Well, here's the word of 8/19. Since it was Cloud's birthday word, it's another fic about Cloudy. He must've been so adorable when he was a baby! (squeezes)

aestival \ES-tuh-vuhl\, adjective:

Of or belonging to the summer; as, aestival diseases. Spelled also estival.

Rating: T/PG13

Pairing: None, since Cloud is a little baby. XD

Word Count: 507

Warnings: Childbirth mentions and a little boy Sephy. It's also about an event that could never have happened, but I thought it'd be cute.

Summary: A young Sephiroth accompanies Professor Gast to see a newborn child.

Dedication: I'm giving this one to Sephiroth, actually. You seem like you would have been a really cute kid. So sorry you didn't get to kill Hojo in the game. I hope you get enjoyment out of repeatedly reviving and stabbing him in my garage.

Disclaimer: Why would I even be writing this if I owned them?

After several minutes of waiting, a nurse opened the door to the hospital and beckoned the silver-haired boy and the scientist inside. "A little boy," she declared happily.

Gast nodded. "Good. I had wanted to see what the genes looked like in…" He murmured some scientific jargon to himself as Sephiroth raced to the new mother's bedside.

The boy peered at the newborn curiously. He was very small, shorter than the length of his arm. Now that the initial redness had faded, the baby's complexion was very pale, typical of the mountainous region. Tufts of downy, golden-blond hair topped his head. His eyes were closed in contented sleep. Sephiroth watched wide-eyed as the child's fingers slowly curled in his slumber.

"Sephiroth, was it?" The mother suddenly spoke, snapping the older boy out of his reverie.

He nodded politely, remembering the manners Professor Gast had taught him. "Yes, Missus Strife."

The woman smiled compassionately. "Would you like to hold him, Sephiroth?"

For once, the silver-haired boy's eyes betrayed his eagerness as he nodded fiercely. He let the mother guide his arms around the infant before she allowed him to pull away from the bed.

Sephiroth rocked his arms slowly, as he had seen the woman do. A tentative smile brightened his eyes. He looked back at Ms. Strife, who was watching him kindly. "What's his name?" he asked, curious.

She shook her head, frowning thoughtfully. "I've not thought of one yet." After a moment's pause, her expression brightened again. "Why don't you name him, Sephiroth?"

The boy's eyes widened, and he quickly turned toward Gast for permission. The professor nodded warmly. "Go ahead, Sephiroth. I'm sure you'll think of a great name."

Sephiroth examined the baby in his arms. How exactly did one name children? After much deliberation, he decided that he would find a name based on the infant's appearance.

His eyes took in the child's pale skin. Ivory? he thought. Alabaster? Snow? Nothing good was coming up with the skin. He moved to the newborn's downy hair. Gold? Kogane, maybe? Nothing there, either. After going through several more possibilities and their Wutaiian translations, he was about to give up, when the child opened his eyes.

They were the deepest, most wonderful blue. The blue of the shallow ocean, the blue of the summer sky. A blue that made you think of warmth and home and pure bliss. A name came to his lips, and he instantly knew it was right.

"Cloud."

The mother's head cocked. "Cloud?"

Sephiroth turned toward her, eyes determined. "Hair like the sun, eyes like the sky, and a name like clouds. He's a summer sky." He turned to Gast, who smiled brightly and nodded.

The woman held out her arms, and Sephiroth gave her the baby. He frowned slightly at the loss of contact. "Is it a good name?" he asked a little self-consciously.

She smiled brightly at him. "Of course, Sephiroth. It's perfect." Then, she held her child close and spoke softly in his ear. "Cloud Strife. My little summer sky."

I thought it would be the cutest thing ever if Sephiroth had named Cloud when he was a kid. This scene has been cooped up in my brain for a while, pulled out occasionally when I wanted a warm, fuzzy feeling. And now I share it with you. I was going to have Hojo accompany Sephiroth, but I figured a dickweed like him wouldn't let the poor kid name a baby.

I've still got those bishies here! I can still leave them out to die by cause of fangirl army, people! It will happen if you don't review! (Except Vincent, because he's my muse. I can't write these things without him. Everyone else will die, though, I swear!)