Cerberus
By LoveAnimeForever
Vincent spat out the copper that tainted his throat, and the lifeblood melted into his cloak, merged into the shadowed red of the fabric that flowed around his crumpled frame. He reached for Cerberus, fingers shakily closing around its handle. He pointed it weakly at his attacker.
Sephiroth swiped it from him all too easily.
Because you want this, don't you? Submit – I'll give you all the pain you want.
From her position, sprawled helplessly on the floor with at least ten rips across her back, Yuffie watched in horror as her comrade relinquished his only weapon.
"No! Vincent, don't!"
Cerberus' owner was too far gone to hear. Sephiroth smirked and scooped the gunman into his arms after pocketing Cerberus. Vincent realized he wouldn't be seeing his gun-sword for a long time. But it was a vague thought, and Sephiroth's cold hands were so much more solid, and his silver eyes promised such a blissful oblivion, such a pleasurable hell.
Shock, terror, and so much more... Betrayal… Hurt.
Yes, that was what flooded Yuffie's mind as Vincent slumped unconscious into Sephiroth's chest, and the pair vanished into a cloud of Lifestream particles.
It took a while for the rest of the world to realize that the usually reclusive Vincent wasn't just hiding this time.
Most of that time was taken up searching for the more-noticeable Yuffie, who seemed to have disappeared, and really, the game was up when they saw the corpse that had once been a very-alive, very-hyper ninja.
"Cerberus… Give Cerberus back, Sephiroth…"
"What if I said no?"
A defeated, resigned silence.
Sephiroth smiled – it wasn't a pleasant smile, but any smile made the shadowy butterflies in Vincent's stomach flutter – and drew said gun, pointed it at his captive's forehead.
"You know you only use it as an excuse to make me hurt you. Why don't you just admit it?"
He cocked Cerberus. Vincent shook his head, but even that, an action he'd meant to imply vehemence, only came out lethargic, broken.
"Did you ever wonder, pet, if Cerberus was willing to serve Hades?"
A shake of the head, a barely-audible whimper.
A cruel laugh. "Of course not; there's just no entertaining any doubt. Yes, he was willing. And even if one day he should be liberated and put in company that would expect him to still be pure" – Sephiroth pronounced the word with an amused distaste – "and he forced himself to say that he despised his work… Deep down, he would thirst for the fire and the hate and the pain and the death until one day Hades bound him again. Do you agree, my Cerberus?"
Vincent could only nod, because it was true. Too true. It hurt to admit that he was tainted, that he would pine for Sephiroth's torture.
"Good dog," Sephiroth sneered, and he threw Cerberus onto the floor beside its owner, and –
Disappeared.
"Sephiroth?!" Vincent's gasp, frantic though hoarse, echoed in the room.
Why?
The answer came in the form of Cloud Strife stepping cautiously into the room, his buster sword at the ready across his shoulders.
"Vincent?"
Vincent, did not want to look up. Vincent, was listening to the resonance of Sephiroth's words. Vincent, was trembling inside because he knew he would have to pretend that he'd suffered while he was with Sephiroth.
Vincent, realized that he wouldn't have to pretend – he had suffered.
Cerberus, knew in his heart that he had enjoyed it.
Three-headed guardian of Hell
Wolf, eater of living flesh
Dog, servant of blackened soul
See – I save you – come and face the light
And in that radiance,
Howl, suffer in your yearning
For the darkness.
Vincent wormed his way out of the various bandages they'd bound him with – Sephiroth's chains had been much smoother, so much more comfortable, and certainly very much more efficient – and retrieved Cerberus from the desk by his bed.
He kissed the barrel, cocked the gun with his teeth – yes, an animalistic motion, but wasn't it fitting? Besides, his hand – the other hand that wasn't holding the gun – was broken, apparently, though he'd never noticed it while he was with Sephiroth.
And he would thirst… Thirst until one day Hades bound him again.
The sound of a shot.
Don't you agree, my Cerberus?