It was getting dark…even I was having issues seeing anymore. That damned being without a shadow reflecting on them wasn't even there this time. It was the darkness that started to blind me. Blood loss? Maybe, who knows…who cares? I'll never die. That person likes to play with me too much. I'm the most fun when my strings are being ripped off of me. I'm the most fun when I have tears dripping from my eyes. Funny…and I thought someone would like me whole. I can see why he laughs, though, it's because misery is just so damn hilarious.

Why do people hurt? Because they feel. If we all became numb the pain would fly away, like a butterfly from its cocoon at the first sun its small wings touch. I would fly away too…but I only have one wing, and it hurts, throbbing. I'm not numb yet…but one day, maybe I will be. I don't know yet; I haven't really put too much thought into my death yet. Maybe later, when my eyes aren't so heavy…maybe later when I don't consider freedom my death anymore.

My wing is clipped…so I couldn't fly away even if I wished to. Foot steps…echoing through the alleyway, burning my ears. No one should come here; no one should exist here but me.

"What…?" a voice echoed in the darkness as I chuckled slightly, knowing the voice.

Squall…Leon, that coward had found my bleeding with feathers pulled from my wings. I smirked and lifted my hand across my face, brushing my blood around with it smearing across my face. It was so warm…

"Blood…" he commented as I felt his arms pull me up and throw me over his shoulder, grabbing onto my buster sword with his own gun blade clanking against his leg.

I slowly opened my eyes and watched as he cast heal on my leg, with that familiar soft light brushing across my wing and dissolving the blood, lifting the feathers back onto the wing. I looked up at Squall and leaned my head against his back as I frowned at how pathetic it was that I needed another person to carry me.

"I can walk," I muttered under my breath as I pushed myself from his back and lifted my sword from his hand.

I glanced around and leaned against him as we walked out, still feeling a bit strange. I could find out if it was time for the setting sun outside. I yawned with exhaustion. Even after getting healed it still wiped people out to recover. He didn't seem to mind that I was touching him, which was nice for the most part. I wouldn't have to worry about anything for the time being. When I felt better, I would go back…but for now with the way he lead it seemed as though he wanted me to be somewhere else. I guess even cold guys like us can get lonely.

He opened the door to that small house and pushed me in, making me stumble on my own feet until I landed on the bed and closed my eyes, just laying with my stomach against the bed and my eyes tightly closed. It was so much softer than that hard, cold ground. Maybe it would be alright to sleep there for one night. Maybe no one would mind…no one would notice. I knew there was only one bed in that small shack…made me wonder if Aeris had ever shared it with Squall or Cid. Yuffie had always had the standard of wealth and perfect looks, which made guys like Squall and I relatively safe…Cid was completely safe seeing that he didn't have either.

"Don't look so isolated. You separated yourself from everyone to begin with," he grumbled.

Squall leaned his sword against the door, making a loud banging sound that made me open my eyes to watch him. He pulled off his jacket and shirt, his many belts, his shoes, his socks, and his pants, leaving only his boxers. He kneeled down next to me and looked over me for a moment until he started to pull my rancid cloak off of me.

"Don't touch Vincent's things," I snapped at him with my eyes narrowing.

He rolled his eyes and ripped it off of me, heading to my shoulder armor and my other clothing as well. I scowled as my clothing was ripped off of me until I was only in my boxers as well. He took a glance at my underwear and started to pull those off me as well, pulling at the feathers of my wing when I tried to resist.

"You need a shower. We'll bother with that in the morning though. Put these on," he instructed as he threw a pair of extra boxers at me.

I pulled them over my waist and watched as he threw all my clothes into a basket with all of his other dirty clothes. Looked like I was in trouble and would be stuck here until he decided to do laundry. He plopped down next to me and stared over me for a minute before just sighed.

"Idiot, you haven't been eating, have you?" he scorned.

He was the idiot. Obviously I hadn't been eating if I was hiding in that alley for such a long time. He wasn't too bright, apparently. I just groaned and rolled over to my side as I closed my eyes. It was night, not sunset. According to the night stand's clock it was about three in the morning. I wondered if I should even bother responding when it was obvious he was far lonelier than I was.

"I haven't eaten since I went down there…" I mumbled as I returned my wing to my back.

From the ruffling of the sheets I knew he had nodded in a sleepy manner. I shrugged and started to sink into my sleep, knowing it would be accompanied by a nightmare. I knew I'd see it…Sephiroth.

Those green eyes…that silver hair… That blank psychotic look across his face as I felt his fingers running across my body, stroking my cheek. I felt his lips against mine, pushing against me in search of something…that thing that would never be there. Lust? Love? I never knew what it was he wanted, but I just wanted to give it to him so he'd leave me alone. I hated being his puppet…hated kissing back when my arms would tremble in fear.

"I don't want to return to the way I was," my mind would scream as I started to feel familiar tears drip down my face. This was what Sephiroth always brought me…such pain, such misery, and so many thoughts I have forgotten years ago. I…could never let my sword go because one day, I would kill the puppet master. I would slit his throat and watch as my arms became my own, my hands bent the way I desired them to move. I didn't know how long it would take…but one day, I swore I would achieve that peace.

I could only wish that one day a dream would know the conscious desire, but until then…I would be his doll to play with as I slept.