AU idea: Somehow Ifalna made out of the building with Aerith AND Sephiroth. They get raised by Elmyra and stuff. So flower boy Sephiroth, who gets into the flower business to help out his adopted sister. People still fall through their roof, though. (Maybe Sefikura?)
Sephiroth wanted to help her...because she was nice to him. He knew she was afraid and thought he was some horrifying creation, but she smiled at him and would talk quietly to him when they were alone together and that meant more than if she didn’t. She didn’t teach Aerith about what he was either. Aerith grew up thinking they were quite similar, especially since they did similar tests on them. Ifalna didn’t have the heart to tell her it was because they were comparing results.
Sephiroth knew an escape opportunity when he saw one, so the run was mostly his idea. It worked though, it worked better than anything they could have tried alone. Sephiroth hesitated for a moment before Ifalna pretty much screamed at him to get his ass in gear and follow them. So he did. He ran with them. He knew the gunshot was meant for him and never forgave himself. Elmyra found him trying to save her. And she stopped him, she knew it was too late and listened to Ifalna’s last wishes.
She took both of the kids.
Sephiroth was terrified ShinRa would come for him and didn’t go out for days. He heard the Turks come for Aerith and heard her talk her way out of it. He didn’t think he could ever do that. Elmyra finally dragged him out, telling him he couldn’t be afraid forever. And she was right. Whatever ShinRa was up to, he and Aerith stayed in the slums. Besides, he owed it to Ifalna to make sure Aerith was safe.
As time passed they grew up. Without a steady stream of J cells being put into him, Sephiroth’s make-up got a little wonky and he started growing streaks of brown hair too. Aerith loved how it looked in braids, but Sephiroth often kept it short. He stayed by her side always. He noticed the Turks first and made sure they kept their distance. When she found the church...he helped her carry some of the flowers home to plant. He didn’t quite understand what family was...but he understood Aerith was definitely part of his and she made sure of it.
Sephiroth was also a good cushion for someone who fell down through the plate and into the church. He was not as amused as Aerith was about it, but helped her get the poor kid up and at ‘em again. He asked...more questions than Sephiroth liked. Even worse he wanted to...hang out with them, bring them up the plate. Aerith made him, dragging him along with that smirk that scared the shit out of him. And Zack just smiled so innocently at them...it was like he mastered that kicked puppy look.
Sephiroth never stood a chance
