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Chapter Text

Getting chased out of Midgar really fucking sucked.

This was an addition to Avalanche's streak of failed and aborted missions, frustrating for Cloud and his cell.

It was supposed to be simple: break into Shinra's headquarters, rummage through and steal powerful materia and weapons, assassinate the president, and get back to the slums. Turns out, their last mission all the way over in Wutai brought Shinra's unwanted attention to them. Trying to gain supplies during the war between those two was a good idea in theory, but it all crumbled as soon as Jessie and Wedge were assigned to steal from nearby tents. Neither Wutai nor Shinra enjoyed the presence of third parties in their war.

Shinra had been at war against Wutai for as long as Cloud remembered. Hearing from citizens in the slums, Shinra accused Wutai of kidnapping the lead scientist's son, Sephiroth, just months after the child had been born. A shame if it were true, but this rumor has been going on for 25 years and counting, longer than Cloud's even been alive!

He doubted Sephiroth was a real person. How could someone who's allegedly so valuable to Shinra be gone for such an extended period of time? It didn't make sense to Cloud, surely with how much influence Shinra possessed, they could've gotten their precious kid back in merely a few months. 

Now wasn't the time to be thinking about some rumor, Avalanche had work to do and newly recruiting Barret and Tifa should make this next mission a lot easier to pull off.

And it would've been, until Barret got a little trigger happy and killed President Shinra a lot earlier than expected. It put a massive dent in gathering materia and weapons, and the most they could escape with was a Steal materia and an intricate multi-bladed weapon that Cloud could learn to use. He chose to call it the Fusion Sword. 

With their only method of transportation being their feet and Shinra guards hot on their trail, Cloud and the others split up through the slums to meet outside at a small, cozy town called Kalm. Their meeting wasn't able to last very long, as Shinra's forces continued their pursuit, so the group left for the chocobo farm to find more suitable transportation. 

It wasn't the kindest thing to do but the group was desperate, so they ambushed the farm and stole any chocobo they could get their hands on. Cloud managed to grab himself a black chocobo, while the others were able to get variations of blue, green, and yellow ones.

The new destination was Cosmo Canyon and the group split once again. Cloud was lucky, he was the only one who snagged a chocobo that could cross both shallow water and high mountains, so he'd have to make sure he gets to Cosmo Canyon first. 

Cloud's thoughts wandered back to Sephiroth. He wondered, if the man was real, what kind of person he was. What did he even look like? Has being abducted at an insanely young age affected him or has he grown up blissfully unaware of what happened to him? 

Cloud became lost in thought and didn't notice the big group of monsters approaching him. At the last second, he roughly jerked his chocobo away from them, which caused it to try and buck him off. When that didn't work, it made a beeline towards one of the taller, more rocky mountains in the area. Climbing all the way up, the chocobo successfully tossed Cloud off its back and started sprinting its way back towards the farm. 

Stranded, Cloud began his walk through the thick and grassy terrain, hoping he could find anything that'd show him how far he was from Cosmo Canyon. The air was clear so high up, which Cloud appreciated, although during his walk he was being bothered by more and more flies and frogs that seemed to live here. It was a blessing that these were normal frogs and not Touch Mes.

It took roughly an hour of walking before Cloud spotted what looked like a forest. This would be a much needed break from everything that happened today, and Cloud could get some rest so he'd be able to move when night fell. 

The forest was really, really strange. The flies and frogs that inhabit it felt strangely sentient. They would guide Cloud to certain plants and flowers, encouraging him to use his surroundings to get through. The bizarre nature of it all made Cloud forget about the numerous flies he killed to progress.

When he was deep enough to see an entrance to a cave, Cloud decided to stop and rest near the outside. He abruptly woke up only half an hour later, placed right back at the entrance of the forest, as if none of what he saw and did actually happened. Determined, Cloud made his way back through a second time, the pattern exactly the same as when he first went. 

Reaching the back cave and not falling asleep this time, Cloud went inside. The cave itself didn't have much to offer aside from another broadsword for Cloud, and since he already has his new sword, he's not planning on swapping out anytime soon. 

Just as Cloud was about to leave through the back of the cave, he heard a faint voice call out.

"I will see you in a bit, my precious flower! Three days out and then I'll be back!"

Cloud froze. Shit. Shit. How is he meant to explain to locals living in a mountain forest that he just oh so happened to stumble across this place after being chased out by Shinra troops? Like they'll believe that.

Cloud scoffed to himself for thinking about that before proceeding to tuck himself in an inner part of the cave, hoping whoever would walk by won't notice his presence. He heard an exaggerated "I love you" and then began to hold his breath and wait out for this mystery person. 

5 minutes pass. Cloud hears soft footsteps on grass and dirt. They're just outside.

10 minutes pass. Shoes click on the cave floor. They're moving past.

15 minutes pass. Surely they're gone by now if the lack of any movement past the second round of grass and dirt says anything. Cloud waits an extra 5 minutes. It's just to be safe, he tells himself.

Finally, Cloud makes the decision to leave his hiding spot and steps out of the cave to be greeted by a tall and thin stone tower. With curiosity getting the best of him, Cloud decided he wanted to climb up the tower. There were no stairs, no ladder, and no anything really, so he got the idea to use the thinnest parts of his new blade to scale it instead. It took some work, but eventually, Cloud made it through the window and shut it. 

Just as he was about to take in the interior of the tower, he heard a metallic thwack, followed by intense pain in his head. The last thing Cloud saw before passing out was the gray of the stone, and a pile of silver on the ground.

Cloud woke up an indeterminate amount of time later to his limbs bound to a wooden chair by silver...hair? There was so much of it, Cloud couldn't tell where it started or even where it could've ended. Struggling didn't help get him out, he was locked down by this stuff. 

Cloud looked up and saw a pair of bright, green, cat-like eyes staring back at him, watching his every move. Whoever knocked him out was sitting on one of the tower's support beams, silver hair shining in the faint light that reached up there. The figure swallowed, then spoke.

"Who are you, and how did you find Mother and I?"

"Since you knocked me out for no reason, I think I should be the one who can ask questions first. Who are you?"

"You barged into my home. Answer me."

"You knocked me out. You should answer me first."

The two went back and forth for a little bit until the figure hopped down from the beam and onto the ground, sunlight illuminating his features and the slightly rusted frying pan in his grip. 

"My name is Sephiroth," he said, and Cloud's entire inner world nearly collapsed in on itself, if not for the help of the pan pointed in the direction of his face. "Now tell me yours."

"It's Cloud Strife."

Somehow Cloud managed to keep himself composed enough to say his own name, but soon after, his thoughts began to race again. 

The rumors had to have been true. This is Shinra's Sephiroth. No average person with such a name and such ties to Shinra could live out here all on their own without being found...unless…

Thinking about it made Cloud's stomach churn. He was inside a prisoner's tower whose captor just left not even more than an hour ago. He was so lost in thought that he completely missed what Sephiroth said to him next.

"Cloud Strife, I asked you a question."

"Uh━sorry, zoned out."

"Oh, and what was going through your mind while you were 'zoned out?' Going through all the different ways you wish to mutilate me?"

"Huh?"

Sephiroth began to pace around Cloud's chair, his hair wrapping around his legs as he walked. "Do you wish to cut it all off? Maybe gut me and sell me on your markets?" Sephiroth brought the handle of the pan to Cloud's chin and tilted his head up. "Or are you here to pillage our calm, peaceful home and take what's 'rightfully' yours?"

"Seems like a lot of assumptions for someone you just met." Cloud bit it out with as much venom as he could, though it didn't come out as strong as he wanted it to. 

"They're not assumptions. Mother has told me about your kind many times. Lazy, stupid, selfish creatures who care for nothing but themselves." Sephiroth yanked a part of his hair away from the chair, causing Cloud to nearly fall face down onto the stone flooring. He caught one of the rails. "Your people are obstacles in Mother's way to reach the Promised Land and thus must be eliminated."

Cloud scoffed. "Well you're doing a shit job at it. I've been tied up in this chair for how long? And the most you've been able to do was knock me out one time and spout bullshit about your mother?"

This angered Sephiroth greatly, though only for a moment. He seemed to have a lot of control over his emotions. For some reason that he didn't know, it made Cloud's chest ache just a bit. 

Sephiroth spoke. "As much as I wish to kill you and get this over with so Mother won't have to worry about my well-being, I must say, you are the first human I've ever had the chance to lay eyes on in person."

"You don't go outside?" Cloud blurted out. How has he really never seen another human before?

"Only once, but Mother forbids it. It has been her most important rule since I was born, and Mother doesn't take disobedience lightly. I never tried leaving this tower anymore since my first attempt." 

"But you're a grown man! You don't have to stay with her, you can leave and live out your life!"

"That's not possible. Mother needs me to fulfill her goal of reaching the Promised Land. She gives me the necessities needed for me to survive here. I'm grateful for her and will repay her as necessary, even with my own life."

Cloud was speechless. It made him feel sick hearing words like that come out of Sephiroth's mouth so casually. He had so many questions.

"So...what is the Promised Land, exactly?" 

"I wouldn't know, Mother has never told me much about it, only that it is very important we acquire it. I will follow her to the end as her son."

Cloud was about to ask another question until Sephiroth turned his back to him and started speaking again. "I always felt like, ever since I was a child, I was special in some way, shape, or form. When Mother told me about her goal for me to reach the Promised Land for her, I finally found the answer. She informed me that we are of special descent, not that I know what. But I will always be by her side, no matter what."

It was a lot of information for Cloud to take in. Some of it didn't sound like it made sense. Maybe if he was cooped up in isolation for his whole life he'd understand, but he didn't want to understand that kind of life. 

"Your mother is doing you a disservice by not letting you out to explore," Cloud muttered under his breath.

Sephiroth turned around, his expression a mix of confusion and caution. "What are you talking about?"

"Do you ever think about how backwards it is for her to expect you to lead her somewhere you don't know if you don't even get the chance to go outside? Have you ever thought about how ridiculous it is to be kept in a tower well into your adult life when you could be out living? Seriously, Sephiroth, you've never thought any of this felt wrong?"

"Never have, never will. Say, Cloud," Sephiroth leaned down to Cloud's sitting height, "Exactly how did you manage to stumble upon this place? I would love to know." 

He said it with such mock interest Cloud almost let himself get angry from it. 

"Just passing through; had a disobedient chocobo that dropped me here before running off."

Not a complete lie if he tried calling him out on it. It's not like Cloud would be proud to tell Sephiroth he's a part of a group of thieves and criminals. It'd just further Sephiroth's distaste for humans, and Cloud wasn't about to leave this tower without him. 

Sephiroth gave him a look that Cloud couldn't decipher but seemed content with it. At least he wouldn't have to explain chocobos to the man. Cloud spoke again.

"Would you ever want to go out again, just to see what's changed?"

Sephiroth tensed, but he never said anything to confirm he didn't.

"While it would be disobedient to Mother's wishes, there are some times where I daydream about leaving. About traveling through the world that I've only ever been allowed to look at through maps. It's only that, a dream."

"I could keep watch over you, make sure you don't wander into a monster den and get yourself killed." This is good, we can work something out, let me help you out of here.

"Two days."

"Huh?"

"I will travel with you for two days only, as Mother makes her weekly travels for three days at a time. After the second day, you will return me to my home and we will part ways as if nothing ever happened."

"Oh yeah? I don't think you'll want to come back once you see what the world has to offer." 

Sephiroth sighed, "Even if that were true, I still have my duty to serve Mother's wishes. Leaving on its own is already grave misbehavior, Mother would be furious if she knew I left when I'm supposed to know better now."

"Yeah, right, but the day's not going any slower while we're still in here. So how about you get me out of your hair and out of this chair, and then we can get a move on."

"I'm putting my trust in you, Cloud Strife," Sephiroth said, as he began undoing the hair from Cloud's limbs and letting him walk freely.

"So, one last question before we go, Sephiroth." Cloud opened the window that showed the view outside of the tower. "What's with the hair? Like, why is it that long?"

"Mother likes it like this. She said it will all make sense once we find the Promised Land. It's one thing I've never understood. She has the same color as I do and she cuts it all the time, yet nothing happens to her."

Sephiroth walked over to the mini spiral staircase located on the other side of the tower and pulled out the Fusion Sword from inside a compartment underneath. "Before I forget, I believe this must be yours?"

"Oh, so you do have some good in you after all, huh?" Cloud laughed. "Do you want to go first, or should I?" 

Cloud scaled down the tower the same way he climbed up. When he reached the bottom, he looked up and called out for Sephiroth. "You can come down now Sephiroth, I'm done!"

About a minute passes before Cloud begins to think that Sephiroth had changed his mind until a bit of silver hair wraps around a hook and Sephiroth jumps out of the tower, sliding down on his own hair. He makes an abrupt stop right before his feet touch the ground, as if he's unsure how to proceed. 

Cloud reassured him, telling Sephiroth that it was just grass, a natural part of nature that wasn't going to hurt him. It was odd that Sephiroth was never given any shoes to wear, though his mother likely never expected him to leave after all this time.

Sephiroth took in his surroundings as his feet lowered onto the ground while his hair soon followed. The grass and the dirt was extremely soft, the small pond of water so crystal clear he could see his own reflection in it. It was overwhelming in the best way possible.

Cloud's voice interrupted his thoughts. "We're gonna be making our way through that cave and out of the forest that guards this place. Then, we'll be free to go wherever we want!" Cloud's smile fell, concern replacing his happiness. "Do you know the route your mother takes when running her errands? It'd definitely be best to avoid her."

"No, she's never told me where she goes. The best we could do is avoid any local areas that you may be aware of."

Shit. That's a no to hiding out at Cosmo Canyon with the rest of Avalanche. It wasn't a problem though, surely Cloud could find a way to bring Sephiroth to Midgar…

On foot...with no other methods of transportation to assist them in two days.

It didn't help that Cloud was likely still wanted in Midgar for what happened, so he and Sephiroth will have to tread lightly.

Sephiroth spoke up. "Well, shall we get a move on, Cloud Strife?" He smiled at him.

"Yeah," Cloud smiled back. "And for the record, you can just call me Cloud. Strife is my last name."

"Oh." Sephiroth looked deep in thought for a moment. "I don't have a last name, Mother never mentioned one."

Strange, though not something too important to comment on yet. Cloud gave Sephiroth a hum of acknowledgement.

"Now," Cloud said, facing the entrance of the cave, "Let's mosey!"

Chapter Text

Deep sleep never came naturally to Sephiroth. 

Being a former SOLDIER, he was trained to sleep light as early as he could remember from his fragmented childhood memories. The early morning drills, the calls to go into battle, the sudden lab appointments Hojo would schedule in the earliest hours of the day. There wasn't any time for a good night's sleep.

Living with Cloud hadn't changed that much. Their bond through Jenova's cells only added that much more restlessness, as Sephiroth could sense all types of emotions coming from Cloud. How on edge he felt when he took him home for the first time. The panic Cloud felt when he discovered his children went to see Sephiroth alone just a few days after. How Cloud tensed suddenly seeing Sephiroth in close proximity to Tifa with a kitchen knife, even after she assured him she just wanted to make him useful during his stay.

Three years of living together with little to no incidents lessened those feelings he sensed from Cloud, naturally. Though, there was always a faint hum Sephiroth felt from the bond that will likely never go away. 

It didn't feel like three years, not really, but Sephiroth's sense of time had been warped ever since he fell into the reactor...nine years ago now? It hurt his head to think about it being nearly a decade since it happened. 

Nibelheim was an unspoken topic in the house. Sephiroth refrained from ever trying to bring it up again since Cloud shut down and refused to talk to him when he mentioned it. 

Sephiroth had terrible nightmares of the past decade since he settled in. He blamed the Cetra woman and Zack by association for these, for gaining the pieces of his memories back, as he never dreamed in his life before Cloud took him in. They were brutal, most of them being of his mission at Nibelheim, but instead the fire burned holes into his skin until he could see bone, his body moving against his will, the feel of the Buster Sword nearly cutting Sephiroth in half until he collapsed and drowned in his own blood━

Other times he'd dream of the Cetra being killed on his own blade. The look of anguish and raw despair on Cloud's face. He used to feel pure joy seeing Cloud in such a state, but now, he felt nothing but dread, regret, and guilt. 

Rare enough but still noteable are his dreams of the Geostigma crisis. Sephiroth would dream of the remnants tearing his limbs apart and putting him back together in a mangled version of his appearance. He dreamt of the Geostigma disease melting his skin and killing him from the inside out, slowly and painfully.

And then Sephiroth would wake up, drenched in sweat and tears, with the lingering phantom pains of whatever his mind decided to torture him with. No one in the house questioned why Sephiroth washed and changed his bedsheets daily, or why he always took longer than necessary morning showers.

Only Marlene asked why his eyes were always so puffy in the morning one day, which Sephiroth told her he was simply fatigued. She invited him to a makeshift spa day and put cucumbers over his eyes. After that though, her invitations ceased, likely scolded by Cloud or Tifa for talking to him without them there.

Tifa called Cloud and Sephiroth down for what seemed to be important news, if the kids' excited behavior said anything. She set breakfast down on the table and encouraged everyone to sit.

"Before I go out to the store to grab groceries, I wanted to let you both know that Denzel and Marlene are more than old enough to have their own room without having to share one with me. I'm going to take the kids and Sephiroth with me because he needs to get readjusted back into society. We can't keep him isolated here forever."

Sephiroth bristled and began to protest. "Miss Lockhart, there's really no need, I've been doing fine here━"

"Nonsense," Tifa cut him off. "You've lived here with us for three years now, it's Tifa. And I'll let you pick whatever you want at the market, but you're not getting out of this."

It was one of the rare times Tifa actually spoke out like this. Sephiroth looked over to Cloud and he gave him a half-shrug that said he shouldn't argue with her. Sephiroth went back to his food and Tifa continued.

"Cloud, I'll need you to share your room with Sephiroth. If you could move his things into your room by the time we get back, I'd really appreciate it." Tifa smiled. "And make sure you get his mattress somewhere comfortable."

"You got it, Teefs."

Tifa and the kids cleared up breakfast and left for the market with Sephiroth in tow. Cloud wondered what Sephiroth was planning on getting. He's never been a professional chef but he's wanted to try making something with him, even if it was just one time. 

To Cloud, Sephiroth was a strange presence to have around their home. He wasn't an issue, it's just that he didn't participate in family activities as much as Cloud would like, which surprised him to no end that he was feeling that way. He knew about Sephiroth's lack of a functional family, with Hojo as a father and thinking Jenova was his mother. 

Cloud believed it was his fault for not getting Sephiroth properly acclimated to the family. It's another thing to add on to the pile of his mistakes and failures. 

Cloud tried to make Sephiroth feel at home but it felt like he was pushing against a titanium wall. Sephiroth never budged or opened up no matter how much he tried to get in. 

Maybe Tifa was right and Sephiroth needed to be reintroduced to the world. Keeping him in the bar with nowhere to go for three years...what was he thinking when he made that decision?

Cloud finished moving Sephiroth's things into his room as soon as Tifa got back. There wasn't anything notable that Sephiroth kept on him in there, just some clothes, his hairbrush, and that mattress.

He went downstairs to help Tifa put whatever they got away and noticed a flood of warmth exploding into his head. Cloud could never forget the link that bound him and Sephiroth together through Jenova's cells, but it made him more than happy to know that Sephiroth was feeling this good after leaving the house. 

"I'm guessing it went well?" Cloud asked. "What'd Sephiroth pick for himself?"

"Yeah! More than fun!" Tifa responded. "We got him a whole basket of pears and a small cookbook. He couldn't keep his eyes off of them."

Sephiroth left shortly after putting his pears away and Tifa brought Cloud close and lowered her voice.

"I think things might be starting to look up for once. You should've seen how happy he was." 

"Really? The great, stoic Sephiroth actually cracking a smile?"

"Yes! Well ok━not full on big happy smiles but it's a leap compared to the past few years. I think it's time we give him more freedom, he's more than earned it."

Cloud huffed a small laugh. "If getting this bastard some pears was all he needed to feel better then we should've tried that a long time ago, huh…" His face fell.

Tifa put her hands on Cloud's shoulders and gave him a firm squeeze. "You don't need to blame yourself for not trying something sooner. We were trying to adapt, all of us were. What's happened, happened. We just need to move forward from there, okay?"

"Yeah, you're right, Tifa."

She smiled at him. "How about you two put that cookbook to use tomorrow and make something together." Cloud opened his mouth to protest, but Tifa stopped him. "No, no objections, no excuses of 'oh I can't cook,' you'll figure it out together and it's going to be great. I'll even entertain the kids so you don't have to worry about an audience."

The rest of the evening went by better than most, and Cloud felt like he was going to sleep content, rather than completely exhausted. What he didn't notice before drifting off, was the way Sephiroth's eyes were glued onto him.

Cloud had dreamless nights most often, this one not being an exception, when he woke up with an uneasy feeling in his chest. He heard tossing and turning, stuttered breathing, and then it grew into muffled sobbing.

Oh. Oh no. That was Sephiroth sobbing.

Cloud untangled himself from his blankets and knelt by Sephiroth's mattress. His wing was wrapped tightly around his body, blocking out his face and anything Cloud tried to get a look at. How did Tifa do this when Denzel and Marlene had nightmares? 

"Sephiroth," Cloud muttered. No response. He tried saying his name again a little louder but still got nothing. Cloud tried reaching out to move Sephiroth's wing out of the way before the other man's eyes shot open. He shoved Cloud roughly onto his bed and moved himself onto the corner of his mattress. Sephiroth was hyperventilating.

"You're going to kill me," Sephiroth spat out. "Maybe even drag me out of the Lifestream when you decide you're not through with me. And then kill me all over again."

"Sephiroth, no, I'm not going to kill you." Cloud hesitated for a moment before kneeling down onto the other side of Sephiroth's mattress. His voice was soft when speaking. "We've been living together peacefully for three years now. Remember when you went to the market with Tifa and the kids today? How happy you were to bring home those pears?" Cloud inched closer. "We're gonna make something out of them tomorrow. Just you and me." 

Sephiroth's breathing evened out greatly as he took in his surroundings. "An embarrassing reaction," he told Cloud. 

Cloud shook his head and sat next to Sephiroth. "I…" He swallowed a lump in his throat. "I have nightmares a lot too, y'know…it's nothing to be ashamed of. How often do these happen?"

Sephiroth hid his face behind his bangs. "Almost daily," he muttered.

Cloud tentatively reached a hand out to play with Sephiroth's hair. "You should reach out to us, whenever that happens again in the future, you got that? You've been a part of this family for a while now, you need to say when something's wrong. We're here for you."

"I do not wish to be subject to your family's ridicule."

"Sephiroth, I promise you that no one is going to ridicule you. You should've seen how bad it was for me during the Geostigma crisis. Tifa was there for me when I thought all was lost, so let me do the same for you."

Sephiroth didn't say anything in response, but Cloud didn't miss the way he curled into himself. Cloud wrapped an arm around Sephiroth's waist and pulled him a little closer. 

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Cloud asked.

"Perhaps when I have a clearer head in the morning." 

"I can work with that. Let's get you cleaned up, alright?"

Cloud helped Sephiroth make his way to the bathroom to wash his face, much to the protests of the older man. When they finished, Cloud lingered at the top of the stairs.

"You're not tired, are you?" Cloud asked.

"Not particularly."

"Well, do you wanna do anything to pass the time? Maybe put those pears to good use to help you feel better?"

A faint smile appeared on Sephiroth's face. "I'd━yes, I would like that."

They made their way downstairs to Seventh Heaven's kitchen where Cloud pulled out the cookbook. 

"Just to warn you, I'm terrible at cooking," Cloud said before facing Sephiroth.

"Oh I'm sure that won't be a problem."

"Alright, well, this is your night, so you pick out something for us to make."

Sephiroth took the book from Cloud and skimmed through the pages. It took him a moment to decide, but he settled on a pear upside down cake recipe. When Cloud asked about it, Sephiroth told him it's supposed to represent how all of their lives have turned upside down in the past few years. 

A sudden laugh forced its way out of Cloud's chest. Sephiroth was not one to joke often, though the look on his face told Cloud he was completely serious about what he just said.

Without wasting any more time, the two gathered their ingredients and all the different utensils Cloud hadn't known the name of before this moment. One of the benefits of owning and living in a place like Seventh Heaven was that their pantry was always packed.

Sephiroth preheated the oven and brought Cloud a bowl with the ingredients he'd been told he had to beat. "You're…exceptional at hitting things," Sephiroth had told him. 

And Cloud was. It was easier than he thought it'd be, and after a moment Cloud felt he was getting the hang of it. 

He felt the faint touch of Sephiroth's wing ghosting over his back, and it made the hair on his neck stand up, as well as give him goosebumps. Cloud forgot he still had it out.

"If I eat this, and have to pull feathers out of my mouth, we're making a new one," Cloud teased, lightly elbowing Sephiroth's arm. 

Sephiroth made a noncommittal hum in response, and Cloud didn't need to turn his head to know Sephiroth had his full attention on him and what he was doing. 

Sephiroth burnt the pears he was preparing.

While disappointed initially, redoing his pears just gave Sephiroth more of an opportunity to sneak in brief touches to Cloud's left side. A subtle caress on his hand every time he reached for the new pear slices, or when he'd put the brown sugar in the saucepan. 

Sephiroth had Cloud whisk a different batch of ingredients to mix into the first bowl, which eventually went to cover the pears. 

Into the oven it went. Cloud and Sephiroth cleared up the counter while they waited the recommended 45 minutes for baking to complete. 

Once that was over, Cloud got one of the bigger plates out of the cabinet while Sephiroth took their cake out of the oven. It took a few tries, but eventually the cake popped out. Sephiroth sliced the cake and gave a piece to Cloud first, then himself.

Cloud led the two of them out to the couch where he turned on the TV for some white noise in the background while they ate. 

Cloud took a bite as soon as he sat. He froze. It was so good, and Cloud couldn't even hold back the sound that came from his mouth. It was that good.

"You━you did a great job on this, Sephiroth. It's amazing!" Cloud barely finished his sentence before he went back to devouring the cake, and soon he was on his second slice.

"Cloud, please take some credit for this for yourself, you did just as much, if not more."

Cloud smiled while giving Sephiroth a brief eye roll and sat closer to him on the couch when he got back with his next slice. He practically inhaled the cake this time, leaving his plate clean and the corners of his mouth a mess. 

"Mmf━is really good," Cloud said, muffled. 

Sephiroth set his now empty plate to the side as he brought his wing around Cloud once more, this time enveloping the two within the mass of pitch black feathers. Cloud swallowed and looked up as Sephiroth tilted his head towards him. Sephiroth took the pad of his thumb and swiped it across the excess of cake that remained there. Without breaking eye contact, he licked it off.

Cloud's face was burning so intensely he thought he'd set himself on fire. He wanted to take things a little further, however, his hands had both gone limp and his fork clattered onto his plate, breaking both him and Sephiroth out of the moment. Cloud cursed briefly under his breath, though he figured he wouldn't mind cooking or baking with Sephiroth again if he could have another chance at that.

Sephiroth shuffled a bit in his seat before standing and grabbing the plates. "We've been up for quite a while, haven't we? Don't you have deliveries in the morning?"

"Ugh, yeah...yeah you're right. Shouldn't we store this somewhere before we go back up?" Cloud asked, gesturing to the rest of the pear upside down cake.

"I'll take care of it, you go get some sleep."

"Yeah yeah, whatever," Cloud said, but before he went up the stairs, he turned back to Sephiroth. "I had a lot of fun doing this with you tonight. Tifa's gonna be more than happy with dessert tomorrow."

"I enjoyed myself as well. Now get some rest Cloud, you're up early tomorrow." Sephiroth gave Cloud a small smile before turning to store the cake in the fridge.

Once Sephiroth was finished, he made his way upstairs back to his and Cloud's newly shared room. Interestingly enough, the sheets on his mattress were changed, along with a new pillow and what looked to be a stuffed, weighted blanket. Did Cloud just keep things like this on him just in case? Sephiroth didn't know, and it wasn't really something to dwell on. 

Before getting himself comfortable, Sephiroth made his way over to Cloud's bed and softly pressed a kiss on his temple. He hoped it would convey how grateful he was for this night together, though Cloud didn't stir at the contact, likely completely asleep.

Sephiroth wrapped himself in both his wing and the blanket, and fell into a deep, warm, and comfortable sleep. Unlike every other night, this time, the nightmares never came.