The Blind Boy

Summary: Sephiroth, on the verge of loosing his mind to his own inner demons, comes across Cloud lost in the snowy mountains of Nibelheim. Thing is, Cloud's blind. Sephiroth/Cloud OOC

Full Summary: Sephiroth is on the verge of loosing his mind to his own inner demons when he comes across Cloud lost in the snowy mountains. The thing is, Cloud's blind. Attachment and attraction run their course until blindly in love, Sephiroth takes the blind boy into his possession. Sephiroth/Cloud

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters. All are property of Square Enix. I make no profit from this fiction, I wrote it because I have writers block and I was bored.

Other than that, I hope you all enjoy.

Author: Darksinokaru

Story: The Blind Boy

Pairing: Sephiroth/Cloud

Rating: M

The snow was bitterly cold but it didn't even faze the silver haired warrior. No, it wasn't that it didn't bother him… He just didn't seem to notice. How could he? When his mind was battling with itself, trying to dissect vast amounts of information regarding his self.

'How could I have not realized?' Sephiroth knew he had been different, but this different?

"Mother…" The word flitted passed his chapped, parted lips in a white puff of breath. Was she really his mother? Or was she not? He stood deep in the forests outside Nibelheim, his pure black clothing standing in stark contrast the heavenly whites that surrounded him. Only his whispering silver hair seemed to compliment the serene beauty at all. Sorrow filled his electric green eyes that seemed to dim as he stared down at the pure white snow around him.

"So pure… I'm just a taint to this world." Sephiroth's black dressed figure upon this pure white ground seemed to physically display that he indeed, was impure.

"I… Hate them." Sephiroth muttered in a low voice. A part of him wanted to lash out and destroy everything that had any kind of link to him, and another part just wanted to disappear and never be found.

"I want revenge." Sephiroth paused and raised his hand out in front of him, palm up when he noticed small flakes of ice begin to fall. Looking up toward the cloudy gray sky, long silver lashes fluttered when the flakes fell into his face.

"P-please…" Sephiroth stopped, jerked on his feet and looked around him. He stood in a small clearing amidst the forest where the trees were absent, revealing the sky above. Sephiroth's sharp, quick eyes searched the clearing until they paused in on a bundled, quivering ball. It took a second for Sephiroth to make out a blob of blonde hair and the color of red cloth. The body shivered violently and Sephiroth felt instant pity when it rose its face. Sephiroth paused; it was a boy. The boy's heart shaped face was pale and his nose a deep red, his lips almost purple. But the boy held his eyes closed tightly, as if in pain.

"P-please…" Sephiroth stayed where he was, staring down at the boy as the flakes of snow began to fall in greater amounts.

"P-please… I-it's… S-so co-cold." Sephiroth took a step forward and heard a sob.

"P-please… I'm l-loss-st." The voice was undeniably sweet and sounded so fragile. Sephiroth frowned. Somehow, this kid looked worse off than he was.

'But looks can be deceiving.' Sephiroth stared longer, listening to the sobbing blonde. What was he doing? Just standing there? He should either just leave him to freeze or help him, but at the same time, Sephiroth felt resentment toward the blonde building. He was normal. He probably had a family, friends, a real life. He had everything Sephiroth had ever coveted, and the dumb kid got himself lost by himself, about to freeze to death.

"And whose fault do you think that is?" Sephiroth sneered coldly and the boy sobbed harder. Irritated and jealous Sephiroth quickly pulled Marasume, and pointed the long blades tip to the boy's face, but the boy didn't even flinch.

"I-I was h-hiking… I s-started ru-running wh-when a mons-ster attac-cked." Now that was stupid. But something other than the boy's I.Q. triggered Sephiroth's next question.

"Why not open your eyes?" The boy trembled harder. Why not look? Why did he not flinch? Were his eyes frozen shut from his tears or something?

"I-I-t d-does-sn't matter." The boy muttered hopelessly before curling back into a ball. Sephiroth sheathed his sword in irritation and walked up toward the boy.

"P-please… S-save me." He pleaded again as he squeezed himself tight. Sephiroth kneeled before the boy and stared hard at him.

"Look up at me." The boy raised his head but didn't open his eyes.

"I said to look at me." The boy finally opened his eyes and Sephiroth steeled himself when he was met with the dull blue of the boy's large eyes.

"I-I c-can't…" Sephiroth immediately understood. He stared deep into those unfocused eyes and found himself leaning closer to stare deeper. He'd never seen a real blind person before. And just like that a strange twinge in Sephiroth's chest made him frown. So he lived in complete darkness. No wonder he got lost. Sephiroth's pity returned now as he looked the boy over. He was dressed in thick clothing, obviously prepared for the snow, and the red Sephiroth saw was a red scarf.

Sephiroth watched him, somehow feeling that this boy was in as much misery at the moment physically as Sephiroth felt mentally.

"Would you care to be put out of your misery?" The boy raised his face toward Sephiroth's voice, his eyes once again closed.

"Why?" Sephiroth paused, taken by surprise.

"You're in misery. You're blind. You can't take even care of yourself. I could end it all for you." Sephiroth waited. The boy didn't even seem to understand what he was saying. But for some reason he felt bound to that spot, staring down at the quivering creature.

"B-but… I w-want to ce-celebra-ate my birth-thday and Chr-christmas." Sephiroth was again taken back.

"You…" Sephiroth's voice went dead as he stared down at the boy. So he DID understand.

"Why?" Now Sephiroth found himself mimicking the boy's question, completely bewildered.

"I j-just… L-like be-being wi-with p-people I ca-are about. I w-want to ce-celebra-ate with th-them." Sephiroth stared down at the boy, for some reason seeming lost as he stared at that uncanny innocent face. He knew it… He had family. Already Sephiroth was jealous, but at the same time, drawn.

"Don't you hate being blind? Don't you suffer?" The blonde shuddered.

"Y-yess. Bu-ut… I-I'm imp-portant t-to s-someone…" Sephiroth frowned. Was he himself really important to anyone? As a human being? And not a science experiment?

"I have no one…" Sephiroth looked away and muttered softly, jumping when he felt ice-cold fingers on his face.

"I-I d-don't th-think s-so. Alr-ready y-you'r-re imp-portant-t t-to m-me." Sephiroth wasn't surprised. He was the only one here, and only he could save him. And then something dawned on him.

"If I save you, I'll be important to you? As a person?" The blonde retracted his hands and curled into a ball again, nodding.

"Y-yeah!" He breathed out raggedly.

"You're different." The boy shuddered particularly violently and Sephiroth picked the boy up in his arms. The blonde's arms immediately went around Sephiroth's neck and he pressed as hard against Sephiroth's body as he could in the search for body heat.

"M-many s-sa-ay so." The blonde muttered and Sephiroth found himself holding the small frail body tighter to himself. Sephiroth turned toward the village.

"You're from Nibelheim right?" The blonde nodded, still shaking.

"Th-thank you… F-for s-saving m-me." The blonde kept trying to burrow deeper and deeper into Sephiroth chest. It made Sephiroth feel warmer.

"Y-you're w-warm…" The blonde sighed shakily.

"I-I'll-ll n-never f-forget y-you." The boy paused.

"What's-ss your na-ame, s-sir? I-I n-need t-to know."

"Sephiroth." The boy gasped.

"THE Se-Sephiroth?!" A small flame suddenly ignited in Sephiroth's chest and he felt a small smile break his lips and he chuckled.

"Yes."

"I-I'm s-so hono-ored sir. I-I've al-lways admired y-you." Sephiroth kept walking, not at all understanding why he suddenly felt so much better. Usually when he heard such words, he felt boundless annoyance.

"Y-you're s-so strong… I-I've always…" The blonde blushed a dark red.

"You're s-so strong… I w-wish I wass-ss." Sephiroth looked down at the boy.

"Tell me, what's your name?" The boy snuggled more.

"My n-name's s-sstupid." The blonde muttered and Sephiroth smiled a little again.

"Tell me anyway." It almost sounded like an order. The boy supposed it could be because of Sephiroth's life style so he didn't question it. In fact, he felt the distinct need to obey.

"Cloud." Sephiroth smiled as he watched the small blonde in his arms.

"Y-your na-ame isss w-way coo-oler." Cloud stuttered and Sephiroth rubbed his back a little.

When the two broke out of the forest, Sephiroth hesitated. He didn't want to walk by the mansion. Already a strange feeling of anger and dread was filling him as he stared down the mountainside toward the mansion. It was considerably warmer now with the absence of snow and Cloud had stopped shivering. Cloud felt Sephiroth's arms tighten on him and he looked up at Sephiroth.

"Is something wrong?" Cloud shivered in a breeze and drew Sephiroth's mind back toward him.

"You need to be cured. You probably have frost bite." Cloud nodded and relaxed when Sephiroth's hold on him loosened. Sephiroth made it to the mansion, and if it weren't for the small blonde in his arms needing care, Sephiroth would have completely disregarded it. Or burned it. Going inside, Sephiroth placed Cloud in a seat in the foyer and went into one of the rooms where he had found some materia previously. Sephiroth came back out and saw Cloud curled up in the chair and walked up the boy. Now that they were out of the snow, Cloud's hair was drying, and he noticed with peculiarity, that the blonde's hair was starting to slowly stick up in spiked clumps. Cloud looked up at Sephiroth and offered a soft smile. Sephiroth quickly used the heal material to cast cura 3 and Cloud sighed when he felt the pain in his appendages sooth and then disappear.

"All right now." Sephiroth pocketed the materia and Cloud stood on wobbly feet.

"My legs are cramped." Cloud laughed a little, embarrassed when Sephiroth steadied him on his feet.

"Are you sure you can walk?" Cloud looked up at Sephiroth and smiled.

"Yeah. I'm not crippled too. Although, a cane would be nice." Cloud said as he regained his bearings and Sephiroth glanced around the foyer. Nope. Nothing of use.

"I lost mine when the wolf attacked." Cloud sighed when he was able to stand on his own, a good feeling of refresh-ness filling his stiff joints. Cloud watched the small blonde a silent moment, and opened his mouth to speak when the front door opened.

"Seph!" Sephiroth winced and looked to see Zack. A rush of uneasiness passed through him and his muscles tightened when Zack walked up toward him, his expression still openly worried. When Zack reached Sephiroth he paused and looked down at the small blonde staring up at him, though his eyes were closed.

"Uh… What's going on?" Sephiroth crossed his arms.

"Nothing in particular." Zack's mouth fell open and he stared at Sephiroth. Wasn't he freaking out just this morning? Zack was beginning to really panic, it had looked like Sephiroth was loosing it.

"He saved me." Cloud said suddenly, drawing Zack's eyes.

"What?"

"I went for a… Short walk and stumbled upon him up in the mountains. Nothing special." Zack blinked at Cloud, then up at Sephiroth.

"Soooo… Everything's okay?" Zack motioned with his hand and Sephiroth nodded.

"Everything is fine." Though Zack detected strain in Sephiroth's 'fine', he decided not to press it. Sephiroth glanced down at Cloud, wondering what was wrong with him? It was as if he'd completely forgotten about the fact that Sephiroth had just offered to kill him. Did he forget or something?

"So, you ready to come back to town? Everyone's worried." Sephiroth nodded, though with reluctance, but quickly remembered he could take Cloud home and the prospect became strangely appealing. At least until the small blonde was gone.

'Why on Gaia do I feel so… Good with him?' Of course, it was Cloud's strange, honest thought process that made the General do a double take. And it distracted him enough, made him think enough… What else was it? Sephiroth couldn't figure it out. Somehow, Sephiroth was just being drawn to the boy ever since that strange conversation. Was he attached?

"Cloud, do you think you can handle the walk back? It's a long one." Cloud nodded.

"I live around here. I'm used to it." Cloud smiled knowingly. Sephiroth had a mind to carry Cloud anyway, but the blonde walked on ahead, though at a slow pace in an attempt to keep from walking into anything.

Cloud wanted to walk on his own. With or without a cane. It was embarrassing to be carried by Sephiroth, no matter how much he admired him. In fact, admiring Sephiroth made him want to try even harder to move on his own. After all, Sephiroth did accuse him of not being able to take care of himself. Cloud almost wanted to prove him wrong. But Cloud immediately regretted his decision when he bumped into the wall by the front door. Cloud was starting to grope for the handle when he heard the door open and a rush of cool air to his left.

"The door?" Sephiroth said in an amused tone and Cloud pouted.

"I uh… knew that." Sephiroth highly doubted it. Cloud felt for the entry and then exited, tripping a little over the threshold and immediately Sephiroth's arms were around his thin waist.

"I think I can take care of the rest." Cloud almost wanted to argue when Sephiroth picked him up, but blushed instead when Sephiroth rubbed his fingers down Cloud's cheek.

"Uh…" Cloud sounded.

"Okay… I have no idea what the hell's going on. It's kinda creepy but if everything's okay now, I'll leave it alone." Zack said from behind Sephiroth who glanced back at him.

"He's blind. I'm helping." Zack rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, sure." Sephiroth scowled at Zack as the raven haired man walked on ahead. Cloud sighed, drawing Sephiroth's eyes down as the blonde rested his head against Sephiroth's broad, powerful shoulder.

'His hair's standing completely up now.' Sephiroth noticed in amusement as he started in behind Zack.

Zack couldn't explain it. He had no idea what the hell happened, or what the deal was with the blind kid, but Sephiroth was acting kind of weird. It was still worrying him a bit. Sephiroth honestly seemed like he was going insane, and then when Zack came to check up on him for the second time that morning morning, Sephiroth was gone. Zack went searching everywhere, in total panic mode. Zack was afraid Sephiroth was going to end up doing something drastic. But instead, here he was, carrying a small blonde kid, and honestly… His attention to the blonde was worrying him on a different level. What was with that caring, almost fawning attitude all of a sudden? Sephiroth was not the kind of guy to act the way he was acting at the moment at all. And it was so sudden it really rose questions in Zack's mind.

Zack glanced back at Sephiroth who seemed completely, one hundred percent absorbed. Sephiroth was not a man who got absorbed with people. He was… Just not a people person, it was almost like he was being protective. And if what Sephiroth said was true, he hardly knew the blonde! Why in the world was he so attached?

'Just what hell happened when they met?'

"Tell me Cloud, why did you go up there? By yourself?" Cloud looked down, embarrassed.

"Uh… It was a dare." Cloud felt so unbelievably stupid and Sephiroth's pause told Cloud he thought so too.

"A dare?" Cloud nodded.

"Are you brain dead?" Cloud flinched.

"But… If I didn't they were going to make me drink vinegar." Cloud's stomach rolled at just the thought.

"It was supposed to be a short walk just up the shrine. But I think I got lost." Sephiroth wasn't surprised.

"They set up posts in the middle of the path for me to find, but uh… I guess I somehow turned or something. The path is straight." Cloud explained, his cheeks stinging red in embarrassment.

"Don't ever do something stupid like that again, unless you want to get yourself killed." Cloud pushed his face into Sephiroth's shoulder, humiliated that Sephiroth basically just called him stupid.

"I'm sorry." Cloud said softly and Sephiroth patted Cloud's hair, pausing in fascination as he treaded his fingers through a soft spike of blonde hair.

"Your hair's soft." Cloud didn't say anything. He was used to the surprise. Besides, he didn't exactly feel like talking at the moment.

"Cloud?" Sephiroth said softly.

"Hm?" Was Cloud's response and Sephiroth chuckled, drawing Zack's confused eye. It didn't even seem to occur to Sephiroth that he was completely out of character. In fact, it was as if he'd completely forgotten anyone else was around. He was completely taken with Cloud, that much was obvious.

"You said you wanted to celebrate your birthday and Christmas with the people you loved. Who are they?" Cloud stayed where he was, but move a little so that he could speak without being muffled.

"My mom." When Cloud didn't elaborate, Sephiroth glanced down at him.

"Anyone else?" Cloud shook his head.

"I only have my mom." Sephiroth furrowed his brows.

"What about your friends?"

"They're not really friends worthy of note. Just those that are willing to talk to me. A lot of the others think I'm boring because I can't do a lot." Sephiroth nodded in understanding.

"Cloud, how old are you?" Sephiroth asked, looking down at the frail creature in his arms.

"Sixteen." Cloud muttered and a strange thrill raced down Sephiroth's spine for a reason he knew not why. Why did that excite him? While Sephiroth started to ponder the strange feeling, Cloud decided to take initiative in the following silence. After all, he was in THE Sephiroth's arms! And he was getting such special care… Why not take advantage of it?

"Sephiroth sir? What's it like in SOLDIER?" The two neared the village and Sephiroth's energy suddenly seemed to cool and his expression became cold and stony.

"Sephiroth?" Sephiroth didn't really want to talk about SOLDIER. He didn't want to talk about anything at all that related to himself. He was still trying to decide exactly what it was he was wanting to do. Sephiroth still wasn't sure why it was that he was interested in Cloud enough to do what he was doing. Or why Cloud's words impacted him somuch. It's not like he was particularly special, was he?

"It's difficult." Sephiroth finally answered in a clipped, cold tone that made Cloud's brows furrow, not at all understanding the sudden change in mood.

"Is something bothering you? You were really upset back there." Sephiroth didn't answer for a moment, and when he did he changed the topic.

"Where do you live?" Cloud frowned, but then a suddenly great idea dawned on him. He didn't know if it could really happen, in fact, Cloud was certain it probably wouldn't, but he wanted to try anyway.

"Do you want to eat dinner over?" Sephiroth paused and stared down at Cloud, his face hiding any of the surprise he'd felt about the sudden, strange question.

"What's this all of a sudden?" Cloud held onto Sephiroth tighter.

"Eating with someone usually makes me feel better." Usually Cloud ate alone, since his Mom worked a lot to keep up with his doctor visits. But today, his Mom had the night off.

"If you're busy I understand." Cloud said and he was greeted with silence, and then Sephiroth's tone seemed just a tinge warmer.

"I can't eat there if you don't tell me where you live." Cloud smiled and directed Sephiroth toward his home.

"Are you sure your mother will be all right with having a stranger over?" Cloud laughed a little.

"Mom will be happy to have anyone over that I call a friend." Cloud shifted a little restlessly in his arms.

"I've never had any friends good enough that I've ever wanted to bring to dinner." Cloud explained and Sephiroth nodded.

"You know, if you don't consider those kids good friends, you shouldn't do such dangerous things with them." Cloud frowned. People like Sephiroth would never understand. Cloud was a reject; he wanted to be liked, even if it was just a little. But Cloud did fancy the almost protective words from Sephiroth. It was as if Sephiroth had taken a real shine to him. After all, Sephiroth went from offering to kill him to telling him NOT to get himself killed. Cloud didn't know what it was, but Sephiroth had been incredibly upset before, he could hear it clearly in his voice, and some subjects seemed to bring it back, but now he was being incredibly kind to Cloud. Cloud didn't know why, but he was happy for it, and wanted to return the kindness.

"Is it… Okay if I call you by your first name?" Sephiroth's response was quiet and smooth.

"Yes. It's fine." Cloud smiled and leaned against Sephiroth's shoulder again when they reached Cloud's front door and it burst open, revealing a petite blonde woman.

"Cloud!" She gasped and Cloud sat up more to look over in his mother's direction.

"Oh my baby!" She walked up to Sephiroth and Sephiroth quickly relinquished Cloud to the ground for his mother to squeeze him to her chest.

"I heard what you did! You stupid boy!" Cloud flinched in her embrace before she released him and regarded Sephiroth.

"You must be from ShinRa. Thank you so much for finding my boy..." Cloud's mom paused when she recognized the man. Sephiroth nodded, expression apathetic again.

"Um… Mom." Cloud grabbed the side of her shirt to get her attention.

"Can Sephiroth eat over?" She stared down at Cloud before her eyes widened in dawning.

"Sephiroth? You mean…" Cloud blushed and nodded, confirming her thoughts. She looked back up at Sephiroth and smiled warmly. She knew all about Cloud's admiration for Sephiroth. Now why in the world he singled out Sephiroth rather than just everyone in SOLDIER in general, since his claim was because they were so strong, she didn't know. She often had Cloud asking her to describe Sephiroth to her from the T.V. news and in magazines. Maybe he just liked long silver hair; she had no idea.

"Please. I'd love to have you over. It'd be an honor." Sephiroth nodded.

"I would love to." Cloud's mom turned, kissed Cloud's blushing cheek and went inside.

"Come inside! I'll get started right away!" Cloud blushed harder when he knew he was alone with Sephiroth. Sephiroth reached down and Cloud blushed even harder when Sephiroth once again acted oddly and stroked down Cloud's left cheek with his right hand.

"I have some work to do. But I'll be here in an hour." Cloud nodded.

"Okay." Cloud heard Sephiroth's footprints disappear and his lips curved into a deep frown. Sephiroth's words and departure striking a painful cord in Cloud, sparking bitter memories and fears.

"Oh? He's gone?" Cloud's mother said from behind Cloud as he turned and found the door before closing it. Cloud's tone was flat when he answered.

"Yeah… He has some work to do." Cloud's mother frowned.

"Honey… He will be here for dinner. He's a SOLDIER isn't he? I'm sure keeping his word is important to him." Cloud frowned.

"He doesn't have to break his word in purpose you know." Cloud's Mom frowned. She knew exactly what Cloud was thinking of and walked over and hugged him gently.

"If he doesn't show up, I'm sure he'll at least drop by to explain." Cloud's head hung low.

"Why would he have to? I'm just a 'dumb blind kid'." Cloud bit out, remembering what other children had referred to him as, many times, and walked away.

"Cloud Strife!" Cloud ran the familiar path to his room, his feet banging loudly across the hard wood floor before he found his bedroom door and slammed it shut. With a weary sigh, Cloud's mother returned to making dinner for hopefully a table of three while Cloud slid down the length of his door and hugged his knees. Cloud couldn't believe that what had started out as the worst day of his life turned out to be such a fortune, but the fear of being abandoned was so deeply rooted in Cloud, he feared that the man of his dreams would not return.

Cloud's mother sat down at the table and stared at the floor, feeling tears forming in her eyes. She desperately wished there was something, anything she could do for her son, but there wasn't much she could do but protect him, no matter what. And it was her resolve.

Yeah, I wrote this because I've got some serious writer's block. I've about written half the chapter for Master of My Heart (Another fic I'm working on) and I'm stuck, so I'm just trying to just appease some of my irritation by writing a little something else.