Desmond Miles sprawled comfortably across his two best friend's laps. The new kid was their Fencing Instructor' latest ward. Cloud was softly talking to him, placing a hand on his arm every now and then. The guy had a hoodie on (the hood was pulled up), showing only broad shoulders and a thin waist.

"Des, amore mio, go over there and introduce yourself." Ezio drawled, nudging Desmond with his knee.

"Why? Cloud's handling him just fine. He'll introduce him to us." He replied, allowing Altaïr to continue petting him. The new kid stood up and tugged on Cloud's hand, leading him over. "See?"

"Hey guys. This is Sephiroth. Seph, this is Desmond, Altaïr, and Ezio." Cloud introduced them before shoving Des's legs down off of Ezio's lap and settling down. "You can drag the chair over. It's comfy." Sephiroth sank gracefully into the chair, sitting there as if he owned it.

"These are your friends?" The deep tenor was soft, almost a purr.

"Yeah. Thought it'd be easier if you had met some of them before school started."

"Do I have to take off my hood?" Cloud sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yes; the school rules don't allow it."

"I already dislike school." That sounded odd, so Desmond spoke up.

"You've never been to school before." A long silence greeted his statement.

"... No, I have not. I do know the basics. Cloud says that my intellect is better than most."

"He's seventeen and he writes like a college professor." Cloud chuckled, smiling. "Come on, it's just us for another thirty minutes, Seph." Gloved hands reached up and pulled the hood down. Sheer beauty greeted them; long silver hair that spilled like a volumous waterfall, bright green eyes that shone like emeralds, and coral lips that tilted down in a frown.

"This is why I do not like pulling it down. Cloud is the only one who seems immune to... me."

"Miei bella, penso che dovremmo smettere di guardare. E 'rozzo." Ezio's soft reminder had them looking to the side and blushing.

"Sorry." Desmond spoke first, smiling. "So, uh, what classes are you taking?"

"AP Calculus, AP History, AP Literature, AP Stats, AP Biology, and... three art courses."

"Oh! Hey, where's Leo?"

"Mio amici! And who is the Botticelli Angelo dropped amongst our midst?" Sephiroth smiled, pulling a sketchbook out of his school bag. "Ah, another artist? We must compare diagrama!" Leo got him out of his shell, especially when they found out they had the exact same classes.

"Are you always this full of energy?" The bright green eyes rolled in feigned annoyance.

"Hmm? Oh, yes. I have all of them in portrait as well as painted. Would you like to see?" They compared sketches until the bell rang for school.

-PoV-

Sephiroth wanted to play hooky by the time school ended; get the hell out and cuddle in Angeal's comforting arms. The stares were driving him up the wall... And then some. Whispers, stares, casual brushes were excuses to get close. He fled the minute Cloud drove up in the Golf, flinging himself into the passenger side.

"Home, I want to go home." He snapped out, eyes begging Cloud. They drove home in silence. Angeal greeted them at the door, pulling him into that hug that he needed very much. "Can I stay here and be home-schooled?" he muttered against the strong shoulder of his guardian.

"Ah, ah Seph. You need to be socialized and you know school is better than a private tutor."

"That and the tutor might be a lecherous bastard or bit-Sorry." Angeal merely smiled and allowed him in, making them sandwiches in a methodical manner. "Is Zack coming over?" he asked, smiling at the odd combinations of sandwiches as well as Zack's favorite, tuna with mustard and hard-boiled egg.

"Yes, the Puppy's coming over. Dad only makes those for Zack. I don't understand his tastes sometimes, and I grew up with the lazy sonofagun." Cloud snorted from the couch, bent over his homework. Sephiroth wrinkled his nose and pulled out all of the catch-up material to cross-reference for his current workload. Spreading out on the table, he put his headphones in and turned up the music, focusing on his work. A hand waving under his nose had him pulling out a headphone and looking up to see Zack grinning at him like a maniac.

"Hey! So, watcha up to, Mr. Genius?"

"Homework." he drawled, motioning with his pen to the annoying but profuse questions on the book he'd already read. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be studying for your exam?" Zack pouted before throwing his hands up.

"I come visit my baby brothers and all try talk about is boringness. Dad! Make them stop being so blegh..."

"I'm about finished with my homework and I need a break. Kickboxing or katas?" Sephiroth purred as he stood to stretch out.

"That's more like it! Katas, 'cause you suck at them."

An hour later they trooped back in, Zack's swears turning the air blue.

"Zackary!"

"Sorry Dad. He's gotten good."

"I practiced all summer and after my rehabilitation."

"Eww, you worked during the summer? Ooo, tuna!" Sephiroth rolled his eyes at Zack's spontaneousness. "Difuwanone?"

"Yes, I'll have one if you stop talking with your mouth full. I'm surprised I can even understand that mess." he retorted without heat as he snagged one and popped it in his mouth. "Mmm," he swallowed and spoke, "Those are really good Dad."

"I've had twenty-some odd years of perfecting the damn things for Zack. Of course they're good." came the muffled response as his adoptive Dad dug out the wok, side of beef, frozen veggies and the tools. "Bulgogi tonight, but not before you shower. I'm not having sweat in my meat." Both Sephiroth and Zack mock-gagged at the thought.

"Gross! Dad!" their older brother protested, running to the bathroom on the first floor. "I call the first shower!"

"Whatever, Zack. Dad installed a second shower after you left." he called as he trudged up the stairs, showering quickly and wrapping his hair in The Towel. No one in the house touched The Towel because it was Sephiroth's and he'd made it clear to never, ever touch it without his permission. "So, can I help?"

"No. Finish your homework and then you can set the table." He grumbled good-naturedly before quickly scribbling out the rest of the answers. "Done? Let me see." Angeal checked it over with years of a parental eye and nodded. "Good, now you can help." Sephiroth smiled softly at his adopted Dad before gathering his school things and putting them away. The concern was genuine and the man actually cared. Other adoptees dropped by quite frequently, but Zack was Angeal's actual son; he adored all of his adopted siblings enough to annoy them with a visit out of the blue.

The doorbell rang and Sephiroth placed the last plate on the table, answering it a little out of breath, "Hewley residence, how can I-Oh. Hi, Vincent." Vincent was the oldest of their little circle, almost as old as Angeal himself.

"Mmm, weekly The Towel time? I called earlier and heard him shopping for bulgogi. The rest should be here soon." Vincent didn't talk much to outsiders, but it was another story with Angeal and the family.

"Yeah. My hair was getting a little gross."

"Says the kid who has perfect swishy hair, yo." Reno barged in after Vincent, sticking his tongue out at Sephiroth's scowl. Reno was the fourth kid Angeal had adopted and seldom dropped by unless it was important or be had news to impart. But sometimes he showed up just to annoy them all. "Kunsel's coming and I think that's it." Oh, good. Sephiroth didn't think he could handle Barrett or Cait Sith today.

-PoV-

Altaïr curled up against Ezio, enjoying the comforting silence after the break-up with Maria.

"She doesn't deserve you." Ezio spoke softly, the lilting Italian accent sharpening the r's. "Lei è brutta."

"I don't speak Italian." he mused, looking up from his place in Ezio's lap.

"Sí, I know; only Arabic and Inglese per tu."

"You're doing it again."

"Mi dispiace, Alty."

"Hey, only Malik and Kadar are allowed to do that."

"Why? Aren't we close enough?" Altaïr thought about the long years of his odd friendship and the harsh words Maria had spat at him. Yes, they were close enough.

"She said the same thing, only not as pleasant. 'You sit in his lap like he's your favorite fucking boy-toy. All that Italian is doing is looking for the next conquest, you sick pervert.' What-"

"Bah, do not listen to that putana. She's jealous of you, mio amico. Sí she wants me. I don't want anything to do with her Spanish whore ways."

"That's rich coming from the Italian gigolo."

"Io conoscere, ma lei è molto pazzo putana."

"English?"

"You wouldn't like what I called her. What are you going to do?"

"Stop dating for a bit, to be honest."

Translations:

Amore mio- my love

Miei bella, penso che dovremmo smettere di guardare. E 'rozzo.- My beautiful ones, I think we should stop staring. It's uncouth.

Lei è brutta.- She's ugly.

Mi dispiace- I'm sorry

Sí- yes

Inglese per tu.- English for you.

Putana- bitch

Mio amico- my friend (male singular)

Io conoscere, ma lei è molto pazzo putana- I know, but she's a very crazy bitch.