fridge. Watching while the cheese was being cut, the ex-General was quiet in thought. It all seemed so normal, and almost natural, that he was left with an air of uncertainty. He didn't know what to think, and it was only Cloud's question that pulled him from it.

"No," Sephiroth softly said in return before he felt the knowing glance sent his way. He held his gaze steadily with Cloud's despite the words spoken. There was a large part of him that was still far too uncertain about this entire situation, but he kept it held in check so as not to make anything worse for the blonde.

Still, he didn't say anything about Cloud's statement as he subtly glanced away and murmured to the question, "I don't understand why height plays such an important role." While he could make assumptions, Sephiroth was more confused as to why the child seemed so fixated on something so trivial.

[de_faulty_hero]

If it was one thing that his mother had beat into his thick skull, it was that young children should eat with someone else. The other person didn't have to eat with them, just had to be there to provide conversation and support. She might have even muttered something stupid about proper development, but he had been too busy trying to run outside to notice.

He laid out some bread before nodding his head to the silver-haired man's refusal. He began to make grilled cheese sandwiches, planning on eating the burnt one himself if things went that way. Of course, he refused to suffer alone. "Alright, you can share mine then. I'll only eat half anyway."

Snorting softly at Sephiroth's words, Cloud turned and leaned against the stove edge as it began to heat up. "She's a child, and they think in simple terms," he replied softly. "You and I were like that too when we were that age. You probably don't even remember it."

[pure_lineage]

The offer to share half of Cloud's had him frowning lightly. While he may not have supported the decision, he didn't deny it either. Cloud had gotten into the habit of trying to force him to eat more often. It had been a gradual process, but one he had taken notice of. He remained silent on it though, and instead just offered Cloud a subtly dissatisfied frown in return.

"Aa, I see," Sephiroth softly muttered. He didn't remember ever asking such questions around the scientists, especially not at that child's age. The topic of childhoods was a topic they hadn't broached on. He knew well that his childhood was far from normal. From all that he could remember, it hadn't been his place to question anything. He simply had to follow the orders and instructions of Professor Gast and Hojo. The thought of the scientists caused a small flare of rage to spark within, but he pushed it aside as he murmured instead, "Then I am uncertain how to answer her question."

[de_faulty_hero]

The frown was expected, but he also noticed that Sephiroth didn't put up a verbal fight either. That was as good as acceptance for him, since he knew that his Weapon would eat if he put up enough of a fuss about it. "Don't pout at me," he said, aware that the expression hadn't been a pout.

Glancing at Sephiroth, he noted the silver-haired man's silence on the subject and went silent himself. He didn't know anything about Sephiroth's childhood, but he could guess based on how well Hojo treated favoured specimens. He doubted it was a topic for them to discuss now and perhaps not ever, so he left it where it lay.

"Just... humour her," he murmured softly. "She's taken with Jenova, so the two can entertain each other."

[pure_lineage]

The mention not to pout caught his attention. Glancing at Cloud in surprise, he turned his attention away as he half-pouted and muttered, "I was far from pouting."

Just humour her? That felt easier said than done from his position. He barely knew how to 'just humour' Cloud let along a child, and it left him feeling more than a little ill-equipped for the situation. The mention of the cat taking her attention was noted, and he wondered if that would always be a simple solution to unfavourable situations.

"They are always that easily distracted?" It shouldn't have come as a surprise. He'd seen SOLDIERs with less of an attention span than that.

[de_faulty_hero]

"True, but you're pouting now," he replied, flashing Sephiroth a devious look before he turned away to check on the sandwiches. He flipped it, pleased to see that it hadn't started to burn just yet. That meant that he was doing it right.

"Seems like it. Kids have short attention spans for the most part. I'm going to get her some paper and crayons so she can draw too," he murmured, trying to think of other things they would need. "And I have to find out about school."

[pure_lineage]

The devious look was returned with a narrowed glare. He didn't pout, and even if he did, Sephiroth couldn't see why it was important one way or another. It was merely a facial expression, that was all. He gave many of them throughout the day and saw it as nothing special.

"You seem to be taking the role well," Sephiroth noted, but said nothing in regards to Cloud's thoughtful murmuring. He could see the shades of what the blonde would become, the Cloud that he had witnessed, but the situation here was far different than the one back on that foolish planet.

[de_faulty_hero]

He shrugged his shoulders at the generalize comment about taking on his new role well. He was trying because Marlene was so important to Barret, and Barret was a good friend. If their roles were reversed, he knew Barret would do the same for him, swearing all the way but still doing it. Besides, Marlene was easy to get along with now that she wasn't scared of him.

"I don't think I could do it properly if I had still been in the Watch, honestly," he murmured, pushing the cooking sandwiches around the pan. "This parental business is a lot of work. I mean... kids eat three to five meals in a day. Who invented that?" He'd never cooked so much in his life!

[pure_lineage]

The mention of the Watch had him regarding the blonde thoughtfully. He knew that the decision made had been for the right reasons, and when the resignation had been mentioned to him, Sephiroth had listened to the reasons and followed Cloud's decision. He hadn't wanted to be a part of it since the foolish organisation's beginning, but had only tolerated it to protect his Meister.

Gaze sliding down to regard the press of the sandwiches, his attention remained fixated on the simple meal as he asked, "You did not experience something similar as a child?" While he may have been rifling through Cloud's mind during the age of Meteor, Sephiroth hadn't taken notice on the events irrelevant to him, such as the more positive aspects of Cloud's life.

[de_faulty_hero]

He flipped the sandwiches again, making certain that the cheese was melted inside and both sides of the bread were evenly golden. Okay, the corners might have been a little blackened, but it was a good first attempt considering he was still teaching himself to be functional in the kitchen. He doubted that there would be a complaint unless they suddenly caught on fire.

He sighed at the question and shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe, but being six was a long time ago for me," he replied and shook his head. "I was probably still clinging to my mum's skirts at that point or getting beat up. I don't really remember how much I ate."

[pure_lineage]

The talk of Cloud's youth kept him quiet in thought. What did he remember from that age? His cat-like pupils thinned and almost disappeared behind the flash of mako as a memory fluttered back up to the surface. It was one he instantly pushed away, but even as he did that, he couldn't stop the flash of bitter betrayal and anger that awoke because of it.

Glancing away from Cloud, he took a second to compose himself before returning it to the blonde. "You will need to learn how to prepare more than just cheese with bread if you're going to continue to take care of her."

[de_faulty_hero]

Cloud was surprised by the sudden surge of emotion from his quiet Weapon, and he turned to stare at the silver-haired man for a moment. It had only been a flash, but it had been enough to alert him that not all was well. "What, what is it? What's wrong?"

He glanced at the sandwich before snorting softly. "I'm learning, but this is an easy lunch," he replied. He offered a purposefully dramatic sigh. "Since I have to learn, I guess I'll be trying all those new recipes on you first."

[pure_lineage]

He had hoped that Cloud hadn't felt what he had, or at least wouldn't have made any mention of it. Sephiroth had assumed wrong, however. His gaze didn't return to his Meister even as he murmured, "I was attempting to remember my intake situation when I was that age." While he didn't add the fact that he'd found something else, it was undoubtedly implied by his silence and inability to look at Cloud.

It took him a long moment to try and get himself through those feelings. Locking them away was never an easy thing when it came to such a betrayal, but he attempted to do just that. At least Cloud was providing a good distraction.

"You'll be testing them out on me...?" A slender brow rose up with his question.