Disclaimer: All characters of FFVII belong to Square Enix with the obvious exception of the OC. The author remains poor as she makes no profit from this.
Sephiroth woke up much the same way as the day before. He was startled that it wasn't the labs, but then relieved when he realized where he was. This time he had no qualms about rolling over and resting his eyes a few moments more.
It was strange: he didn't remember going to bed. He remembered reading with Cass, or Cass reading to him as it were. He remembered he was actually paying attention to the story this time. It was interesting, something about a boy with innate abilities without the use of materia. It was illogical, but Sephiroth had decided that the point of the book was to entertain, and not to educate. And it was entertaining.
He remembered listening to Cass's lovely voice telling him about a train ride and then...he woke up? He tried to remember how he had gotten here at that point. They were on the roof, then he was in Cass's lap on the couch, then...here. Except he hadn't walked here, or at least didn't remember it.
Had Cass carried him? She'd done it during the early injection days, when he was too delirious to fight back. She had complained that he was heavy, he recalled. She usually didn't touch him without him making the first move.
Finally, the urge to get up and find out overruled his laziness and he got up. The sky was a little overcast today, but not dark. Not as many people were out and about.
He stepped into the hall. Cass wasn't in her room. He walked to the kitchen, but it was empty as well. Where was she? Had she stepped outside for some reason? He hadn't thought she would leave him here alone, not that he minded. He was used to being alone. It was just that Cass didn't like him being alone. He glanced over to the living room and did a double take.
Cass was on the couch, still sleeping. It didn't look like she had even prepared for bed, she had simply fallen asleep on the couch. For some reason, Sephiroth was relieved to see her. He didn't know why. Cass was more than capable of taking care of herself. She'd done it thus far and believed that she could do the same with Sephiroth. Sephiroth felt that he could be in the apartment by himself with nothing going wrong, as Cass rarely was visited and he knew where all the essentials were.
Why did he feel better with her in it though? He stepped towards her. She looked exhausted. Had she not slept well again? Was it something he had done?
She sighed in her sleep and shifted slightly. The movement caused a stream of hair to flow gently into her face. He bit his lip and resisted the urge, but it won over anyway. Very cautiously, he extended his hand out. He still wasn't sure if this was something he could do with Cass, and in her current condition she wouldn't be able to say no. But it wouldn't hurt her. He very slowly, nearly reverently brushed it back over her shoulder. She didn't move to his touch. He released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
He relaxed further and decided that Cass should sleep. If she had put him to bed it was okay. He didn't need to know right now. In fact, he decided he could live without knowing. Regardless, of the implications, he had woken up safe and sound in his own bed.
Still, he didn't really want to leave either. His mind started plotting as he saw a familiar worn cover and a discarded throw pillow...
Cass awoke to a dull soreness in her lower back that meant only one thing: She fell asleep on the couch again. She had put Sephiroth to bed when the boy had fallen asleep in her lap (something so freakishly adorable that Cass had nearly thrown up, or at least that's what she would tell him later). Then, she had come back out at gotten lost in an old memory. A line of text and numbers that was her fair match in the world and had essentially played matchmaker with one of her few friends in the world.
She didn't do work in bed. It was an unspoken rule laid down by a formidable Mama. Anything else in bed: fun, food , fantasy, just not work. She slept better that way, less distractions, sounder sleep. Except sometimes work was more interesting and...well couches were sort of comfortable. Kinks could be stretched out. Blankets were available. Pillows could be bought.
She sat up silently, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and froze. Mere inches below her, Sephiroth had made himself a nest of pillows and was reading. It took a moment for him to realize that she was awake.
He glanced up.
She looked back.
"Good morning," Sephiroth said and turned back to his book.
"Good morning Sephiroth," Cass said placing her feet on the floor and starting to roll out the knots in her spine, "Did you sleep well?"
"Yes," he said, "...did you?"
"Meh," she said, "As well as can be expected. How long have you been out here?" She saw his shoulder rise and fall. She blinked at that. Sephiroth rarely used gestures. She didn't recall ever seeing him shrug before. Had to start sometime, she thought to herself. A rather loud pop came out of her back and she let out a groan. He looked back, concern etched all over his face.
"Are you hurt?" he asked.
"No, it felt wonderful," Cass said. He nodded and looked away more reluctantly. Cass didn't know what to make of this new development, but brushed it off for now.
"Are you hungry?" she asked. He nodded.
"Is the book good?" she asked. He nodded again.
"Do you want me to shut up and stop bothering you?" she asked. He started to nod, then quickly changed his mind. She laughed at him. He found the bookmark and set it inside carefully, before closing it.
"You can keep reading," Cass said, "Minerva know's I've read it at least twenty times. I think I know how it goes."
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"I read it to you to get you interested," Cass said, "I wanted to share it with you, but not necessarily be with you when it was shared. So long as you're happy, I'm happy." He looked at her with wide confused eyes. Why did Hojo have to have you first?, Cass asked herself, Why didn't I meet you sooner?
"Do you know how you like your eggs?" she asked changing the subject.
"What?" Sephiroth asked.
"How do you like your eggs?" she asked, "Scrambled, sunny-side up, a la mode?" He cocked his head.
"I don't know what that means," he said.
"I'll just make a lot then," she said, "and bacon. Everyone likes bacon." She stood up. It looked like Sephiroth was going to follow her for a moment. Don't, Cass ordered him silently, Do what you want, do what you want, don't look to me for the answer. Then Sephiroth picked up the book again. Cass grinned as she turned away.
Sephiroth re-arranged the pillows to be closer to the kitchen, then started reading again. This fiction stuff was very good. Probably the reason why Hojo disapproved of it. He rolled over onto his stomach and continued to read. Hojo would have had a fit had he seen Sephiroth sit like that, with such terrible posture. Cass wouldn't care. She'd probably join him if she weren't making breakfast.
Which smelled really, really good.
"Sephiroth," Cass called, "Breakfast is ready." Once again he neatly tucked the bookmark in place and closed the book before setting it back on the shelf. Cass handed him a plate and made a dramatic gesture towards the layout on the counter. He'd never seen eggs prepared quite like this. Unsure of which was better, he decided to sample all of them. He noticed Cass stuck with scrambled, as she called it. He was not shy about sampling the bacon, as it was the main source of the good smell.
"Soo..." Cass said scrambling her eggs even further, "what shall we do today?" Sephiroth swallowed.
"I thought you cleaned on Sundays," he said.
"I do," she said, "but that takes an hour max when I'm by myself. Now I have two people. What are we going to do after?" Sephiroth shrugged again.
"I don't know." Cass cocked her head with a wry smile again.
"Fine," she said, "I guess I'll figure something out." Her words were stern, but her tone was light. Sephiroth ate contentedly, getting more bacon and eggs, the scrambled variety as well, when Cass did it first. Like the day before he washed his plate once he finished, and offered to do Cass's as well. She handed it over.
"Would you mind starting with the kitchen?" she asked. He shook his head. "I'll leave some cleaning stuff on the counter. Just start wiping stuff down. I'll get the floor." Sephiroth did as he was told, finding some strange satisfaction at how clean the table and counters looked when he finished.
Altogether, it took a half an hour to clean the apartment to Cass's satisfaction. The place did not necessarily sparkle, but it looked pleasing and tidy.
"Good work," Cass said, "Feel like getting dressed today?"
"I think so," Sephiroth said. He went to his room and tried on the black V-neck and jeans combination that Cass had liked yesterday. Then he went to the bathroom to brush his teeth again. Cass joined him soon after.
"I'm taking you to a park," she said casually as she started attacking her hair again. Sephiroth paused in his brushing, then he spat.
"Outside?" he said.
"Mmm-hmm," she said, "but it's not a very popular park. There won't be as many people. And it might rain today." Sephiroth thought it over. Less people. Chance of rain.
"Okay," he said.
It was considerably cooler than yesterday. Not cold, but certainly brisk. Cool enough to be glad for the hat. Sephiroth found himself clutching Cass's hand. Much like yesterday, their excursion started out easily enough. No one paid them much mind, but Sephiroth was still nervous. Cass seemed very confident about how today would work out, however.
They went in a different direction than the day before. Instead of storefront property, the buildings decreased until they were walking along a grassy path. A few trees grew along it. Sephiroth found himself looking up at the leafy heights in mild awe. The leaves whispered softly in the breeze in a way he found immensely soothing.
The path ended at a small pond. Sephiroth noted a bench.
"Can we sit?" he asked.
"Mmm-hmm," she said.
They sat quietly. Sephiroth felt very tranquil here. There wasn't another person in sight. Sephiroth decided to take a chance and pulled the hat off so he could feel the breeze better. The trees whispered again and Sephiroth closed his eyes as the wind pulled gently at his hair.
He heard a sharper, cheerful noise. His eyes flicked open and saw another one of those bird things, the black ones.
"What kind of bird is that?" he asked. Cass looked over.
"A black bird, I believe," she said. He saw a flash of red.
"That's a cardinal," she said. She named off all the birds that flew through for him. A few flitted near the pond, one or two dipping in to clean themselves. Cass pulled out a small bag.
"Would you like to feed them?" she said, opening it. He peered inside. She had bread crumbs in side. He took a small handful of them.
"Toss them where ever," she said. He threw them and they scattered on the ground. After a few moments, a couple of cardinals came down to peck at them.
"I come here every now and then and feed the birds," Cass said. He nodded silently, not wanting to break the calm so arbitrarily. They took turns tossing out the crumbs. The trees continued to whisper, the birds continued to sing.
Then Sephiroth felt a small wet drop. He looked up. The clouds had become characteristically dark. He said nothing. More fell, still he did nothing. Cass started chuckling.
"We should go," she said, "As much as you love rain, I would rather not be caught in a downpour today." He did get up, rather reluctantly. Sadly, Cass did not get her wish. It began pouring just as they exited the trees. They ended up running back to their building, shivering as they fumbled with the door, which opened easily for once.
They sprinted up the stairs, laughing hysterically. Teeth chattering, they opened the apartment again.
"S-shower," Cass said, "you first." Sephiroth nodded and ran off. The reliable hot water felt wonderful, but he was mindful that Cass wanted a turn and made it a quick rinse. He wrapped up in a towel and ran out not five minutes later. Cass was shivering in the hall, when he came out.
"C-change clothes," she said as she went in. He obeyed, putting on large and comfortable replacements. Cass came out and did the same. Without a word they went to the living room. The rain still pounded on the window.
"Worth it?" Cass asked, slumping into the couch.
"Mmm-hmm," Sephiroth replied. Cass laughed at his obvious mimic. "Can we go there again sometime?" he asked.
"Of course," Cass said, "we can go there next weekend."
"We'll have full days again?" Sephiroth said, "I won't just be here at night?"
"Nope," Cass said, "We will have weekends and holidays and nights." Sephiroth grinned unabashedly.
"But...I have to go back tomorrow?" Sephiroth said a little sadly.
"Yes," Cass said, "but I will be close by and you don't have to stay." Sephiroth nodded.
"Can we still read tonight?" he asked. She laughed again.
"Of course," she said, "we can read every night, but I'm setting a curfew. You have to be in bed by 9:00, we have to wake up early. That does not apply on weekends. You can stay up all night for all I care." Sephiroth got up to get the book again. He held it out to Cass.
"How about you read to me?" Cass asked. Sephiroth bit his lip to stop his grin as he climbed back up. He was not as smooth or rhythmic as Cass, but he stopped caring about that as he leaned up against Cass again.
A/N: I'm thinking this is the last bit of fluff for now. More plot soon. Please keep in mind if posting becomes irregular that this is no longer the only thing I'm responsible for writing any more. Maybe if I get more reviews, I'll have more motivation to work... (wink, wink).