A/N: Bonsoir mes amis! This is in response to the prompt: Possession. Its tres dark so if you don't feel up to that kind of thing then maybe this isn't one for you.
I was listening to the song Evelyn by Hurts for like, the entirety of the writing of this. Hurts are a synthpop, new wave band from Manchester and are in my opinion, absolutely fucking awesome. This song is by far and away one of their best. I highly recommend that you give it a listen; it will only do good things for you.
As always, I hope you enjoy.
Disclaimer: All characters and places belong to Square Enix and/or Disney. No infringement intended, no profit made. All music and lyrics belong to Theo Hutchcroft and Adam Anderson.
'I don't mind,
If your hands are a little cold
Cause I'm alive,
But I got nowhere to go
So stay with me Evelyn
Don't leave me with the medicine
In the night
As you sit and watch me sleep
I know you cry
But I never want to see
So if you go
I don't know what I'll do
So don't you go
Cause I've got no one but you
So stay with me Evelyn
Don't leave me with the medicine'
Possession
Cloud stiffens suddenly and gasps, his muscles snap taut and rigid as his back arches off the bed. His arms strain against the many belts and ties keeping him strapped to the headboard; the wood creaks with the force applied against it.
Leon sits tightly in the uncomfortable chair and waits.
The sheets are pooled around Cloud's waist. It's hot in the bedroom and a fine sheen of sweat sits on the blonde's skin like oil on top of water. There is silence except for Cloud's harsh tattered breathing and the creaking of the splintering headboard.
Cloud is still straining, his head thrown back into the pillows, his throat arched as his jaw works soundlessly in rage. His heels are dug deep into the mattress. He thrashes once. His head flips from side to side. A roar of rage escapes him and Leon knows it's not his voice. It's not Cloud.
Leon is afraid. The sickening fear churns his gut as he watches his lover's body writhe and contort. He watches the fingers flex and then clench, the arms twisting to break free from the bonds that keep him pinned. Leon doesn't know how much longer they will last.
That feral sound again; it peels from Cloud's throat like a roll of thunder, rumbles out of him in a rising wave.
Everything goes still, all the tension melts from Cloud's frame and he goes limp but Leon is not fooled.
After long moments of silence a deep and terrifying voice breaks over Leon. It is coming from Cloud's mouth but it isn't Cloud. He doesn't sound like that, it's not his voice.
"Untie me, Leon." The casual use of his name sends shivers down the brunet's back. His heart flutters and his panic peaks once more. He has to fight to bring it back under control before he can answer the monster that has Cloud's body.
"I'm never going to untie you Sephiroth, so stop asking." He doesn't mean to but his voice trembles ever so slightly.
A chuckle, rich and menacing and terrifying escapes Cloud's mouth and Leon's heart freezes.
"It's only a matter of time..." the sentence is left hanging as Cloud's eyes slide open and his head is lifted.
What Leon sees is not his lover staring back at him. Those are not Cloud's eyes. Leon sees Sephiroth gazing coolly back at him through the face of his lover. A humourless grin begins to spread across Cloud's face, the act stretching the features unnaturally. It is not Cloud smiling at him; Cloud's smiles are small and private and beautiful. Sephiroth's smile is manic and deadly and so wrong on Cloud's face.
"He cannot keep me back forever. Eventually I will wear him down. He will crack." Sephiroth is calm and smooth, catlike eyes bright with near victory.
Leon has nothing to say. He fears Sephiroth is right and he knows it. The silver general can read it all over the gunblader's face. "It will happen very soon." Sephiroth adds; the promise of everything he plans to do shining bright in the sickening green glow of his unnatural gaze. "And when it does there will be no mercy for you, Leon. Or for Cloud."
Leon's stoic face crumbles at this promise of pain. His brows crease and he has to look away. He hears that chuckle again and it makes his stomach turn. "You can't have him, Sephiroth. I won't let you take him." But Leon knows there is nothing he can really do. And Sephiroth knows this too.
A cry of pain and a sudden jerk of muscled legs has Leon looking up again and watching as Cloud fights his way back, Sephiroth is pushed away and the change is slight and gradual but Cloud's face becomes his own once more. He goes slack against the bed; arms which are chaffed from the restraints are limp again as Cloud pants out his exhaustion.
Leon gets to his feet and moves across the room to the bed. He feels the thick oppressive veil that permeates the room has lessened and he reaches out a hand and brushes the sweat tangled bangs from Cloud's clammy forehead.
"Leon?" The younger croaks; eyes too heavy to open and confirm for himself. He leans into the brunet's touch, pushing his flushed cheek into Leon's palm.
"I'm here." Leon reassures, though he doesn't feel sure. He feels afloat, lost and afraid.
"He's getting stronger." The blond pants, brows crinkling as he licks his hot, dry lips. "Don't know if I'll be able... much longer." Cloud winces at some internal pain, his sweat soaked chest rising and falling rapidly like the fluttering of a caged bird.
"You have to, Cloud..." Leon hates that he's demanding this of him when he so obviously doesn't have the strength, but Leon doesn't know what else to do.
"...Can't do this... hurts..." Cloud whines, barely able to turn his head out of Leon's touch. Cloud manages to open his eyes, his gaze layered with fatigue and pain and sorrow. He looks up at his lover and pleads.
"Leon... you know what you have to do."
The sentence hangs heavy and charged between them. Leon can't acknowledge it. He won't. He shakes his head, slow at first and then more vehemently; no! He can't believe Cloud is asking this of him. He can't possibly mean this. "No, Cloud. I won't do it." Leon' voice is thin and stretched, the very thought of it leaving him physically wounded.
"You have to."
"NO!" Leon's voice breaks and he sits heavily on the edge of the bed trying desperately to avoid the pleading look that Cloud is giving him.
"Leon..." Cloud whispers, his rasping voice pulls the older man's attention back to him. "you promised." He reminds him.
"I never promised... I ..." I didn't mean it.
Leon shakes his head again, clasping his hands together to stop them from shaking. There is endless silence as neither of them has the strength to carry on the conversation.
Leon unfolds his fingers and bows his head, rubbing his tired eyes. He only succeeds in breaking the fresh line of tears that sit on his red rimmed lashes. They tumble off the end of his chin. He doesn't bother to try and supress the sob that collapses from him and makes his lips tremble. He convulses under the pressure of it just once. He lowers his hand and looks with tired, aching and pain filled eyes at Cloud, who is staring back up at him with an odd glint of determination on his exhausted face.
"There has to be another way." Leon reasons, still not ready to accept it.
Cloud shakes his head. He knows better than anyone that there isn't.
Leon looks away, his shoulders tense and rigid now; all defeat gone from his stance. "How can you ask me to do this, Cloud?" He's angry; he will never be able to get over this. He'll never forgive himself. He'll never forgive Cloud for making him do it, for making him promise.
"Please Leon..." the plea dies on Cloud's lips as another wave of pain and convulsions take him. Cloud cries out. But it remains his voice and Leon knows Cloud is still with him; though what it has cost him can be seen written in the agony etched all over Cloud's face.
And as much as it kills Leon, its killing Cloud much quicker. He has to do it. Before Sephiroth returns - before it's too late.
Reaching into the bedside cabinet, Leon pulls out the vial. It's small and innocuous. Unassuming and deadly.
Leon can barely see through the tears that fill his vision and then slide away, but he looks past the bottle in his hand to Cloud's open and beseeching face. He opens it, scootching closer to the blond, allowing the waves of agony to assault his heart. He tries not to cry harder because Cloud is eager to lift his head to drink from the bottle.
Once it's done, and Cloud has swallowed the last of it, Leon lets the glass fall from his fingers.
"Stay with me." He hears Cloud whisper.
Leon nods his head, unable to utter that of course he will stay, where else would he go?
After a few moments, Leon can hear Cloud's breathing soften and slow.
"...doesn't hurt any more..."
Leon lets out a breath and he doesn't know whether it's from relief or agony.
Cloud gives a sudden jerk and Leon jumps back, his pain momentarily forgotten as he watches the now familiar way the darkness creeps over his lover's convulsing body. He feels the nocuous corruption seep from Cloud's very pores as he writhes against the pain and torment that Sephiroth is battering against his mind and body. Cloud fights to keep it inside as hard as Sephiroth fights to be free.
Leon panics as he sees Cloud's eyes shift, a flash of the silver general sparking inside them, the air begins to vibrate as his presence becomes tangible. A flash of light splits the otherwise still room and in that second Leon thinks he sees Cloud's hair become silver white. Sephiroth is fighting against the poison and Cloud is not strong enough to hold him back, Leon can feel it.
The splintering of the headboard as it cracks under the strain snaps Leon out of his horror and he throws himself on top of Cloud. He holds him down with all his strength as the demon tries to pull his arms free from the restraints.
Fear and panic cause Leon to shake as he realises the poison won't be enough - Cloud's strength won't be enough.
Cloud's face shifts back to his own briefly and Leon sees in his eyes the pleading and the permission he needs to be able to do this.
"I'm sorry." Leon whispers as he places a shaking hand over Cloud's mouth and nose, pressing hard. He feels Cloud nod his head just once, his eyes sliding closed as he accepts his end. Cloud bucks hard, unable to fight the feeling of suffocation and Leon tries to shush him, pressing his forehead to Cloud's, his lips pressed to the back of his hand, he squeezes his eyes shut as the blonde's struggles get weaker and weaker.
Leon thinks he hears a growl from deep within Cloud, the unnatural sound animalistic and wild before it keens away to nothing and Cloud slowly becomes still. And Leon is crying, trembling, and shaking. He lets out a pained sob as Cloud slips away. He can no longer feel the warm rush of air against his palm, the very feel of Cloud is gone; dissipated.
Sephiroth is gone too and Leon is alone in the room.
'Stay with me Evelyn
Don't leave me with the medicine
I'm more afraid than I've ever been
So stay with me Evelyn.'
Evelyn - Hurts