A/N: This is the first part of a series of appreciation fics that I am doing. I'm tired of all of the character bashing I see in most fics (and shamefully wrote myself, thank the Gods and Goddesses I grew up) so I'm writing a fic full of appreciation for those characters that people just seem to ignore, hate, or just don't think is better than the main characters for some reason. Another note: I'm picking FF7/Advent Children characters based on the lack of use or amounts of hatred I've read in fics. If you have something you want to point out, please do.

There isn't any real pairings, but those mentioned are strictly het. So sorry.

Disclaimer: disclaimed.


For Loz,

Though you are different from your brothers and misunderstood, I hope that someday someone can appreciate you utterly.

Sincerely,

A fan


Loz stared down at his hands, deep in thought, as his brothers bickered behind him. He was thinking about things; things he really didn't want to think about. The most important of these thoughts centered around two people; Jenova and Sephiroth.

To him, Jenova is mother. Jenova is grand. Jenova is great. Jenova is everything and yet...and yet, to him, Jenova is nothing. She doesn't care about him, about Yazoo, about Kadaj, no. She only cared about Sephiroth. Always Sephiroth. Never them. She didn't want them, didn't want the disobedient blonde, she wanted her special child, her Sephiroth.

Always Sephiroth.

The two behind him, though adamant about their love for Jenova, he knew at times they felt hurt by her. Because they knew they were not needed, not wanted, not loved. They knew they were not Sephiroth. And they didn't want to be him. They hated him, hated the thought of him, the sound of his name. But they didn't hate him as much as Loz.

Ever since they were first created, first breathed life, it was their jobs to be Sephiroth or to bring him back. All of them were born with the same looks; same eyes, same hair, same teeth, same everything. And all of them looked like him. Looked like Sephiroth. Jenova had given them stories, everyday, every hour, every minute, of how perfect her Sephiroth was. How that Cloud had destroyed her Sephiroth. How they should strive to be like her Sephiroth.

They hated it.

They didn't want to look like him, didn't want to look the same as Sephiroth. Though they never openly said it, it was the little things they did that showed their rebellion. It had at first started with Yazoo. Though he kept his hair long and silver, his weapon of choice had changed. He used guns instead of swords, kept himself more feminine and smaller than Sephiroth. Because he didn't want to be Sephiroth. He wanted Jenova, wanted mother, to notice him. He was Yazoo, not Sephiroth. Then Kadaj had cut his hair, upset and angered that, by using a sword, mother only saw Him. Why did she never see Kadaj? It was the hair, wasn't it? It blocked his face?

But none were as defiant as Loz.

Loz hated Sephiroth from every fiber of his being. He hated his hair, hated his face, hated his smirk, hated his attitude, hated his strengths, and he hated his weaknesses. So Loz had decided to do the opposite of him. He cut his hair short and styled it with gel. He worked out constantly, delighted in getting more muscle mass, and ate more to make his face bigger. He got more in touch with his emotions, to know how others felt. To pity, to love, and to hate. He knew Jenova was the most upset with him, upset at the changes, and she hardly spoke to him unless to belittle and degrade him.

But that was fine.

Because it was Loz that she saw. It was Loz that she yelled at. It was Loz that she despised. It was Loz that had escaped the image of Him, and Loz was happy. Loz could cry at beautiful things, not Sephiroth. Loz could smile at a child, not Sephiroth. Loz could die, not Sephiroth. So Loz wouldn't have to put up with her, with Jenova, with mother, for much longer. Because Loz was tired of living with her, of living with constant reminders for why he was tired of living with her.

Because Loz is different from Sephiroth.

"Oi, crybaby! We need you to go kidnap that girl, Mary or something!" Loz smiled fondly at Kadaj, making him pause in speech, before he stood and hugged him.

"Loz?" His arm dragged off to the side and pulled Yazoo into the embrace, muffling his tears in their jackets.

Loz could hug and feel and love. Loz has brothers that he loves. Loz is different. Loz is special. Because he cries when he's hurt. He smiles when he's happy. He laughs when he's tickled. He screams when he's angry.

Because he is Loz.

"Loz! Let go of me!" Kadaj whined. Yazoo chuckled at the complaint and held them both closer. "Yazoo!"

And Loz is not Sephiroth.


So get over it.

A Loz Fan