Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII characters or any of the affiliated games. Square Enix owns them, I'm merely borrowing them for my own Otaku pleasure. X3
Of course, their "epic" day of fun came back to bite them all in the butt.
Genesis' parents were FURIOUS when they found their giggling boy helping to dig Sephiroth out, face bright red from the cold, some snow stuck to the red hair, clothes slightly askew. Not that they yelled or hit to show their fury. No, they simply marched Genesis back home and the aristocratic boy suddenly found himself booked solid until the solstice celebrations ended, which he managed to convey the one time Angeal and Sephiroth dared to go over, after getting kicked out and told off by a butler, and they had climbed the tree right outside the window. The two adults each offered comfort in their own ways. Gillian with gentle soothing words and distractions, Vincent with calm reassurance that the Rhapsodos' would cool in time.
A few days later, just after the end of the solstice festivals, Sephiroth and Vincent were finishing up breakfast, waiting for Gillian to send Angeal over.
Except, Sephiroth had been uneasy all morning, casting anxious glances out the window. Upon getting a raised eyebrow look from his father, who was placing dishes in the sink, the boy explained, "I've got a bad feeling."
"What do you mean Sephiroth?"
"Something's wrong with Angeal, he's hurt." Vincent remained calm, however the water for the dirty dishes was turned off and his full focus was on Sephiroth.
"Gillian would've told us or sent word if he was, surely." The boy pressed his forehead against the window, seeming to ignore his father's words, asking softly, "Can't we go over there? Just in case?"
"If it's as you say, Gillian will most likely want to be alone-" but the rest became lost when Sephiroth looked at him with a desperate pleading look, "So I will go over and check."
"Thank you Dad." Then Sephiroth suddenly found himself hugging his father around the waist. Vincent jolted at the hug, spending several minutes blinking, and as if to add to the hilarity of the scene, Sephiroth was doing the exact same thing, before they slowly drew apart, mortification written in Sephiroth's eyes.
"... I'll be back shortly." The older man turned to leave, but for just a second... his hand rested on the silver head.
The way over was short but cold. And Vincent felt a shiver over at how... quiet the area around the Hewley place was... he reached out and slowly knocked. Again things seemed off, as there was no usual ruckus, no Angeal calling to his mother that he'd get it, or nor the thudthudthudthudthud of feet running to open the door, jsut the quiet creak of hinges.
"I'm sorry to trouble you Gillian but Sephiroth-" Vincent stopped mid-sentence, Gillian looked about ready to burst into tears!
"Gillian what's wrong?" Gillian stared at him for a moment before choking on a sob, "Angeal's... Angeal's so sick... burning up with fever... and his lungs... I'm sure it's pneumonia!" Vincent felt his eyes go wide, Sephiroth was right.
"Have you called a doctor?" He asked as Gillian held the door for him to come into her humble living room, burying her face in her hands for a second.
"I called him when I realized there was something wrong with 'Geal's lungs... but the doctor knows, Hades, this whole village knows I can't afford to pay him all at once." The single mother rung her hands helplessly, "I offered to do installments... but it was all or nothing."
Bastard, Vincent thought to himself, but pushed aside his anger, it would accomplish nothing for his son's friend, "Can't Hollander or ShinRa help you, he's their responsibility too."
"I go to them, Gustav will use it to pull his 'fatherly rights' out and take Angeal away to be his experiment! I know Gustav, know him better then anyone. No.. I can't... I just... can't! But I don't know what else I can do!"
"If it a question of the money I could lend you the sum for now."
"I-... thank you Vincent, but Gustav will have to hear about this, and he'll want to know where the money came from. ShinRa will track it back to you."
"Dammit...." Vincent hissed under his breath before he calmed himself, "You're right of course." He then proceeded to considered for a minute, "How fragile is Angeal right now?"
Gillian stared at Vincent before answering, "He's... he's pretty out of it from the fever... and he's coughing. Why?"
"I'm taking him to the doctor."
"You can't be-" but the raven haired man was already up the stairs and into Angeal's room. There was a a murmur of voices, then some soft rustling signaled Vincent's re-emergence, Angeal wrapped in his blanket, the older man holding the smaller figure with surprising gentleness.
"Vincent, you can't take him out there in his condition!" Gillian cried, putting herself between Vincent and the door. Vincent shifted Angeal a little bit, Angeal coughed and snuggled around so his head leaned against Vincent's chest, an endearing sight for a boy who'd been kept in ignorance of his father.
"The doctor won't come here, so Angeal's going to him." Came Vincent's firm response as he headed towards the door, Gillian stood there torn.
"Can you persuade him?"
"I was trained for this sort of thing. Besides I have certain vocabulary you don't, including the words 'Colt .45.'"
"Please be careful.... he's my life." Vincent nodded before taking a slightly firmer grip and heading out the door at a brisk jog, brushing past Gillian. The woman sitting on her faded blue couch. She just focused on breathing for a bit, unsure and petrified. Vincent would succeed, and no doubt threaten the man into silence. He had to! It was Angeal's only prayer of a chance.
A hesitating knock came and Gillian sprang up, wondering what was going on now! Please don't be Genesis, please don't be Genesis...
"Sephiroth...?" Said boy shifted, staring.
"I sent Father over but he never came back. Is... is Angeal okay?" Gillian promptly took him out of the cold, trying to put on a good face.
"Angeal isn't feeling very well, so your dad took him to the doctor." The jade eyes went huge, because Sephiroth knew that for his father to take Angeal to the doctor, it was serious!
"I knew something wasn't right! What's wrong with him, was it the snowball fight?" Gillian was quick to soothe, never one for letting a child fret.
"No, no. Angeal's been in many snowball fights before and been just fine. It's winter, people get sick that's just how the world works."
"But my father and I never get sick! And Angeal was fine yesterday." the boy looked so down Gillian knelt in front of him, her expression gentle and motherly, reaching out and stroking some strands of the soft silver hair. cupping his chin and forcing those eyes into looking into hers.
"Sometimes that's how it starts, but don't you worry about Angeal. I promise." Then Sephiroth got a hug which he haltingly returned, endearing the boy further to Gillian. They stayed like that till the whistle of a kettle jolted them. Gillian stood and took Sephiroth into the kitchen.
After all, hot water was good for tea AND hot cocoa. Especially the fancy kind she saved up for every year, with marshmallows. If the trio had taught her anything, there was no worry or pain for a little boy that couldn't be soothed at least in part by marshmallows. Especially certain silver haired boys.
They sat in a semi-peaceful silence, Gillian drinking her tea and Sephiroth sipping his cocoa at her battered table, waiting for... something.
Gillian had just taken a mouthful of a tea when she suddenly felt a bzzzzzzzzzzzz in her pocket causing her to yelp and jump. She reached into her pocket, and to her surprise pulled out a.... PHS?
"You better answer that, it's probably my Father."
"What?" Gillian asked glancing at the boy across from her.
"That's Father's PHS, I recognize it from when the Mayor gave it to him." Sephiroth explained. Gillian stared at Sephiroth for a moment before hesitantly answering.
"Hello?"
"Gillian."
"Vincent! What's going on with my son? And when did you slip your phone into my pocket?!"
"It's Pneumonia. He needs to stay here for a few days until the fever comes down and his chest x-rays are clear. And I slipped my PHS in as I walked by you." Gillian gripped the phone a little harder. Her Angeal needed her! But she couldn't afford to... what was she supposed to do?!
"Gillian? Are you still there?"
"Y-yes. I'm here. I just... what am I meant to do Vincent? My job, I can't take time off work, or alert Gustav."
".... and this doctor needs to be watched." The crackly voice agreed, "Of that I'm certain." There was a pause, "I need you to check in on Sephiroth for me."
"He's actually right here." Gillian said, dazed as she handed the phone over to the PHS.
"Father? Is Angeal going to be alright- yes, I'm minding myself... no, she let me in, made me some hot chocolate... of course there are marshmallows- I am NOT going to get a sugar high." Gillian felt a crooked smile cross her face. Everything was so yet here was Sephiroth and Vincent, perhaps the two most reserved and unemotional people she knew arguing about marshmallows and sugar highs. Then Sephiroth handed the PHS back to her.
"Vincent..."
"If you watch Sephiroth, I'll take care Angeal, that'll make it all the more convincing. I'd suggest finding a way to contact ShinRa and Hollander, cut them off at the pass. Let them know Angeal isn't well, but it's nothing serious. Play it off."
"Thank you Vincent, I..." But he cut her off.
"I'll see you in a few days Gillian." Click! Taking in a deep breathe she turned to Sephiroth who had been watching and listening the whole time.
"Hey Seph.... how does a few days with me sound...?"
000000
Vincent took a seat beside Angeal's bed after Gillian had dropped off his work for the day.
The raven haired man had barely gotten through the first page of the expense report when he heard some slight stirrings and a cough from the bed.
"Mom?" croaked a hoarse voice. Vincent remained still, as the boy called out again in his feverish state. Angeal was confused... this place smelled bad, made his skin crawl for some reason, and there was something in his arms that made it hard to move it. Why was he here, why was he alone? But strength was not on his side, and he began wavering, blinking back sleep and failing.
As he began giving into sleep again, Angeal felt a soft hand reach up and stroke his hair, and he calmed, sliding into a dreamless sleep.
00000
Originally Gillian had planned on taking Sephiroth home to at least eat at his own table and sleep in his own bed... but when it was time to do so, neither she or Sephiroth were willing to actually make the journey across the way.
Too dark to Gillian
Too cold Sephiroth felt.
So they enjoyed a quiet and simple dinner around the table, and then Gillian took care of the dishes while Sephiroth went and took a shower. Once the boy was done he came and stood at the doorway.
"Goodnight Seph." Gillian murmured offering a warm smile. He hesitated for a moment, before slowly nodding and offering her a silent, "good night Gillian."
But several hours later when she came to check on him only to see the light still on. Concerned, Gillian gently opened the door in case feel asleep with the light on to find her son's friends still up, knees to his chest a frown on his his lips as he stared straight ahead, lost in his own thoughts.
"Seph?" she asked, the silver head lifting up to look at her.
"Yes Gillian?"
"You alright?" She knew a disturbed boy when she saw one. Angeal would get that look right before he would blurt out a question about his father. Not that she told Angeal about Gustav Hollander.
".. Fine." Sephiroth mumbled, actually mumbled. Leading Gillian to come in and have a seat next to him on the red checkered blanket, with her mother smile. After a second Sephiroth let out a sigh.
"You didn't do the checklist."
"What?"
"Every night, Father always asks me if I've done the same things needed for bedtime."ll
"Oh?"
"Yes. Since I was old enough to do them for myself." Sephiroth couldn't explain why he was so disturbed by not having to go through the list... but it was something that ALWAYS happened, a bit of routine.
"Well I could try..."
"I'm eight now. I can handle this."
"Well you're in your pj's I see." Gillian murmured, her answer being a nod, "Your schoolwork done?
"Of course."
"What about your teeth? Brush them?"
"Yes Gillian." It wasn't in the right order, or said properly, but... it was comforting.
"... take a shower before that?"
"It'd be silly to do after I brushed my teeth."
"Alright alright, Mr. smartypants. Did you call your father to wish him a good night?" A pause, then he leaped out of bed and ran for the PHS, knowing the right number. Gillian grinned, but before the boy could answer, the phone rang...
"Hello Father."
00000
Days later...
It was with no small amount of relief that Vincent saw Angeal settled in his room again, the boy looking world's better, only to have Sephiroth all but body check him as his father came in the door.
"Sephiroth-"
"Angeal's home now?"
"Yes-" There was little more then a wake of wind and flying snow as Sephiroth raced over the the Hewleys', and Vincent found himself in disbelief as he turned to get Sephiroth... but then stopped. Would it be SO terrible to let the two friends be together for fifteen minutes? Gillian would get Sephiroth to leave. So he just shut his door and began counting
Sephiroth meanwhile was allowed in by Gillian.
"He's much better today, Seph," She smiled at him, "But still, just a short visit. Don't want to wear him out, and keep him in bed." Sephiroth nodded briskly and pounded up the steps to Angeal's bed, Gillian could hear the ruckus cries of greeting as the two friends.
"I thought you were dead!" Sephiroth stated as he took a seat on the bed next to his friend. Angeal nodded, face still pale from battling the disease that nearly took him.
"Thought I was too! Mom says your dad saved me." Immediately the silver-haired boy sat up a little straighter and puffed his chest a bit.
"He did." Simple, a fact.
"... You have the best dad."
"Well... you have the best mother."
"I wish he was my dad."
"Well I wish I had your mom." Then their eyes just happened to meet, and it just suddenly clicked...
"We should get them together!" They cried in one voice, then immediately covered their mouths and looked towards the the door, hoping Gillian hadn't heard.
Nothing. They were safe.
"How are we gonna DO this?" Angeal whispered.
"They'll need to spend time together. And it'll take a long time, Father's stubborn and we'd have to-"
"HEY!" came an outraged cry from Angeal's door, the two whipped around to find the missing trio member standing there, "You guys are plotting, without ME?!"
"Gen!"
"You're here!" Cried Sephiroth, ecstatic that they were all together again.
The red head huffed and came tromping in to the room, "You know how this works! I'm the evil genius, Seph's the planner and Angeal's our calvary!"
"Sorry, Gen." The other two responded as the red head elegantly settled on Angeal's other side, so they formed a a triangle together.
"Did your parents send you?" Asked Angeal.
"No, snuck off when no one was looking." was the casual answer.
"Gen..."
"Well! I heard Angeal was sick, I had to come over and it's a good thing I did too! So what are you two planning?"
"Well..."
"I want a mother and Angeal wants a father." Sephiroth filled in, Angeal nodding. Genesis sat silent for a time, jealous of the parents his friends had.
"Well what you gotta do is..."
Chica's Chatterings: *runs for cover* I'm so sorry it's taken so long!! But I'm back now! Many thanks to .o0XxGurenxX0o., Amon, Anne Voda Hijme, Aveira, Bondslave, DarkAmaz0n, Derra, KyuubiPandoraChan, and Le random for reviewing! ~blows kisses~