Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Cloud walked down the cobblestone streets of Kalm, heading for an unassuming building at the end of a narrow street. The house looked like most others in the city — it was made of grey stone, with a tile covered gable roof. A large tree planted at the entrance obscured it, giving it a certain veil of mystery and hiding its windows, providing privacy from any curious onlookers.

But everyone knew what was housed in this building — it was Kalm’s only gay bar.

The place had a decent reputation, even among the general populace. It was small and private, but comely and respectable. There was nothing seedy about it, unlike some brothels across town. It was also known as a great place to party, especially on the weekends.

The gay community in Kalm was small; most people knew each other, and most patrons were regulars. And so, as was usually the case when communities were small, it didn’t take six degrees of separation to find people who’d had sex with each other. Many of those not looking for commitment had been with each other at least once. It made the rumor mill wild.

This presented somewhat of a problem for Cloud. He wasn’t very popular among this crown.

When he’d first found his way here, all heads had turned his way and men all but scrambling over each other trying to approach him. But after a few visits and several one-night stands, the mood had changed. People started avoiding him. From being the “sexy blond twink”, he became a “grump”, “mood killer” and a “bore”. The rumor mill had done its worst, and now everyone was avoiding him like the plague.

Cloud didn’t really care what anyone thought of him, and he really hated going to these kinds of places to begin with, but sometimes he just needed to get laid, damn it.

These types of situations were so uncomfortable for him that he always tried to hold out for as long as he could. He didn’t particularly enjoy sex with strangers anyway, so it wasn’t that hard to go without. In Cloud’s opinion, sex was supposed to be something intimate — sharing the deepest parts of yourself with someone, so doing it with a total stranger always left Cloud feeling unfulfilled. But despite his feelings, his body still had urges. So, once a month or so, he’d gather his resolve and try to find at least one person willing to overlook his “personality problems” and spend the night with him.

Approaching the door, Cloud took one more look at himself. He hadn’t bothered to dress for the occasion. Coming here was a spur-of-the-moment decision, so he was still in his everyday clothes — a sleeveless wool shirt and baggy black pants. He frowned and tried to convince himself it didn’t matter. The clientele of the bar was diverse. Since it was the only place in town for queer people to gather, people from all walks of life, with all sorts of different tastes and interests, flocked there. Some were following the latest fashion, while many others did not. So, it’s not as if Cloud’s clothes would automatically make him stand out, but he still felt distinctly underdressed. No matter; it was too late to do anything about it, and he wasn’t about to turn back now that he’d already come all this way.

He climbed up the few steps leading to the large ornate door. The sign above it read “The Gifts of the Goddess” — colloquially known as “Gifts” by its patrons.

The moment the door opened, Cloud was met with loud music and an almost uncomfortable blend of different fragrances — perfumes, aftershaves and the fruity smells of cocktails popularly served here. It wreaked havoc on Cloud’s enhanced senses and he wrinkled his nose, trying his best to ignore it.

He made a beeline for the bar. Since he always came alone, Cloud didn’t feel comfortable sitting at tables or booths, preferring instead to drink at the bar and wait for someone to approach him. Another person might make this quicker and easier by propositioning someone himself, but Cloud was too awkward for that. He couldn’t find the right words and didn’t want to risk someone rejecting him to his face.

So he always ordered a drink — something alcoholic and strong — and waited.

As he moved along the edges of the dance floor, towards the bar, his enhanced hearing caught fragments of conversations no normal person would have picked up.

“There’s that grumpy blond guy again. I can’t believe he keeps coming back here.”

“Yeah, I know. He’s super hot, but a total weirdo. My friend took him home and it was awful. He barely spoke all night, he just glared all the time. My friend thought he was gonna get murdered!”

“No!” the first guy gasped at the juicy gossip, already diving into a story he’d heard from someone else. Cloud gritted his teeth and picked up his pace, leaving the conversation behind him.

He got his drink and started sipping it slowly. It was a Friday, so the place was packed. Cloud hoped that improved his chances of finding at least one person who hadn’t heard the exaggerated horror stories about him.

Not even ten minutes after he’d arrived, he heard a snippet of another conversation.

“…like a god among men! I’d do anything to fuck him.”

“He took my friend Todd home last week. He couldn’t walk for three days afterwards. The man is a beast,” the other guy replied.

“Mmm, sounds amazing. And look at all that hair! I’d yank that silver hair of his like a leash as he…”

The voices moved out of hearing range, but Cloud had gone stiff all over. There weren’t many people with that hair color. In fact, Cloud only knew of one, and his clones…

But no, that wasn’t possible. If he were back, Cloud would know. There’d be people dying, for one thing. And he always sought out Cloud as soon as he returned. No, it was impossible.

Still, the uneasy feeling wouldn’t go away. It soured and curdled, twisting his stomach into knots. Cloud couldn’t just ignore this.

He looked around, trying to pinpoint where the voices had come from. He downed his drink, left a tip on the counter and headed in what he believed was the right direction. That was where the booths were.

Trying to regulate his breathing and convince himself he was being an idiot, Cloud pressed on. It wasn’t unusual for people to make rounds, to prowl, but he’d never done it before and some people were openly staring. Some seemed curious, others openly judgmental, but he tried to ignore them all. He’d scoured most of the place by now and found nothing of note. Just as he was about to relax, he noticed, at the very corner of the room, a booth with four people. They were deep in conversation, laughing, enjoying a simple Friday night out on the town.

Except… one of those people was Sephiroth and there was nothing simple about that.

Cloud’s heart stuttered in his chest.

Before his brain could process what he was doing or consider that there were at least a hundred civilians around him that could get hurt, Cloud had grabbed his sword and charged.

“Sephiroth!” he shouted loud enough to be heard over the blaring music.

The shout made people notice him and suddenly there were screams all around. People were calling for security.

One of Sephiroth’s companions screamed, another one fainted. The third one had slid down and cowered under the table.

Sephiroth simply turned, his eyes cold and neutral, unconcerned that someone was coming at him with a sword. He didn’t even bother to rise from his seat.

Despite the blinding rage he was feeling, Cloud had enough honor not to stab an unarmed man, so he stopped once he’d reached Sephiroth’s table, resting the tip of his sword against the man’s chest.

“How are you here?” he demanded.

Sephiroth gave him a level stare.

Cloud was about to threaten him, force him to leave or even just run him through, honor be damned, when he felt someone come at him from the side, throwing their full weight at him and tackling him. He went down with a muffled “Oof,” his sword clattering to the side.

As soon as he was unarmed, all hell broke loose.

The security guard who had tackled him pinned him to the floor, twisting Cloud’s arms behind his back, ordering him to stay down and stop resisting.

What truly shocked Cloud was the number of people who moved to stand between him and Sephiroth, trying to protect the man. There were others kicking his sword farther out of his reach. He could hear whispers about himself (“I knew he was a sociopath”, “poor Sephiroth”, “I hope they lock him up for a long time!”). Someone especially daring came and kicked Cloud in the shins while he was being held down.

The situation was humiliating and infuriating, but none of it mattered, as long as he could get these idiots to see sense and move them out of the way. Cloud had to stop Sephiroth before he killed anyone. Before he tried to destroy the world again. Cloud had to…

A pair of black boots came into his field of vision. He started bucking against the weight pinning him down. He couldn’t let it end like this!

“Let him go, Jo,” Sephiroth said in a calm voice. Someone had cut the music and the place was deadly quiet now.

“Are you sure? I think you should press charges. This guy’s crazy. He’s known for being problematic around here,” the man, Jo, warned Sephiroth.

“He and I go way back. He has… personal issues with me. I think we just need to calm down and talk like reasonable people. Right, Cloud?” he asked, leaning over Jo and looking Cloud in the eye.

Cloud was tempted to spit at him. What was he playing at? Speaking to Cloud in such a condescending way was bad enough, but where does he get off pretending that he’s the sensible one in all of this?

But Cloud held back, realizing that doing so would truly make him seem feral, and he didn’t like the idea of spending the night in jail.

“Right,” he answered Sephiroth through gritted teeth.

Jo released him and Cloud immediately rose to his feet, brushing dirt off his clothes.

“Where is my sword?” he demanded.

“You think we’ll give you a weapon?” Jo asked, incredulous, about to insult him some more when Sephiroth stepped in.

“We should talk first. You can come back for your sword later.” Sephiroth turned to Jo. “Once I leave, he won’t attack anyone.”

It infuriated Cloud that somehow, on this bizarre night, he’d ended up in the position of having Sephiroth vouch for him not being a homicidal maniac. The irony in that was astounding.

Sephiroth motioned for Cloud to follow him. Begrudgingly, Cloud did.

They left the bar and walked down a few narrow streets and pathways. Kalm’s entire city structure was like a maze. Cloud knew the few major streets well, because he often came here on deliveries, but he noticed that Sephiroth seemed very familiar with these tiny back alleys.

He brought Cloud to a small, secluded park. It was only a few trees and benches, really, but it provided them with a private spot to talk. Sephiroth sat on a bench and waited for Cloud to join him. Reluctantly, Cloud took a seat on the opposite edge, leaving as much space between them as possible.

“How?” Cloud repeated his earlier question.

Sephiroth gave him a measuring look. “Honestly? I do not know.”

“Bullshit!”

“I know it sounds convenient, but it’s the truth.”

“When?”

“Three months ago.”

“Three months…! And you’ve, what? Just been hanging out at Gifts ever since?”

“Pretty much,” Sephiroth replied with a small smirk.

Cloud wanted to strangle him.

“What were you even doing at a gay bar…?” Cloud sounded completely baffled.

“The same thing as everyone else, I imagine. Trying to get laid.”

Cloud choked on his own spit.

He’d never imagined Sephiroth as a sexual being. The man never seemed interested in anything other than pain and destruction. Cloud wished he could erase this conversation from his mind. He glared at Sephiroth, trying to make sense of this entire insane evening.

“Look,” Sephiroth said in a gruff tone. “I don’t know how or why I’m back. I just woke up, naked, in a puddle of mako not far from Kalm. Some people found me and helped me. They got me a place to stay, helped me find a job…”

“You have a fucking job?”

Sephiroth ignored him and continued, “For the first time in many years, I feel like myself. I have my memories back. My own thoughts. My desires. I have no interest in destroying the world or becoming a god. Or fighting you.”

He gave Cloud a pointed look.

“I know it must be hard to believe, after everything. But think about it. I’ve been back for months. I had plenty of opportunities to do something… nefarious, but I did not.”

Cloud had to give it to him there. In three months, he could have destroyed the entire planet if he’d wanted, with Cloud being none the wiser.

“So what do you want?” Cloud asked.

“I just want to be left alone. I want to live my life in peace.”

Cloud let out an ugly snort. “After all the people you killed, you think you deserve to live in peace? Their faces should haunt you for the rest of your life!”

Sephiroth’s face hardened. “They do. And you’re right. I do not deserve it, but I was given this chance and I don’t want to waste it.”

Cloud was quiet for a very long time. He stared at his hands, considering his options. After everything that had happened, he was tired of fighting, too. He didn’t want to have to kill anyone, even Sephiroth, ever again. If the man stayed true to his word and lived his life without hurting anyone, where was the harm?

“Fine,” Cloud spat out, still not looking at his companion.

“Fine, what?”

“Fine, I won’t bother you. For now. But listen to me, Sephiroth. If you start killing people, if you start plotting against the Planet, I’ll find you and I’ll kill you with my own two hands, as I always have.”

“That sounds fair,” Sephiroth conceded, completely unintimidated, a small smile tugging on his lips. “I’m glad we could clear this up,” he said and rose. “I’ll see you around, Cloud.”

He walked back the way he came without a single backwards glance at Cloud.

Cloud stayed sitting on that bench for a long, long time, until the chill seeped into his bones and goosebumps broke all across his flesh, but he still could not believe the conversation they’d had.

Finally, he rose, as if in a daze, and went to recover his sword.

***

For a week after that, Cloud stayed clear of Gifts. He knew he wouldn’t be welcome after the mayhem he’d caused and the rumors must have spread far and wide by now. Still, the itch under his skin was getting worse by the day. He could feel his frustration rising, leaving him snapping and fighting at the slightest provocation. It had been more than a month since his last time, and he really needed to get laid.

So, on the following Friday, Cloud found himself in front of the familiar wooden door again. He took a deep breath to steady himself. The gossiping would be even worse tonight, but he’d just have to bear it.

He stepped in, trying not to listen to the murmuring around him, and went straight for the bar. By his second drink, he was starting to feel a pleasant buzz that helped him ignore all the negative things around him. As he’d feared, people were avoiding him even more than usual. He’d be going home alone tonight.

Out of curiosity, he looked around the venue. Telling himself he wasn’t looking for anyone in particular — knowing deep down that this was a lie — he scanned the booths for any familiar faces. Sure enough, his eyes honed in on a silver head of hair, the unique color making the man stand out in any crowd.

Sephiroth was surrounded by a group of people again. They seemed to be different men from last time. He was smiling, open and approachable, engaged in friendly conversation. The man next to him kept pawing at him, probably trying to flirt. Sephiroth didn’t seem to mind, but he paid the man no special attention compared to the others. As if feeling Cloud’s eyes on him, he turned and their gazes met. For a brief moment, Sephiroth seemed startled, but then he smirked and lifted his glass in greeting. Feeling caught out, Cloud blushed, swerved back towards the counter, and pretended to be fascinated by his empty glass. He cursed himself for looking.

By the time he’d finished his third drink, Cloud saw Sephiroth leave the bar with a man — not the one who’d groped him, Cloud noted with some dark satisfaction. Soon after, Cloud rose and left, too. It was clear no one would be joining him tonight. He let out a deep sigh, his frustration growing. Knowing that, somewhere out there, Sephiroth was enjoying his night soured his mood even more.

***

Cloud found himself in front of Gifts again the following day. It was very unusual for him to go there two nights in a row, but the itch under his skin was becoming a real living, breathing thing and he needed it dealt with posthaste. He was becoming so desperate that he’d made a special trip to Kalm tonight, without any nearby deliveries as an excuse.

The regulars changed from day to day, so Cloud hoped he’d have better luck with the Saturday crowd. And at least Sephiroth shouldn’t be in again, since he’d been there the night before.

He entered the bar and the first thing that greeted him was the sight of Sephiroth on the dance floor. His hair cascaded around him, catching the reflections from the strobe lights, moving like a life form of its own. He was dancing with a new man tonight, arms wrapped around each other, pressing almost indecently close. Cloud’s mouth went dry and for a second he considered turning around and going home. But he was damned if he’d let Sephiroth dictate his actions or affect his plans!

Steeling his shoulders, as if preparing for battle and not what was supposed to be a fun night out, Cloud went to his usual spot and got his usual drink. The night was turning out to be a repeat of the night before. No one expressed any interest in him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sephiroth have his pick of dance partners, who kept changing every few songs. Cloud gritted his teeth and downed another drink. He should just get wasted tonight. That might make his trip worth it.

He was on his fourth drink when he felt someone lean over him from behind, crowding him against the counter as they moved in to order. A very familiar voice called out his drink order and Cloud was suddenly hyperaware of the presence leaning against the bar, standing way too close, with no sense of Cloud’s personal space.

Sephiroth slid into the chair next to him, waiting to be served.

“I’m surprised to see you again tonight,” he noted.

“Are you here every night?” Cloud answered with a question of his own.

“Pretty much.”

Cloud frowned. He’d need to find another bar to pick up men if Sephiroth was going to be here every night.

“No luck tonight?”

To Cloud’s surprise, he didn’t sound mocking, just curious.

“We can’t all be you,” Cloud responded indignantly.

Sephiroth surprised him by giving him a small but genuine smile.

“No, but that’s not a bad thing.”

Cloud wondered what he meant by that. He opened his mouth to ask, but then the bartender was there, passing Sephiroth his drink and the man rose, ready to leave. He placed a hand on Cloud’s shoulder in an inappropriately familiar gesture and leaned close to his ear to say, “I’ll see you around, Cloud.”

Then he was gone.

Cloud stared, dumbfounded. His breaths were rapid, his pulse spiking. Why the hell was he letting this man affect him so much? He must be too desperate. It had been too long since he’d been with a man, and Sephiroth smelled sinfully good.

***

Cloud ended up spending the night at the Kalm Inn. After whatever-that-was with Sephiroth, he’d decided to stop himself from obsessing and over-analyzing by drowning his mind in alcohol. His enhanced metabolism made it difficult to get drunk, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t be done. When he really tried, he could get smashed like any other person. It helped silence his thoughts. But now, with the hangover making him feel like he’d gone one on one with a Nibelheim dragon, he was seriously questioning his life choices.

It took him until the afternoon to drag himself out of bed, so he ended up having to pay the inn for another night. Since he had a room, and he was already in Kalm, he decided to go to Gifts yet again.

He told himself it would be the last time. He’d clearly made a terrible impression here, so he’d have to look for partners elsewhere. Edge was out of the question. There was no gay bar in Edge and the most popular place to hang out was Tifa’s bar, which felt like the wrong place to look for hookups. That left Cloud with the option of trying to meet people during long distance deliveries to places like Corel or Mideel. The problem was that he didn’t get many of those, so it would give him even fewer opportunities to get laid. But, with the way things were going in Kalm, it couldn’t be worse than this.

Cloud mentally prepared himself and entered the familiar bar for the third night in a row. He had no more expectations tonight. If he met someone, good, but otherwise, he’d have a few drinks and drive back to Edge, never to return.

Slowly sipping his drink, his thoughts drifted to his work, planning the Monday routes in his head. And then, unexpectedly, Cloud felt someone approach him. Before he could turn to look, he recognized the man’s perfume. The fact that he knew what Sephiroth smelled like and could easily recognize him by smell alone ignited a low burning pit of rage inside Cloud. Why did he have to be here?

He was surprised to note that Sephiroth wasn’t ordering a drink this time. His eyes were firmly fixed on Cloud, an uncertain, calculating gaze in his eyes. Cloud was immediately on guard.

“Can we talk?” he asked.

Cloud searched the man’s face for any hint of what this could be about. Not finding it, he nodded.

Sephiroth asked Cloud to follow him and walked deeper into the bar, to the secluded booth, which Cloud had come to associate with Sephiroth. Cloud slid onto the bench and Sephiroth shocked him by sliding in after him instead of sitting opposite him.

“It’s so we can talk. It’s too loud in here,” Sephiroth said by way of explanation. The shock must have shown on Cloud’s face.

“Talk then,” Cloud said, not even trying to be friendly.

Sephiroth huffed out a laugh, shaking his head. “You really are as they say.”

“What?” Cloud was utterly confused.

“Nothing, just… You might want to try being more civil with people, Cloud. In case you haven’t noticed, everyone here is avoiding you.”

“Yet here you are.”

“Mm, yes, the last person you’d want to see.”

Cloud glared and Sephiroth chuckled. As always, the man enjoyed torturing him and making him uncomfortable. He wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction. He rose to leave, but Sephiroth’s hand shot out to grab his wrist and drag him down.

“Wait,” he urged. “We started on the wrong foot. Again.” He sighed in exasperation. “I have a proposition for you.”

Cloud didn’t verbally acknowledge his words, but he allowed himself to be pulled back to his seat and waited for Sephiroth to finish. The man seemed uncharacteristically hesitant. He was looking at Cloud with an almost guarded expression, and Cloud wondered what could be so difficult to say. It couldn’t be anything villainous, because he’d hardly be here, admitting it to Cloud. But what it could be about, Cloud didn’t have a faintest guess.

“I’ve seen you here for three nights in a row now and you’ve always left alone…”

Sephiroth hedged, searching for words. Cloud felt his cheeks flame, his anger rising.

“If you brought me here to mock me—“

Sephiroth shook his head, lifting his hands in a placating gesture. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Cloud narrowed his eyes, uncertain if he believed him. “What then?”

“As I said, I have a proposition. One that may be beneficial to us both.”

“So, what is it?”

“You don’t have to leave alone tonight.”

The words hung in the air for a long time, a veil of confusion enveloping Cloud, before Sephiroth’s meaning finally registered and Cloud actually gasped out loud in shock.

“You must be crazy!”

“Perhaps. But they say insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. Yet here you were, every night.” He looked at Cloud pointedly. “People think you’re dangerous, possibly even a psychopath. No one will go anywhere with you. Except me. So, if you’d like to have fun tonight, you have only one option.”

He wasn’t wrong, but having someone say it directly to his face enraged Cloud. Even if he were the last man on the Planet, Cloud would never agree to this!

He told him as much and Sephiroth chuckled in response, undeterred.

“What’s in it for you, anyway? You can have anyone you want in this bar. People are falling over themselves to please you. So, why me?”

“Believe it or not, that’s exactly why. I’m tired of them. They’re shallow and boring, insipid little creatures not worth my time. It was fun for a while, but none of them present a challenge. You do.”

Cloud gaped. “You… You still look down on people and think yourself above them.”

Sephiroth rolled his eyes. “Not in the way that you think. I do not picture myself as a god, but you’ve seen these people, you’ve met them. You know what they’re like.”

Cloud did. He hated generalizing and judging people in such a way, but he did see Sephiroth’s point.

“So, you want to fuck me instead, because I present ‘a challenge’?”

He chose to be crude on purpose, trying to throw Sephiroth off balance, but the man took it in stride.

“What can I say? I’ve always had a certain fascination with you.”

“Want to know what I think? I think this is another one of your twisted mind games. The only reason you want to fuck me is to get your kicks out of dominating me.”

Sephiroth’s eyes widened in shock. He quickly covered it with a smirk and said, “Is being dominated something you’re into?”

Cloud huffed and rolled his eyes, exasperated.

“Look,” Cloud tried, his hands coming up and making his hair even messier than it was, “I don’t want sex to be a power struggle. It’s not supposed to be a battlefield. If this is some fucked up way of you wanting to get payback for the past, just leave me alone.”

“And if it’s not?” Sephiroth asked after a prolonged pause.

Their eyes met and they stared at each other for long seconds, trying to read the other’s intentions. He couldn’t see any guile in Sephiroth’s face. There didn’t seem to be any malice or ill intent.

Cloud couldn’t believe he was truly considering this… But he’d been pretty desperate for a while. And it’s not like Sephiroth was a chore to look at. He’d be hard pressed to find a better looking man anywhere in Gaia. Not to mention that everyone around the bar talked about Sephiroth being an exceptionally skilled and generous lover.

Cloud bit his lip, looking away.

“In that case… I might be inclined to agree.”

He heard Sephiroth draw in a sharp breath and turned back to look at him, blushing. He couldn’t believe he’d just said that. That he’d agreed to have sex with Sephiroth. He must be out of his mind.

“Do you have a place?”

“A have a room at the inn.”

“Lead the way.”

***

Cloud was starting to think this was a terrible idea.

They’d reached the inn, barely saying a word to each other, and now they just stood there awkwardly, not knowing where to start. Just as Cloud was about to call the whole thing off, Sephiroth seemed to collect himself. He moved closer, placing his hands on Cloud’s shoulders, angling his head for a kiss. Cloud turned away.

“No kissing,” he said.

Sephiroth huffed, but conceded, pressing his lips to Cloud’s jaw instead.

“You know, I’m starting to see why the other guys don’t want to deal with you,” he chuckled playfully.

“Shut up.”

“Always so rude and prickly.” Sephiroth’s lips moved feather-light down the column of Cloud’s throat, exploring, teasing.

“Get on with it already, or I’m leaving,” Cloud growled.

Without warning, Sephiroth shoved him into the wall. He towered over Cloud, crowding him, his musky scent mixed with his perfume filling Cloud’s nostrils, quickening his heartbeat. Long, elegant fingers grabbed Cloud’s hair and pulled, yanking his head backwards, giving Sephiroth free access to Cloud’s neck. Cloud gasped in shock, hands grabbing at Sephiroth’s arms in a desperate clutch. Sephiroth latched onto the hollow of Cloud’s throat, sucking roughly, grazing the skin with his teeth, making Cloud moan and press closer.

It had really been too long for Cloud. Just being manhandled like this was enough to excite him.

Sephiroth shoved a leg between Cloud’s, bearing down on him. Cloud let out a needy moan as Sephiroth’s thigh brushed the front of his pants, legs spreading apart in invitation. Cloud’s cock, still barely half-hard, twitched and filled at the friction. He knew Sephiroth could feel it harden.

“Oh, Cloud,” Sephiroth murmured against Cloud’s ear, making him tremble. “I don’t think you’re going anywhere. You want this even more than I do.”

His leg rocked against Cloud’s hardness in quick, shallow thrusts. Cloud’s response got stuck in his throat as desire took over and he rocked back, chasing pleasure. His cock was growing thicker and harder by the second.

“You’re already this hard and I haven’t even touched you yet. By the time this night is over, you’ll be screaming my name.”

“You overconfident bastard, as if I’d ever—“

Cloud’s words we cut off by a long moan as Sephiroth bit a particularly sensitive spot beneath his ear. The man hummed, smug and self-satisfied, sucking on the spot repeatedly, making Cloud writhe against the wall, hands clawing at the tapestry.

Sephiroth moved his hips, thrusting harder. The desire was overpowering. Cloud rocked back against the heavenly friction in front of him, his touch-starved body craving it. It didn’t matter that this was Sephiroth. It felt amazing and Cloud needed it.

Sephiroth continued the slow, torturous pace for a while. At some point, he released Cloud’s hair and grabbed his wrists, pinning them to the wall above Cloud’s head, making him stretch so that he was standing on tiptoes, unable to move or even stand without Sephiroth’s support. The length of Sephiroth’s body pinned him to the wall and nothing else seemed to exist. Only the feeling of Sephiroth’s hard body owning him, pleasuring him, overloading his senses. Teeth tugged at Cloud’s ear, making him squirm, a hand trailing down his chest, moving lower, lower, closer to where Cloud desperately needed it.

And just as Cloud felt like he might come in his pants like a teenager, Sephiroth stepped away. Without hesitation, his fingers unbuckled Cloud’s many belts and unzipped his fly. The pants were pushed down around Cloud’s ankles and, in one smooth motion, Sephiroth knelt on the floor.

The sight of Sephiroth kneeling before him, his hair messy, lips plump and red from sucking on his throat, was almost enough to make Cloud come right then and there. Sephiroth licked his lips, grabbing Cloud’s hips, running his hands possessively over Cloud’s thighs and ass, eyeing his prize. Cloud’s cock twitched at the attention, eager for what was to come. Sephiroth smirked, glancing up to look at Cloud. His gaze was pure fire, simmering with need, irises blown so wide that there was barely any green around them. Cloud’s breath hitched.

He never imagined he’d find this as hot as he did. He never imagined wanting Sephiroth so much it made his body sing with need.

Still holding his gaze, Sephiroth took Cloud’s straining cock in his hand and started stroking. It was inches away from his face and Cloud could feel his breath on it, sending his senses into overdrive. He moaned and threw his head back against the wall, squeezing his eyes shut. This was too much. He might actually go insane from this.

Then, without warning, Sephiroth swallowed him whole. Cloud keened, his hips moving forward, trying to bury himself deeper into that heavenly warmth.

A strong hand gripped Cloud’s hip, bruising him, holding him in place as Sephiroth’s mouth pleasured him. There weren’t many people strong enough to restrain him, so knowing Sephiroth could do it with one hand, barely exerting any effort, made this even more arousing for Cloud. He fully let go, knowing he couldn’t hurt Sephiroth — and not really caring if he did.

As the pleasure crested and Cloud’s inhibitions disappeared, his hands found purchase in Sephiroth’s hair, pulling and clawing, gripping and forcing him closer. Sephiroth let him. He slackened his jaw and let Cloud fuck his mouth the way he wanted. The hand on his hip prevented Cloud from choking him, but still allowed him enough movement to pound into Sephiroth’s face without holding back.

The orgasm took Cloud by surprise. He’d meant to warn Sephiroth, he did, but the swollen lips had felt so good on him, and when Sephiroth hollowed his cheeks and swallowed, a shattering orgasm tore out of Cloud, his knees almost buckling. With a heavy groan, he buried himself deep into Sephiroth’s throat and came. He gripped Sephiroth’s head, pulling him even closer, his nose against Cloud’s groin, not letting him move away. He poured load after load down Sephiroth’s throat and the man swallowed it all.

When he was completely spent, he let go of Sephiroth’s head, allowing him to move away. Without Sephiroth’s hands holding him, Cloud’s knees gave out and he crumpled to the carpet, panting. He looked up to see Sephiroth’s tongue lick off the come that had dribbled down his chin. Despite having just come, the sight sent such a primal rush of desire through Cloud that it made his head spin.

Briefly, Cloud considered apologizing for the lack of warning. He knew it was the polite thing to do. But this was Sephiroth, so he didn’t want to. Besides, he didn’t seem to mind.

Now that he was no longer blinded by need, Cloud wondered again if this was a terrible idea. It would make him a total asshole to leave now, after taking his own pleasure, but a part of him wanted to.

Looking at Sephiroth from his position on the floor, it was impossible not to focus on the enormous bulge tenting his pants. Dear Planet, he was huge! Cloud’s whole body throbbed in anticipation. Well, maybe he could stay just a little longer.

Legs still feeling like jelly and unwilling to move from the floor, Cloud shoved his pants all the way off and kicked them away. He spread his legs invitingly, hearing Sephiroth’s breathing go ragged as he watched.

“Like what you see?” Cloud surprised himself by teasing.

The next thing he knew, Sephiroth was pulling him up on his hands and knees, approaching him from behind. Could heard a zipper open, followed by the sound of a bottle being uncapped. Unwilling to wait, Sephiroth didn’t even bother to remove his pants. 

Cloud was still relaxed from his orgasm, so when the first slick finger breached him, it went in easily. He moaned, pushing back against it, welcoming the pressure. Soon, the second finger followed, then a third. Sephiroth prepared him quickly, efficiently and Cloud felt a renewed need building within him, his cock growing and filling out once more.

Sephiroth leaned over him, one hand moving in and out of Cloud, while the other gripped his ass cheek roughly, spreading his crack wider. Cloud let out a shocked gasp as the hand came down in a sharp slap. It wasn’t enough to hurt, but it stung. Shame filled him, knowing he allowed Sephiroth to do this to him, but the pleasure was too great to try and stop it. Cloud lowered himself down on his elbows, lifting his ass in the air for Sephiroth to use, giving himself over like an offering. The hand came down again and again, until his whole bottom felt tender and oversensitive. Then, he felt teeth clamp down on the sensitive flesh and Cloud howled. He tried to move away, feeling overwhelmed, but a firm grip on his hip held him in place. Sephiroth continued to suck on the abused flesh of Cloud’s ass and his fingers pounded into him mercilessly. Cloud was almost delirious, panting and writhing on the floor.

By the time Sephiroth pulled out his fingers and coated his cock with lube, Cloud was already rock hard and dripping on the carpet. When the tip of Sephiroth’s impressive hardness pressed against him, Cloud let out a helpless, wanton moan. He needed this, gods he needed it so much he was trembling. Sephiroth entered him roughly, in one smooth motion, and without waiting for Cloud to catch his breath, started to move.

The burn was delicious. The practiced, passionate movements set Cloud’s entire body on fire. He felt blissfully stretched and filled in a way he hadn’t in years. Sephiroth thrust in deep, as deep as he could go, and proceeded to rail him into the floor. Cloud howled, using any coordination he had left to thrust back against Sephiroth’s cock.

“You are so tight, Cloud… I can feel you clenching around me. You feel so good.”

Sephiroth was leaning over him, his hair falling all over Cloud’s back, caressing him, stimulating his already oversensitive nerve endings. Cloud was beyond speech, he could only moan helplessly. Sephiroth gripped him by the hair, roughly tugging him back and lifting him against himself. Cloud gasped in surprise.

The change in angle made Sephiroth’s cock penetrate deeper, hitting Cloud’s prostate. His arm wrapped around Cloud’s chest, raking over it with his nails, pinching his nipples. The fingers settled against Cloud’s throat, clutching possessively. Sephiroth’s mouth latched onto Cloud’s neck, sucking deeply, sure to leave a mark. Then, his other hand moved lower and wrapped around Cloud’s leaking cock.

They were both on their knees, back to chest, Cloud’s head falling back against Sephiroth’s shoulder as the man kissed and sucked along the sensitive side of his throat and fucked into him roughly. Sephiroth’s hand stroked Cloud in time with his thrusts. His other arm was still holding Cloud in place, wrapped against his chest, fingers leaving indentations on the sensitive skin of his jaw and neck.

“S—” Cloud tried. He was overwhelmed, out of his mind with need.

“Stop?” Sephiroth offered, but didn’t slow down.

Cloud shook his head, hands clutching at Sephiroth’s thighs, urging him on instead. So, Sephiroth let go and fucked him harder, not holding back. The pleasure was so intense that even Sephiroth, who was usually quiet during sex, started grunting and moaning constantly.

“S—” Cloud gasped, reaching back and grabbing a handful of Sephiroth’s hair, yanking savagely. “Sephiroth!” he screamed as he came for the second time, spilling all over Sephiroth’s hand. His already tight hole grew impossibly tighter and Sephiroth’s hips stuttered, thrusting urgently, erratically. As he toppled over the edge, in a wild moment of need, he bit Cloud on the shoulder to stop himself from screaming. Every one of his thrusts was emphasized by a choked-off grunt, as he continued to jerk his hips roughly, pounding into Cloud until he was completely spent.

They both crumpled to the floor after they were done, Sephiroth’s cock slipping out as they moved. Lying there, Cloud felt come leak out of his hole obscenely.

They were out of breath, sticky and sweaty. Sephiroth leaned his forehead against the center of Cloud’s back.

Cloud felt blown away. He felt like he’d been destroyed and put back together, cell by cell, creating a being that looked the same, but was fundamentally different. His whole world felt changed. It had been a long time, if ever, since he’d felt sated like this. There was a slight tremor throughout his body.

He could feel Sephiroth’s breaths against his sweaty back, and he turned to look at him. Sephiroth looked as awed and wrecked as Cloud felt. They were both flushed and still panting. Cloud couldn’t believe he’d just had sex with Sephiroth. And he couldn’t believe how amazing it had been. Being with someone enhanced and not having to hold back, knowing he couldn’t hurt him, was liberating and exciting in a whole new way. 

But, as moments passed, the situation grew increasingly awkward. Now that their thoughts weren’t clouded by desire and they weren’t acting on their primal urges, Cloud was reminded why this was a terrible idea. The two of them had never been on good terms. They never knew how to talk to each other. Coming down Sephiroth’s throat wasn’t going to suddenly change that.

Deciding that waiting wasn’t going to help, Cloud stood. Wordlessly, he went and gathered his pants, pulled them on and refastened his belts. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sephiroth tuck himself back into his pants and straighten his hair.

They stood there in the hallway for a few moments, facing each other, not finding the words. The silence was oppressing, the awkwardness overwhelming. It was hard to believe they were having such passionate sex only minutes ago.

“I was planning on riding back to Edge tonight,” Cloud said, breaking the silence. “Feel free to use the room for the night, if you want. It’s already paid for.”

For a moment, Sephiroth seemed like he would say something, but then he closed his mouth, looking almost disappointed. As if he’d hoped for Cloud to say something else. But the moment passed and he simply nodded, eyes following Cloud on his way out.

“See you around,” Cloud murmured and opened the door.

Sephiroth didn’t say anything as he left.

Chapter Text

A week after his night with Sephiroth, Cloud still couldn’t get it out of his mind. All day, every day, his thoughts kept drifting back to the incredible sex. He found himself masturbating multiple times a day, like a damn teenager, and getting turned on in some very inappropriate situations.

He tried to tell himself it was just a one-night stand like any other, but in truth, he’d never been so in tune with any of his previous partners. Their blazing chemistry was the hottest thing he’d experienced, to the point that it frightened him. He desperately wanted more. So much so that he was tempted to return to Kalm and throw himself at Sephiroth’s feet, begging to be fucked. He shook his head, dismissing the idea.

They’d set the terms clearly. Well, maybe not in so many words, but it was clearly a one-time deal. And Cloud would be damned if he put himself in the position for Sephiroth to refuse him.

Now that he’d satisfied his curiosity, Sephiroth had no more need for him. He had countless men throwing themselves at him, and he must have been with half a dozen others since Cloud. Their night together must already be a long-forgotten blip on his radar.

No, no matter how good the sex had been, Cloud wasn’t that desperate. Not yet, anyway.

He was looking through his list of deliveries for the day and noticed there was an address in Kalm. He groaned. Just great.

At the mere thought of Kalm, his cock gave an interested twitch. Cloud desperately wanted to cut it off. Instead, he tried to focus on work and more pressing matters. It was ridiculous that he was feeling so pent up this soon. Usually, he went without sex for weeks, or even longer, before it got this bad. He couldn’t explain it, except… The anonymous sex with strangers was never very exciting for Cloud. He didn’t enjoy it. The need for physical release made him go out and find men to satisfy his urges, but it was never… Like last week had been. The pleasure he’d experienced at Sephiroth’s hands was world-shattering. His mind still couldn’t process it.

He sighed, frustrated with himself for allowing his thoughts to stray yet again. He could just imagine the smug, self-satisfied look on Sephiroth’s face if he knew how much he affected Cloud.

***

Most of Cloud’s deliveries for the day were within Edge, so he finished them first, before heading out to Kalm. It was late afternoon when he finally entered the town. He hoped to get in and out quickly, without running into anyone familiar. And by that, he had one very specific person in mind.

It was a ridiculous concern to have, since he hadn’t run into Sephiroth on the streets of Kalm even once, despite him living there for months. The man seemed to be a permanent fixture inside Gifts. There was no reason to think he’d come across him now. And yet, Cloud still worried and walked faster, trying to leave Kalm as quickly as possible.

Cloud walked along the cobblestone path, heading uphill from the main town square, a small parcel under his arm. It appeared to be a whetstone. It was an odd thing to order from Edge. Kalm had several reputable blacksmiths, so it was easy to procure one locally, without needing a delivery service. But Cloud wasn’t complaining. This will get him paid, and the rest was none of his business.

He followed the winding road lined with trees, checking house numbers, searching for the one matching his note. He found himself in front of a small, modest looking house, made of grey brick like most other buildings in Kalm. Cloud climbed up onto the porch and rang the bell. A few seconds later, the door opened and Cloud barely, just barely managed to squash the urge the throw the box he was holding at the man’s face.

“What the fuck, Sephiroth?”

His voice was shaking with barely suppressed rage. He couldn’t even explain why he was this angry. He’d been thinking about the bastard all week, so shouldn’t he be happy to see him? But he didn’t care if his reaction made no sense. He felt like Sephiroth was toying with him, bringing him here just to play with his feelings. Maybe he knew the kind of effect he’d had on Cloud and wanted to gloat.

“Hello, Cloud,” he said with that ever present, self-satisfied smirk. “Would you like to come in?”

“I’d like for you to explain why you brought me here. I refuse to believe this is a coincidence.”

“And you’d be right. I wanted you to come.”

“Why?” Cloud demanded.

“Come inside and we’ll talk.”

Cloud let out a growl of impotent rage and barely suppressed frustration. He shoved past Sephiroth to let himself into the house.

The place was minimalistic, almost barren, but tidy and well kept. There were no photos or paintings on the walls and the living room contained only the most basic furniture. Cloud hadn’t seen what Sephiroth’s Shinra Tower apartment used to look like, but he imagined that this must be quite a step down from the luxury the man was used to.

Cloud stormed into the room and sat on the sofa without waiting for an invitation. The parcel, his official reason for being there, was dropped carelessly on the coffee table, already forgotten. He heard Sephiroth lock the door and follow him inside.

“Would you like something to drink?”

“Sephiroth…” Cloud tried to reach his last reserves of patience. This didn’t have to turn into a fight. “Why am I here?”

Sephiroth looked at him, their eyes meeting. For one unguarded moment, the man looked so utterly lost that Cloud’s breath hitched. But then his walls came up and he looked away. He fidgeted with his hands for a moment, before moving towards what must be a drinks cabinet.

“Well, I need a drink,” he mumbled, leaving Cloud staring after him in confusion.

Sephiroth returned with two glasses and placed one on the table in front of Cloud. He sat on a cozy looking armchair across from him and fiddled with his glass before tipping it and downing his drink at once. Cloud furrowed his eyebrows, watching him.

“Did something happen?” he asked, trying to make sense of the bizarre scene playing out before him.

Sephiroth let out a little self-deprecating chuckle.

“You, Cloud. As ever, you happened.”

“I don’t understand.”

Sephiroth clenched his jaw, visibly reluctant to talk. There was a faint pink flush spreading across his cheeks. He cleared his throat and said, “I seem to be having some trouble putting our last meeting out of my mind.”

Cloud blinked rapidly, then flushed scarlet. “O-Okay?”

His lack of response made Sephiroth grow even more tense, which hadn’t seemed possible. Absentmindedly, he continued to fiddle with the glass in his hand. And then, he took a deep breath and seemed to find his resolve. His eyes pierced Cloud and pinned him to the sofa.

“Would you be interested in doing it again?”

For all that he’d struggled to pose his question, when he did, Sephiroth’s voice was steady and firm, exuding confidence. It couldn’t have been easy to take that plunge. To open himself for rejection like that. Cloud himself had spent the entire week thinking about it, and he was sure he’d never give Sephiroth such power over him. But this, being offered what he wanted without having to show weakness and ask? This was everything he wanted. His mouth opened and before his brain could even catch up, a breathless, “Okay,” had tumbled out of it.

A genuine smile spread across Sephiroth’s lips and within the space of a heartbeat, he’d joined Cloud on the sofa, crowding into his personal space. He leaned down and Cloud turned, offering his neck, still refusing to kiss. Sephiroth didn’t seem to mind. He latched onto the long column of pale flesh, trailing deep, searing kisses up to the sensitive spot behind Cloud’s ear. Cloud let out an undignified moan at the contact. He’d been longing for this all week.

Sephiroth pressed him into the sofa cushions, climbing on top of him. His hands lifted the hem of Cloud’s shirt, sneaking under it, raking over the tight stomach. Tracing the ridges of pronounced muscles, teasing, his fingers moved upward, until they reached a nipple. He pinched the hard nub, eliciting another moan. As he was still kissing Cloud’s neck, Sephiroth felt the moan reverberate through his throat, labored breaths shuddering in his chest. His mouth detached briefly, just long enough to pull Cloud’s shirt over his head and discard it on the floor, while his fingers expertly opened Cloud’s pants and slid them down his thighs.

He dove back down, latching onto a nipple. He worshipped it with his tongue, sucking and teasing, making it sensitive and then, without warning, he bit down. Cloud screamed, arching off the sofa, his hands clutching at Sephiroth’s head. He cursed under his breath and looked down, only to find the burning, intense green eyes staring at him, the nipple still pressed gently between his teeth, his tongue teasing it soothingly.

“You crazy bastard,” Cloud moaned, eyes squeezing shut, and felt, rather than saw, Sephiroth’s lips stretch into a grin.

Sephiroth moved down Cloud’s body, kisses trailing lower, his hair sliding down the entire length of Cloud’s upper body as he moved, caressing it, setting his nerve endings on fire. Sephiroth scraped his nails down Cloud’s sides. It tickled, yet it was arousing, the mixed signals sending Cloud’s body into overdrive. He clutched at Sephiroth’s hair, tugging, pulling closer, urging lower.

Sephiroth’s tongue dipped into Cloud’s navel, the sinful wet heat driving Cloud mad with desire. His entire body was burning, beads of sweat dripping down his forehead, making his hair stick to his face. Breathless and needy, Cloud shoved his pants down and off, one of his legs coming up around Sephiroth’s back, pressing him closer.

Sephiroth moved even lower, nuzzling Cloud’s groin. He took Cloud’s cock into his hand, jerking it with torturously slow, teasing motions, making Cloud tremble in need. He leaned closer, his breath ghosting over Cloud’s overheated flesh, but refusing to take it into his mouth.

“Fuck. Just do it already, damn you,” Cloud all but sobbed.

Refusing to obey, Sephiroth moved lower instead, spreading Cloud’s legs apart and taking one of his balls into his mouth. Cloud’s hips jerked, nails digging into Sephiroth’s scalp. Sephiroth sucked mercilessly, sending electricity coursing through Cloud’s veins. He moved even lower, flicking his tongue across the perineum, making Cloud see stars. Cloud’s breaths were coming out in desperate, ragged gasps, hands pulling Sephiroth closer, lower, begging for more, saying what Cloud couldn’t utter in words.

Taking pity on him, Sephiroth spread his legs even wider, hitching Cloud’s knees onto his shoulders. He pulled Cloud’s cheeks apart and ran a thumb teasingly over his opening. Cloud was a needy, panting mess, his eyes closed, looking half delirious. Sephiroth gave a smug, satisfied smile and leaned down, tracing a wet line with his tongue over the most intimate of places. Cloud’s breath hitched. Sephiroth did it again, and again. Then, without warning, he penetrated Cloud’s entrance with his tongue. Cloud screamed, using his legs to push Sephiroth’s head closer and deeper into himself. No one had done this for him before. The pleasure was so intense, he thought he was going to pass out.

Sephiroth continued to pleasure him with his tongue, plunging it inside and sucking on the sensitive ring of muscle. Cloud’s pleasure kept building, growing, and then, just as he was about to come, Sephiroth suddenly stopped, moving away. Cloud keened, desperate for release.

He heard the sound of a buckle popping and a zipper sliding, as Sephiroth removed his pants and underwear before returning. But, instead of going back to where Cloud needed him most, he straddled Cloud’s chest. Cloud looked up at him over the length of his cock. It was angry red and desperately hard, inches from Cloud’s face.

“Open up,” he purred and guided his cock closer to Cloud’s mouth. He rubbed the leaking tip against Cloud’s bottom lip, smearing precome all over his lips and chin.

Cloud flushed in arousal and humiliation. A part of him wanted to refuse it, but he was so turned on and he desperately wanted Sephiroth’s gorgeous cock anywhere he could get it. His mouth opened as if on its own volition, his tongue running over the glistening glans, tasting the liquid gathered there, before wrapping his lips around it. He sucked experimentally, his eyes not leaving Sephiroth’s. The green eyes were smoldering pits of mako, drawing half-closed in pleasure as Cloud started to suck in earnest.

“That’s it. Good boy, Cloud,” he encouraged.

Cloud took more of the cock into his mouth, loving how the weight and texture felt against his tongue. Sephiroth’s cock was thick and long; he was probably the most well-endowed partner Cloud had ever had. Cloud moaned around it, swallowing, making Sephiroth groan, his hips jerking helplessly. Encouraged by the reaction, Cloud relaxed his throat and took him in as deep as he could, bobbing his head and humming. Sephiroth’s eyes watched his hardness move in and out of Cloud’s mouth, loving the arousing view. Resting a hand on Cloud’s chin, he urged it to open wider as he rocked into Cloud’s mouth with shallow thrusts. He let out a desperate moan as one of his thrusts made his cock bump into the back of Cloud’s throat. He repeated the movement a few more times, desperate noises escaping his mouth, then he pulled out, panting, trying to calm down and stop himself from coming too soon.

Grabbing the bottle of lube conveniently placed on the coffee table, Sephiroth handed it to Cloud.

“Prepare yourself for me,” he ordered.

“What?” Cloud rasped.

“I want to watch you stretch yourself, Cloud.”

Sephiroth leaned back against the other end of the sofa, settling in for a show, one hand gripping the base of his cock.

Cloud flushed again, every fiber of his being telling him to refuse. He refused to debase himself for Sephiroth, of all people! But looking at Sephiroth’s thick cock, glistening with Cloud’s spit, remembering what it felt like to have it inside him, Cloud’s hole clenched in need. Damn the man and damn Cloud’s body for wanting him!

With a trembling hand, Cloud reached over and took the lube. He coated his fingers liberally, then reached around and found his entrance. It was already wet and loose from Sephiroth’s tongue. He dipped a finger inside, watching Sephiroth’s face. Lying on his back as he prepared himself, he was on full display to Sephiroth’s hungry eyes. They followed Cloud’s movements, clouding with desire. Sephiroth’s hand gripped the base of his cock harder, trying to prevent himself from coming. Being able to induce such a reaction in Sephiroth felt exhilarating and Cloud’s fingers sped up their pace, another finger joining the first, scissoring, stretching.

“I’m ready,” Cloud gasped, after he was thoroughly prepared.

Sephiroth stood, taking the lube and rubbing some of it onto his cock. The tip pressed against Cloud’s entrance and Cloud quivered in anticipation. He couldn’t remember it ever feeling like this. He rarely fucked facing his partners. The position was too intimate, and Cloud felt it should be reserved for lovers. But right now, he wouldn’t have changed it for anything. He desperately wanted to see Sephiroth’s face overtaken by pleasure as the man entered him, as he fucked him, as he came inside him. A part of Cloud was furious with himself for wanting it. It was Sephiroth, he shouldn’t be concerned about the man’s pleasure at all. Better yet, he shouldn’t be doing things like this with him in the first place. But Cloud’s body was yearning. It didn’t care about sense, or logic, these sensations were the only ones that mattered and Cloud craved them more than anything.

When he looked at Sephiroth, he found the man’s eyes already on him. Perhaps he was having a similar dilemma. Cloud spread his legs wider, gasping with need as Sephiroth entered him. Nothing should be allowed to feel this good! His nails clawed at Sephiroth’s back, pulling him closer, begging him to move.

Sephiroth set a steady pace, rocking into Cloud, rolling his hips expertly. Cloud’s hands grabbed his hair, yanking roughly and making him moan. In retaliation, Sephiroth lowered his head to Cloud’s chest and bit his collar bone, sucking harshly, hips pounding into Cloud mercilessly. As he leaned over, his hair covered Cloud, making him want to scream. This had to be a kink. Cloud was absolutely obsessed with the feeling of the long, soft strands enveloping him and teasing his overheated skin.

Sephiroth angled his hips just so, changing positions until Cloud cried out helplessly and he knew he found his prostate. The cry turned into a whimper, dissolving into incoherent sobs as Sephiroth continued to grind against his most sensitive spot with every thrust. His lips trailed wet, feverish kisses over Cloud’s throat, biting on the side of his neck, sucking on all of his sensitive spots.

Sephiroth’s movements grew increasingly erratic, his pleasure building. Cloud felt him panting against his neck, making goosebumps break out across his heated skin. Cloud’s body arched, rubbing against him insistently, craving more. Sephiroth seemed to be everywhere at once. He was inside him, over him, around him. The beginning and end of everything. Cloud legs wrapped around his back, driving him deeper, trying to merge their bodies into one. Sephiroth was still wearing his shirt and it roughly rubbed against Cloud’s oversensitive cock, pressed between their stomachs, the constant friction driving him insane.

It didn’t take much longer; they were both too close.

With a loud, desperate groan, Sephiroth emptied himself inside Cloud. He threw his head back, his eyes closed, and continued to thrust as wave after wave of pleasure rocked through him. When he was done, he took Cloud’s cock in his hand and started to stroke him, his softening cock still moving in and out of Cloud. It only took a few strokes for Cloud to follow him over the edge, spilling his release between them.

Sated and shaken by the powerful orgasm, Sephiroth collapsed on top of Cloud. The movement made his spent cock bury itself even deeper into Cloud’s oversensitive hole, and they both moaned.

They lay like that for some time, catching their breaths.

As the minutes passed, the position grew increasingly uncomfortable, so Sephiroth moved away and pulled out. He sat on the edge of the sofa, looking away. Again, like last time, there was a sudden tension in the air. Cloud didn’t understand how they could act so wantonly one minute and not be able to look at each other the next.

Sephiroth stood and grabbed his pants, putting them back on. He was polite enough to hand Cloud his clothes, too, and Cloud mumbled his thanks.

Now that they were done, neither knew what to say.

Cloud’s drink was still on the table, forgotten, so he took it and downed it, for want of something to do. He got up, feeling Sephiroth’s eyes on him, tracking his every move.

After getting dressed, he fumbled with his clothes, straightening them. Was he expected to stay? What was he supposed to do? As much as he disliked sex with strangers, at least it was familiar. There were no expectations. Once the deed was done, he’d always get up and leave. But Sephiroth wasn’t a stranger. So, what was the right way to act? Cloud had no rulebook for this. He could feel Sephiroth’s eyes on him and he straightened.

There was no reason to stay.

“I’ll be seeing you, then,” he said awkwardly and headed for the door, not turning around.

Sephiroth said nothing and didn’t try to stop him.

***

A week later, Cloud found a familiar address on his delivery list. His heart began to pound.

This could mean only one thing — Sephiroth was sending him another booty call.

Chapter Text

There was no need for questions or explanations the next time Cloud showed up at Sephiroth’s. They both knew exactly what Sephiroth’s “invitation” had meant.

And so, the moment the front door had closed, Cloud shoved Sephiroth into it, pressing the full length of his smaller body against him. They were both already half hard in anticipation. Cloud’s cock had started to fill out from the moment he’d entered Kalm. It was pathetic, really, how desperately he wanted this man.

Sephiroth's hands went around Cloud, gripping his ass and lifting him off the floor.

Cloud gasped in surprise, but reflexively, his legs wrapped around Sephiroth to prevent himself from falling. He was carried into the living room and dropped down onto the sofa. No pleasantries, no pretenses. Sephiroth didn’t even bother to offer him a drink this time. Within minutes, they were a panting, writhing mess of limbs on the couch.

Cloud kept waiting for the novelty to wear off, because there was no way sex with Sephiroth could feel this soul-shatteringly good every time, but here he was, yet again, delirious with pleasure, moaning the man’s name in ecstasy.

Afterwards, Cloud willed his trembling knees to hold him, as he refastened his belts and prepared to leave. Like before, Sephiroth watched his every move in silence.

Heading for the door, Cloud paused and turned.

“You can just call me directly next time. No need to order shit you don’t need.”

Cloud’s heart leapt to his throat as he said it. Who said there would be a next time? It was a presumptuous thing to say, but it was too late to take it back now.

“I don’t have your number,” Sephiroth said, snapping him out of his thoughts.

“Yes, I know,” Cloud replied bluntly, the word obviously handing in the air, unsaid. “I was offering to give it to you.”

Sephiroth’s lips curled into a smile, a low chuckle escaping him.

“You really are the most unsociable person I have ever met, Cloud Strife. And I was raised in a lab.”

Cloud scowled.

“Do you want the damn number or not?”

Sephiroth ran to grab his phone.

***

After that, it became a regular thing. Every Friday, like clockwork, Cloud would get a message from Sephiroth inviting him over. There were no messages over the week, and Sephiroth never called. They still barely talked, but the sex was incredible, and impossibly, getting even better now that they knew each other’s bodies inside and out. Cloud had never had a long-term sexual partner before, and it really made sex so much better, just like he’d imagined. Being touched by someone who knew all your sensitive spots, who knew what you liked, who actually wanted to bring you pleasure instead of simply taking their own, made the experience more enjoyable in every single way.

Cloud used to have trouble letting go during sex. He hated the idea of showing his vulnerabilities in front of complete strangers. The idea of showing them to Sephiroth should have been a million times worse, and in many ways, it was. But, somehow, the man succeeded in smashing most of Cloud’s walls, dismantling his barriers and baring his inhibitions. Cloud never stood a chance. Every week he’d absolutely devastate Cloud with overwhelming pleasure and despite Cloud’s misgivings about opening up to Sephiroth, despite still being unable to fully trust him, he would always go back for more.

It had already been two months since this thing between them began. Throughout that time, Cloud had never been to any part of Sephiroth’s house other than the living room, but he knew that room intimately. He was well acquainted with the sofa, of course, but he’d also been introduced to the coffee table, the rug, and even the wall. Sometimes, they wouldn’t even make it past the front door; Sephiroth would unzip his pants, drop them to his thigs and fuck him right there.

Some Fridays, Cloud wasn’t in a rush to get back, and he’d stay lounging on the sofa for a while afterwards. Or he’d even take a nap after a particularly powerful orgasm. On those days, they would do it more than once. As time went on, more and more often, Cloud would find reasons to linger. The week was long, making him miss Sephiroth’s touches. So, at least on Fridays, he wanted to enjoy him as much as he could.

This Friday, like any other, Cloud had plans to see Sephiroth. He rode to Kalm quickly, just below the speed limit, his body humming in anticipation of the pleasure to come.

After parking his bike by the city gate, Cloud hurried along the familiar streets, an unmistakable spring in his step. It annoyed him that he wasn’t allowed to drive inside the city walls, but his eagerness propelled him forward, quickening his stride.

He rang the doorbell of the now familiar house.

It took longer than usual for the door to open and when it did, it revealed a slightly disheveled looking Sephiroth.

“Come in,” he said by way of greeting, moving aside to let Cloud pass. “You'll have to give me a few moments, I lost track of time.” 

There were sheets of paper strewn all across the living room floor. At closer inspection, they seemed to be covered in sword katas — full of drawings and explanations, as if from an instruction manual. It made Cloud curious, but he knew nothing about Sephiroth’s life outside of their brief moments of passion, and he didn’t feel it was his place to ask.

Sephiroth rushed to pick up the papers, careful to collect them in the right order, and placed them on the table.

Cloud sat on the sofa, watching him. He could have offered to help, but he preferred to enjoy the view. Every time Sephiroth bent over, Cloud was given a clear view of his firm, round ass. Mouth suddenly dry, he licked his lips.

“Like what you see?” Sephiroth teased, aware of Cloud’s eyes on him.

“And if I say I do?”

Papers collected and safely put away in a binder, Sephiroth approached him. He stood in front of Cloud, a mischievous smirk on his face. From his position on the sofa, Cloud’s face was level with his groin and Sephiroth made sure to stand right in front of him. He took Cloud’s hands and placed them on his ass.

“No need to stop at looking.”

Cloud’s hands moved, kneading the firm flesh. Sephiroth hummed in pleasure and pressed closer, encouraging.

“You like having your ass touched?”

“Mm, indeed, I do.”

Cloud looked up at Sephiroth, their eyes meeting. He gripped the round cheeks roughly, tugging him closer, rubbing his cheek against the front of Sephiroth's pants, smelling his arousal. 

“I could do more than just touch, you know,” Cloud offered.

“You could,” Sephiroth agreed easily, his eyes half-closed with desire.

Cloud blinked, feeling his mind spin.

“You’d let me fuck you?” he rasped, disbelief clear in his voice.

“Why wouldn't I?”

Sephiroth didn’t seem to understand Cloud’s surprise. This didn’t seem like a big deal to him at all.

“You’d actually relinquish control enough and let me top?”

Sephiroth blinked slowly at that, then laughed. Actually laughed, his head falling back, like this was the most hilarious thing he’d heard all day.

“Oh, Cloud,” he murmured fondly, his hand coming to cradle Cloud’s head, caressing his wild hair. “Topping has nothing to do with control. I’ll always be in control. You belong to me.”

He said it as a fact, like it was ludicrous to suggest otherwise.

Heat rose to Cloud’s cheeks, anger exploding inside of him. They weren’t even dating, so how dare Sephiroth suggest Cloud was somehow his? He glared, his mouth opening, prepared to hurl insults and argue, but a long, elegant finger rested against it, preventing him.

“Let me show you what I mean,” Sephiroth offered and pushed Cloud down onto the cushions, climbing on top of him.

His strong arms held Cloud down as he straddled him, hands raking over his chest and arms, sliding down to grip his wrists. Sephiroth pinned Cloud’s wrists above his head, holding them in a tight grip, not letting him move. Lining up their bodies, he rolled his hips slowly, teasingly, making sure their cocks rubbed together. With a pleased smirk at Cloud's dazed state, he leaned over, flicking his tongue into Cloud’s ear, tugging at the lobe with his teeth, eliciting a deep moan. 

Cloud tried to thrust against Sephiroth, but with his whole body pinned down he could barely move. All he could do was take the pleasure given to him. And Sephiroth made sure to provide. Cloud felt himself growing hard as a rock, his pants turning uncomfortably tight.

As if reading his thoughts, Sephiroth stopped, moving lower. Taking Cloud’s zipper in his mouth, he lowered it with his teeth as Cloud watched, mesmerized. He removed Cloud’s pants and underwear in one swift motion, freeing the leaking hardness and letting it drop against Cloud's stomach, thick, dark and ready. After pausing for a moment, Sephiroth stood and removed the rest of their clothes.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Cloud noted that this was the first time they’d been fully naked together. It took them two whole months to get to this point. They’d had sex so many times already, but it was always so rushed and desperate that they never managed to remove all of their clothes.

Cloud gasped. A cool, slick sensation on his cock snapped him back to the present.

While Cloud was thinking about firsts and milestones, Sephiroth had taken the lube and rubbed it onto their cocks. He sat on Cloud’s thighs and stroked them together. It filled the room with obscene squelching noises, as their slick cocks slid against each other within the tunnel of Sephiroth’s hand. It sounded absolutely filthy, heightening Cloud's arousal. With half-lidded eyes, he watched his cock disappear inside Sephiroth's fist. The feel of it, the sight of it, the sound of it — it drove Cloud mad with desire.

Then, Sephiroth’s body covered Cloud’s, their cocks trapped between them, and everything got a thousand times better. The tight pressure was incredible.

Sephiroth kissed along Cloud’s neck, sucking and biting in all the places he knew Cloud liked. His nails dug into Cloud’s chest, a stark contrast to his tender kisses, spiking his pleasure with pain.

Cloud was already gasping for breath. His hands buried themselves in Sephiroth’s hair, as always. He was obsessed with it. Everywhere it touched him, it left shockwaves in its wake. The feeling of those impossibly soft, silky strands on his heated flesh drove Cloud absolutely wild. Sometimes, he wondered what it would feel like on his cock… but if he ever felt that, he would surely lose his mind.

Without warning, Sephiroth rose and Cloud whimpered at the loss. He watched him lean against the opposite end of the couch, facing away. Making sure to give Cloud a clear view of his ass, he pressed two slick fingers inside himself. Sephiroth let out a wanton moan, one that Cloud had never heard him make, and worked himself open eagerly. He pressed against his fingers hungrily and Cloud desperately wanted to touch him himself. To sink his own fingers inside that tight ring of muscle, to feel it give into him. But he was frozen to the spot, barely breathing, desperate to burn this view into his memory forever.

Too soon, Sephiroth was done, deeming himself ready. He moved over to Cloud and coated his cock with lube.

Without warning, he grabbed Cloud’s hip and pulled him closer, towards the center of the sofa. Cloud allowed Sephiroth to manhandle him in any way he wanted. His higher brain functions seemed to be offline, taken over by arousal. It had been a long time since his wrists were released, but Cloud still held them locked above his head. He stayed in the position Sephiroth had placed him in, even without the man holding him there. 

Sephiroth was flushed, panting, more breathless than usual, but when their eyes met and he saw how absolutely wrecked Cloud looked, just from watching him finger himself, a slow smirk spread across his face. He took Cloud’s cock in his hand, positioned it against his entrance and slowly lowered himself onto it. Cloud keened, his fingers clawing at the cushions, desperately looking for something to hold onto, trying not to thrust up into the exquisite heat. It felt divine.

Sephiroth moved down incrementally, inch by inch, driving Cloud to madness. His nails were digging into Cloud’s chest, verging on pain, and it was the only thing that stopped Cloud from coming prematurely right then and there.

Once Cloud was fully sheathed inside his tight hole, Sephiroth rested, taking deep, calming breaths, adjusting to the feeling. His eyes were half-closed, head bowed, a deep flush to his cheeks. He looked as delirious with pleasure as Cloud felt. But then, Sephiroth started moving, and the pleasure exploded tenfold. A deep, desperate moan tore out of Cloud’s throat.

Sephiroth rode Cloud’s cock in a steady rhythm, rocking against it without reservations or shame.

As their pleasure started to crest, Sephiroth’s hands moved up, wrapping around Cloud’s throat, squeezing dangerously. Cloud tried to gasp, but the sound was cut off by the hands blocking his airways. His eyes widened in momentary panic. And still, his hands remained above his head instead of trying to push Sephiroth away.

Sephiroth’s grip tightened on his windpipe, his hips grinding against Cloud at an unforgiving pace. Cloud was becoming lightheaded. It was all too much. The feeling of impossibly tight heat around his cock, the lack of oxygen, the titillating caress of Sephiroth’s hair all over his upper body… And suddenly, he was coming, and coming, and coming, harder than he’d ever come in his life. He felt the grip around his neck tighten uncomfortably for a second, followed by Sephiroth spilling his release all over Cloud's chest with a desperate groan.

Before he’d even stopped rocking and spurting his release, Sephiroth’s hands released his throat. The rush of blood and oxygen to his brain was heady, and another wave of intense pleasure rippled through Cloud, prolonging his orgasm. Overwhelmed, his eyes rolled into his head.

After some time, when he opened them, he saw Sephiroth looking down at him, flushed and panting, but smug like a cat who got the cream.

“See what I mean about control?” he purred. “You are mine, Cloud.”

The spark of anger inside Cloud reignited at those words, his post-orgasmic bliss instantly evaporating. He shoved Sephiroth back, making him lose his balance and fall onto his back on the other end of the sofa. Unrepentant, the bastard just laughed. Time for Cloud to teach him a lesson.

Cloud lunged at Sephiroth, suddenly crowding him, hovering over him. Surprise replaced smugness on Sephiroth’s face, his breath hitching on a moan as Cloud dropped down and swallowed Sephiroth’s spent cock in one swift motion.

“Cloud,” he whimpered, his hands grappling for purchase, unsure whether to pull Cloud closer or push him away. His cock was already hypersensitive, so every flick of Cloud's tongue, every slide of lips sent him quivering. Cloud’s hands gripped his hips tightly, not letting him move away. Hollowing out his cheeks, he sucked, tasting Sephiroth’s come, bobbing his head on the still soft cock, feeling it twitch inside his mouth.

Sephiroth’s eyes squeezed shut, his head falling back against the cushions, breathing ragged. Cloud’s hand joined his mouth, doubling the pleasure. He rubbed the sensitive spot beneath Sephiroth’s balls, sending an explosion of pleasure coursing through his limbs, making the still mostly soft cock harden in his mouth. His fingers trailed lower, circling Sephiroth’s entrance.

“Cloud,” Sephiroth moaned again.

The tip of Cloud’s finger pressed against the abused ring of muscle, penetrating him, making him gasp. He tried to bear down on Cloud’s hand, desperate for more, but Cloud’s other arm held him down, preventing him from moving. Cloud continued to use only the tip of one finger, torturing him with the promise of pleasure, but not letting him have it. He worked Sephiroth’s entrance at a torturously slow pace, making him writhe and growl in desperation.

“Stop teasing already!” Sephiroth demanded.

Cloud’s mouth released Sephiroth’s cock with an obscene pop, his tongue coming out to lick the precome from his lips.

“Mm, no. You’ll wait until I’m ready to fuck you.”

Sephiroth glared, groaning in frustration, but surrendered himself to Cloud’s sweet torture.

Cloud took Sephiroth’s cock back into his mouth, but this time, instead of using the tip of one finger, he entered Sephiroth with three. Sephiroth was still slick from his preparation earlier, combined with Cloud’s come that was still inside of him, so the fingers slid in easily. Cloud worked him mercilessly, changing angles, until he brushed against Sephiroth’s prostate, making him arch off the sofa. Sephiroth’s whole body trembled from overstimulation. A delicious mixture of pleasure, bordering on pain.

Deciding that neither of them could wait any more, Cloud removed his fingers and mouth. He positioned himself, and without so much as a warning, jerked his hips, sliding all the way in. Sephiroth cried out his name, latching onto his arms, pulling him closer. Cloud went, folding Sephiroth nearly in half, their faces only inches apart. He pounded into Sephiroth at a punishing pace. Their breaths mingled as they panted, desperate for release. Sephiroth kept moaning his name, turning him on even more.

“You are mine, Sephiroth,” Cloud said roughly, “just as much as I am yours.”

He took Sephiroth’s cock in his hand and worked it in time with his thrusts.

Cloud looked down at Sephiroth’s face contorted in pleasure and thought it was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. Sephiroth’s eyes were hazy with desire, his mouth hanging open in a soundless scream. Just before they tumbled over the edge, something snapped inside Cloud and he leaned down, capturing Sephiroth’s lips in a bruising kiss. Swallowing all of his feverish moans, he felt Sephiroth’s release cover their chests. Then Cloud was coming too, biting Sephiroth’s lips, nearly devouring him as he emptied himself inside him for the second time that night.

Once he was spent, his mouth opened, gasping for breath, inches away from Sephiroth’s, their foreheads pressing together.

After a few moments, Cloud collapsed, boneless, onto Sephiroth’s chest. He didn’t think he could ever move again.

Sephiroth’s arms came up around him, one burying itself in his hair, the other drawing careless circles against his back. Cloud lifted his head and their eyes met. He saw Sephiroth’s gaze flicker to his lips. That’s right. In the heat of the moment, Cloud had kissed him for the first time. He had a strict no-kissing policy, but they were way beyond a one-night-stand at this point. So, what was the harm? Besides, Cloud really wanted to kiss him again.

And so he did.

He leaned down and captured Sephiroth’s lips with his own. Sephiroth let out a soft, pleased gasp and eagerly kissed back. Cloud’s hand wrapped around the back of Sephiroth’s neck, pulling him closer. Their tongues clashed together in a sensual dance, making them both moan. It was impossible for either of them to grow hard again so soon, even with their enhanced metabolisms, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t enjoy this. They lay there kissing for a long time, arms wrapped around each other, caressing, stroking, teasing. With no desire to get off, they simply enjoyed the feel of each other’s bodies.

***

Cloud thought about their wild, passionate sex that night. About what it meant.

He’d told Sephiroth from the get-go that he didn’t want sex to be a power struggle. Yet, tonight, Cloud had turned it into just that.

Cloud loved bottoming, and he never saw it as relinquishing control, but it was different with Sephiroth. He couldn’t help but wonder about the man’s motives. Couldn’t help thinking Sephiroth still desired to dominate him, to control him. So Cloud always held back, unable to fully surrender himself, certain that Sephiroth would never trust him in such a way, either.

But it hadn’t been like that tonight at all. Sephiroth had completely surrendered to pleasure, to Cloud, with no reservations. Silly thoughts of dominance didn’t seem to hold him back. He counted on Cloud not abusing the trust placed in him, and Cloud never would have. So, perhaps he should offer Sephiroth the same trust in return.

Throughout this time, since they started having sex together, Sephiroth never tried to demean or humiliate Cloud for his own pleasure. No, he’d been very focused on drowning Cloud in pleasure instead, often putting Cloud’s pleasure ahead of his own.

Sephiroth had been a generous lover in ways Cloud never would have imagined.

What happened tonight helped Cloud finally understand what Sephiroth had meant earlier. Sephiroth would always be in control because that was what they both preferred. Cloud remembered not moving his hands, even when Sephiroth had taken his air. He'd left them where Sephiroth had placed them, leaving himself completely at his mercy. It had turned him on like nothing else. If he were honest with himself, Cloud actually enjoyed being owned in such a way. His body enjoyed being dominated by a lover physically stronger than him. It was his mind that wouldn't allow him to accept it. Especially not from Sephiroth. So, seeing Sephiroth give up control, if only briefly, seeing Sephiroth give himself over to him so freely and fully helped dismiss Cloud’s reservations.

Besides, as wonderful as the night had been, Cloud had no real desire to top again. He preferred feeling Sephiroth inside him, feeling that strong body over him.

Cloud’s fingers traced Sephiroth’s neck and arms as they kissed, leaving feather-light touches everywhere they could reach.

Arms wrapped around Cloud possessively, fingers twining in his hair, crushing their bodies together as they kissed.

Sephiroth was a possessive man, that much was obvious. Cloud just had to remember that, nowadays, when he called Cloud his, he didn’t mean it in a dehumanizing, puppet kind of way, but as a greedy lover. It didn’t mean he saw Cloud as a thing to be owned. He meant it the same way Cloud had, when he’d said it. And Sephiroth hadn’t denied it. Hadn’t denied being Cloud’s just as much.

Cloud let out a little blissful moan. The idea settled in his chest and warmed him. He liked the thought of Sephiroth being his. Not just Cloud fucking him, or forcing him to submit, no, he liked the idea of Sephiroth willingly giving his whole being over to Cloud and being his, body and soul.

But could Cloud do the same in return? Could he ever place so much trust in another person, especially Sephiroth? It was a terrifying thought.

After some time, Cloud pulled away, his lips swollen and red.

“I should be getting back.”

Sephiroth nodded in understanding, letting him up. Cloud looked down at himself, at the mixture of come and lube smeared across his chest, and frowned. He really didn’t like the idea of putting his clothes on over this mess and riding all the way back to Edge with it sticking to his skin.

“Do you want to take a shower?” Sephiroth offered, as if reading his thoughts.

“Yeah… That would be great.”

Sephiroth got up and led him to the bathroom. It was surprisingly spacious, considering that the house was rather small. It contained both a bathtub and a shower, which Cloud found excessive. The edge of the bathtub was lined with countless shampoos and other hair products and even some bath salts. He imagined Sephiroth, a hair pack on his head, book in hand, relaxing in sudsy water in the bathtub. A smile spread over his lips and he shook his head to dispel the image.

“I’ll leave a clean towel for you here by the sink,” Sephiroth said, snapping Cloud out of his thoughts.

“Thanks.”

Cloud waited for Sephiroth to leave, but he wasn’t moving. He lifted an eyebrow questioningly. Instead of leaving, Sephiroth’s eyes raked over him slowly, taking him in, now that he could see his full figure.

“Do you need some help?”

Cloud blinked in surprise.

“Seriously? You wanna go again?” Cloud asked, shocked laughter escaping him.

Sephiroth looked slightly abashed, but he didn’t back down.

“Friday is a long way off,” he said, as if that justified it.

And perhaps it did, because Cloud agreed. Waiting for Friday to come around was becoming more and more difficult.

Their eyes met and held for a few moments and then Cloud turned, beckoning him over.

“Well, come on, then,” he called out.

As Sephiroth approached, Cloud reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling him under the spray as soon as he was within arm’s reach. Thankfully, the shower was large enough for two.

Cloud watched with unconcealed delight as the water cascaded down Sephiroth’s silky strands, turning them a shade darker, making them stick against his back. He couldn’t resist touching it.

“You can wash it, if you want,” Sephiroth said with a smile, noticing his interest.

Cloud flushed, taking his hand back immediately.

“Sure, I mean…” he cleared his throat, “I can help you wash it, if you want.”

Sephiroth’s smile turned into a grin, seeing Cloud’s bluff for what it was. He poured some soap into his hands and rubbed it over Cloud’s chest.

It felt incredibly intimate, having someone wash you. Cloud had never done this with anyone before and he was starting to feel a little self-conscious. To distract himself, he reached over, pouring some soap into his own hands and mimicking Sephiroth. This gave them the perfect excuse to explore every inch of each other’s skin. The soap made their touches slick and smooth, gliding over the skin in a sensual caress. As if by unspoken agreement, they focused on non-erogenous zones first, actually washing away the grime.

When they were done, Sephiroth handed Cloud a bottle of shampoo and bent down, offering his head.

With boundless excitement that wasn’t strictly sexual, Cloud lathered Sephiroth’s hair with the shampoo. He massaged the scalp gently, kneading, washing behind the ears using his thumbs, dragging his fingers through those impossibly long silver strands gently, making sure to work out the tangles. He dragged it out as long as he could, not wanting the moment to end.

Then, he directed Sephiroth’s head under the stream, carefully washing out the shampoo when he was done. He finished by tucking the hair behind Sephiroth’s ear, a tender move that surprised even himself.

Sephiroth captured his lips in response, pulling their bodies flush together. They both moaned as their soapy skin slid against each other in an electrifying contact. In one swift movement, Sephiroth had Cloud against the shower wall, lifting him up. Cloud’s arms and legs wrapped around him as Sephiroth pressed him bodily into the wall. Every inch of their upper bodies was glued together.

One of Sephiroth’s hands sneaked beneath Cloud’s ass, helping to hold him up, while the other raked across his chest, pinching and teasing a nipple. Their position placed Sephiroth’s cock right at Cloud’s entrance and Cloud could already feel him hardening as they kissed. They couldn’t get enough of kissing each other. It was as if they were trying to make up for the two months of Cloud stubbornly refusing to allow it.

Sephiroth’s cock rubbed against the cleft of Cloud’s ass, teasing. He reached over to the little shelf with soaps and shampoos and picked up a bottle of lube hiding in the back. Cloud stared.

“You absolute sex maniac, why do you even hav—“

His words were cut off by a bruising kiss and he felt Sephiroth’s lubed up fingers teasing his entrance. In the end, it didn’t even matter why Sephiroth had lube in his damn shower, as long as he used it to fuck him right now.

Sephiroth prepared him quickly, both of them too eager to wait. As soon as he felt that Cloud was loose enough, he replaced his fingers with his cock.

Cloud moaned at the stretch, welcoming it, feeling his whole body clamp around Sephiroth. Topping had been nice, but there were no words to describe this. Not enough epithets in the world to express how much Cloud loved the feeling of Sephiroth's cock penetrating him, filling him, Sephiroth's strong arms gripping him, enveloping his body in pleasure. He gasped Sephiroth's name, his breath hitching, head falling back against the wall in a dull thud.

This position allowed Sephiroth to penetrate Cloud even deeper than usual. It was uncomfortable for his back, but damn it, Cloud loved being fucked against the wall. As the pace increased, on his upward thrusts Sephiroth allowed Cloud to drop down a little, letting gravity assist him, impaling Cloud as deep as possible with every thrust. Cloud was clutching at him, pulling him in, urging him on with both his arms and legs, Sephiroth’s name a broken prayer on his lips.

The pleasure built rapidly, their urgency growing, Sephiroth's hips slamming savagely into Cloud's hole and, too quickly, Cloud was coming, spilling his load between their bodies. Sephiroth kept pounding into him, driving him insane as he stimulated his oversensitive prostate, making him sob and his toes curl. And then, finally, Sephiroth was coming. His hips jerked erratically, cock twitching against the narrow walls of Cloud’s hole, fingers leaving bruises on his thighs. His previous two orgasms had been so strong that this one was mostly dry, but it made his whole body shake with its intensity.

Throughout their desperate coupling, they kept kissing. Even when the need for air became too great, their mouths connected in open-mouthed moans and pants, unable and unwilling to stop.

When Sephiroth pulled out and gently lowered Cloud’s feet to the floor, Cloud’s knees buckled. Sephiroth had to catch him to prevent him from falling. Cloud was trembling all over.

They finished their shower quickly, and Sephiroth helped dry them both off. Cloud was standing on his own now, but he looked just about ready to pass out. Sephiroth eyed him with worry.

“I don’t think it’s safe for you to ride back tonight.”

Cloud hummed in agreement, falling asleep on his feet.

“You’re right,” he mumbled, slurring his words. “I should get a room at the inn.”

Focusing on patting his hair dry, pointedly not looking at Cloud, Sephiroth said, “Or… You could stay here.”

Cloud blinked slowly, trying to get his muddled brain to work. “Here?”

“Yes,” Sephiroth said simply, and now he looked at him.

He held Cloud’s gaze, waiting for a reply. No pressure, no encouragement. He just placed the offer before him and let him decide.

The thunderous beating of Cloud’s heart suddenly made him feel marginally more awake. He bit his lip.

“Okay,” he whispered, knowing that this was a huge step, knowing that this could change everything.

Chapter Text

Cloud awoke slowly, awareness coming back to him in increments. He was warm, cocooned in fresh sheets that held a familiar, inviting smell. He stretched, nuzzling against the pillow. A sigh escaped him. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this comfortable and well-rested.

A hand caressed his naked back, fingers running down his spine. Cloud tensed, startled, then remembered where he was and who he was with. Immediately, his body went pliant, welcoming the touch, a small, pleased hum escaping his lips.

“Good morning,” Sephiroth murmured, pressing the full length of his body against Cloud’s side. He was unabashed and unbothered by his own nudity, letting his morning erection prod Cloud’s thigh.

“Mm, morning,” Cloud replied, trying to turn around, but two muscular arms held him in place.

Sephiroth leaned over him, hands still tracing patterns over his back, and started leaving open-mouthed kisses along his shoulder.

“You’re insatiable,” Cloud chuckled.

“It’s not my fault you look so tempting.”

Sephiroth’s hands moved lower, fingers trailing down his spine, mapping out each vertebra, memorizing every inch of flawless skin presented to him.

Cloud heard a huff of breath, feeling slight tremors in Sephiroth’s chest. Curious, he turned his head and, sure enough, Sephiroth was grinning, trying to hold back laughter.

“What?” Cloud demanded, feeling self-conscious.

Cloud had never before seen this playful, mischievous look in Sephiroth’s eyes. Having it directed at him felt like a punch to the gut and Cloud struggled to regulate his breathing. Sephiroth didn’t seem to notice, returning to whatever had captured his attention. He traced the skin just above the curves of Cloud’s ass.

“You have dimples right here,” Sephiroth explained with a smile, dipping his fingers into the creases he was talking about.

Feeling his cheeks burn, Cloud aggressively tried to turn around and hide his back from view, but Sephiroth wouldn’t let him.

“I do not! And stop poking me!”

Sephiroth laughed, unrepentant, and bent down to explore the tiny hollows with his tongue. Cloud gasped, his body moving closer, craving Sephiroth’s touch. Long, elegant fingers caressed Cloud’s ass and upper thighs with slow, deliberate strokes, as a skilled tongue licked across his back. Senselessly, Cloud’s hips moved, seeking friction against the mattress.

After disappearing for a few seconds, Sephiroth’s fingers came back slick, teasing his entrance. Cloud moaned into the pillow, spreading his legs invitingly. Sephiroth poured lube into his other hand as well, reaching beneath Cloud to take hold of his cock. He stroked it just the way Cloud liked. Not too soft and not too rough, firm and steady, making him pulsate and harden at incredible speed. Sephiroth stretched him thoroughly, making Cloud writhe and moan, craving for more, begging to be fucked.

Sephiroth entered Cloud from behind, his whole body covering him, enveloping him. Hair cascaded around them, surrounding them like a cocoon. He moved slowly, torturously so. Cloud felt Sephiroth’s cock inside him, stretching him with every languid thrust, making him feel blissfully full.

Moving his hips, Cloud sought some desperately needed relief against the sheets, now that Sephiroth’s hand was no longer stroking him. Pressing back, he tried to make Sephiroth move faster, to penetrate deeper. But Sephiroth was not having it. His possessive arms wrapped around Cloud, pulling his sweaty back flush against Sephiroth’s chest, nearly fusing their bodies together.

Sephiroth’s hand trailed down and down Cloud’s arm, claiming his hand and interlocking their fingers. Cloud clutched back in a desperate grip. This slow, tender sex was completely unlike what they were used to. Cloud felt overheated, overwhelmed and suffocated. He bit the pillow, moaning into it. The sensations were amazing, he could feel himself rapidly approaching release, but emotionally, this was too much, too bewildering, too reckless, too... dangerous.  

But his body didn’t mind. Cloud turned his head, asking to be kissed. Sephiroth captured his lips in a lingering, heated kiss, twining their tongues together as he slowly slid in and out of Cloud.

Slowly, little by little, Sephiroth quickened his movements, thrusting deeper and harder, allowing pleasure to build. Cloud was trembling all over. He broke the kiss, panting, Sephiroth’s name on his lips like a mantra.

Everywhere their bodies touched there was molten lava, their skin feverish and drenched with sweat.

A few more thrusts, their loud, desperate moans filling the room, and Sephiroth was coming, exploding deep inside Cloud, his vision going black with the intensity of it. But even then, he didn’t stop, fully focused on Cloud’s pleasure, determined to please him. He kept moving, rocking his hips until he was completely spent.

When he realized that Cloud hadn’t come yet, he flipped him over and immediately went down on him, swallowing him whole. Cloud let out a choked-off scream, clutching at Sephiroth’s head, thrusting inside the divine, wet heat of his mouth. Sephiroth’s fingers slid lower, teasing Cloud’s abused, sensitive hole, stuffed and leaking his come. He hummed and moaned around the hardness in his mouth, loving that he’d been the one to do this to Cloud.

It didn’t take long at all before, with a cry of Sephiroth’s name, Cloud was coming down Sephiroth’s throat, letting him swallow every last drop. He continued to suck even after Cloud was done, feeling him soften in his mouth, overloading his body with pleasure.

“Enough,” Cloud whined when it became too much, when the pleasure had turned into pain.

Sephiroth released him and placed kisses around his groin, then along his stomach, moving up. Turning Cloud onto his side, he settled behind him. He buried his nose in Cloud’s sweaty, sleep-tousled hair, inhaling deeply and tightening his hold. Cloud hummed, perfectly content. He wouldn’t mind waking up like this every day.

That thought sobered him up.

They’d crossed a lot of lines the night before. Broken a lot of Cloud’s rules.

They were long past a one-night-stand, but this was still supposed to be casual. Or so Cloud assumed. They’d never talked about it, of course. In fact, they still barely talked about anything. Whenever they were in the same room, their clothes went flying within minutes, followed by only grunts and moans and their bodies seeking pleasure. Hardly the time for a serious conversation.  

But now they’d kissed. They’d spent the night together. Even had lazy, tender sex together.

Cloud blushed at the thought. This was getting too intimate. He knew they should talk about it, or even put a stop to it, but he could do neither. He enjoyed sex with Sephiroth too much to risk it. And maybe that thought alone should have frightened him, but he was so well-fucked and mellow that he couldn’t bring himself to care.

Cloud let out a pleased hum as Sephiroth kissed along the column of his neck.

“Do you do deliveries on Saturdays?” Sephiroth asked.

Surprised by the question, Cloud took a moment to answer. “No, I’m free on weekends.”

“Any plans for today?”

“Not really.”

Cloud wondered where this was going.

“Can you stay and help me with something?” Sephiroth asked casually. Neither his voice nor his appearance hinted at what he was thinking.

Cloud’s brows knit in confusion. This was the first time Sephiroth had asked him to stay. Well, apart from last night, but he’d had a good reason, then. Cloud had been too tired to move and leaving would have been dangerous. Even going to the inn would have been impossible.

Surprised but curious, Cloud had no reason to refuse. He had nothing better to do, anyway.

“Sure, I guess. What do you need help with?”

“Let’s shower first, then I’ll explain.”

***

An hour later, Cloud found himself walking down the streets of Kalm with Sephiroth at his side. Navigating the maze of narrow streets, he cast sideways glances at the man. It felt strange, walking together amicably like this.

“So, what do you need me to do?”

“You’ll see,” Sephiroth answered cryptically.

Cloud frowned. His feet stopped moving.

“If you’re gonna mess with me, I’ll just go home.”

Sephiroth gave an exaggerated sigh and rolled his eyes. Placing his hands on Cloud’s back, he urged him forward.

“Patience. You’ll see soon enough.”

Cloud huffed in annoyance, but allowed himself to be pushed.

Kalm was a small town, so they reached its center in no time. It was bustling, as always. There was the smell of fresh produce and flowers in the air, spreading from the nearby market stalls. A flower seller was calling out to passersby, promoting her wares before they wilted in the sun.

Throughout the week, there were a few stalls at the Kalm town square, but on Saturdays and Sundays, they had market days, making the entire area even livelier than usual. The whole square was filled with people and, as they moved through the crowd, a hand grabbed Cloud’s, startling him. His eyes snapped up to meet Sephiroth’s, who was giving him a small smile.

“Don’t get lost, now.”

There really was no excuse for Cloud’s heart to hammer the way it did. But he couldn’t help it. He hid his flush by dipping his head and allowed Sephiroth to guide him.

After reaching the town square, they swerved to the left. There, just off the street, was a small cafe with a lovely view of the city. Sephiroth surprised him by nudging him inside and pulling out a chair for him. Before Cloud could react, Sephiroth had already taken a seat.

“What are you doing?”

“Just sit, will you?”

With a long-suffering sigh, Cloud did.

Sephiroth waved over the waiter and ordered them coffee.

Narrowing his eyes, Cloud considered telling him he didn’t drink coffee, just to spite him. Who gave him the right to order for Cloud without even asking what he wanted? But, in the end, he decided against it. Loathe as he was to admit it, he did crave coffee.

As they waited for their order to arrive, Cloud looked around. All the tables, including theirs, were covered with Queen’s Blood sets. He vaguely remembered this place. He’d played here once, a long time ago.

But that didn’t explain why they were here now.

Sephiroth was shuffling his deck, preparing for a game, very pointedly not looking at Cloud. The whole thing made no sense.

“Sephiroth.”

“Hm?”

He seemed engrossed with his cards, refusing to look up.

“Why are we here?”

“I heard you play Queen’s Blood,” Sephiroth said, finally lifting his eyes, pinning Cloud with a calculating stare.

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“You said you had no obligations today.”

“I don’t, but…”

Cloud ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. This was getting them nowhere.

“Draw your cards, Cloud,” Sephiroth drawled, holding the deck out to him.

Cloud wondered why he was so insistent. Perhaps he was lonely? Cloud didn’t know if Sephiroth had any friends in Kalm. Maybe he had no one else to play with, so he brought Cloud here under false pretenses.

But, then again… Someone must have introduced him to this place. He must have come here before, with someone else, since he’d clearly planned this in advance. The more Cloud thought about it, the more questions he had. Who’d brought him here? Was it a friend, or someone from Gifts? Something dark and ugly coiled inside Cloud’s stomach. For some reason, he really didn’t like the idea of one of those men bringing Sephiroth here. This setting was… quite romantic.

Looking around again, Cloud realized just how true that was. They were surrounded by couples. Despite the loud bustle of the town square nearby, the cafe was quiet, like an oasis of peace within the madness. The other couples either played in silence, or whispered to each other, their heads leaning close. The ambience, too, was very beautiful. Walls were lined with paintings and decorative bookshelves, giving the place a homey vibe. There were flower pots, full of gorgeous yellow flowers, lining the walls and the balcony. The whole place looked and felt very romantic. If he were here with anyone else, Cloud would have been certain this was a date. But there was no way… right?

Chancing a glance at Sephiroth did nothing to put his mind at ease, because he realized that Sephiroth had actually dressed up for the occasion.

Ever since Cloud had found him at Gifts, all those months ago, he’d never seen Sephiroth wear his trademark uniform. He either no longer had it, or chose not to wear it. Instead, he wore different types of civilian clothes. He’d been dressed to kill back at Gifts — tight-fitting pants, most of them leather, and shirts unbuttoned halfway down his chest. He’d turned heads everywhere he went. It was impossible to stay unaffected.

And then, when the two of them started meeting up at Sephiroth’s house, he always wore casual clothes like t-shirts and slacks. His everyday home outfit, Cloud assumed. Sephiroth never made an effort to dress up for Cloud, since he never stayed in his clothes long enough for Cloud to notice them.

But he was noticing them now. Because Sephiroth wasn’t wearing his usual cozy outfit. No, he’d gone for the leather pants and a dark navy silk shirt that fit him like a glove. Cloud couldn’t help but appreciate the way the shirt stretched across Sephiroth’s muscular chest, nor the view down his collar every time he leaned down.

Cloud suddenly found it very difficult to breathe.

Sephiroth was still looking at him, holding out the cards.

Deciding there was no harm in playing one game before leaving, Cloud drew.

***

Four games later, they were at a draw. Cloud was surprised they were so evenly matched. He’d played against some of the greatest players and come out on top, yet here Sephiroth was, giving him a run for his money. It always had to be Sephiroth, making him work for his victories.

“Where did you even learn to play Queen’s Blood?” Cloud asked. “You don’t look like the type to ‘waste time’ playing games.”

“I’m not. This was the exception.” Sephiroth flipped through his cards, deciding on his next move. “Hojo taught me to play when I was a child. He made it part of my training regimen. ‘Training the mind in the art of strategic thinking,’ as he called it.”

“Oh.”

Cloud floundered, suddenly out of things to say. It was supposed to be a simple, casual question, but he’d stumbled onto a landmine. Bringing up Hojo was just about the worst thing he could have done.

Cloud didn’t know much about Sephiroth’s time in the labs, but based on his own experience with Hojo, it was safe to assume it hadn’t been pleasant. That was to be expected, but this… stealing the joy of playing games from a child… it was truly diabolical. He was certain Sephiroth had survived far worse things in those labs, but the thought of such a simple, innocent pleasure being taken from him infuriated Cloud. Hojo was long dead, but Cloud wished he could hurt him again, for all the evil he’d wrought.

“What about you?” Sephiroth’s voice brought him out of his thoughts.

“Me?”

“Yes. Where did you learn to play?”

“It’s innate talent,” Cloud deadpanned, lifting an eyebrow smugly.

Sephiroth snorted. “Right,” he said, not believing it, and Cloud chuckled.

“In a way, it really is. I sort of just picked it up as we—“

Cloud cut himself off when he realized what he was about to say. It didn’t feel right, talking to Sephiroth about their shared past. Especially today, when he woke up in the man’s arms and then went on this… non-date with him. But there was no way to avoid it now that he’d already started talking, so he took a deep breath and forced himself to continue.

“I learned the game while traveling the world, chasing you.”

“Ah.”

Sephiroth was suddenly fascinated with his coffee. He sipped it slowly, giving his mouth something to do.

It was amazing, really, how they’d managed to kill this conversation before it even started.

It must be some sort of record that they’d managed not to have a single substantial conversation, after spending considerable amounts of time together over the past two months.

Considering how it went today, Cloud could see why.

Usually, he didn’t mind it. He wasn’t a talkative person and the lack of talking never bothered him. But now that they’d actually tried and failed so spectacularly, it was starting to frustrate him a lot. How could they be so bad at this? Cloud resolved to make more of an effort.

He was terrible at talking to people, even on a good day, but with Sephiroth it was a whole different level of awful. It felt like pulling teeth. He couldn’t understand it. They had such incredible sexual chemistry, they simply clicked. But the moment they tried to do anything else, everything fell apart.

While Cloud was lost in his thoughts, Sephiroth had decided on his move. He placed a card on the board and several of Cloud’s disappeared, while Sephiroth’s multiplied in value. Cloud shouted in outrage.

“Hey! That’s cheating!”

Sephiroth chuckled, a satisfied smirk gracing his lips.

“No, it’s not. I didn’t do anything against the rules.”

“You distracted me!”

“It’s not my fault you’re so easily distracted. Besides, there’s no rule against distracting your opponent.”

“You’re playing dirty, you bastard!”

Cloud scowled and Sephiroth laughed.

A couple of turns later, Sephiroth won the game by a wide margin. Cloud sulked and cursed under his breath.

“Another game?” Sephiroth asked with a smirk.

“You bet. Can’t let you have the final victory. And no cheating this time!”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

They played game after game, losing track of time, until the shadows lengthened and orange hues covered the buildings around them, the sun slowly setting on the horizon.

Cloud was shocked to realize he’d spent the whole day here, sipping drinks and playing games with Sephiroth. An even bigger shock was how much he’d enjoyed it. Apart from that brief blunder at the start, their time together was genuinely pleasant. They laughed and teased each other, focusing on the present, not letting any of their baggage weigh them down. Cloud never would have thought it possible, but they spent the day without the usual tension or awkwardness underlying their interactions.

Thinking about it now, Cloud wondered if this had been Sephiroth’s plan all along. With the game as an excuse, as something to focus on, they could let themselves go, forget who they were and just enjoy the time they had. It had been a long time since he’d had a chance to relax and have fun like this. He was grateful for the respite. 

He looked at Sephiroth, who was shuffling the deck after their last game, and regretfully decided it was time to call it a day.

“It’s getting late. I should get going.”

Sephiroth looked around. He seemed just as surprised to realize it was already evening. Nodding, he placed the cards down, no longer trying to dissuade Cloud from leaving.

“Thank you for coming with me today.”

Cloud blinked a few times, suddenly hyperaware of his earlier observations. The romantic setting. The two of them alone, talking, laughing. Now, with the sunset and all. He blushed.

He wished Sephiroth wouldn’t make a big deal out of it, thanking him. Such things made this feel even more like a date. Which it couldn’t have been.

“It’s fine, I didn’t mind.”

It had been a lot more than “fine”. Cloud had actually had a great time, but he refused to admit it. He refused to thank Sephiroth for dragging him here, because saying it out loud would make this feel even more like a date. But despite Cloud’s words, Sephiroth gave him a knowing smile. He'd always been able to read Cloud like an open book.

Sephiroth settled the bill and stood, waiting for Cloud to follow.

Cloud considered offering to pay his half of the bill, but Sephiroth made no indication that he expected it. The voice in the back of Cloud’s mind was screaming. Cloud ignored it. There was no way.

“I’ll walk you to your bike.”

Sephiroth was making it impossible to pretend this wasn’t a date and Cloud didn’t know what to do with himself. The words “What are we?” lodged in his throat, begging to be asked. But he couldn’t get them past his lips. After all the lines they’d crossed yesterday, suddenly going on dates gave this… thing between them a whole different dimension that Cloud didn’t know if he was ready for.

They walked in silence. Sephiroth didn’t press him to talk, seeming content just to be by his side. More quickly than Cloud would have liked, they reached the parked motorcycle.

As Cloud mounted the bike, before he could put on his goggles, Sephiroth’s hand reached out, wrapping around Cloud’s upper arm, giving it little squeeze. The fingers lingered for a few moments before sliding off.

“I’ll see you next week.”

It was all Sephiroth said. No kisses, no grand declarations to end their big date. For that is what it was. No amount of denial could change the overwhelming evidence before him. Impossible as it was to believe, Cloud had gone on a date with Sephiroth. Cloud had gone on a date, for the first time in ages, and he’d had a wonderful time.

And for all that Sephiroth had pushed for the date to happen, here he was now, giving him space, respecting Cloud’s needs. There was no pressure and no expectations. He must have known Cloud wasn’t ready for any of it and Cloud felt deeply grateful. For all that their conversations always felt like a struggle, it was amazing how well Sephiroth understood him without words.

Cloud gave Sephiroth a small smile and nodded before setting off.

***

After that day, there was a significant change in their relationship.

Without ever discussing it, Cloud started spending his nights at Sephiroth’s several times a week. He didn’t officially move in, but slowly, he started leaving some of his things around Sephiroth’s house. There was now a toothbrush in the bathroom next to Sephiroth’s, a drawer in the bedroom holding Cloud’s underwear, and a section of the wardrobe with a change of his clothes.

Cloud still went on his deliveries, went back to Edge to visit Tifa and the kids, but more often than not, he spent time with Sephiroth.

Tifa was starting to ask questions, which made him avoid her even more. He wasn’t ready to talk to her about this. She’d guessed he’d met someone, and she seemed happy for him, supportive as always, but Cloud knew that would change if she ever found out who it was. Cloud had no way to explain this. There was no justification and no forgiveness. He knew Tifa wouldn’t understand. She’d been his best friend since childhood, sticking with him through thick and thin, but he knew she’d never understand this thing he had with Sephiroth. Cloud himself still couldn’t understand it. Still couldn’t name it.

He and Sephiroth spent so much time together, but they never talked about it or tried to define their relationship. Sephiroth seemed content to have him there and Cloud… He was not ready to examine this more closely, not prepared to define it. He enjoyed what they had, and that was enough.

***

Walking into the kitchen to find Sephiroth cooking was a shock the first time it happened. Of course, he had to eat like everyone else, but Cloud never thought he would prepare the food himself. Cloud pictured him ordering take out, going to restaurants, or simply eating sandwiches. Never in a million years did he imagine Sephiroth standing in front of a stove, his hair tied in a high ponytail, humming as he mixed his stir-fry. Cloud's heart clenched at how domestic it all felt.

Sephiroth glanced over his shoulder, finally noticing him.

“You can set the table. Dinner will be ready in about five minutes.”

Not trusting his voice, Cloud just nodded and did as he was told.

After he was done, he grabbed two cans of beer from the fridge, popping one open and taking a large swing. He was spending so much time in Sephiroth’s house that he no longer felt the need to ask for permission for little things like this. This was Cloud’s home in everything but name. That thought freaked him out more than a little, but he tried to ignore it, focusing instead on the delicious-looking meal Sephiroth was placing in front of him.

“That smells great,” he said, and Sephiroth rewarded him with a smile. “I didn’t know you could cook.”

“I’m full of surprises,” Sephiroth said playfully. “As I’m sure you remember, the Shinra mess hall food was absolutely vile. I learned early on that if I wanted to eat something that didn’t taste like rubber, I had to make it myself. So, I learned.”

Cloud grabbed some vegetables with his fingers, straight from the pan, and put them in his mouth. Sephiroth swiped at his hand, trying to slap it away, nudging the chopsticks his way.

“Mm! You didn’t just learn, you had to excel. As always,” Cloud said, licking the sauce from his fingers.

Sephiroth gave him a pleased smile as he ladled some rice onto Cloud’s plate.

They ate in companionable silence. Nowadays, their conversations flowed a lot more freely, but it didn’t change the fact that Cloud was an introvert who sometimes preferred to be quiet. He was glad that Sephiroth always respected that side of him. This was… nice. Cloud never imagined that having dinner with Sephiroth would be such an enjoyable experience. 

Afterwards, Cloud helped with the dishes. He washed them and Sephiroth dried them. The sensible side of him, the part panicking over where the hell this was going, screamed at him now. This wasn’t how casual sex partners acted around each other. This wasn’t even what friends with benefits acted like. Cloud scoffed at the thought. How can you be friends with benefits with someone you’re not even friends with? No, this was…

Arms settled around Cloud’s waist, snapping him out of his thoughts.

“Would you care for dessert?” Sephiroth purred suggestively, lips brushing the back of Cloud’s neck as he spoke, making him shiver.

Cloud turned in his arms, fingers hooking into the waistband of Sephiroth’s pants, tugging him closer.

“I could eat something sweet. What did you have in mind?”

“You,” Sephiroth breathed and lifted Cloud onto the counter.

Cloud gasped in surprise, but he recovered quickly, legs wrapping around Sephiroth, pulling him in.

Their lips collided in a fiery kiss, Cloud hips already rocking against Sephiroth’s growing hardness pressed against the cleft of his ass. They stayed like that for some time, kissing and grinding against each other, letting the pleasure build. Then, Sephiroth moved away, his deft fingers unzipping Cloud’s pants and pushing them down to his ankles. In one swift movement, he dropped to his knees and took Cloud into his mouth.

“Oh, shit!” Cloud cried, arms flailing, trying to find something to grab on to. He smacked the spice jars, sending them flying and crashing onto the floor. Sephiroth paid it no mind. His eyes bore into Cloud’s, a little smirk stretching his lips, before he hollowed his cheeks and sucked, bobbing his head up and down. Cloud squeezed his eyes shut, moaning desperately, his fingers gripping the edge of the counter tight enough to turn white.

Soon, too soon, Cloud was spilling down Sephiroth’s throat with a desperate cry. Sephiroth's mouth kept moving through the aftershocks, not stopping until he lapped up every drop. Afterwards, he smacked his lips obscenely, grinning.

“Mm, my favorite treat.”

Cloud blinked, gaping in disbelief — and then he laughed. A real belly laugh, like he hadn’t laughed in years. It was just such a ridiculous thing to say! A few moments later, Sephiroth joined in. There they were, Cloud with his pants down, sitting on the kitchen counter, and Sephiroth with his lips still wet with Cloud’s come, leaning against each other and laughing until there were tears in their eyes.

“You’re so weird sometimes,” Cloud said, after he’d managed to catch his breath.

His words were softened by the truly dopey smile on his face and the fact that they were immediately followed by Cloud wrapping his hands around the back of Sephiroth’s head and pulling him in for a kiss. The kiss seemed to last forever, growing more and more heated. When they broke for air, Cloud hopped off the counter and took Sephiroth’s hand in his, leading him to the bedroom.

They didn’t emerge until the following morning.

***

Cloud occasionally saw signs of Sephiroth’s work strewn around the house. He still hesitated to ask about it, but there were signs. The binder full of katas that Cloud had seen before reappeared every once in a while. Sephiroth would take it out, then sit at the coffee table, writing instructions and drawing diagrams to add to it.

If he were being honest, Cloud was very curious. He wanted to ask, but he didn’t want to intrude. The way he saw it, if Sephiroth wanted him to know, he’d tell him without Cloud having to ask. But Sephiroth never said anything.

Sometimes, Cloud felt sure that Sephiroth was actually trying to get him to ask. He’d throw all these little hints, piquing Cloud's interest, and then wait, almost expectantly, trying to see if Cloud would cave and ask about it. But Cloud never did.

Once, Cloud arrived to find a sheathed sword leaning against the wall in the entryway. The sight made him freeze, sending chills down his spine. It wasn’t Masamune, but a much shorter blade. It appeared to be a katana encased in a simple black sheath. Cloud stared at it as if it held the answers to the universe, unable to move. He couldn't say how long he stood there, staring.

Sephiroth, who must have heard the door, popped his head to see why Cloud was standing in the doorway instead of coming inside. Realizing what it was that Cloud was looking at, he stood, slightly tense, and waited. He waited for Cloud to ask. To say something. It was obvious that Cloud wanted to know why Sephiroth needed a sword and why he owned one. Why he was obviously using one and bringing it outside.

But Cloud did not ask.

Cloud looked at him and their eyes met, holding. Sephiroth waited, as if daring Cloud to finally ask.

When it became clear that he would not, Sephiroth turned around and went back into the living room.

Cloud remained there for a while, just standing and staring at the offending item. A part of him wanted to unsheathe the sword, to see if there was blood on it. He wanted to demand answers from Sephiroth. To ask him if he’d hurt anyone. Killed anyone.

But, instead, he leaned his own sword against the wall next to the katana and walked in, putting it all out of his mind.

***

Cloud walked down the street, fidgeting with the parcel in his hands. For the millionth time, he questioned whether this was a good idea. But before he could reach any sort of conclusion, he already found himself in front of Sephiroth’s house, and it was too late to turn back. Pushing doubts out of his mind, he opened the door.

He found Sephiroth in the living room, jotting down notes on a piece of paper. As Cloud walked in, he looked up and smiled. Cloud’s heart stuttered.

Refusing to think about it any longer, he marched in and placed the parcel in front of Sephiroth. It earned him a questioning look.

“What’s this?”

“Open it.”

Sephiroth tore through the wrapping impatiently. With a mixture of surprise and delight, he looked up at Cloud.

“You got me a Queen’s Blood set?”

“You seem to really enjoy the game…” Cloud shrugged. “I saw someone selling it, so I thought, why not?”

He looked adorably flustered as he said it, refusing to look at Sephiroth.

They’d gone back to that little cafe a few more times and it was always a lot of fun. They both seemed to love the game, so Cloud thought Sephiroth might enjoy having his own set at home. It would give them a chance to play even on days when they didn’t feel like leaving the house.

Sephiroth walked up to Cloud and kissed him on the cheek.

“Thank you. What was the occasion?”

Cloud blushed harder. That was the thing. There was no occasion. He just saw something he thought Sephiroth might like and bought it. Afterwards, he questioned this decision a million times. Wondered if it was even appropriate to give a random present to someone you weren’t even dating. At least not officially.

As always, Sephiroth seemed to understand. When Cloud couldn’t answer, he covered his lips with his own in a lingering kiss.

“Thank you, Cloud,” he murmured again against his lips. “I’m looking forward to finding new ways to beat you.”

“You wish,” Cloud said, narrowing his eyes.

Sephiroth just laughed. He pushed Cloud down onto the sofa and straddled his knees.

They forgot all about Queen’s Blood for a while after that.

***

One day, several weeks after Cloud had all but moved in with Sephiroth, he returned to Kalm early.

One of his long-distance deliveries got canceled, so instead of spending the night on the road, he was back on the familiar streets just as the sun was setting. He’d considered calling Sephiroth to let him know, but in the end, he decided to surprise him.

When he reached the town square, he stopped by the market stall to get some beer and snacks.

Cloud had just finished paying, fumbling with the items he’d purchased, trying to fit them into his bag, when something drew his attention. It might have been a noise, or some reflection of light, he couldn’t rightly say. It was like a premonition. Something had made him turn and look down the street. Down towards Gifts.

Cloud blinked a few times, trying to process what he was seeing.

The main entrance to Gifts was in clear view of Cloud’s current position. And there Sephiroth was, leaving the bar. He wasn’t alone. A dark-haired man, nearly as tall as him, walked by his side, leaning in too close to be casual. They were deep in conversation, both of them smiling.

There was a crash as the beer slipped from Cloud’s numb hands.

The seller screamed, startled, then yelled at him for being careless. She warned him he wouldn’t be getting a replacement, since it was his own fault he’d dropped it. Getting a broom, she tried to push the liquid away from her stall, complaining about the mess and the smell of beer, which would linger for days.

But Cloud couldn’t hear a word she said. His ears were ringing, his mind full of cotton.

How could this be?

Despite the commotion in the town square, neither Sephiroth nor his companion looked in Cloud’s direction. They seemed to be in a world of their own. The man walked after Sephiroth, following him on what Cloud knew to be the path to his house. To what was supposed to be their house.

Cloud gripped the bag of chips still in his hand, squeezing his fist, making it explode. The seller shouted in fright again and chased him away, telling him never to return.

Cloud went.

Briefly, he considered going to Sephiroth’s house, catching him with that man and making a scene. Starting a fight. Making him regret the day he was born.

But he had no right.

Cloud’s feet stopped, suddenly rooted to the ground.

That’s right. Cloud had no right to make a scene and it was his own fault.

He’d been reluctant to define their relationship, so they never had. Sephiroth never promised him anything. They never said they were dating, much less that they were exclusive. Logically, he knew all that. He knew he had no right to consider something a betrayal if no promises had been made.

But Cloud didn’t care for logic. The rage melting his insides knew nothing of reason, it just wanted to burn everything to the ground.

Without looking back, Cloud sat on his bike and rode towards Edge.

Chapter Text

Sephiroth sat cross-legged on the sofa, his feet folded beneath him. At first glance, he may have appeared to be meditating, except for the angry scowl plastered on his face. He glared daggers at his phone, resting innocently on the coffee table. He willed it to ring. But the damn thing remained silent, just as it had been for the past week.

He’d tried calling Cloud, he’d tried texting, he’d even left voice messages. But they’d all been ignored.

At first, he’d been worried, thinking something must have happened during Cloud’s last delivery. It made him feel uneasy, wondering if Cloud had been hurt. But then, when he started sending messages, Sephiroth realized he was being left on “read”. If that hadn’t been proof enough, every couple of days, someone was deleting voice mails, emptying the mailbox once it got full.

Faced with the evidence, Sephiroth had to accept the truth — Cloud was avoiding him.

Once he’d realized that, he retraced their interactions, wondering what he’d done to aggravate Cloud. He’d tried to respect the man’s boundaries, frustrating as it was at times, but something had clearly gone wrong. Sephiroth spent a couple of days wracking his brain over it, wondering how to fix it.

By the eighth day, though, he’d had enough. He was furious. No matter what he may or may not have done, Cloud’s behavior was unacceptable. Sephiroth couldn’t stand being ignored. Being dismissed so thoroughly and repeatedly was a humiliation he wasn’t prepared to allow.

He knew that going to Cloud angry would just make things worse, but he was done waiting. He’d tried to be patient and understanding, he’d tried to give Cloud his space, but it was getting him nowhere. At the very least, he was owed an explanation. If they were through, Cloud should at least have the decency to tell him to his face.

Besides, patience and understanding weren’t in Sephiroth’s nature, anyway. Now it was time to deal with things his way.

It was a Saturday, Cloud’s day off, so he should be at home. Without giving himself time to consider just how badly this could blow up in his face, Sephiroth decided to go to him.

He rented a cheap motorcycle and headed for Edge. It had been years since he’d ridden one of those as part of his SOLDIER training, but he was glad to discover that he still knew how. After so many years, he finally found a use for what he was taught. As a general, he was always driven or flown to places, never needing to operate a vehicle himself, which was why he’d always considered such training a waste of his valuable time.  But he was glad for it now.

Edge wasn’t far, and the short ride did little to soothe Sephiroth’s anger. Having to go to Cloud himself, having to make that first step felt like another humiliation, fueling his fury.

Sephiroth wasn’t even entirely sure that he knew where Cloud lived. He was just going off assumptions. When he’d first learned about Cloud’s delivery service, he’d looked it up on the internet. He’d found a phone number, which he’d used to book that first delivery, all those months ago, and an address. More research told him it was a bar owned by Tifa Lockhart, so Sephiroth assumed it was where Cloud resided, too. If his assumption turned out to be wrong, and he ended up face to face with Lockhart, things could get very ugly very fast.

He decided to ignore the part of his brain that urged caution. The anger that had gradually built over the past week had overtaken his senses. They would figure this out today, or there would be hell to pay.

As he entered the city, Sephiroth slowed down, looking around. He’d never been to Edge, not really. After his last resurrection, he’d made a point of avoiding it, knowing that Cloud and his friends lived there. Yet, here he was now, driving down the dirty streets, heading into the lion’s den of his own volition.

It took him a while to orient himself and figure out the signage, but once he did, it was easy to find the address written on his note. He parked in front of the bar and readied himself. Deciding not to bring a weapon might not have been a good idea, but he knew that having one would be seen as an act of aggression. If he showed up armed, there would be no avoiding a fight. As it was, a fight was still likely, but there was still a chance, however small, that things would be resolved amicably. Or without blood, at least.

Sephiroth walked up to the entrance, steeling himself for whatever was to come. The sign on the door informed him that the bar wouldn't open for another five hours. Ignoring it, Sephiroth tried the door and, finding it unlocked, let himself in.

“We’re closed!” Cloud’s voice called from the back.

“I’m not here to drink,” he replied coldly.

The silence was deafening. Then, the backroom door slid open and Cloud stepped out.

Despite the rage he was feeling, seeing Cloud after that never-ending, frustrating week made something in Sephiroth’s chest tighten. He’d missed him, more than he’d ever admit.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Cloud demanded.

Ah, such a warm welcome. But he’d expected nothing less.

“I do not take well to being ignored, Cloud.”

“So you show up at my home to — what? Threaten me? Threaten my family?”

The words stabbed at Sephiroth viciously, like a gaping physical wound, fanning his anger.

“I didn’t realize you had a family,” Sephiroth sneered.

“There are plenty of things you don’t know about me!”

“I’m sure,” he said sweetly, but his tone was dripping with venom. “And so, what? You decided you were done with me and went back to playing house with your family? Tell me, does Miss Lockhart know about your inclinations? That you enjoy being fucked until you forget your own name.”

A bottle of whiskey flew at his head and Sephiroth barely dodged it in time. It smashed against the far wall, sending glass and liquid splashing everywhere.

“You vulgar bastard! Leave Tifa out of this!”

“Hm, so I take it she doesn’t. What would she say if she knew how you begged for me?”

Cloud’s breathing was ragged and even from where he was standing, Sephiroth could see how badly he was shaking.

“Are you threatening me?” Cloud’s voice shook, cracking as he spoke.

“I’m just making conversation, Cloud.”

He stalked closer, swift and sure like a viper closing in on its prey, pinning Cloud with a cruel smirk.

Sephiroth had no intention of telling Lockhart anything, of course. He didn’t want her involved. But he was angry, and he wanted payback. And there was nothing sweeter than seeing Cloud tremble for him. Seeing such glorious emotions flickering over Cloud’s face was like a balm to the wounds he’d suffered over the past week. Getting to make Cloud squirm after the indignity he’d endured was the least Sephiroth deserved.

“You can’t be here,” Cloud bit out, looking around, as if only just realizing they were standing out in the open where anyone could walk in on them.

“I have no intention of leaving.”

Cloud glared at him.

“I guessed as much. But Tifa will be back soon and she can’t find you here.” He frowned and reluctantly said, “Come.”

Cloud disappeared through the door he’d used to enter, leaving it open for Sephiroth to follow. Not needing to be told twice, Sephiroth went after him.

The door led to a spacious living room, simple but cozy. There were photos of all of Cloud’s friends scattered around the walls and cabinets, along with various little knick-knacks from their travels. Sephiroth didn’t get a closer look, because they moved through it quickly, heading up the stairs. Passing several doors along the hallway, Cloud led him to the last one. With his hand on the doorknob, he paused, turning to look at Sephiroth one last time before letting him in.

Once inside, Sephiroth closed the door and leaned against it. He took in the room before him. It was small and messy, with dirty clothes and empty fast-food containers all over the floor. He wrinkled his nose in distaste. This didn’t seem like Cloud at all. Whenever he was at Sephiroth’s, he seemed very tidy, even to the point of being annoying. He often criticized Sephiroth for not separating his trash well enough or not putting things back in their original spot. Seeing the state of his room was a shock.

Cloud tried to clean up as best he could now that they’d entered, kicking stuff under the bed and throwing the trash into the can. Sephiroth tracked his every move, trying to understand. When Cloud turned to face him, he noticed the dark circles under his eyes. A sliver of worry crept into Sephiroth’s heart, sneaking past the impenetrable haze of rage.

“Did something happen to you?”

The loathing in Cloud’s eyes hurt. He’d seen it plenty of times before, but not since they… Not recently.

“What could have possibly happened?” Cloud asked bitterly.

It was unlike Cloud to use sarcasm as a weapon. None of this made sense. The more Sephiroth saw, the more confused he felt. He was missing a key piece of this puzzle. He reined in his anger and decided not to goad Cloud anymore. His voice was gentle when he posed his question.

“Why don’t you tell me? Help me understand.”

Cloud kept glaring at him. His hands started shaking again, and he balled them into fists.

“This is on me. I misunderstood things, had expectations I had no right having… But now I know where we stand.”

“You’re not making any sense.” Sephiroth’s brow furrowed. “And what do you mean ‘where we stand’? You haven’t answered my calls for over a week, is that where we are?”

“Yes.”

“So you decided to end it without even telling me?”

Anger was seeping back into Sephiroth’s tone, his voice rising.

“There was nothing to end, Sephiroth. It never even began.”

“Don’t you dare say that!” Sephiroth growled. “I won’t let you belittle what we had, after everything.”

Cloud laughed in his face. It hurt. It took all of Sephiroth’s self-control not to lash out and hurt him.

“And what did we have? Must have been really convenient for you, having a warm body to fuck whenever you wanted. Too bad I had to be away so often, so you still had to go out and look for replacements.”

Sephiroth opened his mouth to say something vicious in return when Cloud’s words finally registered.

“What did you say?” Sephiroth asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“You heard me!”

Sephiroth’s world was spinning, tilting, breaking into pieces and reforming, shaping into something new. He now saw the past week from a whole different perspective, and so many things suddenly made sense.

He didn’t know how, nor why, but Cloud must have misunderstood something. For some reason, he believed that Sephiroth had cheated on him. The thought that Sephiroth would even consider looking for other men after the incredible, unparalleled sex he had with Cloud was simply laughable.

But far more important was the realization that Cloud — his sweet Cloud who’d clearly spent the week here, despairing, feeling scorned and betrayed — was jealous. He hadn’t ignored Sephiroth because he was tired of him, nor because he wanted to end things. No, he’d been hurt. He wanted Sephiroth all to himself.

And just like that, all the anger evaporated from Sephiroth’s body.

“Oh, Cloud,” he mumbled fondly.

He moved, lightning fast, grabbed Cloud by the chin and crushed their mouths together.

It only lasted a few seconds before Cloud tore himself away, furious.

“How fucking dare you!”

Cloud swung a punch at him, but he was too angry, too out of control, and Sephiroth easily dodged it. He wrapped a hand around Cloud’s wrist, turning him, twisting the arm behind Cloud’s back. Sephiroth pressed into him from behind, pinning Cloud’s arm between them. Cloud struggled against the body restraining him and Sephiroth pushed him onto the bed, landing on top of him.

“Let me go!”

“I have no intention of letting you go, Cloud. Not now, not ever.”

Cloud bucked beneath him, trying to throw him off. Sephiroth pressed the full weight of his body into him, legs holding down Cloud’s. As Cloud struggled, it made his backside rub against Sephiroth, and he tensed. Any other day, this would have been like foreplay, teasing and playful, a prelude to pleasure. But it was unwelcome, now. Sadly, Cloud’s body couldn’t tell the difference.

“Shh,” Sephiroth said, nuzzling the back of his neck, pressing the lower half of his body into Cloud.

“Sephiroth,” Cloud said coldly, his voice trembling with an undercurrent of anger, “if you force me, I will kill you.”

It wasn’t an empty threat, he knew. Still, Sephiroth continued to leave open-mouthed kisses along the side of Cloud’s throat. Cloud’s breathing was becoming increasingly ragged, despite him trying to pull away.

“How could I force you when you’re yearning for me?”

The hand that wasn’t pinning Cloud’s arm slid beneath them, brushing against Cloud’s groin and, sure enough, he was already partially hard. Cloud’s hips jerked helplessly against Sephiroth’s hand, a desperate, frustrated moan escaping his lips.

But then the hand withdrew and a heartbeat later, Sephiroth was flipping him over, forcing Cloud to face him.

“It would be so easy to continue, but I don’t want things to be like that between us, Cloud.”

Cloud blinked several times, shaking the haze of arousal and anger, trying to understand what had just happened. He moved into a sitting position, but didn’t try to leave or push Sephiroth away.

“Like what?” he rasped.

“I know your body wants me. That’s been easy from the start.”

Sephiroth’s hand rested against Cloud’s cheek gently, caressing.

“I want you to want me here,” his hand moved up, tapping against Cloud’s temple, “and here,” the other hand rested against his heart.

Cloud closed his eyes and let himself fall forward, forehead dropping onto Sephiroth’s chest.

“You sadistic bastard,” he huffed, with no heat behind the words. “You toyed with me for months, and now you want my heart?”

“I did no such thing.” Sephiroth’s fingers carded through Cloud’s hair, pulling him closer. “This was all in your head. If you’d only talked to me, we could have worked it out a week ago.”

Cloud pulled back, searching his eyes. “What do you mean?”

“You obviously think I had sex with someone else. I did not.”

“Don’t lie to me! I saw you take a man home!”

For a moment, Sephiroth was stunned into silence, wondering what this could possibly be about. And then it came to him. His eyes widened, a startled burst of laughter escaping him.

“You mean Terrick?” he asked in disbelief.

“Is that name supposed to mean something to me?” Cloud demanded angrily.

“Cloud… He’s the owner of Gifts. We were discussing business.”

“Oh.”

“Yes, ‘oh’. I invited him over to show him portfolios of some of my students. He was looking for a new bouncer.”

“Your… students?” Cloud asked, more confused than ever.

“Oh, for the love of... Yes, my students. See, this is what happens when we don’t talk to each other. In the three months we’ve been together, you never bothered to ask me what I do for a living.”

Cloud blushed and hung his head in shame. It’s not as if he hadn’t wondered, but he could never get himself to ask. He remembered seeing spreadsheets of katas in Sephiroth’s living room; Sephiroth drawing diagrams and placing them in a binder; the sword leaning against the wall. There had been many opportunities to ask.

“So, what do you do?”

“I’m an instructor at a small martial arts academy. It’s mostly for people who want to learn self-defense, but some of our students go on to work as bodyguards or security.”

Cloud was nodding, but he couldn’t fully focus on this conversation. He was still too shaken by the revelation. He’d been so certain…

“So… You really didn’t have sex with that guy?”

Cradling Cloud’s face in both hands, Sephiroth shook his head in reply.

He found himself at a crossroads. The air was charged between them and Sephiroth knew that this was the moment that could make or break them. He could take the plunge, charge into the unknown, come what may. There was great risk, but also great reward to be found. The status quo could only last so long. One of them had to be honest and open up first, and it wasn’t likely to be Cloud. As with everything else that brought them to this point, it was on Sephiroth to try and steer their relationship in the right direction. Taking a deep breath and with no small amount of trepidation, he plunged.

“Cloud… I know we never defined what’s between us, but for my part, it’s always been more than just sex. I was just waiting for you to be ready.”

He held his breath, waiting, the sound of his own heartbeat deafening in his ears.

Several emotions flitted over Cloud’s face, too fast to make out, finally settling on joy. Eyes softening, he looked at Sephiroth in a way he never had before — with openness and trust Sephiroth never imagined he'd see directed at him. Certainly not from Cloud. With a small gasp that hitched in his chest, Cloud threw his arms around Sephiroth’s neck, crushing their mouths in a searing kiss.

It was just a kiss and it had no right feeling as good as it did, but it felt like a promise and Sephiroth leaned into it, kissing back like a man possessed, branding Cloud’s lips, marking him as his own. For that was what he was now. Officially. Undisputedly. Cloud was his and only his and that made these kisses taste so much sweeter. Sephiroth plundered Cloud’s mouth with his tongue, laying claim, biting his soft lips, setting Cloud’s soul on fire.

After some time, Cloud broke the kiss, gasping for air. His lips were deliciously plump and swollen, a lovely pink flush tinting his cheeks, reaching all the way up to his ears. Sephiroth wanted to lick and bite every inch of his skin, to feel the heat of the feverish flesh beneath his lips.

But Cloud had other ideas. He nudged Sephiroth backwards, making him splay against the bed, then crawled on top of him. His trembling fingers tore at Sephiroth’s clothes, trying to remove them, but he kept fumbling, not getting anywhere. Sephiroth’s hand captured his, halting him.

“Slow down,” he whispered against Cloud’s lips.

“No, I need you. Now.”

“There’s no need to rush. I’m not going anywhere.”

Sephiroth sealed his promise with a kiss that made Cloud’s toes curl.

Cloud sat on his lap, rocking against him, as they continued to kiss, lost in each other. It could have been hours, it could have been days. Nothing existed outside of their own little world. Fiery heat ignited between them, driving their passion, turning their touches more heated, more desperate.

Sephiroth moved his hips, grinding their clothed erections together, moaning into the kiss. He gripped Cloud’s ass, urging him on, and Cloud moved, undulating against him, without breaking the kiss. They clutched at each other possessively, gripping and pulling, not leaving an inch of space between them, as if the other would disappear if they didn’t hold on tightly enough.

Sephiroth’s fingers moved to the front, unbuckling Cloud’s belt and unzipping his pants. Cloud attempted to return the favor, but his fingers still felt too numb and shaky, so Sephiroth took over and did it himself. They broke apart for mere seconds, only long enough to pull their clothes off, and then there was only the blissful feeling of heated skin against skin.

Sephiroth flipped them over, so he was lying on top of Cloud, running his hands all over his lover’s arms and chest, raking his nails teasingly over his sensitive sides and nipples. Cloud arched into the touch invitingly, desperate for more. Sephiroth sucked a nipple into his mouth, worshipping it with his tongue, pulling at it with his lips. Cloud watched him, eyes glazed with desire. He felt Sephiroth’s tongue trail across his chest, moving to the other nipple, giving it the same attention. Leaning against Cloud’s chest as he lavished the pink bud with his tongue, Sephiroth could feel vibrations of every low, nearly silent moan that rumbled inside it. He purred, blowing a gust of air at the wet, oversensitive nipple, sending Cloud’s nerves into overdrive.

“More,” Cloud begged.

Sephiroth could feel Cloud’s hardness twitch against his thigh with every flick of his tongue.

Deciding to have some mercy on him, Sephiroth moved lower. Cloud’s cock was eager and ready, already dark red with need.

He took it in his hand, squeezing, making Cloud buck and moan. Gasping and needy, Cloud pointed off to the side, in the general direction of the dresser.

“The lube is in the drawer.”

Reaching over, Sephiroth rummaged a bit and found it. He poured a liberal amount into his hand and took them both in his palm.

There was no way to describe the feeling of Cloud’s cock against his own short of wonderful. The velvety skin sliding against his, combined with the slick, tight heat of his hands, felt divine. Cloud’s cock was shorter than Sephiroth’s, but it was thicker and darker. He enjoyed seeing and feeling how different they were in his palm.

Cloud was nearly delirious, writhing on the bed, trying to rock into Sephiroth’s hand to make him move faster. He was always so impatient, always so eager for more. It was incredibly gratifying knowing that he could reduce this proud, restrained man into such a needy, wanton mess beneath his hands. Scorching desire burned in his gut at the sight. It made Sephiroth crave more, igniting a selfish need to possess, but also to please. Wanting for himself all of Cloud’s touches, all of his kisses, needing to be the only one giving him pleasure, the only one tasting his essence. The voice inside him hummed mine every time they touched, growing louder, overpowering. It made Sephiroth crave more and more, until he possessed every atom of Cloud’s being, until he imprinted on his very soul and staked his claim. Only then would the fire inside him be sated.

It had only been a week since the last time they’d had sex and they were already this desperate for each other. After only a few touches, they were already on the verge of ecstasy. But Sephiroth didn’t want them to come like this, so he stopped his ministrations and reached around to prepare Cloud.

Cloud moaned eagerly as a finger penetrated him. Usually, Sephiroth loved fingering Cloud and dragged it out far longer than necessary, until Cloud was writhing and sobbing for him to hurry, but today, after everything, he was desperate to be inside Cloud as soon as possible. He scissored his fingers, stretching Cloud’s tight hole, and as soon as he felt he was loose enough, Sephiroth poured lube onto his own cock, preparing to enter.

He slid inside in one slow, steady movement. Feeling that tight warmth clamp around him, he gasped, eyes squeezing shut in a desperate attempt to keep still and give Cloud time to adjust.

“Move,” Cloud pleaded, clawing at his back, tugging Sephiroth closer, making the taller, larger body completely cover his own.

Cloud’s legs wrapped around Sephiroth’s waist, squeezing, driving his cock in deeper. The sublime feeling made them both moan. Then, finally, Sephiroth was moving. His hips pounded into Cloud at a punishing pace, both of them too aroused and desperate for anything slow and tender. His mouth latched onto Cloud’s throat, sucking and biting, licking the sweat covering his flushed skin. Cloud’s hands buried themselves in Sephiroth’s hair, tugging, nails raking against his scalp in the way that made them both shiver. Mine, Sephiroth thought kissing his neck, mine, as he sucked bruises onto his collarbone, mine, as he trailed Cloud’s jaw with his teeth. Mine, mine, mine with every thrust of his hips.

“What?” Cloud asked, waking Sephiroth from his daze. He realized that he must have said it out loud.

He paused and looked at Cloud, gauging his reaction, but he didn’t seem alarmed, or particularly bothered. There was only desire darkening the blue orbs as he gazed at Sephiroth with half-lidded eyes. Sephiroth leaned over, inches away from Cloud’s lips, not breaking their gaze even at this proximity.

“You are mine, Cloud,” he said and crushed their lips together.

Cloud moaned, kissing back feverishly. Open-mouthed and messy, more teeth than lips, breaths mingling over desperate pants, but they wouldn’t stop kissing as Sephiroth slammed into Cloud, making him tremble beneath him.

It had been too long, and they were both too eager, and so, far too quickly, they were tumbling over the edge, their names on each other’s lips.

They stayed there, wrapped around each other, long after they were sated.

After catching his breath, Sephiroth started trailing soft, lazy kisses down the side of Cloud’s face, jaw and neck. He nuzzled his ear, breathing him in.

“Don’t ever do that again,” he whispered.

“Last week hasn’t exactly been fun for me either, you know,” Cloud huffed.

Sephiroth pulled away to look him in the eyes.

“So, next time, talk to me before jumping to conclusions. That is all I ask.”

Looking away for a moment before facing him again, Cloud nodded.

They lay on the bed, enjoying the feel of each other, when Sephiroth heard Cloud chuckle.

“What is it?”

“Nothing, I just had a very silly thought.”

“Tell me.”

“Well, I was thinking how we’d just had our first fight, but then I realized that no, it definitely wasn’t our first. Not even close,” he said, still chuckling.

“You’re one of those people who keep track of all the little milestones in a relationship, aren’t you?”

Cloud’s laughter cut off abruptly and he glared, cheeks reddening. “Shut up!”

It was Sephiroth’s turn to chuckle. He leaned over and placed a kiss on Cloud’s temple.

“I’ll have to keep that in mind and try not to miss any anniversaries.”

Cloud scoffed and punched him playfully, secretly pleased at the mention of their future together.

They stayed there for a while longer before Cloud reluctantly stood.

“I should go down and clean up the mess we made,” he said, talking about the bottle of whiskey he’d thrown at Sephiroth’s head. “If Tifa sees it, it’ll be difficult to explain.”

Sephiroth ignored the flare of jealousy at the mention of the girl’s name. Fighting the urge to pin Cloud to the bed and never allow him to leave, he nodded instead. He wished he could whisk Cloud away, take him far away from these bothersome people and the distractions they presented. Sephiroth had never learned how to share, and now was no different. Staring at the ceiling, he wished he could make all these complications disappear. Because, sooner or later, they would get in his way. But he reminded himself that it was necessary to put up with them. That Cloud would never abandon these people. As so, as infuriating as it was to be left alone in bed, as annoying as their presence in Cloud’s life was, he tolerated it. He allowed Cloud to leave and do what needed to be done, because it wouldn’t do to be caught over something as silly as a broken bottle.

Sephiroth dressed and stayed in Cloud’s room, passing the time by snooping around his desk and drawers as he waited for Cloud to return. He wasn’t looking for anything in particular, but he was still surprised by how few personal items Cloud possessed. Everything seemed to be either work related or practical. There were no mementos or useless trinkets one kept just for the sake of nostalgia. It was a stark difference from to the living room downstairs, which was full of such things, even at a glance.

In the back of a drawer, he did find one thing. A pink ribbon. It looked familiar, so he kept examining it, trying to remember it. The moment the memory clicked, Sephiroth almost dropped it, as if it had burned him.

“You should put that back.”

Cloud had chosen just that moment to return. Surprisingly, he didn’t sound angry, but his voice was firm, final. Sephiroth returned the ribbon where he’d found it.

“I shouldn’t have gone through your things. I apologize.”

“No, it’s… It’s fine. It’s just hard to look at it. I keep it in the back of the drawer, because I can’t bring myself to throw it away, but seeing it hurts too much.”

The fact that Sephiroth had caused that hurt hung in the air, unsaid. But instead of trying to blame him, Cloud distracted himself by clearing out his desk and finding more things to throw away. He had the uncanny ability to repress things he didn’t want to think about. In this instance, it worked in Sephiroth’s favor, because he really didn’t want Cloud thinking about the past. Especially those particular aspects of it. So, he played along.

“Won’t Miss Lockhart be suspicious when she sees your sudden need for cleanliness after the state your room was in?”

Cloud snorted, but continued with what he was doing.

“She knew something was up, she’s not stupid. She thinks I’m seeing someone. And, I guess that’s true,” he said with a little self-conscious smile. He turned to look at Sephiroth. “What you said earlier, about my ‘inclinations’… She knows. She just doesn’t know that it’s you. And, believe me, we should keep it that way.”

Sephiroth’s eyes widened, absorbing the information.

“When you said you were a family, I thought it meant… that she had certain expectations of you.”

Cloud couldn’t help but laugh at that.

“Don’t be stupid. She’s known I’m gay since we were kids. She’s still my best friend, though. We’ve been through so much together. That makes her my family.”

“And the children?”

“They’re not actually ours, if that’s what you’re asking!” Cloud rolled his eyes.

“Yes, thank you, Cloud, I guessed as much. But do they know that?”

“They’re not that young, Sephiroth. Of course they know. I’m helping raise them, but neither of them considers me their father. Marlene already has a dad.”

Cloud sat down on the edge of the bed, right next to Sephiroth. With a gentle hand on his cheek, he made Sephiroth look at him.

“There’s no need for you to feel threatened by them.”

Sephiroth pulled away, glaring. “I do not feel threatened!”

“Okay,” Cloud murmured. “Because there really is no need to.”

Cloud kissed him then, and Sephiroth kissed back, deciding that this was better than arguing or worrying about his pride. His hands settled on the nape of Cloud’s neck, drawing him closer.

But before things could progress any further, Cloud pulled away.

“You should probably head back to Kalm before Tifa comes back. She went to pick up the kids from Elmyra and once they’re back, they’ll definitely storm into my room. So, unless you’d like to spend the night hiding in my closet or under the bed, it would be best if you left.”

Sephiroth looked so genuinely outraged by the thought of hiding under the damn bed that Cloud couldn’t help but laugh. He patted Sephiroth’s knee apologetically.

“I wish you could stay here and sleep with me in my bed, but I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

“You already have a lot of making up to do for the past week,” Sephiroth warned.

“I’ll guess I’ll have to spoil you rotten over the next few weeks, then.”

Their lips pressed in a slow, languid kiss filled with promise. Deepening the kiss, their tongues twined together in a sensual dance, making them both breathless. Long minutes later, Cloud pulled back, trying to get himself under control.

“Don’t tempt me,” he pleaded and Sephiroth smirked, loving that he could press his buttons so easily.

Before they sneaked down, Cloud called Tifa to check how close she was to returning. After making sure they wouldn’t run into her, he walked Sephiroth out, surprised to see a motorcycle parked by the door.

“I had no idea you could ride.”

“Neither did I.”

At Cloud’s questioning look, Sephiroth explained how he never tried to do it outside of training.

“You could have crashed on the way here!” Cloud cried out, appalled.

“Well, I didn’t have a choice, since someone refused to pick up my calls.”

Cloud frowned, rolling his eyes.

“Why am I even worried? You’re probably already better at it than me, you damn perfectionist.”

Sephiroth chuckled and, with one last peck to Cloud’s lips, he was off.

Cloud watched him, eyes fixed on the silver-haired figure as it grew smaller in the distance, until it turned a corner and could no longer be seen. Already feeling bereft, Cloud wrapped his arms around himself and walked back inside.

They still hadn’t talked properly, not really, but with them being who they were, it was probably too much to expect that they ever would. However, they’d at least cleared up some things. They knew where they stood now. They were officially… together. Loyal to each other, with no room for others. It gave Cloud a sense of peace, a sense of certainty he didn’t even know he was missing.

It was only later, after Sephiroth was long gone, that Cloud realized he hadn’t given Sephiroth any assurances in return. But Sephiroth seemed confident enough. After all, he kept calling Cloud his, saying he belonged to him, speaking with absolute certainty. He probably didn’t need Cloud to confirm it. He already knew. Or so Cloud told himself.

Chapter Text

After their big fight, and the glorious make-up sex, Cloud officially moved in with Sephiroth.

Everything felt different, yet it was much the same.

They still had sex whenever they could get their hands on each other. It was still as explosive and bone-melting as before. But now, after they’d had their long overdue conversation, the uncertainty was gone. They spent more time together and talked, getting to know each other better.

Cloud had already known that Sephiroth could cook, but now he learned that he actually enjoyed it. He found it relaxing. Most days, he didn’t have time to do it, but on the weekends, he’d make dinner, always being mindful of Cloud’s favorite foods, and they’d eat, sipping wine or beer. Later, they’d move to the sofa and kiss, explore each other’s bodies with their hands and lips, until both of them were blissfully sated, curled around each other on the cushions.

Dates became a regular thing, too. Every Friday, after Cloud finished his deliveries, Sephiroth would take him somewhere.

One week, he took him to see a play.

It was a production of LOVELESS by a local amateur troupe. It was nothing like the big, lavish production Cloud had seen at the Gold Saucer, but it had its own charm. The costumes seemed homemade; most of the sets were made out of painted cardboard and plywood, but the actors had heart. Some of them even had talent. Overall, Cloud greatly enjoyed the experience.

During the walk home, after taking only a few seconds to question himself, Cloud allowed his hand to reach out and clasp Sephiroth’s. The man started, but then he smiled. It was a soft, pleased smile that made his entire face soften. His hand squeezed Cloud’s in return.

On another weekend, Sephiroth showed up with a rented bike and they rode out together, leaving the town in the rearview mirror. He took Cloud through the dark, open fields, to the gentle slopes of a nearby hill, where there was no light pollution. When they parked, he laid out a blanket and explained they were there to watch the stars. Cloud laughed and teased him mercilessly, saying it was the most disgustingly romantic thing anyone had ever done for him, and Sephiroth sputtered and glowered, offended and angry.

But, deep down, Cloud enjoyed the gesture a lot, and slowly, he coaxed Sephiroth into forgiving him, bribing him with kisses, enticing him with his body. They fucked slowly in the grass, under the light of the moon, with the stars as their only witness. By the end, Sephiroth was so content and sated, that he no longer remembered the teasing.

A few weeks later, Friday passed with no special outings, leaving Cloud surprised and confused. Sephiroth didn’t seem particularly busy — he was lounging at home, reading a book. Did he just forget about their date? But no matter how curious he was, Cloud felt too embarrassed to ask. He didn’t want to make it seem like he expected Sephiroth to do something special for him every week, but… The truth was that he kind of did. He really enjoyed their dates.

Just as Cloud was starting to get into a sulk, a couple of hours before midnight, Sephiroth approached him with a knowing smirk on his face.

“Did you think I forgot?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I’m sure you don’t,” Sephiroth chuckled. “Come with me.”

He reached out a hand, and Cloud took it.

Sephiroth led him down the familiar winding streets, shrouded in darkness, illuminated by flickering streetlights and moonlight. There was a full moon overhead, bathing the trees and buildings around them in an ethereal glow. They passed by the now eerily empty town square and headed towards the canal. All the while, Sephiroth mysteriously refused to answer where they were going.

When they reached the canal, Sephiroth let go of Cloud’s hand and approached one of the gondolas docked there. He started fiddling with the rope.

“What are you doing?” Cloud hissed.

“Borrowing it for a bit.”

“Sephiroth!” Cloud gasped, scandalized.

But Sephiroth had already untied the rope and was currently nudging the boat away from the dock. He held out his hand for Cloud. Reluctantly, he took it.

“You’re completely crazy, you know that?”

“Don’t say it like you mind it,” Sephiroth smiled, unrepentant.

“Why didn’t you just bring me here during the day, like a normal person?”

“You’re telling me you wouldn’t mind doing this surrounded by hundreds of couples during the day?”

Cloud blushed and bit his lip. Well, when he put it that way…

During the day, Kalm was full of couples, some of them coming from far away, just to experience the romantic gondola rides the town was famous for. Surrounded by all those couples, Cloud would have been too self-conscious to enjoy this. He still had a hard time with public displays of affection. Sephiroth knew him well. Not that Cloud would admit it.

Besides, it was far more fitting for him and Sephiroth to do this under the veil of darkness, secretly in the night, with no one around to see.

The gondola rocked and swayed a bit as they entered. Sephiroth rowed a short way down the canal, then let go of the oars, allowing the bloat to float on the water, swaying gently. Cloud was glad he no longer had motion sickness, otherwise he’d never be able to enjoy this.

Sephiroth sat beside him and took him into his arms. They leaned back, Cloud’s head against Sephiroth’s chest, watching the glory of the starlit night sky in silence. Cloud wanted to tease him about the stars again, but knew better than to say anything, after what happened last time. When a gust of chilly wind blew past them and Cloud shivered, Sephiroth pulled him closer against himself. Sephiroth’s breath was warm. Cloud closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of his chest rising and falling beneath him. He felt lips press a lingering kiss to the top of his head.

“It’s getting cold. We should head back,” Sephiroth suggested.

“Yeah…” Cloud agreed, but he wasn’t moving. His mischievous eyes met Sephiroth’s. “Or… you could warm me up right here.”

Cloud's hand trailed lower, dragging his nails down Sephiroth’s chest, leaving a scorching trail even through clothes. Cloud’s mouth covered Sephiroth’s neck with open-mouthed kisses, setting his body aflame.

“Cloud,” he moaned. “We’re outside.”

“There’s no one else around.”

Cloud’s fingers trailed lower, cupping him through his clothes. Sephiroth’s shocked gasp was swallowed by Cloud as he recaptured his lips in a feverish kiss.

Sephiroth never imagined Cloud would do something like this. He was a very private person. Most of the time, he was too shy to even hold Sephiroth’s hand when they were in public. So Sephiroth found the mere thought of Cloud doing something like this outdoors incredibly arousing. Doing it on an open field didn’t count. There had been no one around for miles. Here, they were surrounded by houses full of people, who could see them from their windows; anyone could decide to take a stroll along the canal and come upon them.

“You’re already this hard,” Cloud said, rubbing more firmly. Sephiroth could only moan. “We should do something about it.”

And before Sephiroth could even process those words, Cloud was on his knees, the gondola swaying precariously as he moved, pulling Sephiroth’s pants down his knees. Sephiroth gasped as the cool night air came in touch with his overheated cock. It bounced out of the confines of his underwear, straining against his stomach, the tip already glistening with precome.

Cloud took him in his hand, using his thumb to play with the foreskin, pulling at it and teasing the slit. Sephiroth threw his head back, trying not to cry out. The pleasure was too intense. The thumb was replaced by Cloud’s tongue, dipping under the sensitive flesh, tasting the slick gathered there.

“Cloud…” Sephiroth moaned brokenly.

His hands had come to rest on Cloud’s hair, neither pulling nor pushing, simply holding, clutching desperately, but letting Cloud set the pace. Cloud’s wet lips kissed down his length, sucking softly at the base. He left soft, teasing kisses all over the painfully hard, leaking cock, before finally taking mercy on Sephiroth and taking him into his mouth. The iron grip on Sephiroth’s hips was the only thing that prevented him from helplessly bucking into Cloud’s mouth.

Sephiroth’s cock was huge, thick and long, and Cloud couldn’t fit all of it into his mouth. He stretched his lips as far as he could, barely managing to wrap them around the impressive girth. Relaxing his throat, he tried to take Sephiroth in as deep as he could, but he could only get about halfway.

As Cloud started to bob his head slowly over Sephiroth’s length, Sephiroth’s hands left his head, scrambling for purchase. They landed on the sides of the gondola, gripping so tightly that the sounds of ripping wood filled the air, joining Sephiroth’s heated moans.

Cloud hollowed his cheeks, sucking in earnest, sending Sephiroth hurtling towards completion. Cloud’s nails raked over Sephiroth’s stomach, tracing the muscles, leaving red lines in their wake. His other hand wrapped around the base of Sephiroth’s cock, matching the movements of his head, covering the parts his lips couldn’t reach.

He encouraged Sephiroth's hips to move, to pound into his mouth. He adored the feeling of being filled with Sephiroth's hardness to the point that he couldn't breathe, almost choking, feeling precome dripping down the back of his throat. Moaning, he relaxed his throat even more, trying to take him in deeper, deeper, but it was never enough. For once, he wished that Sephiroth were smaller, so he could take him all the way in, pressing his nose against the coarse hairs on his groin. But it was impossible. Cloud's mouth ached from the stretch.

Changing directions, his hand trailed lower, raking against the tender, heated flesh on Sephiroth's inner thighs, moving inwards, spreading his legs wider apart. Sephiroth's hips bucked desperately, eagerly, his pants turning more and more ragged. Sliding past Sephiroth's balls, an insistent finger circled his entrance, teasing, and Sephiroth keened, pressing against it. Cloud hadn't touched him like this since that one time, months ago, but it was gratifying to see how much Sephiroth enjoyed it. He was deliciously sensitive there. It made him writhe and moan in a way that touching his cock never did. Cloud regretted not having lube tonight. Even if he didn't like topping, he could always pleasure Sephiroth with his fingers, giving him what he clearly occasionally craved.

Feeling creative, he spit onto his fingers, covering them in a mixture of saliva and precome, hoping it would be slick enough. His mouth returned to Sephiroth's cock, while his fingers slid downwards, pressing against Sephiroth's entrance. The tight hole clamped around Cloud's fingers and Sephiroth threw his head back, hair flying in a glorious silver arc, some of it falling off the edges of the gondola and getting drenched in the chilly waters below. As Cloud fingers slid inside him, more and more insistent, more and more demanding, the edge of the boat tore, the wood finally giving out under Sephiroth's desperate grip. 

Knowing that Sephiroth was close, Cloud looked up, their eyes locking together. Seeing the depth of emotion on Sephiroth’s face made Cloud moan, sending delicious vibrations down Sephiroth’s length. It twitched, hitting the back of Cloud’s throat.

It was all too much and Sephiroth was coming, rocking shallowly against Cloud’s lips, sending spurts of come down his throat. Cloud kept moaning around each mouthful, swallowing eagerly, prolonging the experience for both of them. Sephiroth's eyes closed, the explosive orgasm making him see his own plethora of stars behind his eyelids.

After what felt like forever, when Sephiroth had finally emptied himself, Cloud released him from his mouth, licking him clean. A smug grin covered his face. Tucking Sephiroth back into his pants gently, Cloud moved to sit next to him. His lips were wet and a little swollen. He looked absolutely obscene, and Sephiroth couldn’t resist kissing him. Cloud’s mouth tasted of Sephiroth’s release, making Sephiroth moan, his tongue chasing the taste.

Sephiroth’s fingers trailed up Cloud’s thigh, eager to return the favor, but a forceful grip stopped him. Pulling away, he looked at Cloud questioningly. Cloud was blushing.

“You don’t get to say you’re too shy to do it outside after all that, Cloud,” he chided.

Cloud turned a few shades redder. “It’s not that, it’s just—“

Sephiroth pushed against Cloud’s hand, still set on reaching his goal. Once he did, he found the front of Cloud’s trousers wet and his cock soft. His eyes went round with surprise, while Cloud looked mortified.

“You already…”

“…yeah.”

An overwhelming fondness filled Sephiroth’s chest and he pulled Cloud into another fiery kiss.

“Oh, Cloud,” he whispered against his lips, “You are perfect.”

“Just don’t mention this ever again,” Cloud grumbled.

“How could I not? You enjoy my cock so much that you came untouched, just from sucking it. I’ve never received a greater compliment!”

“Shut up,” Cloud punched him in the arm playfully. “This is really embarrassing.”

He leaned his head against Sephiroth’s chest, sulking in silence for a while. Then, long after Sephiroth had believed their conversation to be over, he mumbled, “I do love your cock, though.”

Sephiroth threw his head back and laughed, his arms tightening around Cloud possessively.

***

Unfortunately, not all dates were as magical as the gondola one. One Friday, Sephiroth decided to take Cloud to another one of Kalm’s famous sights — the Clock Tower. The moment they drew closer to the giant oak doors, Sephiroth sensed that something was wrong. Cloud became tense and quiet, a frown tugging at his lips, a faraway look in his eyes.

“Is everything alright?”

“Hm? Yeah, it’s fine.”

His body language screamed the opposite.

Sephiroth looked around. The place was crowded, full of happy families and couples holding hands. Perhaps that was making Cloud uncomfortable. The two of them really stood out, completely out of place.

“Do you want to leave?”

“No… We’re here already. Let’s go up.”

Cloud couldn’t have sounded less enthusiastic if he’d tried. Sephiroth frowned. This wasn’t what a date was supposed to be like. It was better to simply go home and spend a quiet evening there.

But Cloud pushed past him and slowly climbed the stairs. Sephiroth followed.

They reached the top of the tower in silence. All around them, people were laughing and having fun, while the two of them looked like they’d just come from a funeral.

“Cloud, if all these people are making you uncomfortable, we can go.”

Cloud looked startled. “What? No, that’s not—“

He sighed and looked at the horizon. Turning in the direction of where Midgar would have been, his hands gripped the handrail.

“I’ve been here before.” He swallowed. “On a date.”

“Ah.”

They’d never discussed their pasts with each other, but it made sense that Cloud would have former lovers. Still, the fact that Cloud cared about one of them so much that memories of him would induce such a reaction… It bothered Sephiroth more than a little. He tried to reign in the possessiveness and jealousy he was feeling.

Apparently, the tone of his voice had betrayed his thoughts, because Cloud turned and gave him an exasperated look.

“It’s not what you’re thinking. It wasn’t romantic. I…” He took a deep breath. “I came here with Aerith.”

Sephiroth went rigid, suddenly deeply uncomfortable. He remembered the Cetra well; he also remembered what he’d done to her. The fact that he’d brought Cloud to a place that held memories of her was a grave mistake. He didn’t want Cloud to think about the past. Remembering things Sephiroth had done could result in only one thing — him coming to his senses and leaving.

“I should leave and let you be with your memories in peace,” he offered.

Cloud was silent for such a long time that Sephiroth stopped expecting an answer. However, as he turned to go, a hand shot out, latching onto his forearm, holding him in place. Cloud said nothing, but would not let him leave. So Sephiroth moved closer instead, coming to stand next to him at the railing.

They stood there for a long while, mutely watching the horizon. Cloud’s head had come to lean against Sephiroth’s shoulder and Sephiroth slowly pressed into him from behind, an arm wrapping around his front, cocooning him in his body. He had no right being here, offering comfort for the grief he had caused, but Cloud wanted him to stay, so despite everything, he would stay.

On the way home, Sephiroth wondered if Cloud would choose to go to Edge for a few days, wanting to put some distance between them after all that. But, to Sephiroth’s surprise, he did not. Not only did he stay, he initiated sex that night. It held a note of desperation that wasn’t usually there, Cloud begging to be taken roughly, wildly, until he was a panting mess, unable to think. Sephiroth gave him everything he asked for and, despite the hurt lingering just beneath the surface, the day still ended with Cloud in his bed, falling asleep with his arms.

***

“How would you feel about going to Gifts?” Sephiroth asked one morning over coffee.

Cloud sputtered in surprise, his eyes going wide. “It’s not really my kind of scene. If you recall, I never quite fit in.”

“True. But now you’d be going with me.”

“Why would you want to go, anyway? Looking for someone to join us?” Cloud feigned indifference, but there was a slight tension to his voice.

Sephiroth glared. “You should know I don’t share.”

No, Sephiroth really didn’t seem like the sharing type, and Cloud was glad for it. Neither was he. They didn’t need anyone else to enjoy what they had.

“Why, then?”

Sephiroth gave him an appraising look and moved around the table to pull Cloud into his arms. Wrapping his arms around Cloud’s waist, he made them sway together.

“I want to dance with you.”

A startled burst of laughter escaped Cloud. “Dance? I don’t dance!”

“Ah, but I want you to dance with me.”

Cloud pushed at Sephiroth’s chest, trying to get away.

“No way. I don’t know how. I would be a laughingstock.”

Sephiroth’s hands slid low on Cloud’s hips, fusing their lower bodies together. He leaned over to whisper into Cloud’s ear.

“You don’t need to know how. You can just move against me like this.”

“Can’t we do that here?” Cloud asked breathlessly, allowing Sephiroth to spin him around the kitchen. “I don’t know how I’d feel being back at Gifts. I mean, is there anyone there you haven’t had sex with?”

Sephiroth hummed, thinking. “There must be a few people.”

“Sephiroth!” Cloud gasped, outraged, and the man just chuckled.

“Well, I did have sex with many of them, I won’t deny that. But now you’re the only one who gets to have me. All they can do is watch and be jealous of you.”

Cloud let out a little pleased sound, placated by the thought.

“Wouldn’t you want to go back there and show them you managed to get the most desirable man all to yourself?”

Cloud pulled back and glared at him, but he was clearly fighting a smile.

“Modest as ever, I see.”

“Did I lie?”

Cloud leaned against his chest and huffed out a laugh. “I hate you.”

“No, you don’t.”

Sephiroth pulled him into a long, languid kiss, their hips swaying together, dancing without music.

“Do you have friends there?” Cloud asked, his voice muffled against Sephiroth’s shirt. “I’ve been meaning to ask you that for ages. Do you have friends here in Kalm?”

“I have acquaintances. People I enjoyed spending time with, people who helped me when I first came here. But no one as close as the people you’d call friends.”

“I’ve never seen you spend time with them.”

“Because they no longer matter now that I have you.”

The absolute finality with which he said that and the dark obsessiveness behind those words should have terrified Cloud. Being someone’s sole focus like this should have disturbed him. It wasn’t normal. But it didn’t. In fact, it deeply pleased him.

Later that night, they did go to Gifts. They made all the heads turn. No one could believe that the grumpy blond they used to badmouth behind his back ended up with Sephiroth. And not just for the night. No, they were dating! Sephiroth, who was known for never sleeping with the same guy twice, actually agreed to date the creepy mood killer. Everyone glared daggers at Cloud, bitter and jealous, wishing to take his place. But Cloud and Sephiroth paid them no heed. They only had eyes for each other.

Cloud never liked being the center of attention, but it felt exhilarating, feeling the envy of everyone in the room.

They spent the night dancing and drinking, kissing and laughing until they grew bored and the need for each other outweighed everything else. They rushed home through the empty night streets of Kalm, ripping each other’s clothes off as soon as the door closed behind them. Unable to wait, they had sex on the floor, right in the entryway, just like they had that first night, after meeting at Gifts.  

***

One weekend, over breakfast, Sephiroth invited Cloud to come join him at the academy.

“We’re holding a showcase to commemorate our students’ final exams. The audience will mostly be their families, but anyone is welcome to come.”

“And you want me to be there?” Cloud asked, munching on a bagel.

“You could see how good my students are. Maybe even join me for a demonstration.”

“Mm, I could show them I can still wipe the floor with their instructor,” Cloud said, grinning.

“You wish.”

“I’m just saying, you don’t have a very good track record against me.”

Cloud was still grinning around his mouthful messily. Sephiroth narrowed his eyes, without any real heat in the glare.

“You know, during all this time, I’ve never seen you train.”

“So? I could still take you.”

Sephiroth wiped his mouth with a napkin and threw it onto the table like a gauntlet.

“You’re on. It doesn’t have to be today, in front of an audience, but one weekend I want us to have a training session at the academy and we’ll see who wins.”

Cloud was stunned for a moment, but then his mouth curled into a smile, his eyes flashing with a challenge.

“Why wait?”

***

And that was how they found themselves on the training floor of Sephiroth’s martial arts academy, facing each other over the blades of their swords, for the first time in a very long time.

Cloud had sat in the audience, watching the students showcase what they’d learned. They were quite good. Some of them clearly had no ambitions to become fighters — Sephiroth had told him before that most of them just wanted to learn self-defense. But there were others whose skill was far beyond that. Cloud had to admit he was pretty impressed with some of them. But then again, they were taught by one of the greatest fighters the world had ever seen. They had to be good.

The students were given their diplomas and, once the ceremony was over, a special exhibition match, as a treat to the audience, was announced. The academy’s primary instructor and his friend, a former SOLDIER, would hold a demonstration of what real fighters could do.

Cloud had worried that a fight might make bad memories resurface, but instead, he was simply excited. Fighting Sephiroth had always been like a special dance, a peculiar courtship, flirting with danger and darkness. Knowing the depth of their chemistry now, the way they fought made a lot more sense. There had always been an undercurrent of desire whenever they were close. All it took was one spark to ignite and set them aflame.

Sephiroth walked onto the court in his armor. It was different from the one he used to wear at Shinra, but similar enough. It was still mostly black, but he no longer wore pauldrons. This armor was simpler and lighter, but unlike the old one, it didn’t leave his chest open to attacks. Or less so, at least. He still left the top few buttons of his coat unbuttoned, giving an enticing peek at his chest. The armor was accentuated by a thick green belt that looked more like a sash, hanging down to his knee. It matched the color of Sephiroth’s eyes.

Cloud knew his lover was gorgeous, he watched him every day, but his breath still caught when he first laid eyes on him.

Sephiroth smirked at him, as if aware of his thoughts. If they’d been alone, Cloud would have accused him of cheating. Showing up looking like this with no warning should definitely count as foul play!

“Ready?” Sephiroth asked.

Cloud nodded and drew his sword, feeling a trickle of nervousness mixed with excitement as he waited for Sephiroth to strike.

Sephiroth charged, inhumanly fast, raising his sword over his shoulder, in his signature move. Cloud blocked it easily, their blades clashing. A loud gasp came from the gathered crowd. Cloud used his strength to shove Sephiroth away, creating enough distance to strike in a wide, slashing motion. Sephiroth dodged, dashing away. The moment his feet touched the ground, he used the force of the impact to propel himself forward and attack Cloud again, this time trying to reach beneath his defenses.

Cloud read his intention and moved his sword just in time to parry. They stayed in a clinch for a few seconds, long enough for Sephiroth to send him a blinding grin, before jumping away, and then they were both moving again. It was exhilarating.

After so many battles in the past, Cloud was very familiar with Sephiroth’s fighting style. He’d always been able to read him, to an extent. But it had never been like this. Now that they’d become so close, it was as if he could read his mind. He could predict his movements before they happened, and the blocking and parrying easily followed. Cloud could tell that Sephiroth could read him just as well. It made them evenly matched and Cloud didn’t feel the need to hold back.

He swung at Sephiroth’s head with all his strength, like he would have in a real fight. The crowd cried out in horror, but Sephiroth swatted his sword away, blocking it easily with a playful smile. Sephiroth lashed out with a sudden stabbing motion, trying to impale Cloud, like he’d done so many times in the past. Cloud rolled away, then smoothly transitioned into a jump, striking from above, trying to cleave Sephiroth in half. Sephiroth blocked his powerful blow, feet skidding a little under the force of the impact, sparks flying between their blades. Their eyes met.

Sephiroth’s irises were blown wide, his eyes burning with the promise of passion that would come later. Cloud gasped, heart skipping a beat.

And that was all the opening Sephiroth needed.

He rotated their joined blades in a circular motion, making Cloud lose his grip, sending his sword flying, disarming him.

The crowd went wild. The applause was deafening, as were the shouts and whistles. But Cloud and Sephiroth stood in a world of their own, where no sound could reach them. Cloud’s chest was heaving with ragged pants caused by more than simple exhaustion. It took all of his self-control not to jump Sephiroth where he stood.

“That was cheating,” he said instead.

“I’m sure I have no idea what you mean,” Sephiroth replied smugly.

“I’ll make you pay for this tonight,” Cloud promised and Sephiroth chuckled.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

They waved to the crowd and left the arena, heading for the showers. As soon as they turned a corner and were no longer visible from the stands, Sephiroth moved, quick as a striking snake and, before Cloud could react, placed a kiss on his lips.

“Sephiroth!” he hissed in warning, but the man just gave him a playful grin before dashing off to the showers.

Cloud considered joining him, making him deal with the hard-on he’s caused, but in the end decided against it. It was simply too risky, and this was Sephiroth’s place of work.

But Sephiroth, it seemed, had different plans.

Just as Cloud was rinsing out his hair, the door to his shower stall opened and Sephiroth snuck in.

“What are you doing?” Cloud asked in a whisper.

Sephiroth, wet and naked from the shower he’d already taken, covered Cloud’s mouth with a hand, towering over him and crowding him against the wall. His lips pressed against Cloud’s ear and delivered his reply in a whisper that no unenhanced person could hear.

“Don’t make a sound if you don’t want to get us in trouble.” 

In the very next moment, he dropped to his knees, taking Cloud into his mouth. Cloud’s hands flew to his lips, desperate to keep his moans from escaping. He hoped the water would mask most of the noise.

Cloud’s cock, which had flagged a little during the shower, roared back to full hardness under the attention of Sephiroth’s sinful mouth. Sephiroth sucked and hummed, just the way Cloud liked, bringing him to the edge embarrassingly fast. Staying quiet was becoming increasingly difficult, as was staying on his feet. Cloud’s legs trembled, barely holding him upright. Sephiroth noticed and gripped his waist, pinning him against the wall as his lips continued to slide up and down Cloud’s length.

The hand covering Cloud’s mouth turned into a fist and he bit down, desperate to stay quiet. His other hand clutched at Sephiroth’s hair, tugging harshly, making the man moan deep in his throat. Cloud felt a finger sneak around to his backside, pressing against the sensitive spot between his balls and his entrance. He squeezed his eyes shut, the back of his head hitting the wall in a dull thud. They had no lube, so anything more than a blow job was out of the question, but Sephiroth still knew a thousand ways to please him. One hand fondled Cloud’s balls, the other teased his entrance, while the delicious wet heat of Sephiroth’s mouth continued to pleasure his cock.

Without warning, Sephiroth flipped him around, pressing him into the tiles as he lavished kisses down the length of Cloud's spine, licking the dimples he adored, tracing the curves of his ass with his mouth and teeth. Cloud hid his face into the crook of his arm, desperately trying to keep quiet, as Sephiroth spread his cheeks and started worshiping him with his mouth. Clout's moans were a constant, muffled sound, hidden beneath the falling water, but Sephiroth could hear them. The delicious noises fed his arousal and he hummed and moaned against Cloud's hole, stretching it with his tongue. Cloud had never felt so close to begging before. He felt like he was dying. The pleasure was too much and not enough; he sobbed, certain he was going insane. 

A finger joined the tongue and Cloud rocked against it, feeling the burn of the exquisite stretch without lube, craving it. He quivered beneath Sephiroth's touches, pliant and so, so eager, rolling his needy hips against the intruding digits. 

Sephiroth pressed all of Cloud’s sensitive spots, playing him like a fine-tuned instrument, and within minutes, Cloud was coming, mouth open in a soundless scream, vision blurring at the edges. Sephiroth flipped him back around, catching his release with his lips. He swallowed and swallowed, until there was nothing left to swallow and Cloud had turned oversensitive to his touch. Releasing the now soft cock from his mouth, Sephiroth licked his lips and stood.

Cloud slumped forward, spent, feeling completely boneless. Sephiroth caught him in his arms. They kissed messily, tasting of come.

After he’d gotten himself under control, Cloud flipped them around, pressing Sephiroth against the wall, in a reverse of their starting positions. The effect was quite different, since he was significantly shorter and unable to tower over Sephiroth. It seemed that Sephiroth noticed it too, because he smirked and lifted one eyebrow in challenge. Cloud held his gaze as he took his cock in one hand and started to stroke him.

Sephiroth might never admit it, but Cloud knew just how much it turned him on to have Cloud watching him. Whenever Cloud touched him, if he looked into his eyes while doing it, the effect was tenfold. When their eyes met, it ignited a spark, like a merging of minds, amplifying every sensation. It felt like he could see and touch Sephiroth’s very soul, feel what he feels.

Very quickly, the smug expression vanished from Sephiroth’s face. His cheeks turned an uncharacteristic shade of pink, breaths growing ragged. The pleasure building and expanding, already too intense.

Every time Cloud’s hand moved over the head, teasing the glans, Sephiroth’s eyes would start to drift closed, feeling overwhelmed. But then they would reopen, burning with desire, refusing to break their gaze.

It was only a hand job, they’d done so much more together, but Cloud could think of few things more intimate than this. Sephiroth’s eyes penetrated the deepest depths of his being and Cloud could feel his pulse quickening again. He increased the pace, jerking his hand roughly, the way Sephiroth liked.

Sephiroth’s cock, which was big even when soft, had swelled to a massive size, turning dark and leaking. It was glorious. As Cloud had admitted before, he really loved Sephiroth’s cock. He ran the tips of his fingers along the veins and ridges as he stroked, his thumb smearing the precome over the head. Cloud's other hand latched onto a nipple, tweaking it, playing with it. He wanted to take it into his mouth, but that would mean breaking off their eye contact, and he wouldn’t do that for anything.

Sephiroth had very sensitive nipples, so pinching one repeatedly, none too gently, finally got him struggling to keep quiet. When he was forced to bite into his fist, Cloud felt a deeply satisfying sense of victory. Some guttural moans still escaped him and Cloud felt them go straight to his groin, loving that he could make this stoic, imposing man fall apart like this. Leaving the abused nipple, Cloud’s hand slid upwards. He gripped the back of Sephiroth’s head, leaning their foreheads together, not letting him look away.

It didn’t take long after that. Cloud felt Sephiroth’s stomach muscles tighten, and he knew he was about to come. Just before he did, Cloud replaced his hand with his mouth, allowing Sephiroth’s hips to rock into him, frantically seeking his own pleasure. Cloud welcomed it, running his hands along Sephiroth’s thighs encouragingly. He finished him off with his lips, swallowing every last drop of his release.

Afterwards, Sephiroth slid down the wall, kneeling next to Cloud. He made it look like he just wanted to be near, initiating kisses, but Cloud suspected his knees were just as unsteady as Cloud’s had been after that explosive orgasm.

***

That night they did it again, just as Cloud had promised.

Sephiroth moved inside of him slowly, making him feel every slide against his skin, setting every single nerve ending in his body on fire. Cloud’s arms wrapped around Sephiroth’s neck, rocking against him in time with his thrusts.

Slow and deep was Cloud’s favorite. He could do it for hours, letting the pleasure build slowly, steadily, while they kissed and moved their feverish bodies as one.

He looked up into Sephiroth’s eyes and found him watching him. Like earlier, in the shower stall, their gazes locked, intensifying everything.

Cloud’s whole body was buzzing with need, electricity crackling in the air between them. Looking into Sephiroth’s eyes, Cloud felt a tightness in his chest grow and expand, lodging in his throat. “I love this,” he thought. “This is the greatest feeling in the world. I could do this forever. No one’s ever made me feel this way. I love this so much. I love… him.”

Cloud’s eyes widened, panic overtaking him. The tightness in his chest was no longer comfortable, but stifling, the lump in his throat not letting him breathe.

His movements stuttered, his breaths turning to gasps.

He broke eye contact.

But then Sephiroth’s hands were on his face, caressing, soothing, forcing Cloud to look at him again. His hips had stopped moving, but he didn’t pull out.

Maybe their minds had really connected or maybe Cloud’s expressions were just that easy to read, but looking at Sephiroth, Cloud could tell that he knew. He knew how Cloud felt and it made Cloud feel very exposed. It left his chest torn open and his heart naked, at the mercy of this apex predator.

Cloud covered his face with his arms, creating a physical barrier between them.

“Don’t… Don’t look at me,” he breathed.

Sephiroth left a trail of soft kisses along those arms, nuzzling them.

“Shh,” he soothed, whispering against Cloud’s skin, “it’s alright.”

He caressed Cloud’s hair, gently urging him to move his arms away from his face.

“I know it’s terrifying,” Sephiroth said. “I feel it too, Cloud, and it scares me just as much.”

Cloud stopped breathing.

Suppressing his anxiety, Cloud pulled his arms away. He looked into the blazing green eyes he knew so well and saw the same emotion, the same uncertainty reflected in them. The intensity of the emotions swimming in the emerald depths made his heart thunder in his chest.

Somehow, it made everything better.

Cloud’s fingers carded through the silky silver strands that he adored, tucking some of them behind Sephiroth’s ear. He wasn’t ready to say it, not now and maybe not ever, but knowing that they felt the same, that they held the same fears, put Cloud’s mind at ease. He tugged Sephiroth’s face closer, pulling him in for a deep, languid kiss. There was no heat in it, just emotion, just love, and it made them both shiver with its intensity.

They kept kissing for what felt like hours. After a long time, Sephiroth started moving again, unhurriedly, taking his time to let the simmering passion build slowly, gradually, increasing the pressure, increasing the heat, little by little, until it reached its peak and culminated in a shattering explosion that shook Cloud’s body to its core.

Cloud came with a scream of Sephiroth’s name on his lips. The pleasure was so intense that he blacked out for a couple of seconds.

When he came to, Sephiroth was hovering over him, watching him with worry in his eyes.

“You’re incredible,” Cloud murmured and Sephiroth relaxed, stretching out beside him.

He placed a tender kiss on Cloud’s shoulder.

“Not as incredible as you.”

Chapter Text

A few weeks after Cloud’s world-altering revelation, he found himself spending a lazy Saturday at home. Sephiroth had some business at the academy, so Cloud was alone, bored and killing time until he returned. He was lying on the couch, flipping through TV channels, trying to find something to watch. His bike needed some tune-ups, but it was sweltering outside and he couldn’t force himself to do it.

He was feeling pleasantly sated after the amazing sex he’d had with Sephiroth earlier, which made him even more reluctant to move.

His thoughts drifted back to that morning. Sephiroth had woken him with kisses, pressing their naked bodies together. By the time Cloud’s awareness returned, they were both already partially hard, their bodies heated and ready.

Cloud could feel Sephiroth’s cock hardening as he continued to suck on Cloud’s throat, rocking gently against him. Sephiroth wasn’t usually vocal in bed, so Cloud treasured the little moans escaping him with every thrust. They were quiet, barely there, but hearing them heightened Cloud's own desire, making him crave more. He reached out blindly, groping for the dresser drawer, trying to get the lube.

When Sephiroth realized what he was doing, he reached over to help, his longer arm easily finding the bottle. He poured some liquid onto his long, elegant fingers and Cloud trembled in expectation. Slick, tight warmth enveloped Cloud’s cock, making him buck into it, ripping a broken sob from his throat. Sephiroth slid down the bed, lying on his side, watching Cloud's cock disappear into the tunnel of his fist. Cloud was writhing on the bed, matching the movement of Sephiroth's hand, grabbing and tearing at the sheets in desperation. Sephiroth loved nothing more than seeing Cloud so lost in pleasure. Knowing that he was the one who made him feel good, the one who made him lose his inhibitions, brought a heady rush of pleasure like nothing else.

Sephiroth could feel Cloud’s entire body quivering, his pleasure building and cresting. He bit down onto the sensitive skin of the pale inner thigh in front of him and Cloud cried out, arching off the bed and spilling his seed all over his chest… and Sephiroth’s face.

After he’d managed to catch his breath and opened his eyes, he saw what he’d done.

“Oh! I’m sorry,” Cloud said, rising to his elbows, moving to clean Sephiroth’s face. Luckily, there wasn’t much of it; most of it had landed on Cloud’s chest.

Sephiroth didn’t seem to mind, though. He gave Cloud a pleased little smirk, wiping some of the fluid with his finger and popping it into his mouth for a taste.

“Mm, you always taste exquisite.”

“Shut up,” Cloud giggled, moving closer. He used his tongue to lick some of it off Sephiroth’s cheek, then licked into his mouth, making them both taste Cloud’s come as their tongues entwined.

As he continued to clean Sephiroth’s face with his tongue, Cloud reached out and took his hardness in one hand, jerking him to full attention. After only a few strokes, Sephiroth was hard as a rock.

“Don’t make me wait,” Cloud said playfully, nudging the lube into Sephiroth’s hand.

He didn’t need to be told twice. Lifting one of Cloud’s legs and hooking it over his shoulder, Sephiroth reached beneath him and circled his entrance with slick fingers. Cloud let out a pleased, mewling sound, welcoming the intrusion. He pushed against the fingers, encouraging Sephiroth to move. Sephiroth stretched him with one finger, then two, then finally three. Cloud’s moans and the obscene, squelching noises of Sephiroth’s fingers stretching him filled the room.

“I can’t—Sephiroth, I can’t—“ Cloud panted, delirious. “I’m ready. Please.”

He’d never begged before. Sephiroth bit his thigh again, desperate to get himself under control. He’d almost come just from hearing that.

Kneeling between Cloud’s spread legs, he positioned himself and, pushing slowly, slid inside. Even after they’d done this so many times, Cloud was still blissfully tight. There was no greater feeling for Sephiroth than being sheathed deep inside that velvety warmth, watching the flush spread across Cloud’s cheeks as he struggled to breathe.

Sephiroth flipped them over, allowing Cloud to sit on top of him. He rested his hands on Cloud’s hips, encouraging him to move against him, letting him set the pace for now. Cloud raised his hips and slammed them down, impaling himself on Sephiroth’s cock, making them both groan. He moved again, and again, throwing his head back, clutching at fistfuls of Sephiroth’s hair, pleasing himself on his cock.

“That’s it,” Sephiroth purred, encouraging, “You’re doing so well. Good boy, Cloud.”

Cloud’s eyes widened at the words, but then he moaned desperately, feeling both aroused and embarrassed, hips moving even faster, hurtling towards the edge. Seeing how close he was, Sephiroth flipped them again, pushing him down into the bed, nearly bending him in half, and pounded into him with superhuman strength. Cloud was gasping, moaning and begging with every thrust. His knees came up around Sephiroth’s back, urging him on.

“I can’t—“ Cloud sobbed, unable to finish the thought.

“Come for me, Cloud,” Sephiroth commanded, his words ghosting over Cloud’s ear, making him shiver. Teeth latched onto his earlobe and, with a helpless choked off moan, Cloud did. He came for the second time that morning, without his cock even being touched.

Sephiroth groaned as the walls of Cloud’s hole clamped up around him, the friction becoming too much. Only a few thrusts later, he came, biting onto Cloud’s shoulder, a series of desperate groans leaving his chest. He sent spurt after spurt into Cloud, his orgasm seeming to go on forever. His limbs trembled, barely able to hold him.

After a few moments, he pulled out and lay beside Cloud, not wanting to crush him. Cloud rested his head on his shoulder, tracing imaginary patterns across his chest with his fingers, circling his nipples, mapping his abs, while he waited for Sephiroth to catch his breath.

Sephiroth opened one eye to look at him and Cloud caught his gaze.

“If you mean to go again, you’ll need to give me some time first,” Sephiroth said.

Cloud laughed and shook his head. “I can barely move.”

His whole body felt pleasantly sore, yet boneless and perfectly sated.

Cloud wished Sephiroth hadn’t had to leave. He wished he could have had a lazy Saturday in bed, full of kisses and sex and lazy naps in between.

He let out a disgruntled little moan. He couldn’t wait for Sephiroth to come back.

The sudden ringing of his phone brought him out of his stupor. He looked at the caller ID and picked up.

“Hey, Tifa.”

“Hi, Cloud! Guess what? I’m in Kalm right now!”

She sounded so excited and Cloud felt like the worst person in the world for the way the words made his stomach drop. He’d been a horrible friend for months now. He still visited Tifa every other week, but he rarely stayed for more than a day. Usually, not even that. Most of his visits only lasted a few hours, just enough to say hi to Marlene and Denzel, and then he’d be off again. Whenever deliveries took him to Edge, he’d drop by, but he knew he’d been neglecting Tifa and the kids. If he were completely honest, he was openly avoiding them.

Tifa never complained about it, though. Cloud was sure it was because she’d figured out he was seeing someone and wanted to give him space. She’d always been a great friend like that. If he told her he had a boyfriend, she’d be thrilled. That part wasn’t the issue. The problem was who he was with.

That’s why Tifa being here put him on edge. Especially now that Sephiroth was out for the day. On another weekend, he’d simply ask Sephiroth to stay inside the house until Tifa left Kalm, but today’s situation contained too many variables and too much potential for disaster.

“That’s great,” Cloud said, and hoped he sounded convincingly enthusiastic. “I’ll come meet you.” He paused, but then couldn’t resist asking, “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

“It wasn’t planned. I have some last-minute errands in Kalm.”

“Okay, I’ll meet you at the town square in ten minutes.”

“Sounds perfect. See you then!”

She cut the call and Cloud immediately dialed Sephiroth’s number, trying to warn him. A couple of seconds later, a familiar ringtone came from the bedroom.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Sephiroth,” Cloud grumbled under his breath.

The man was hopeless about bringing his phone with him. He kept forgetting it more often than not. Whenever they argued about it, Sephiroth would go on long tirades about cellphones, insisting the PHS was smaller and therefore more convenient, easier to carry and less likely to be forgotten.

Either way, there was no way for Cloud to reach him now.

He put his shoes on, grabbed his keys and rushed out to meet Tifa.

Cloud found her sitting on one of the benches by the canal, just off the main square. She got herself a place in the shade, trying to stay away from the blistering sun. The day was objectively too hot to be outside. When she noticed Cloud, she gave him a little wave, walking up to meet him.

“Hey there, stranger.”

“Hey yourself.”

Cloud didn’t need to force the smile he gave her. He truly was happy to see her.

“You got here quick. Do you live nearby?”

“Kalm is a small town, unlike Edge. Nothing is ever far,” he hedged.

The polite thing to do would be to invite her over, he knew, but he didn’t dare. Sephiroth had no photos lying around the house, but Cloud would feel way too paranoid having Tifa in their space. What if she took one look at Sephiroth’s coats and immediately figured it out?

Tifa nodded, easily accepting his reply.

“So, what sort of errands do you have here?”

“An old acquaintance asked me to bring her some books,” she pointed to the bag slung over her shoulder. “I have a few hours to kill until I meet her, so I decided to give you a call.”

“Old acquaintance? Is it someone I know?”

“Nope. It’s someone I trained with after you left Nibelheim.”

Cloud started walking, leading her to a nearby cafe. To the cafe, where he and Sephiroth always went on their Queen’s Blood dates.

“They have great ice lattes here. We can catch up while we drink.”

“Oh, okay.”

Tifa sounded surprised and a little disappointed. She must have expected him to invite her over. Cloud felt guilt coil in the pit of his stomach. But in typical Tifa fashion, she accepted it, not making a big deal out of it.

When their drinks arrived, they relaxed and started to talk. And, for a while, everything seemed normal. She told him about Marlene getting in trouble for beating up a bully at school, about Denzel taking up drawing as a new hobby, and gave him updates on her most interesting regulars. They laughed and talked without hesitation, enjoying each other’s company. It felt like any other day, like any other conversation they’d had while unwinding after a long day.

But then, as Tifa’s stories trickled to a stop, she started looking at him expectantly. She’d told him about everything, yet he’d shared nothing. The air around them changed, growing increasingly awkward.

“So… You’ve been seeing someone, right?” She went right out and asked.

“Yeah,” Cloud said in a small voice. He had to admit that much.

“Well, come on, then. Tell me what he’s like,” Tifa said excitedly.

Cloud paused, not knowing what to say. He didn’t want to lie to Tifa. She was his best friend and the first person he came out to, when they were still kids. Her support got him through when he had no one else. It created a bond between them that only grew stronger with age.

“He’s good to me,” Cloud said, hoping it would be enough. It wasn’t.

“Pfft, well, he’d better be,” she waved a fist in the air jokingly and winked at him. “I meant his appearance. Describe him to me.”

“He’s very tall.”

Tifa nodded in encouragement.

“He’s a few years older than me.”

“Sounds nice,” Tifa said wistfully, a smile lighting up her face. “He must spoil you rotten.”

Cloud blushed.

“I know you don’t like talking about stuff like this,” she said, not blind to his discomfort. “Don’t hold it against me for being excited. I don’t think you’ve ever been in a relationship with someone this long, so I’m just curious.”

Cloud could understand that. And it was true. He’d only had one-night stands before and there was never anyone worth mentioning. He wasn’t even the type to have crushes, so he never had anything to tell. Yet, all of a sudden, he’d been living with a guy for over three months. It was only natural for Tifa to be curious. To want to meet the man dating her best friend. The trouble was that Cloud couldn’t allow it to happen.

“I get it,” he said at length.

“And you’re really not gonna let me see your house?” she accused, pouting. Luckily, her tone was playful.

“Another time,” Cloud promised, hoping it wouldn’t come to that.

“Well, lucky for you, it’s almost time for me to meet up with my friend, so you’re off the hook. For now!”

Tifa stood and picked up her bag, waiting for Cloud to follow her.

“You know the address?” he asked, wanting to offer help, in case she needed it.

“Yeah, I’ve been there before, so I know where I’m going.”

She headed down the cobblestone path, Cloud trailing behind her. They walked in silence for a while, turning a few corners, before Tifa brought up the subject again.

“You realize that the more you hide that mystery man of yours, the more curious I’m gonna get, right?”

“Tifa…”

She suddenly stopped, turning to look at him with wide eyes, openly worried.

“He’s not… married and living with you in secret, right?” She sounded deeply disturbed by the thought.

“No! Of course not.”

“Okay, good,” Tifa said, relaxing. “That was a crazy thought, huh? I just can’t understand why you can’t talk about him. Makes me wonder what he’s hiding.”

She started walking again. Cloud heaved a deep sigh, dropping his head, following in silence for a while.

“It’s nothing like that, he’s just—“

Cloud ran into Tifa from behind, unprepared for the way she suddenly stopped. Head snapping up in surprise, he tried to look over her shoulder to see what stopped her. His blood ran cold.

Sephiroth had just left the academy and was heading their way.

Before Cloud could react, Tifa was in motion. She dashed to the side, gaining momentum, then leapt up in the air, trying to blindside Sephiroth with a flying kick to the head. Cloud’s mouth ran dry, his heart stuck in his throat. He couldn’t even manage to call out her name, looking on in horror.

Luckily, Sephiroth had enhanced reflexes, so he sensed the attack and dodged at the last second, rolling away.

His eyes widened when he realized who it was that had attacked him. Looking between them, his gaze settled on Cloud, seeing the desperation in his eyes. He clenched his jaw, surreptitiously scanning his surroundings for an escape route. 

“How are you alive?” Tifa demanded, her voice shaking. “Why won’t you just stay dead?!”

She struck out again, punching and kicking, not holding back. Sephiroth dodged it all. She was growing increasingly frustrated that she couldn’t hit him and that he refused to fight back.

She unleased a series of strikes, making him move this way and that, trying to block them all, until she finally managed to catch him on the wrong foot, as she’d planned. Sephiroth slipped, his balance broken for barely a second, but it was enough for Tifa to deliver a powerful kick to his stomach, making him stagger onto one knee, gasping for air. She was already raising her fist, preparing to knock him out with a punch to the face, when Cloud finally found his voice.

“Tifa, stop!” he shouted, running up to her and grabbing her arm, preventing her from delivering her blow.

“Cloud?”

She looked at him, confused, the rage of battle still clouding her judgment.

Cloud clung to her arm, unable to face her. He looked down at Sephiroth instead, frantically checking to see if he was okay. Sephiroth’s eyes met his and without words, with a long blink and a barely perceptible nod, he tried to reassure Cloud and tell him he was fine. Cloud’s body uncoiled at that, relieved beyond words.

In his panic, he forgot about Tifa, who witnessed the whole exchange, who heard a sigh of relief escape him and felt his muscles relax, not missing a thing.

“You…” she tried to find her voice, looking between them. “You knew he was alive?” she asked in a small voice. “How could you not tell me? You know what he did to me!”

Her voice grew louder as her anger built. She ripped her arm out of Cloud’s hand.

Sephiroth rose to his feet and took a few steps back, putting some distance between them.

“Why did you stop me? Why did you—“

But then she looked, really looked at them, and her mouth ran dry.

The two of them stood in a protective stance, angling their bodies in a way that would allow them to move and defend the other at a moment’s notice. There was palpable tension in the air surrounding the two men, but it wasn’t violent. She’d felt that tension around Cloud when she herself, and others closest to him, had been in danger. Her stomach dropped. She took a desperate step back, almost tripping over her own feet, refusing to believe what she was seeing.

“He’s the one…” she said in a whisper. “He’s the one you’ve been with, isn’t he?”

“Tifa…”

“Isn’t he?” he screamed, nearly hysterical, and Cloud could only nod, squaring his shoulders.

The look of betrayal, just before the first tears started to fall, cut Cloud like a sword to the chest.

“How could you?” she whispered brokenly, then turned around and ran off.

Cloud’s knees gave out and he crumpled to the ground. Sephiroth was by his side in an instant, gripping his shoulders in support.

“Are you okay?” Cloud rasped, looking up at Sephiroth, the worry breaking through the haze of his own pain.

“Don’t worry about me, she barely grazed me.”

He crouched down next to Cloud, looking at him with unmasked concern.

“Shouldn’t you go after her?”

Cloud nodded, but made no move to stand.

“I will, later. I need to give her time to cool off, or she won’t hear anything I have to say.”

“Do you want to go home in the meantime?”

“Yeah…”

“Can you walk?”

That finally got a reaction out of Cloud, in the form of a sad little smile.

“Why? Are you gonna carry me if I say I can’t?”

“I will,” Sephiroth replied, deathly serious. He said it like a vow, like he was promising a lot more with that simple word, and Cloud’s chest clenched.

Holding that feeling close to his heart, Cloud rose to his feet and took Sephiroth’s hand in his, trying to comfort them both.

“Come on, let’s go home.”

***

It was nearly midnight when a twelve-year-old Cloud ran up the water tower, tears streaming down his cheeks. He huddled at the edge, knees pulled up to his chin. With the night landscape as his only witness, hidden by darkness, he let his tears fall unchecked.

A short while later, he heard feet hitting the metal steps of the ladder and he hurried to wipe all evidence of crying from his cheeks. He refused to turn around, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone move to stand behind him.

“I’m sorry.”

It was Tifa.

“It was all my fault,” she said.

Except, it wasn’t.

The boys had caught him staring at their little group yet again, and they were vicious. It was nothing unusual in itself. They always mocked him for liking Tifa, for stalking her from afar. They called him disgusting and a creep. None of that was new, but none of it was true, so he never let it bother him.

The truth was, it wasn’t Tifa that Cloud liked. One of the others, a dark-haired boy with kind hazel eyes and a soft smile, was the one who commanded Cloud’s attention.

The boy, Theo, was shy and quiet, just like Cloud. He always stood to the side, watching the others, rather than participating. They seemed a lot alike, and Cloud was sure they’d get along. But he was never alone. The other boys, the ones who bullied Cloud, were always with him, so Cloud never got a chance to talk to him. Tifa was usually with them too, making the boys believe Cloud was looking at her. Cloud never corrected them, because being bullied for the truth would have been so much worse. Being mocked for things that weren’t true didn’t hurt him at all.

But then, that night, the normally quiet Theo joined in the attack. Cloud couldn’t even remember everything he’d said, it hurt too much, but he’d heard “loser” and “pathetic” and that was more than enough. Cloud had known there was no way the beautiful doe-eyed boy would ever feel the same, but the open disgust had hurt.

Cloud turned to look at Tifa.

“It’s not your fault.”

She sat down next to him, dangling her feet off the edge. His tear-streaked face must have been obvious, but she made no mention of it. Cloud was grateful.

“They’re being mean to you because you like me, which makes it my fault.”

Cloud bit his lip and looked over the rooftops.

“I don’t like you, though. Not like that.”

“Oh?” she said in surprise, sounding relieved. “Well, that’s good, then! So why not just tell them?”

Cloud shook his head. “It’s complicated.”

“Hmm… Can I help?”

“Why would you?”

“I dunno,” she shrugged. “I still feel bad they’re mean to you. Even if you don’t like me.”

“There’s nothing you can do, though.”

Cloud uncurled his legs and let his feet dangle next to Tifa’s.

“Is there someone else you like?”

“What?” he gasped, unprepared for the question.

A smile spread across her face, knowing she’d been right on the mark.

“Ah, see! You just had that look whenever we caught you watching. The guys just assumed it was me, because boys are stupid. So, who is it really?”

Cloud’s heart hammered in his chest. He was caught. There was no use lying now.

“Theo,” Cloud whispered.

“Theo is too shy for my taste,” Tifa said sagely, then grinned. “But he has beautiful eyes.”

“You don’t mind?”

“Why would I mind? I’m just glad someone in this town isn’t trying to be my boyfriend. Maybe I can finally have a friend!”

“You want us to be friends?” Cloud couldn’t hide the shock from his voice.

“If you’re okay with that,” she said self-consciously, bouncing her feet nervously, not looking at him.

“Yeah,” Cloud smiled. “I’d like that.”

After that day, Tifa had always been by his side.

They hid their friendship in Nibelheim as kids. Cloud insisted that the boys would hate him even more if he suddenly became Tifa’s friend. So they usually met at the water tower at night, or out in the forest when Tifa could get away from the others. They were apart for a few years when Cloud joined Shinra, but afterwards, after they reunited, they never left each other’s side.

***

Cloud walked after Sephiroth, as if in a daze, following him home. As soon as they were inside, Sephiroth steered him towards the bedroom, pushing him down onto the bed. He took off Cloud’s shoes and jacket, then removed his own. He lay down, pulling Cloud on top of him, cradling him against his chest. They stayed like that for a long time.

Sephiroth carded his fingers through Cloud’s hair, offering silent comfort.

“I don’t think she’s gonna forgive me for this,” Cloud whispered, breaking the silence.

Sephiroth tensed, hands tightening around Cloud, then forced himself to relax, not wanting Cloud to notice. In truth, he was terrified. He knew Cloud’s friends meant the world to him, especially the Lockhart girl. If he were forced to choose between them and Sephiroth… What would he do? Sephiroth didn’t like his chances.

The possessiveness in him demanded he eliminate any and all threats that would take Cloud from him. His instincts told him to get rid of the girl. To kill anyone who’d threaten this peace he’d found with Cloud. But he knew there was no surer way to lose Cloud forever than to hurt those he loved. So he stifled the urge to destroy, to steal Cloud away and keep him all to himself and focused on what he could do.

Cloud needed him now, and whatever he needed, Sephiroth would provide.

What he seemed to need most was reassurance, however, and that was not something Sephiroth could give, not unless he decided to lie. He knew the girl hated him, and with good reason. Saying otherwise would just be empty platitudes, and what use would Cloud have for those?

“You two have known each other for a long time, right?”

“Yeah… Since we were kids.”

“Would talking about her make you feel better?”

“I don’t know… Maybe.”

Cloud stayed quiet for so long that Sephiroth thought he wouldn’t say anything more, but then he started to talk.

“I’m not sure how much you know about my childhood in Nibelheim, but I didn’t exactly fit in.”

Sephiroth nodded. He’d known some of it, finding out about it in the Lifestream, where he spent his days obsessing over Cloud, trying to learn as much about him as he could.

“I was twelve when I realized I was gay. It made me feel even more like an outsider. The other kids didn’t know, but they found other reasons to hate me.”

Sephiroth held him closer, but Cloud didn’t seem to notice, too wrapped up in his memories.

“Tifa was the first real friend I had. After some stuff happened, I ended up coming out to her, without even meaning to, and she just took it in stride. It blew me away. Nibelheim is a backwater town… I grew up hearing so much homophobic crap that I felt a lot of shame and guilt as a kid. So, when Tifa accepted me so readily, acting like it didn’t matter at all, it meant a lot to me. It still took me years to get rid of all the baggage my childhood had left me, but it was thanks to her that I started to accept who I was.”

Cloud took a shuddering breath. He wasn’t crying, but it was obviously not easy for him to talk about this.

“When we got older, she was always in my corner as my biggest supporter. When we met Cid — you remember Cid?” Sephiroth nodded. “He made some shitty comments, not knowing about me. I don’t think he even meant anything by it, Cid is just a loudmouth, but I thought Tifa was going to kill him.”

A small smile tugged at Cloud’s lips at the memory.

“Ever since I came out to her all those years ago, Tifa’s treated me like a big sister, trying to protect me from the world. Which is funny, because she’s actually younger than me.”

Cloud’s smile faltered, the reality closing in on him. He let out a sad little huff and pressed his face into Sephiroth’s chest.

Sephiroth was a selfish man. He’d never cared about others. It didn’t matter who was hurt, as long as he got what he wanted. But in this, as with most things, Cloud was the exception. He hated seeing Cloud hurt. Knowing that he’d caused this made Sephiroth’s stomach clench uncomfortably. He desperately wished to fix it. To protect Cloud from the pain.

“Your bond sounds strong. Have faith in it.”

Sephiroth gritted his teeth. He’d promised himself he wouldn’t offer platitudes!

But Cloud seemed to appreciate it anyway. He let out a soft, pleased hum and tucked his head under Sephiroth’s chin.

They continued to lie like that for a long time. At one point, Cloud’s breathing slowed and evened. He must have fallen asleep. Sephiroth held him, carding his fingers through his hair, staying with him until he felt Cloud stir and open his eyes to look at him. He rubbed his bleary eyes, looking at the clock.

“It’s been a few hours already... I should go talk to her,” he said reluctantly. “If I wait until tomorrow, it will only make her angrier.”

Sephiroth nodded, hesitant to let him go, but trying not to show it. He wanted to lock Cloud in this room and never let him go. There was an ever-present worry about what the girl would say to him. Would she manage to convince Cloud to leave him? If she reminded him of everything Sephiroth had done, leaving would be the only sensible thing to do.

Cloud stood and Sephiroth felt an acute sense of loss in the empty space between his arms where Cloud had been.

He walked Cloud to the door. Standing on the porch, they both paused, unwilling to part.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Cloud assured him. “I might need to stay there for a day or two, depending on the situation, but I’ll call you.”

Sephiroth nodded, unable to find words.

Cloud leaned over and pressed a chaste but lingering kiss to Sephiroth’s lips. Sephiroth’s hand cupped his cheek. When they parted, he ran his thumb over Cloud’s cheekbone, eyes roving over every inch of Cloud’s face, burning every pore and blemish into his memory.

“I’ll be back soon,” Cloud repeated, trying to reassure them both.

“I’ll be here.”

And then, Cloud was gone.

***

Normally, it took slightly over an hour to reach Edge. Desperate to resolve the situation, Cloud put his foot on the gas, speeding, and reached it in half that time. Before he’d even had time to fully organize his thoughts, he was parking his bike in front of Seventh Heaven. He squared his shoulders, reminding himself that he’d faced much scarier foes than Tifa Lockhart, and walked into the bar.

It was still too early for the bar to be open, so Tifa was the only one inside. She was standing behind the counter, placing freshly washed glasses back onto the shelves. At the sound of the door, she turned around, seeing Cloud come in. Her grip on the glass tightened so much that it creaked, about to break. With a heavy sigh, she put it down, deciding to finish her work later.

“Tifa…”

“I don’t want to hear it, Cloud. This is…” She shook her head. “How could you do this?”

“You don’t understand, I—“

“You’re right, I don’t understand! Cloud, he killed my dad. He burnt down our town, killing everyone. He killed your mom!”

She was yelling now, desperate to get through to him. Cloud hung his head.

“Don’t you think I know that?” he whispered.

“Then… how?” she asked, devastated.

“I was going to kill him when I first found him. But then, I found out he’d been in Kalm for months and hadn’t hurt anyone. He had friends, a job… He was just a guy living his life.”

“You think that, after everything he’s done, he should just get to live out his life like a regular person?”

“That’s what I said. But, then…”

Cloud paused. There was no way he could make her understand the next part.

Saying “I was horny and desperate, so I decided to fuck him, but the sex was so good I kept going back, until, eventually, I grew to care for him,” is not something she could ever accept. Most days, Cloud could hardly believe it himself.

“Look, you weren’t there, Tifa. People defended him passionately. They acted like I was a monster for attacking him. I had to let him go. And then, afterwards, I kept an eye on him and saw he wasn’t a threat, so killing him didn’t feel right.”

She was quiet for a long time, staring at the top of the counter, as if it held the answers.

“Maybe I can understand that part,” she said eventually, “but how did you go from that to living with him? To… being with him?”

Cloud ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

“It just… happened. It’s not like I planned it!” Cloud said helplessly.

“Cloud… Things like that don’t just happen! Did he force you?”

“What? No! Of course not.”

“Is he controlling you again? No matter how much I think about it, that’s the only way this makes sense.”

“No, Tifa… It’s nothing like that.”

“Cloud,” she said, her voice trembling, “I need to believe he’s controlling you, because if you knowingly slept with my father’s killer, I don’t think I could forgive you.”

Cloud’s heart broke. He wanted to curl up and cry, like he had that night in Nibelheim. Only this time, there would be no Tifa to come and offer him comfort.

“I’m sorry,” he choked out and turned to leave.

Tifa was there in a split second, grabbing his arm.

“Don’t go. I’ll believe it wasn’t your choice, even… Even if it was. Let’s just not speak of it.” She clutched him tightly, nails digging into the skin of his forearm. “Stay. Your room is still here. A little dusty, but ready to move back in. Please. Don’t go to him again and we can forget this ever happened.”

Cloud felt his heart ripping into a million pieces, breaking over and over again. He looked at her and the depth of his despair must have shown, because her breath hitched and her words cut off.

“I don’t think I can do that, Tifa,” he said, his voice shaking. “I’m sorry.”

Their gazes held, and then, without warning, a single tear ran down Cloud’s cheek. Tifa’s eyes widened.

“Oh sweet Planet, Cloud, you… You actually love him, don’t you?” she asked, horrified.

Clenching his jaw and refusing to let more tears fall, Cloud looked away in shame.

“I’m so sorry, Tifa,” he whispered again.

He took Tifa’s fingers and pried them off his arm.

Without looking back, he walked out of the bar and rode back to Kalm, to Sephiroth who was waiting for him.

***

Sephiroth lay sprawled out on the couch, staring at the ceiling.

He’d tried watching TV, reading a book, making spreadsheets for his classes… But nothing managed to keep him occupied. The tight coil of worry in the pit of his stomach could not be ignored.

It also didn’t help that Cloud’s absence was felt throughout the house. He’d been living there for only three months, but in that time, he’d turned himself into a permanent fixture, a source of light and all life. No matter what they were doing, they were constantly in each other’s space. Even when focusing on their own work, cleaning, cooking, eating or sleeping, the other was in the room, barely an arm’s length away. Without Cloud, the silence was deafening.

Sephiroth wouldn’t have minded so much, under normal circumstances, but the thought of this becoming his new normal terrified him. Cloud not returning was a very real possibility, he knew.

He slung an arm over his eyes, wishing he could just go to bed and sleep to pass the time.

Just as he was starting to seriously consider doing that, he heard the sound of a key sliding into the lock. He shot to his feet, heading for the door. It opened to reveal Cloud, his face streaked with dried tears. Cloud, who looked absolutely crushed and heartbroken. Cloud… who’d come back to him.

With a mixture of sadness at Cloud’s obvious pain and his own joy at seeing him return, Sephiroth rushed to him, embracing him. His arms wrapped him tightly against himself, one hand coming to rest on the back of Cloud’s head, pressing his face into his neck. Cloud let out a soft sob.

Sephiroth closed the door and led Cloud to their bed for the second time that day. Cloud had looked bad earlier, but he was so much worse now. Sephiroth was reluctant to ask him about what happened, not wanting to make him relive it.

He made Cloud lie on his side, holding him from behind, cocooning him in his own body. Nuzzling the nape of Cloud’s neck, he breathed in. The relief he felt at having him here could not be expressed in words. He brought one hand up, caressing Cloud’s cheek. It wasn’t wet like Sephiroth had expected it to be. He placed a gentle kiss to the back of Cloud’s neck, burying his face in his hair, surrounding himself in his smell and warmth.

“If there is anything you need of me, I am here.”

“Just hold me,” Cloud answered in a gravelly voice.

So, Sephiroth did.

For the first time ever, they spent the night together in bed without sex. Sephiroth simply held Cloud, softly caressing his arms and chest, placing kisses on his hair, until Cloud fell into a fitful sleep, hours later.

Chapter Text

The day after their run-in with Tifa, Sephiroth tried to talk Cloud into cancelling his deliveries and staying at home. He’d barely gotten any sleep, and Sephiroth didn’t like the thought of him riding his bike in such a state. But Cloud wouldn’t hear it. After some arguing, and at Sephiroth’s insistence, Cloud agreed to compromise by delaying some deliveries and taking half a day off. It wasn’t ideal, but at least he wouldn’t be going anywhere far.

Sephiroth himself had classes in the morning. It annoyed him that he couldn’t stay with Cloud, to keep him company and help distract him from his problems. But, as an instructor, he couldn’t get out of his obligations so easily.

During the classes, he tried to stay focused out of respect for his students, but still found himself heavily distracted. More than once, he glanced at the clock, counting the minutes until he was free, until he could go home to Cloud. He made the students practice their katas, but found his thoughts straying instead of correcting them. For the life of him, he couldn’t say if any forms were done correctly. He mentally berated himself for neglecting his obligations and resolved to make it up to his students.

The only consolation was that it wasn’t one of his advanced groups, so slacking off for one class shouldn’t hinder their progress.

That morning he had the kids’ defense class. They were mostly doing it for fun, because Kalm was a safe town and there was no real need for them to learn to defend themselves, which made those classes the most chaotic and tested Sephiroth’s patience even on a good day. But it seemed that the children had picked up on his mood, because they weren’t loud or chatty or full of questions as usual. They were as subdued as he was and he was thankful for the reprieve.

Fortunately, Sephiroth only had a couple of morning classes that day, and by noon he was already heading home. There was still paperwork to be done, but he ducked his head and rushed for the exit, hoping none of his colleagues would be stupid enough to stop him.

As he left the academy, a familiar face greeted him, blocking his path. He suppressed a groan. Of course it wouldn’t be that easy; nothing in his life was.

“Miss Lockhart, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

She’d clearly been there a while, waiting for him. Looking her over, he noticed she was wearing brass knuckles and flexible clothes; she came here prepared for a fight. Sephiroth frowned. His sword was sheathed at his hip, but he had no intention of using it. No matter what, he couldn’t let it come to that, for Cloud’s sake. Cloud would never forgive him if he hurt the girl.

Sephiroth’s eyes darted around, looking for the best exit strategy. It didn’t escape her attention.

“Don’t you dare run! Stay here and face me like a man,” she growled at him, moving to block his path more fully. Her hands were visibly shaking and she balled them into fists, trying to restrain herself. She took a deep, calming breath and looked at him with a mix of fury and desperation. “I don’t want to fight you, Sephiroth. I just want you to let Cloud go.”

He resented the implication that he was forcing Cloud to stay. It both offended and infuriated him.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that. Cloud is his own man, making his own choices.”

“Stop lying! I know you are controlling him again.”

“Miss Lockhart...” he sighed, patience wearing thin. All he wanted was to go home. “I was reborn without Jenova’s powers. I could no longer control Cloud, even if I wanted to. And I do not.”

She narrowed her eyes, glaring at him, her hands on her hips.

“So you’re saying it’s up to Cloud? If he tried to leave, you’d respect it and let him go?”

Sephiroth glowered back at her. He didn’t want to talk to a complete stranger about this. This didn’t concern her. More than anything, he wanted to tell her to stop butting her nose where it didn’t belong, but that would only make things worse.

Reminding himself that she was important to Cloud, that she was his family and that being at odds with her made him sad, Sephiroth willed himself to find the patience to deal with the situation delicately. He had to do whatever was in his power to fix this for Cloud. After all, he was the reason they were fighting in the first place.

“If he tried to leave, I would not stop him. I want him to be with me out of his own free will, because it is what he wants and not because I forced him.”

“As if you care what he wants.”

Sephiroth’s voice was cold and cutting when he responded, laced with venom.

“You’ll find that I care a great deal about what Cloud wants. There are very few things in this world I care more about. I wouldn’t even be here, talking to you, if I didn’t think it was what Cloud would want.”

She blinked, unprepared for such a declaration.

“You expect me to believe that you actually care about Cloud? After everything you did?” she asked in disbelief.

“I couldn’t care less what you believe. You don’t matter to me. But you matter to Cloud, so I will not fight you. And whatever you may think, I will not willingly do anything that will hurt him.”

“Oh, how very noble of you,” she said, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Do you think that anything you do can make up for what you’ve done? For what you took from him? You never even asked for forgiveness!”

“And what good would that do? If I apologize, the people I killed will still be dead. So, no. I will not do something as pointless as that. What words could possibly earn forgiveness for what I’ve done? You will not forgive me, no matter what I do. As for Cloud… I know he has just as much reason to hate me. And while I haven’t asked him for forgiveness either, I will atone. I’ve resolved to spend every day of the rest of my life trying to bring him happiness.”

“So being with him is your penance?”

“Not at all. Being with him is my selfishness. I know he’d be better off without me, but I will not be the one who walks away.”

“At least you admit it,” Tifa huffed, crossing her arms across her chest. “And what about the rest of us? What about me? How will you atone to me?”

“I cannot allow you to kill me, if that’s what you want. But I will stand here and let you strike me, if that will help. I will not fight back.”

“Gods, you and your inflated ego! I don’t need your permission to hit you, Sephiroth! It was only yesterday that I defeated you fair and square.”

But she still took him up on his offer. As soon as she’d finished speaking, she swung her arm back and punched him square in the jaw with everything she had. He staggered backwards, a hand coming up to cradle his jaw. He’d actually heard something crack. When he touched the side of his face, searing pain exploded all over it, a pained groan escaping his lips. He couldn’t open his mouth without pain blinding him. Moving his jaw was excruciating.

She rubbed her knuckles, glaring at him. After observing him for a few minutes, watching him suffer in silence without retaliating, true to his word, she let out a frustrated growl and took out a green materia. To his utter shock, she used it to heal him. He gave her a questioning look, still not saying anything, but the pain had already lessened and he could move his jaw again.

“What?” Tifa snapped, defensive and angry. It can’t have been easy to make the decision to heal him. “You’re not the only one who cares about Cloud. If he sees you hurt, it will make him sad.”

And that was the crux of it; it was all about Cloud for the both of them. Wanting to protect him and not wanting to hurt him, while deeply distrusting and hating each other. It left them at an impasse.

The door behind Sephiroth opened and a couple of children stepped out. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his students heading home. He hoped the Lockhart girl wouldn’t cause a scene in front of them.

“See you next week!” a little boy said to him with a wave.

Sephiroth nodded. “Get home safe.”

He could feel the girl’s eyes on him, round with shock and confusion. Her curiosity was palpable and he could tell she had questions. But this was none of her business, even more so than his relationship with Cloud. And speaking of Cloud, Sephiroth still needed to get back to him.

Considering the situation resolved, he turned to go, but Tifa wasn’t done. She moved in front of him again, blocking his path.

“What now?” he growled, having had enough of this farce.

“I can’t let you leave.” She was shaking her head, but she sounded less sure than before. “You’re a threat to everyone around you. Maybe you have Cloud fooled, but I know what you are.”

Sephiroth wanted to point out the absurdity of healing his jaw if she still planned on killing him. The pointlessness of worrying about Cloud being sad over him being hurt, if he would soon be dead. If that was indeed what she was planning. It seemed like Tifa herself didn’t really know what she wanted to do, beyond wanting to keep him away from Cloud.

“You cannot—“

“—keep me here,” is what Sephiroth had meant to say, but he never got to finish, because the door to the academy opened again and a short, bulky woman stepped out.

“Sephiroth!” she called out fondly, “And Tifa, too!”

“Mim,” Tifa said in surprise. “You two know each other?”

“Of course! Sephiroth is one of our best instructors.” The woman moved to stand next to him and gave him a few heavy pats on the back. They made a funny pair, since her head barely reached his chest and she was twice as wide. “In fact, the reason I asked you to bring me those study materials yesterday was so I could show them to him. It’s great that you two know each other already!”

Sephiroth’s eyes widened. So Mim was to blame for Tifa discovering him yesterday; it hadn’t been an unfortunate accident. Sephiroth fought the urge to strangle his boss.

“Do you have them on you?” Mim asked Tifa, unaware of the tension she’d walked into. When Tifa nodded, she said, “Well, take them out, then. Let him see.”

Tifa and Sephiroth exchanged a look.

Not wanting to make a scene, Tifa walked over to the backpack she’d left leaning against a nearby tree. With utmost care, she took out a couple of books and offered them to Mim.

“These were our study materials while training under the great master Zangan. Here are some of his instructions and katas.”

Mim took one book from Tifa and flipped through it, occasionally turning it to Sephiroth, pointing out things she found particularly interesting.

“Don’t get me wrong, I like your way of teaching, but I thought this could be useful to some of our advanced students. It would be great if you could check it out and apply some of it to your classes.”

“Alright,” Sephiroth agreed. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“I had no idea you were friends with Tifa, though. It’s such a small world!” Mim laughed.

“Yes, we’ve… known each other for some time,” Sephiroth said with obvious discomfort.

Tifa was standing a little farther away awkwardly, not knowing what to do with herself. When Sephiroth took her books, it seemed like it took all of her self-control to not snatch them back from him. She kept sending him dirty looks instead. Mim, who was a tireless ball of positive energy, seeing the good in everyone and everything, didn’t seem to notice any of it. In that moment, Sephiroth hated her more than anyone on the Planet. He wanted both of these women gone, so he could be on his way.

“It’s so great that you’re already friends,” Mim gushed again. “That’ll make this so much easier! You don’t have to go through me, you can just return the books to Tifa when you’re done. Oh, and Tifa, you have to come to one of Seph’s classes! He’s such a great teacher, especially with kids. They all love him!”

“Maybe one day,” Tifa said, with a forced smile, not committing to anything.

“Okay, I have to go now, but you make sure to copy those and return them to Tifa. Those books are very rare and valuable!”

And with that, she was off, leaving Sephiroth and Tifa standing on the street, facing each other. The silence was oppressive.

“Do you want these back right away?”

It was obvious she wasn’t comfortable with him having her books. Not to mention how ridiculous it was to be discussing this in the first place, when she’d been planning on fighting him not ten minutes earlier.

Tifa looked to the side, biting her lip.

“You teach kids here?”

“Among others.”

“I always thought you’d hate children.”

Sephiroth hummed, considering it.

“It depends on the child. Most brats are annoying, but my students are surprisingly tolerable.”

Her eyes widened, but then she frowned.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing, I’m just trying to figure you out. One moment you sound like you’re faking being nice in order to fool me, but then you say something really mean and I don’t know what to make of it. I can’t decide if you’re actually saying whatever’s on your mind or if you’re just very bad at faking it.”

“I told you before, I don’t care what you think of me. I have no reason to fake anything.”

The silence stretched.

“So, about the books… Do you want them back?”

“Keep them… If it’ll help the kids,” Tifa said reluctantly. “But I’ll need them back eventually.”

“Of course. I’ll ask Cloud to return them to you.”

“Okay. And tell Cloud…” she trailed off.

Sephiroth waited, but she remained quiet for a long time. It didn’t seem like she would continue.

“Would you like to tell him yourself? He should be home by now.”

“You’re inviting me into your home, Sephiroth?”

He shrugged one shoulder. In for a penny, in for a pound. It wasn’t as if this day could get any weirder.

“Cloud would be happy to see you,” he said by way of explanation.

She let out a deep sigh and crouched, wrapping her arms around her legs, forehead resting against her knees.

“I don’t think I can do that…” she mumbled quietly, the sound muffled by her legs.

The fact that she wasn’t dismissing the idea outright gave Sephiroth hope that someday she might come to accept them. She’d certainly never forgive Sephiroth, but she might eventually forgive Cloud for being with him and that was enough.

“Alright. Did you want me to pass a message to him?”

Tifa looked up at him. She appeared so young and lost that for a moment he actually felt bad for her.

“Just tell him that… that the kids are asking for him and that he should visit them sometime.”

Sephiroth nodded. “I can do that.” He moved in the direction of his house. “Am I free to leave now?” he asked sarcastically, not actually expecting an answer.

At first, it seemed like Tifa wasn’t going to say anything. It was a rhetorical question, after all. But then, in a very small voice, she warned, “Don’t hurt him, Sephiroth. He’s been through so much and he was finally getting his life back together. If you break his heart, Planet save me, I’ll hunt you down and kill you with my bare hands.”

He blinked a few times, not believing what he was hearing. No one had ever given him the shovel talk before. A part of him wanted to tell her exactly where to shove it, but another part, the one that had forced him to suffer through this entire ordeal for Cloud’s sake, made him grit his teeth and reach for his last reserves of patience.

“I have no intention of hurting him, Miss Lockhart, even without you telling me.”

This time, when he turned to go, she didn’t stop him.

***

Meanwhile, after he’d finished the small number of deliveries he had for the day, Cloud decided to go visit Aerith’s church in the ruins of old Midgar.

He needed somewhere to think, and that place had always provided him with a sense of peace. The irony of going to Aerith, who herself was killed by Sephiroth, to brood about the man wasn’t lost on him. But the torrent of guilt was threatening to overwhelm him, and he didn’t know where else to turn.

The moment he started nearing Midgar, the scenery around him changed. There were no plants or trees around the impact zone, no signs of life. It was deathly quiet, with only debris and rubble everywhere. Midgar was an uninhabitable ruin. As far as the eye could see, there was evidence of destruction. Yet another thing Sephiroth had wrought.

Cloud rode between the decrepit buildings carefully, trying not to crash. There were no roads anymore, only narrow paths through debris. Maybe coming here wasn’t such a great idea. Seeing this place, seeing the magnitude of the damage, remembering the pain… It did nothing to assuage his guilt.

He parked the bike as close to the church as he could get, walking the rest of the way. When he’d first come here, soon after the battle, the church was unreachable. Cloud had had to clear out the debris from the door to be able to enter. It hadn’t been easy, but it was a place he visited often, so it was worth the effort.

Or it used to be a place he visited often.

Since he started spending time with Sephiroth, he hadn’t come here once. That was months ago. Another wave of guilt washed over him. He’d betrayed his friends, both living and dead. He’d betrayed his mother’s memory. He’d betrayed himself and everything he stood for.

And yet…

Despite knowing all that, Cloud wasn’t ready to give up Sephiroth. He wasn’t ready to give up the happiness they’d found in each other. The simple, peaceful life they created. He knew it made him selfish, but he’d sacrificed so much… After everything, he just wanted to be happy.

It was unfortunate that the only person who made him feel that way was the same person who’d caused all his grief before. Cloud knew it didn’t make sense. Half a year ago, he never would have thought it possible. He’d hated Sephiroth with every fiber of his being. But getting to know him, seeing the man and not the monster, finding out he had a sense of humor, a playful side, that he could be caring and considerate… It humanized him and made Cloud see him in a completely different light.

And the way he treated Cloud…

No one had ever treated him with so much care and respect, with so much devotion. Cloud never would have imagined Sephiroth capable of it, but he felt it every day. Sephiroth treated him like someone precious, someone to be treasured. He never took Cloud for granted.

None of those things could make up for the horrors he’d wrought or the horrible things he’d done, but they made him irreplaceable to Cloud.

Cloud, who’d been bullied since he was a child, who still had trouble fitting in as an adult, who couldn’t even find acceptance within the gay community of Kalm… Cloud was used to being an outsider, to being shunned and misunderstood. He’d thought he was fine with it. But being with Sephiroth and experiencing what it was like to have someone actually care for you, treat you like you matter — like you were the only one who mattered —  it was addicting. Cloud didn’t think he could ever give it up now that he knew what it felt like. And, sure, Cloud had his group of friends who loved him, but having a lover was entirely different. Cloud knew he could rely on his friends no matter what, that they'd be there for him whenever he needed them, but they all had their own lives, their own priorities. Most of them lived scattered around Gaia and Cloud only got to see them a few times a year. No, having someone who belonged to him alone was completely different.

Focusing on the pleasure, Cloud had managed to ignore the past for months. He'd repressed all the guilt, all the reasons why he shouldn’t be with Sephiroth, and felt truly happy. They were living in a world of their own, where nothing else existed and nothing else mattered. But then Tifa gave him a reality check and sent it all crashing down.

It wasn’t her fault. After all, she didn’t tell him anything he hadn’t already known. Nor did she say anything that wasn’t true. But she forced him to face reality and everything else he’d tried to avoid, which made guilt rear its head and invade the safe space he’d created. And after being suppressed for so long, it showed up with a vengeance. It weighed on Cloud so heavily that he could barely breathe.

Yet, despite of it, even now… all he wanted was to go home and find comfort in the confines of Sephiroth’s arms. In the safety they provided.

That line of thinking made him feel even guiltier.

Cloud finally reached the church and entered. He found a place to sit among the rocks and settled in, looking up through the hole in the ceiling, watching the clouds move across the sky. More than anything, he wished Aerith could be there to give him advice.

He let the stillness wash over him. It helped silence his thoughts.

After a while, he dozed off.

“Cloud. Hello, Cloud!”

His eyes snapped open.

“Aerith!” he cried in surprise, looking around. He was still inside the church, but it looked different. It was the way he remembered it from before the meteor. “Am I dreaming?”

“Yes, and no. You fell asleep, but we’re really here, talking to you.”

“We?”

“Hey, Spike,” Zack said with a warm smile, coming to stand next to Aerith and wrapping an arm around her.

Cloud looked at them both sadly. “I miss you guys so much.”

“We’ve missed you too. You haven’t been to visit us in ages!” Aerith said with a pout as the two of them moved to envelop Cloud in a hug.

“That’s because…”

“You’ve been too busy being happy lately,” she teased.

“So… you know?”

“Of course, we know! We see everything.”

“But not, like, in a weird way,” Zack hurried to add. Aerith smacked him.

“Oh, you. You’re the one making it weird!”

“You’re not mad at me?” Cloud asked.

“Why would we be mad, silly? We want to see you happy.”

“But it’s Sephiroth,” Cloud said helplessly, feeling the guilt rear its ugly face again, overtaking the happiness he’d felt at seeing the two of them.

“We don’t choose who we fall in love with, Cloud. Besides, I’ve seen how smitten he is with you. I’d say he’s good for you.”

Cloud rubbed his face with his hands, looking at the floor, unable to meet Aerith’s gaze.

“Tifa found out… She didn’t take it well. I think I really hurt her.”

“Yeah… We saw that, too. I think she’ll come around, though. Just give her time.”

“She has every right to hate me. I know what I’m doing is wrong. It’s disrespectful to the memory of my mother, and everyone else who died. To you, as well.”

“Don’t bring me into this, mister! I said I support you,” Aerith said crossly, wagging a finger at him.

“You did more than that,” Zack mumbled.

“Hush, you!”

“What do you mean?” Cloud asked, confused.

“Aw Zack, now look what you did!”

“He deserves to know, Aerith.”

“Know what?” Cloud asked, feeling very confused by the direction this conversation had taken.

“I… may have been the one who brought him back?” Aerith said with a sheepish smile, following a slight pause.

“You did what?! Why would you do that?”

“Aren’t you glad I did?” Aerith asked cheekily, narrowing her eyes at him.

“I mean… yeah. I’m glad now. But you had no way of knowing he wouldn’t try to destroy the world again.”

“Now, hold on. I had no reason to think he’d hurt anyone!” She clasped her hands behind her back and rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet. She explained, “Every time you destroyed a part of Jenova’s body, her hold on Sephiroth weakened. The last time you fought him, you destroyed her head and after that, he was mostly free. I saw him in the Lifestream, floating aimless and unconscious. I prayed to the Planet to free him and give him another chance and she did.”

Aerith placed a hand on Cloud’s arm gently.

“I never expected him to meet you again. I never could have predicted what happened between the two of you. But it is a good thing, isn’t it? I’ve never seen you so happy before.”

Cloud bit his lip and nodded, a faint blush peppering his cheeks.

“He does makes me happy. These past few months with him were the happiest I’ve ever been.” The small smile that had stretched his lips at the mention of Sephiroth fell off his face, replaced with a grimace. “I managed not to think about all the reasons why being with him is wrong, but now the guilt is crushing me.”

Zack grabbed his shoulders, forcing him to look at him.

“You deserve to be happy after everything, Cloud. And if Sephiroth is the one making you happy, then don’t let anyone stand in your way.”

“Even if I betray my best friends by doing so?”

“Even then,” Aerith said with conviction. “But I don’t think you’re doing that at all.”

“I told you to live as my legacy,” Zack reminded him playfully. “So, I want you to live and be happy and have no regrets. You deserve it, Cloud.”

“Zack…” he whispered, getting choked up. “I don’t understand how you two can forgive me so easily. I don’t think Tifa ever will.”

“It’s very different for Tifa, you have to remember that, Cloud,” Aerith explained. “It’s much easier to forgive your own murder than the murder of a loved one. I can forgive you, and even Sephiroth, because I know it was my destiny to return to the Lifestream. But if he’d hurt my mom… I don’t think I could have forgiven that. And that’s what it’s like for Tifa.”

Cloud nodded, but even as he did, a fresh wave of guilt passed over him. That’s what it should be like for him, too. He should never forgive the man who’d killed his mother.

Cloud remembered her face, the sound of her voice, the smell of her cooking and the warmth of her embrace. She’d taught him to be kind, despite the cruelty that surrounded them. She’s sacrificed so much for him, raising a child as a single mother in a conservative environment like Nibelheim. And this was how he repaid her...

As if reading his thoughts, Aerith reached out and cupped his face.

“Cloud, don’t do this to yourself. Sephiroth is not the same man anymore. I know it sounds like wishful thinking, but his sins were literally washed away by the Lifestream. The Planet reformed him. She wouldn’t have allowed him back into the world if he still had that evil inside of him.”

“But he’s still the same man, Aerith. He still has the same memories.”

“And is that enough of a reason to leave him?”

Cloud looked to the sky, observing it through the hole in the roof, as if seeking answers. But all the answers were inside him and he knew the answer to this particular question long before Aerith had even asked.

“No… I don’t know what that says about me, but no. I don’t think I could live without him anymore.”

“Then that is your answer. If you love him, try to focus on your feelings, on your future, and forget about the past.”

“It’s funny… When I talked to Tifa, she said she needed to believe Sephiroth was controlling me, even if he wasn’t, so she could forgive me. And now here I am, trying to convince myself that Sephiroth isn’t the same man who’d killed my mother, or that he was controlled by Jenova, so I could forgive myself. And just like Tifa, I’m probably in denial.”

“Maybe, but maybe not. He was reborn, recreated by the Planet as a new person, free from his sins. He’s quite literally different, even on a cellular level.”

Cloud was quiet for a while, considering.

His mind supplied countless examples of Sephiroth’s kindness and affection, even towards others. He’d had friends back at Gifts who enjoyed spending time with him; Cloud remembered the easygoing, carefree way Sephiroth had laughed and chatted with them. He remembered the elderly lady who owned a bakery down the street from their house; she adored Sephiroth and gave him free bagels every time she saw him. They became close when a wheel fell off her cart with all of her baking supplies in it. Sephiroth had carried giant sacks of flour uphill to her bakery and she’d loved him ever since. It was these small, random acts of kindness that convinced Cloud he was different. It was impossible to reconcile who he was now with the heartless killer he used to be. And while this Sephiroth could be petty, irritable and quick to anger, he was never cruel. He seemed like a completely changed person. The man Cloud loved wasn’t a murderer.

One night, with soft words spoken in the darkness and Cloud lying in his arms, Sephiroth had confessed that he no longer had Jenova’s powers. He could no longer use mind control. Cloud had teased him, asking how he knew, if he’d tried and failed to control him again. To his shock, Sephiroth had admitted that he had. Before there had been anything between them, he’d tried to make Cloud leave him alone and it hadn’t worked. Cloud had turned quiet at the admission, feeling chilled by the thought that Sephiroth had wanted to use his powers on him again, but the honesty made it easier for Cloud to believe that he was telling the truth about everything else.

It was much easier to believe that Sephiroth could no longer call Masamune at will. Cloud hadn’t seen the sword in months, and had wondered about it more than once. Now he knew that the sword was lost for good. Whether it was still out there somewhere, Sephiroth did not know, but either way, he could no longer reach it.

He’d also told Cloud that his wing was gone. No matter how much he tried, he could no longer get it to appear. This had made Cloud sad, as he would have liked to touch it, to feel the feathers beneath his fingertips, to see how sensitive it was. He’d always found it beautiful.

But these admissions all meant one thing – the inhuman parts of Sephiroth, the ones originating from Jenova’s cells, were gone. Cloud hadn’t thought more deeply about it at the time, just accepting what Sephrith had told him, but thinking back, it was actually very important for understanding who Sephiroth was now. When he was reborn, he was made fully human. He still had enhanced reflexes and superhuman strength, but so did Cloud. Sephiroth was human in every other way.

Cloud also recalled the moments from his past that he’d worked so hard to forget. During that cursed mission to Nibelheim, he remembered Sephiroth giving him a kind smile and telling him to go spend time with his family. He remembered Sephiroth showing concern for him while he was suffering from motion sickness, during that truck ride to Nibelheim. He remembered Sephiroth searching for the lost trooper, the one who went missing when the bridge had collapsed, spending hours combing the river, risking his own life trying to find him.

It had never made sense to Cloud how he could have gone from that, from being an easygoing superior who cared deeply for his subordinates, to becoming a mass murderer in the span of a few days. Not to mention that he used to be Zack’s friend. There was no way Zack would ever have been friends with someone evil, or even unkind. And while Zack was naive in a lot of ways, he was a good judge of character. All of this made it easy for Cloud to tell himself Jenova was to blame for everything. That she had twisted Sephiroth’s mind, controlling him, turning him into a monster. Because, even before, when he was chasing Sephiroth across Gaia, trying to kill him, Sephiroth’s sudden personality change hadn’t made sense to Cloud. He’d always thought it had to have been caused by an outside influence.

And now, that was something he wanted to believe more than anything. He needed to believe it.

“You’re right,” Cloud agreed at length and finally seemed to perk up a little, giving Aerith a tentative smile. “I’ll have to remember everything you told me and try to focus on the positive.”

“That’s the spirit! Don’t beat yourself up and enjoy your happiness!” Aerith smiled at him.

In the next moment, his eyes snapped open — weren’t they already open? — and he found himself back in the rundown church ruin, alone.

“Thank you,” Cloud whispered into the air, already missing his friends.

He sat in silence for a few moments more before heading home.

It wasn’t as if Aerith’s words had magically fixed everything, but Cloud did feel lighter, more at peace with himself. He needed to believe his Sephiroth was a different man, and she’d given him plenty of reasons to do so.

The Sephiroth he’d gotten to know over the past few months was kind, considerate, and wholly different from the sadistic man bent on destroying the world. It was easy for Cloud to convince himself that they weren’t the same. If he wanted to be sure, he could ask Sephiroth directly, but he preferred not to. There was always the fear that the answer wouldn’t be the one he wished to hear.

Besides, Cloud realized, finally accepting the truth inside himself, no matter what the answer was, even if his Sephiroth was the one responsible for it all, Cloud wouldn’t leave him. So, he preferred not to know. That way he could tell himself Jenova was to blame for everything. As he’d told Aerith, this was the only way for him to forgive himself for the choice he’d made. The only way not to feel guilty about it.

Finally feeling at peace with his decision, Cloud felt the weight lift off his shoulders as he rode back to Kalm, back to Sephiroth.

***

When Cloud walked into the house, Sephiroth was already there.

“Where were you?” he demanded angrily.

The tone startled Cloud and his knee-jerk reaction was to tell Sephiroth to mind his own business. This wasn’t how Sephiroth usually addressed him and Cloud didn’t like it one bit. But they were both on edge and Cloud was tired, too exhausted to start an argument over something so trivial. So he took a deep breath and slowly let it out, expelling his anger alongside it.

“I went to Aerith’s church to think,” he responded calmly, if a little coldly.

Sephiroth’s face softened immediately and he came over to embrace him.

“I was worried,” he murmured into Cloud’s hair.

It occurred to Cloud then that his absence could have made Sephiroth think he’d left him. He’d completed his deliveries hours ago, and Sephiroth must have known it. He must have waited for Cloud, not knowing if he would return. Suddenly Sephiroth’s anger felt warranted and Cloud cursed himself for not thinking to send him a message. Instead, he’d gone to old Midgar where there was no reception, making him unreachable for hours.

“You had no reason to worry,” Cloud pressed into him, allowing himself to be held.

“I told you I didn’t want you going far after only two hours of sleep. You could have crashed.”

Cloud rolled his eyes at his lover. “You worry too much.”

Being here in Sephiroth’s arms, feeling his warmth, Cloud immediately felt himself relax. Inside their little bubble, everything else seemed insignificant. This man made him feel like the most precious person in the world. It was a heady feeling. Cloud leaned his head onto Sephiroth’s chest and breathed him in. The smell of his skin, the familiar laundry detergent, and even the faint smell of his sweat, it all made Cloud feel safe, protected. It smelled like home. And while he knew his earlier worries were valid, that he still had plenty of reasons to feel guilty about, it all felt so distant when he was in Sephiroth’s arms. Nothing else mattered when they were together.

Cloud knew it was very selfish of him, but he didn’t want to give this up.

No matter what or who he hurt, Cloud wouldn’t let go of the one person who made him this happy.

He craned his neck, standing on tiptoes so he could reach Sephiroth’s mouth, and kissed him deeply. Sephiroth kissed back without hesitation. He pulled Cloud against himself, those strong arms sliding around him, holding him close. They stayed there kissing, finding strength in each other, losing track of time.

The languid, reassuring kisses soon turned passionate. Cloud couldn’t get enough of the taste of Sephiroth’s lips. He felt hands on his lower back, grabbing, pulling him closer. Pawing at each other, unwilling to break the kiss, they moved towards the bedroom.

Sephiroth pushed him against the door, fingers tightening on Cloud’s hips, pressing their bodies together. Cloud was making little pleased noises, already starting to rock their bodies together. Sephiroth’s mouth was fire, burning everything it touched, scalding his tongue, his jaw, his neck. Cloud’s fingers carded through the silver strands, tugging him closer. They were flush together, but it still wasn’t enough. Cloud needed him closer, closer than humanly possible. He wanted to meld them together in the heat of their passion, so no one could ever part them.

Sephiroth broke the kiss, resting his forehead against Cloud’s.

“Are you sure you want to—”

“Yes,” Cloud gasped, crushing their mouths together. “I need you.”

Cloud tore at Sephiroth’s shirt, trying to get it off. In his rush and desperation, he sent several buttons flying across the room, finally reaching the smooth skin. His hands roamed over the firm chest, nails grazing the ridges of Sephiroth’s muscles. Cloud moaned into the kiss.

“Slow down,” Sephiroth whispered against his lips. “There’s no need to rush.”

But Cloud was in a rush. He needed to feel Sephiroth’s skin against his own, and he could not wait. Every inch of his body ached to be touched, to be claimed by his lover. After everything that happened over the past two days, he wanted to get lost in sensations, to lose himself in Sephiroth and forget about everything else.

It had only been a day since they’d last had sex, but it felt like an eternity to Cloud. He opened his mouth, wanting to say, “Make love to me, Sephiroth,” but the words got stuck in his throat. It was too embarrassing. He still froze at the thought of love.

Sephiroth was giving him a soft look, full of affection and promise, patiently waiting for him to speak. Cloud knew the emotions were there for both of them, but he still could not voice them. He was grateful that Sephiroth understood. That he had infinite patience for Cloud, always waiting for him to be ready.

But after everything today… After deciding he wanted to be with this man, despite everything that stood between them, despite all the reasons not to, being afraid of words seemed ridiculous. Cloud knew what he felt, he’d known for a long time. So why couldn’t he say it?

He looked at the man he loved, the man he was willing to sacrifice everything for, and cupped his face. His fingers slid upwards, twining into his hair. Leaning forward, he gave him a long, heated kiss. When they parted, both slightly breathless, he looked into Sephiroth’s eyes and said those words aloud.

“Make love to me, Sephiroth.”

Shock. Love. Desire.

The emotions flickered though those beautiful green eyes and Sephiroth grabbed him around the waist, lifting him up and carrying him to the bed. He kissed Cloud enthusiastically, ever eager to please him.

“Mm, I love it when you do that,” Cloud murmured.

“Too lazy to walk?” Sephiroth chuckled.

“No, I…” he cleared his throat, blushing. “I like feeling how strong you are. I know you are, but when you pick me up like I weigh nothing, it’s… very hot.” By the time he finished speaking, he was bright red.

“Then I’ll have to carry you more often.”

Before putting him down, Sephiroth spun him around in a little twirl, making Cloud screech and hold on to him for dear life, trying not to fall off. It ended with Cloud in a bridal carry, flushed and laughing, calling him a show-off, demanding to be released. Just hours ago, Cloud never could have imagined he’d be here, laughing and feeling happy, without a care in the world. But Sephiroth just had that effect on him. And tonight, he seemed to be working extra hard trying to make Cloud laugh.

Sephiroth set Cloud on his feet by the bed; when Cloud tried to kiss him, he held him back and started undressing him. He was unusually restrained, not trying to rip Cloud’s clothes off as usual, fully focused on calmly, but quickly getting the task done. Cloud gave him a quizzical look, but did his best to help.

“One torn shirt is quite enough for today, don’t you think?” Sephiroth said pointedly. Cloud rolled his eyes, shimmying out of his pants and kicking them to the side.

“You don’t appreciate my passion,” he huffed in a mock-offended tone.

“Oh, I appreciate passion. I also know I’ll be the one stitching those buttons back on, since you don’t know how, so I’d appreciate it even more if you save that passion for activities not involving clothes.”

Cloud threw his head back and laughed.

He leaned in and kissed Sephiroth, feeling his chest constrict with the overwhelming amount of love he had for him.

As soon as they were naked, Sephiroth sprawled over Cloud on the bed, the entire length of his body pressing his shorter lover into the bed. Taking one of Cloud’s hands, he brought it to his lips. While looking deep into Cloud’s eyes, he kissed each knuckle tenderly, nuzzling the back of his hand. Sephiroth’s mouth came to rest at his pulse point, biting, kissing, sucking gently. Cloud gasped at the unexpected intimacy of the gesture. Sephiroth could feel his hammering heartbeat against his lips.

The trail of kisses continued up Cloud arm, reaching his elbow, paying special attention to the tender skin there. Cloud was moaning, already writhing on the bed, and none of his erogenous zones had even been touched yet. The sensations, the gentleness Sephiroth was showering him with was driving him mad.

Sephiroth continued upwards, grazing the biceps with his teeth, tracing the muscles with his tongue. They flexed as Cloud moved, trying to find something to latch onto. He clutched at Sephiroth’s hair, desperately pulling him closer. He felt Sephiroth’s lips stretch into a pleased smirk against his skin.

The tongue moved onwards, delving into his armpit, and Cloud tried to get away, embarrassed and ticklish. But the lips didn’t let up. They licked the sensitive skin over and over again and Cloud turned his head into the pillow, sobbing. There was a sheen of sweat all over his pale skin. Sephiroth traced it with his fingertips, as his mouth moved up, to Cloud’s neck and the sensitive spot behind his ear. Cloud was moaning his name like a mantra, one hand buried in Sephiroth’s hair, the other clutching his arm so tightly the nails were breaking his skin. There was nothing more delicious for Sephiroth than seeing Cloud so desperate for him.

Unable to hold back, he crushed their lips together, swallowing Cloud’s moans.

Sephiroth could feel Cloud’s hardening length against his thigh, his own hardness pressing into Cloud’s stomach. He rolled his hips, moving against Cloud in slow, languid thrusts, sending electricity along his nerve endings, making their breathing ragged.

“You are perfection,” Sephiroth murmured, hovering over Cloud, looking down into his eyes. His fingers traced Cloud’s cheekbone, following the outline of his lips.

Cloud felt his cheeks heat up even more. The combination of embarrassment and desire was clouding his mind, erasing everything else; nothing existed in the world apart from Sephiroth and Cloud’s overwhelming need for him. His fingers moved, as if on their own, raking across Sephiroth’s back. They mapped the expanse of his body, going lower, settling on his ass, kneading the firm flesh, pulling him closer.

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. “You want to…”

Cloud shook his head. “I need to feel you inside me.”

Sephiroth’s eyes darkened with desire. “And you will… Once I’m done tasting you.”

Sephiroth continued to slide against him in slow, lazy movements, using the friction provided by their bodies to steadily build urgency, while he sucked at Cloud’s neck hungrily, marking him, licking the drops of sweat found there. Cloud moaned helplessly, legs spreading wide, his feet hooking around the back of Sephiroth’s thighs, urging him to move faster. Sephiroth continued with the torturously slow pace, undeterred, determined to lavish every inch of Cloud’s skin with kisses.

He moved onto the other arm, giving it the same attention, finishing with a kiss to Cloud’s open palm. There was so much emotion in Sephiroth’s eyes as he did it… Cloud actually felt tears prickle his eyes, totally overwhelmed by the intensity of emotions swirling inside of him.

He was at Sephiroth’s mercy, surrendering to him fully. There was nothing stopping him anymore. Physically and emotionally, he gave himself freely, no longer held back by distrust and uncertainty. And it was a heady feeling.

Without warning, Cloud found himself flipped onto his stomach. He gasped. Suddenly, Sephiroth was straddling his waist, exploring his back with his mouth. It seemed like he was determined to drive Cloud insane with need tonight. The gentle touches running across his skin became firmer, massaging the muscles of his upper back, working out the knots there. Cloud moaned into the pillow, biting it to prevent more embarrassing noises from slipping out. He started to rock his hips against the mattress, desperate for friction.

When Sephiroth realized what he was doing, he pressed into him more firmly, preventing him from moving.

“Tsk, tsk. Naughty boy. You have to be patient.”

Cloud groaned, trying to arch against Sephiroth, needing to be filled. But it wasn’t his call. He wasn’t the one in control and it seemed that he needed to be reminded of the fact. The sweet, delicious torture would continue until Sephiroth was good and ready; until he’d finished tasting every inch of Cloud’s skin.

Sephiroth slid down the bed, leaving a wet trail along Cloud’s spine with his tongue, down to his tailbone. He sucked at the hollow of his lower back, tasting the adorable dimples he’d found there, following the curves of his ass, sinking his teeth into the firm flesh. Holding Cloud’s hips tightly to stop him from moving, Sephiroth spread his cheeks and licked a long stripe along his cleft. Cloud screamed, unable to hold back. He wiggled, trying to spread his legs, trying to lift his ass, but Sephiroth’s hands prevented him from moving.

“Sephiroth,” he sobbed brokenly, nearly delirious.

Sephiroth’s tongue worshiped his most intimate spot, curling, penetrating, loosening his entrance. He sucked at it with his lips until Cloud couldn’t even recall his own name.

Then, the lips left him and a finger entered him, checking how loose he was. Cloud was completely boneless and more than ready. He heard the drawer open, followed by the sound of a bottle being uncapped, and then the slick tip of Sephiroth’s cock was pressing against him. Cloud sobbed in eager anticipation.

A hand pressed into his lower back, a calming, grounding pressure, as Sephiroth pushed inside steadily. They both moaned when he was fully sheathed. Cloud’s hands clutched at the sheets, nearly ripping them apart. Nothing felt as good as being stretched by Sephiroth’s beautiful cock.

Cloud felt open-mouthed kisses all across his upper back as Sephiroth waited for him to adjust. Then, a few moments later, he buried his nose in Cloud’s messy hair and started to move. Apparently, he’d also reached his limit and could no longer wait. He pulled almost all the way out and snapped his hips, driving deep into Cloud, making him gasp. The slow, deep thrusts were Cloud’s favorite, and Sephiroth knew it. After a few experimental thrusts, changing angles, Sephiroth found the one hitting Cloud’s prostate and began to pound. Cloud threw his head back, gasping for air, incoherent moans leaving his lips.

Sephiroth’s hands settled over Cloud’s, where they were clutching the sheets, intertwining their fingers, the entire length of his body covering Cloud’s. Despite not facing each other, the position was deeply intimate, every inch of their flushed, sweaty bodies pressing against each other.

Cloud felt completely owned, possessed, dominated by the strong body moving against his own, filling him, stretching him. Sephiroth’s hair brushed the sides of his body, sending his nerve endings into overdrive. Cloud inhaled deeply, blessing his nostrils with the smell of his lover; he tried to move, but he couldn't, his body crushed beneath the delicious weight of him. Needing more, needing to taste him, Cloud brought their joined hands to his lips and licked the veins on Sephiroth’s wrist, tasting his sweat, wrapping his lips around it and sucking, leaving a little bruise, lapping at it with his tongue, moaning around it with each thrust.

After the extended foreplay, neither of them could last very long and, soon enough, Sephiroth’s hips started jerking erratically. But as close as he was, he didn’t want to come before Cloud. He gritted his teeth, summoning every shred of willpower he had, slamming into Cloud’s prostate with every thrust, trying to make this good for him. Suddenly, Cloud screamed, hips grinding against the mattress, seeking friction for his neglected cock, and came against the sheets.

Sephiroth sped up and, with a deep groan, finally let himself go. He came and came and came, filling Cloud with his seed, until his hole could take no more and some of it trickled out, mixing with Cloud's own release on the sheets. In the heat of the moment, his teeth latched onto Cloud’s shoulder, biting helplessly. He continued to rock his hips until he was fully spent and too drained to move.

Pulling out, he stretched out next to Cloud, trying to catch his breath. After a few moments, Cloud turned onto his side, observing him. With a trembling hand, he tucked a few strands of Sephiroth’s sweaty hair behind his ear.

“You’re amazing,” he said. “No one’s ever made me feel the way you do.”

Sephiroth’s lips stretched into a pleased, lazy smile. His hand came up to hold Cloud’s, pressing it against the side of his face, nuzzling.

“You bring out the best in me, Cloud.”

And it was true, in every way possible. Not just in bed. Not just when it came to pleasure. He wanted to be a better person for Cloud. He wanted to be worthy of Cloud.

They shared lazy, languid kisses, too tired for anything more vigorous. It was still only late afternoon, but they’d barely slept the night before, so Cloud allowed himself to drift off to sleep, feeling safe and loved.

***

Cloud woke up with his head nestled against Sephiroth’s chest, feeling Sephiroth’s fingers caressing his hair. There was nowhere in the world he’d rather be.

To his surprise, it was already morning. 

“Did I sleep through the night?” he mumbled and Sephiroth hummed in agreement.

“You barely slept the night before. You needed the rest.”

“Mm, I did. Did you manage to sleep too? Or did I keep you awake, falling asleep on top of you?”

Sephiroth chuckled, placing a kiss on Cloud’s temple. “I slept. Don’t worry about me.”

He’d realized at some point during the night that he hadn’t relayed Tifa’s message. He knew it would break the tentative peace they'd found again, but it was a conversation they needed to have.

“Cloud…” Sephiroth tried and there must have been something in his voice that gave him away, because Cloud tensed.

“Can we not do this now? I know there are things we should talk about, but… not yet. You made me feel amazing last night and I want to enjoy it a little longer. There will be time to think about all the bad stuff later.”

“Alright,” Sephiroth said, wrapping his arms around Cloud. “I promise it’s nothing bad, though.”

Cloud lifted his head and narrowed his eyes at him, too curious to let it go now.

“Your voice made it sound bad.”

“My voice?” Sephiroth wondered and laughed. “I only said your name!”

“It’s the way you said it.”

Sephiroth rolled his eyes fondly.

“It’s nothing bad, I promise. It won’t be a pleasant conversation, but it’s good news.”

“Now you’re just being cryptic on purpose, so I’ll have to ask you about it!”

“What are you talking about?” Sephiroth asked, unable to stop laughing.

Cloud sulked. “Just tell me.”

“We can enjoy the morning and talk about it later. It’s nothing urgent.”

“You destroyed the mood already, so just tell me.”

Sephiroth sighed in exasperation. “Remember, it’s nothing bad. It might sound that way at first, but—“

“Sephiroth! Out with it.”

“I have a message for you from Miss Lockhart.”

Predictably, Cloud shot up, sitting bolt upright, looking at Sephiroth with worry in his eyes.

“You met Tifa? Did she hurt you?” He paused. “Is she hurt? What happened?”

“We just talked. As it turns out, she knows my boss. She came to the academy to see her. And… she even let me borrow some of her books.” Sephiroth laughed at the ridiculousness of it all.

Cloud remembered Tifa telling him she was bringing books for her friend the day before. But he still couldn’t believe this. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to get the words out.

“Tifa came over to lend you her books, then sent you off with a message, unharmed?” Cloud asked, checking to see if he understood correctly. He must still be dreaming, because this made absolutely no sense.

“Oh, no. She came fully intending to kill me. Or to beat me up, at least. But it’s funny how life works sometimes.”

Cloud ran a hand through messy hair, unable to believe what he was hearing. Life sure works in mysterious ways; he and Sephiroth were proof of that. But it was impossible for him to imagine Tifa and Sephiroth not killing each other without him creating a buffer between them.

“So what was the message?” he asked breathlessly.

“That the kids want to see you.”

“Oh.”

“She said to go visit them.”

Cloud had been fully prepared to have Tifa bar him from ever seeing the kids again. She was very protective of them and if she believed Cloud to be compromised, she never would have allowed him near them. This was a lot more than a simple invitation to visit them. She was telling him she still trusted him.

Before Cloud even realized it, there was a tear falling down his cheek, followed by another. Funny. He hadn’t cried this much when he thought he’d lost Tifa forever, but he couldn’t stop the tears now. The relief he felt, the hope that they might work it out and save their friendship, overwhelmed him and he couldn’t hold back.

Sephiroth was by his side in an instant, enveloping him in his arms, offering support, wiping away his tears.

Cloud clung to him, trying to pull himself together.

He’d been prepared to sacrifice everything for Sephiroth. Just last night, he’d told himself he didn’t need anyone else. And he was fully prepared to give up everything in exchange for what he had with Sephiroth. But maybe, just maybe, he wouldn’t have to. Aerith and Zack had already forgiven him and maybe one day Tifa would, too.

Breathing in the intoxicating scent of his lover, Cloud calmed himself.

“It will be fine,” Sephiroth murmured, caressing his head.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you,” he confessed quietly, burying his face in Sephiroth’s chest.

Sephiroth pulled away just enough to look at him, brushing away his tears. “You’ll never have to find out. You're mine, Cloud. You belong to me and me alone.”

With a small hum of agreement, Cloud softly admitted, "I do belong to you."

He sounded subdued, shy, facing away as he said it. He was obviously reluctant to say it, like admitting to a weakness. Sephiroth lifted his face to meet his eyes.

"You realize it goes both ways, right?"

"What?"

"You own me, Cloud Strife. No one’s ever held as much power over me as you do. You’re all I’ve thought about since the moment you took your sword to me. And the fact that you kept thinking about me is what kept me alive in the Lifestream. It made it possible for me to return. You are the very reason I'm here today. So I’m yours in every sense of the word.”

Cloud knew now that it was actually Aerith who made it possible for Sephiroth to return, but that was a conversation for another day. He didn’t want to ruin Sephiroth’s uncharacteristically romantic statement. Cloud’s chest tightened with the overwhelming amount of love he held for this man. When he said things like that, Cloud's emotions threatened to drown him. Not knowing how to put any of his feelings into words, Cloud leaned in to kiss him, hoping to show him.

He'd found love in the most unlikely of places, but he would treasure it and protect it forever.

Now, after all those months, Cloud was no longer in denial, hiding away with Sephiroth in their own little world, with no past and no future, enjoying their clandestine meetings and the transience of their time together. He’d accepted the truth, with all the guilt that came with it and still chose to be with Sephiroth. Even if it marred his soul, he wanted him. He loved him. Nothing would ever change that.