Pairing: Sephiroth/Cloud
Warnings: This is YAOI. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Rating: PG, for now
Disclamer: I need one, so I don't own it.
Summery: At the end of the Wutai war, Sephiroth arrives with his second to the main city to negotiate the TOS. As a show of hospitality, Godo lets them stay at the Ranpu Karasu, the most elite Geisha house in Wutai. This house also happens to be the most traditional. (For reading comprehension notes, visit my LJ account: Kuro-Fenikkusu.)
Sephiroth sat inside that palace, having arrived earlier to negotiate a surrender. He respected Godo, having met him on the battlefield more than once –that feat alone earning his respect- and found he was powerful warrior and a good man. He also respected the Wutaiin people, and wished this to be as painless as possible.
Godo and Sephiroth took stock of each other across the small wooden table, a draft of the Terms of Surrender document sitting between them. They had been discussing the terms for the entier day, but they were no closer to a resolution then before. With no idea how long the negotiations were going to take, it was decided that both he and Zack would stay in Wutai for the duration, while the other generals, Angeal and Genesis, would return to Midgar. Godo placed aside the documents and sighed.
"I apologize," he began, rubbing his eyes, "It seems that this day has been fairly fruitless." They stood, and exchanged formal bow. "I would be honored if you would stay at the palace, but there are no rooms available in the main at this moment. There is, however, a Geisha house nearby that is used by visiting diplomats. Please feel free to stay there until these negotiations are finished."
"Thank you, Lord Godo. Until tomorrow." Sephiroth bade him farewell and went to retrieve his wayward second.
Sephiroth walked up the path to the high-class Ranpu Karasu house silently, having fully expected the traditional red and gold décor. His second, however, was far less subtle.
"WHOA! Dude, Seph, check out the dragon! And are those monkeys? Awesome! This place looks like a palace!" Sephiroth groaned internally, wondering if it were possible to knock Zack out without seeming overt. Probably not. Even without mako, Zack's skull was unusually thick.
"Yes, that's the point. Now would you please at least try to act your age? I find it hard to believe you made it to First with your level of mentality."
Zack grinned. "Angeal's of the same opinion."
"It does not surprise me." By then, they had reached the rice-paper door, which slid open to reveal an elderly geisha bowing on the ground.
"General Sephiroth-sama, Lieutenant Fair-sama, we are honored by your patronage. Please, follow me." She rose gracefully from the ground and beckoned them inside. Closing the door behind them, she led them along a long hallway adorned with Teakwood carvings and rice-paper paintings, interspersed with traditional sliding paper-frame doors. Stopping before the end of the hallway, she opened two doors. "These will be you rooms for the duration of your stay. Please feel free to ask if you desire anything. There are bathhouses on the grounds if you wish to use them." She bowed and left.
"Man, I don't know about you, but I'm gonna hit those bathhouses. I'm pretty sure I got moss growing in places where the sun don't shine." Zack groaned out.
"Thank you, Fair, for that lovely mental image."
"Doing my best, boss. Night." He gave a sloppy, yet correct, salute and disappeared into his room.
"Goodnight, Fair." Sephiroth sighed and entered his room, shutting the door behind him. The room, lit by paper lamps, was warm, colored in deep beige and russet, with a rather plush-looking futon in the corner. Two doors led out of the room, one that led to a garden path leading to the Bathhouses, and the other that looked to lead to Zack's room.
He turned to the small deck that led out to the garden, intending to take a small walk, when the sound of paper fluttering came to his attention.
Walking to the door, he spotted a small slip of paper, informing him that there where kimono in the dresser and that one was required for dinner, which would be served in the dining hall. He could easily hear Zack's groan at the 'proper dress' portion of the note.
Sephiroth and Zack entered the dining room a few hours later in the soft black cotton kimono that had been provided for them. Unfortunately, the traditional dining room required traditional entertainment, which meant an hour of watching a boring display of Geisha dancers before the meal was served. He really didn't see the appeal of women dressed up like peacocks doing a long outdated dance for the entertainment of people they most likely would never see again. Not to mention the constant teasing and innuendos they dropped on guests, even if they did not intend to follow through with them. He never had much patience for oiran and there chittering.
A Shamisen and koto started playing in the background, letting the guests know that the entertainment portion of the evening was about to begin. The silk screen at the end of the room went up, revealing two violet-clothed geisha kneeling on the tatami mats, who slowly rose in time with the music, beginning the carefully-rehearsed dance which mostly involved meticulous hand gestures and tight turns on their sandaled feet.
A half hour into the dance Sephiroth was ready to fall asleep.
Then, the screen door that had closed behind the dancers opened once more, and revealed a young blond man, a boy really, kneeling on the ground behind them. He slowly rose, his eyes closed, revealing light armor akin to that of the samurai, with a katana sheathed at his waist. The two earlier dancers pulled pairs of steel fans from their obi, snapping them open in a quick, decisive movement, just as the boys eyes opened.
Sephiroth gave a sharp intake of breath at the boy's eyes, the purest, brightest blue he had ever seen. But the moment passed quickly, as they slid closed again, while the boy lowered himself into a stance and slowly drew his sword, which, Sephiroth belatedly realized, was a Sakabatou, not a katana.
Then he lost his train of thought as the music grew to a fever-pitch and the dancers began to perform a complicated blade dance, there weapons ringing together in a mock of the deadly kata that Sephiroth had witnessed on the battlefields of Wutai. He knew it was all pre-staged, but he could not help but gasp along with the other guests as the fans came close to grazing the boy's armor, or the sakabatou came close to slicing through its wielder's skin. But it was obvious to any sword wielder that the boy had a masterful control of the weapon, his every movement as fluid as Sephiroth's own, and he found himself unable to draw his gaze away from the sight.
All too soon, the music wound down to a close, the dancers sheathing their weapons in a slow, meticulous movement, twisting in a way that should have been impossible, and sank back into the low bow from before. The screen door slid closed just as the last note struck.
Zack, sitting wide-eyed next to him, breathed out, "Damn."
For once, Sephiroth agreed with him.
That night, when he returned to his room from dinner, he was surprised to find the door that he assumed led to Zack's room open, revealing a small side room lacking any decoration, containing only a small tea stove and the boy who had performed the blade dance earlier that evening. He had removed his armor, now wearing a light blue formal kimono tied with a yellow obi. Right, Geisha house. Every room probably had a personal oiran.
"Welcome, General-sama," The boy began, his voice soft and light, "I will be your servant for the duration of you stay. If there is anything you desire, please do not hesitate to ask." Sephiroth leveled his gaze on the boy, taking in his rather stunning features.
"What is your name?" Blond was considered only of the old mountain blood, but the boy's pale skin -still not as pale as his own- and upturned eyes spoke of his Wutaiian heritage.
"Cloud, General-sama. Cloud Strife." Nodding, he now understood the boy's appearance. He wasn't full-blood Wutaiian.
"Very well." Sephiroth could tell that this was going to be an interesting stay.
Cloud hurried down the hidden passageway that lay beneath the rooms of the house, anxious to see the others. The hours of preparation for only a half hour of performance seemed like a monumental waste of time, but he had to admit, his sisters had done a wonderful job on his traditional white and red makeup, as well as his beautiful, albeit useless, black and gold armor. He had made sure Ayamehime had been polished to perfection before tying her to his waist, and was thoroughly pleased to hear the gasps of astonishment from his audience as he drew her for the mock-battle with Yumiko and Soi Fong. They had practiced this performance for well over a year before Okaa-San had deemed it worthy of presenting to the distinguished guests that they entertained at the house. Both of his sisters had trained with their gunsen for even longer, due to the fact they had only trained with paper fans before that point.
He reached the central chamber quickly, and continued to the dressing room, where more of his sisters waited to help him into his formal kimono and obi. The Okaa-san had informed him earlier that he would be tending the need of the man in the farthest room. He had only been informed that he was some General from the Shinra forces, and that he should be treated with the utmost respect. This was his foremost duty as a full geisha, and he was desperate to perform well. Having never had even one temporary danna, he wondered why he was being given such an important duty. But, he had been raised in this house, and did not stop to ask such unimportant questions.
His sisters quickly stripped him down to his under kimono, placing his armor away for cleaning later. Ayamehime was placed in her stand, just under the small shrine to Dao Chao. His red eye makeup was washed off, replaced by the standard black and white. Then went on the highly elaborate formal kimono, powder blue with yellow blossoms, and the formal obi, tied in the back. His long waxed hair was rearranged into a more elaborate style, and the black chocobo feather ornament that identified his house hung by his right ear. His oldest sister, Kirara, gave him a large smile and a hug.
"This is your first one, little cloudburst, do your best to please him!" (unseen under his makeup, Cloud blushed. That sounded so wrong,) "Make sure to not trip!" Kirara was clumsy, so she always ensured to give new geisha this warning. Having over two decades of experience helped.
"Yes, onee-san. I'll do my best. Tell Okaa-san I will not fail her." Kirara nodded and pushed him off, whispering 'go' until he took off down the corridor. Stopping under the spiral staircase that led to the small waiting rooms that separated the guest rooms, he paused to catch his breath. Yumiko, tending to the needs of the General's second, came up behind him a moment later.
"Are you ready, little cloudburst?" he smiled, even if he had long grown to hate the nickname that the women of the house had given him.
"Of course." In truth, he was terrified. He had heard stories of the demon general of Shinra, and was worried what the man would be like. He had only caught a brief glimpse of the guests in the dining room, and only two of them looked as if the were not Wutaiian blood, but he had not seen there faces; he only knew that they both had felt extremely powerful. He ascended the stairs to the waiting room, sliding open the door and placing water in the teapot on the small burner in the corner. Then he knelt and waited.
He didn't have to wait long. The door leading to the main hall slid open to reveal the General in all his glory.
If Cloud had been any less well-trained, his mouth would have dropped open and gaped at the man who strode into the room. Instead, he mentally gaped at the powerfully built man. His long silver hair -natural, he could tell, not bleached- fell to his lower thighs, and the sheer grace of a talented swordsmen seeped out in his every step, and his face was as pale and perfect as marble. His eyes were so green that the seemed to glow, or were they actually glowing? Cloud couldn't tell.
"Welcome, General-sama." He began, the well-rehearsed line tumbling off his lips, "I will be your personal servant for the duration of your stay. If you desire anything, please do not hesitate to ask." The General turned his piercing gaze on him, and Cloud felt as if his very soul was being examined.
"What is your name?" Cloud was slightly taken aback; all of his sisters would always talk of how their danna instantly start demanding things of them, but answered anyway.
"Cloud, General-sama. Cloud Strife." The General nodded.
"Very well. Could you tell me if there is a dojo nearby?" Cloud nodded.
"The Shishi School is just outside the house walls. There is an entrance on the southern wall of the garden. I will show you to it, if you so wish it."
"That is all right. I will find it myself in the morning. You may leave." A bit surprised, Cloud nonetheless bowed and slid the door shut.
Sephiroth changed into his silk sleep-pants, a gift he bought himself after months of BDU's and leather. (There were moments when he regretted his choice of dress. Leather chafes)He slipped onto the plush futon with a sigh, and immediately thought of the Blond geisha that would be tending to him during his stay. He smiled to himself; this was going to be a very interesting stay.