Fic: Sunflowers - Day 27
Title: Sunflowers
Chapter: 7/11
Author: xpaperplanex
Rating: G
Word Count: ~850
Characters: Sephiroth, Cloud
Genre: slice of life
Warnings: none
Summary: Is it exile? Is it a vacation? It's up to Sephiroth to find out.
***
"Mom says to put sunscreen on," Cloud said.
Sephiroth set his wheelbarrow down and wiped the sweat off his forehead with a rag, then took the plastic tube Cloud was holding out to him. He looked at the label for a few moments, then handed it back. "I don't think I need this."
"Now who's stupid? You'll get burned if you don't put it on. Sunburns hurt a lot." Cloud shoved the tube into his stomach. "And she says you have to drink more water and take breaks."
"I don't actually think you're stupid." Sephiroth sat down on the gravel in his wheelbarrow and took the tube back. "Whoever thought to fix this stupid road in the middle of a heat wave, however, is an entirely different story. Go get me some water and I'll take a break."
Cloud ran back to his mother while Sephiroth looked over the tube again. He really didn't think he needed it. Hojo wouldn't have left him with a flaw like not being able to be in the sun without protection. Even if he did burn, the mako in his system would heal it almost immediately. Still, he looked over at Mrs. Strife, who appeared to be pantomiming how to apply it, it probably wasn't worth the fight. He had no doubts these days that he'd lose.
He had hunched over and was reviewing the instructions for application when Cloud returned and upended an ice-cold water bottle on his head.
"What the hell are you doing?" he yelled, leaping to his feet and trying to shake the water out of his hair.
Cloud leapt out of his way, but threw the rest of the water at him, laughing. "You complained it was hot!" He turned on his heel and ran down the hill.
"You little shit!" It was nothing to catch up with Cloud, and Sephiroth grabbed him, then stopped for a moment. What was he supposed to do now that he had him? If he had done something like that, Hojo would have punished him, but Cloud was still laughing like it was all a great joke. "Think that was funny, do you?" he snarled menacingly.
"You look like a wet dog!"
"Oh, do I?" Sephiroth hoisted Cloud up under his arm and marched down the hill towards the area where the cold drinks were being kept. They had drawn quite a bit of attention-it seemed that everyone had stopped working to see what he would do, but Sephiroth just smiled. "They think I don't know what to do with you."
A large inflatable pool had been filled with ice and water to keep the drinks cold, and Sephiroth marched right up to it and held Cloud out. "Shall I drop you in?"
No one was screaming in horror. It was more laughter than anything, with Cloud laughing loudest. He didn't want to damage the pool, so with a shrug, he quickly dropped down to one knee and dunked Cloud into the water without dropping him. Cloud shrieked at the shock, but didn't stop laughing as he flailed his arms to splash even more water around.
"It's cold!"
"Serves you right!" Sephiroth hauled the boy back out and set him on his feet. The cold water he was splashing everywhere was refreshing, and he laughed when Cloud ran around to the other side of the pool and swept up a great armful of water at him. He darted out of the way and then splashed back, laughing as the other children joined in.
“You’ll never catch me!” Tifa shouted as she splashed water at him.
Sephiroth let out a derisive, “Ha!” as he swept her up and dunked her in the pool as well. She shrieked and ran as soon as he let her go, but still no one protested. This was playing, he realized. He was playing. He paused for a moment and looked around. The adults were all laughing as well. Some were even taking pictures as they splashed around and laughed.
Nobody minded. Nobody cared that the road wasn’t being worked on. He was distracted from his task, but no one looked angry at all. Another splash of cold water hit him directly in the face and he grabbed Cloud and threw both of them forward, into the pool.
Someone brought more water to refill the pool, and with it came another load of ice that had everyone shrieking again. When he finally collapsed against a large tree by the road, soaking wet and nearly out of breath, Cloud approached him with the sunscreen again.
“All right, all right. I don’t need it, but if that’s what it takes.” He grabbed the tube out of the boy’s hands and set about smearing the greasy cream over himself. “This is disgusting,” he muttered under his breath.
***
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Chapter: 7/11
Author: xpaperplanex
Rating: G
Word Count: ~850
Characters: Sephiroth, Cloud
Genre: slice of life
Warnings: none
Summary: Is it exile? Is it a vacation? It's up to Sephiroth to find out.
***
"Mom says to put sunscreen on," Cloud said.
Sephiroth set his wheelbarrow down and wiped the sweat off his forehead with a rag, then took the plastic tube Cloud was holding out to him. He looked at the label for a few moments, then handed it back. "I don't think I need this."
"Now who's stupid? You'll get burned if you don't put it on. Sunburns hurt a lot." Cloud shoved the tube into his stomach. "And she says you have to drink more water and take breaks."
"I don't actually think you're stupid." Sephiroth sat down on the gravel in his wheelbarrow and took the tube back. "Whoever thought to fix this stupid road in the middle of a heat wave, however, is an entirely different story. Go get me some water and I'll take a break."
Cloud ran back to his mother while Sephiroth looked over the tube again. He really didn't think he needed it. Hojo wouldn't have left him with a flaw like not being able to be in the sun without protection. Even if he did burn, the mako in his system would heal it almost immediately. Still, he looked over at Mrs. Strife, who appeared to be pantomiming how to apply it, it probably wasn't worth the fight. He had no doubts these days that he'd lose.
He had hunched over and was reviewing the instructions for application when Cloud returned and upended an ice-cold water bottle on his head.
"What the hell are you doing?" he yelled, leaping to his feet and trying to shake the water out of his hair.
Cloud leapt out of his way, but threw the rest of the water at him, laughing. "You complained it was hot!" He turned on his heel and ran down the hill.
"You little shit!" It was nothing to catch up with Cloud, and Sephiroth grabbed him, then stopped for a moment. What was he supposed to do now that he had him? If he had done something like that, Hojo would have punished him, but Cloud was still laughing like it was all a great joke. "Think that was funny, do you?" he snarled menacingly.
"You look like a wet dog!"
"Oh, do I?" Sephiroth hoisted Cloud up under his arm and marched down the hill towards the area where the cold drinks were being kept. They had drawn quite a bit of attention-it seemed that everyone had stopped working to see what he would do, but Sephiroth just smiled. "They think I don't know what to do with you."
A large inflatable pool had been filled with ice and water to keep the drinks cold, and Sephiroth marched right up to it and held Cloud out. "Shall I drop you in?"
No one was screaming in horror. It was more laughter than anything, with Cloud laughing loudest. He didn't want to damage the pool, so with a shrug, he quickly dropped down to one knee and dunked Cloud into the water without dropping him. Cloud shrieked at the shock, but didn't stop laughing as he flailed his arms to splash even more water around.
"It's cold!"
"Serves you right!" Sephiroth hauled the boy back out and set him on his feet. The cold water he was splashing everywhere was refreshing, and he laughed when Cloud ran around to the other side of the pool and swept up a great armful of water at him. He darted out of the way and then splashed back, laughing as the other children joined in.
“You’ll never catch me!” Tifa shouted as she splashed water at him.
Sephiroth let out a derisive, “Ha!” as he swept her up and dunked her in the pool as well. She shrieked and ran as soon as he let her go, but still no one protested. This was playing, he realized. He was playing. He paused for a moment and looked around. The adults were all laughing as well. Some were even taking pictures as they splashed around and laughed.
Nobody minded. Nobody cared that the road wasn’t being worked on. He was distracted from his task, but no one looked angry at all. Another splash of cold water hit him directly in the face and he grabbed Cloud and threw both of them forward, into the pool.
Someone brought more water to refill the pool, and with it came another load of ice that had everyone shrieking again. When he finally collapsed against a large tree by the road, soaking wet and nearly out of breath, Cloud approached him with the sunscreen again.
“All right, all right. I don’t need it, but if that’s what it takes.” He grabbed the tube out of the boy’s hands and set about smearing the greasy cream over himself. “This is disgusting,” he muttered under his breath.
***
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