The balmy suptropic breeze was warm against Sephiroth's skin, just that temperature that is neither too warm nor too cold in the sun and deliciously cool in the shade. A hiding place, of sorts, was formed by the gnarling branches of the canopy, a perfect getaway at which the silver haired god-to-be could think without the excess noise of other people. A sort of natural cradle formed by a dip in a massive branch was his current resting place, from which he could stare uninhibited across the vast expanse of forest, watching the unending sea of green fade into the horizon.
"Beautiful," he crooned to himself, letting his eyelids sink to half-mast, lulled by the temperature of the air and the sound of the myriad tropical birds trilling and warbling amongst the verdant leaves.
"Indeed."
At the sound of the unfamiliar voice, Sephiroth leaped up from his nature-crafted futon and reached for his masamune, falling instantly into the well-honed battlestance he knew so well.
The strange voice laughed. A short, cunning, predatorial laugh, not even a whole one. "That silly butterknife will do you no good, sir," the voice purred, "may as well put it down now, before someone gets hurt."
"Come out of the shadows then, if you think you're able to best me," growled Sephiroth.
What appeared, however, was far from what he had expected. A tall man, with black hair and red eyes appeared, but what was more shocking was that this stranger had obsidian hued raven-like wings, powerfully muscled.
Curiosity began to itch uncomfortably in the back of Sephiroth's skull. What was this creature? Where did he come from? But most of all, what did he want?
Sephiroth stood to his full height, layering on every ounce of intimidation he could. Between his towering stature and broad shoulders alone, most men feared him, but which his dark and brooding expressions this effect was multiplied exponentially. Of course, he was always like that, so finding a way to make himself appear even more menacing was proving a challenge. The stranger, however, seemed unaffected by Sephiroth's ministrations, standing there with a relaxed but proper air. The faintest shadow of a smirk flickered through those ruby eyes.
Despite being greatly intrigued by the simple fact that this stranger did not cower before him, Sephiroth kept up his cold demeanor. Unfortunately, his curiosity was beginning to best him.
"What is you name?" he asked the winged man.
The glint of humour in those crimson eyes again. "I am called by many names, Sebastian was my most recent," the stranger answered coyly.
Sephiroth glared. "You failed to answer my question."
Silence, a twitch of a smile.
This Sebastian person, if that was his name, was becoming as irritating as he was interesting.
Figuring it not worth his times to press on with this particularly question, Sephiroth decided to try a different tack. "What are you doing out here in the forest?"
That smile again. "I could ask the same of you."
Was that...a bow? Sephiroth couldn't quite tell, it was so faint. The motion was so subtle as to make it possible it was only an illusion. When Sebastian's ruby eyes opened again, there was something new added to the expression—a subtle touch of masculine aggression, almost a wildness rather than actual viciousness. The very air seemed to take on a tinge that Sephiroth failed to like, in fact he did not like it at all. Something told him that he had been put still further into the defensive. Then his senses were proven right as Sebastian advanced a couple more steps his direction. Instinctively, Sephiroth wanted to retreat a step, but knew that to do so would show weakness.
"I know," Sebastian purred, his deep voice resonating with something not quite human, "that your name is Sephiroth. I also know that the rumours, whispered in the dead of night, say that your power makes you very nearly a god. An interesting coincidence, really. Because I...well...am not quite what you would call ordinary either."
"Obviously," Sephiroth sneered, indicating Sebastian's midnight black wings.
A few more advancing steps. This time Sephiroth did take a step back, feeling wholly off his game by this seemingly fearless stranger. What this Sebastian wanted was entirely beyond him at this point. Fame for standing up to the mighty Sephiroth? If he lived. The thrill? This man did not seem like the suicidal type. Could he...no, certainly not. But maybe...
Sephiroth mentally shook himself. He was being silly.
The coy glimmer in the stranger's eye said otherwise.
In a moment of faltering nerves, Sephiroth hissed, "What do you want?"
Sebastian stopped, grinning more widely now. "I think the real question is...what do you want?"
This confused Sephiroth. Why was a complete stranger asking what he wanted? Those who worked for him had faint glimmers of his aspirations, those who did not...had their myths, rumours racing the streets. Everyone knew enough, but not the whole story. So why was this person asking? At this point, it seemed irrelevant as this person would not leave the forest alive.
"I want to save the Planet," Sephiroth smiled coldly.
Sebastian tilted his head curiously. "Why? What is there to save?"
Sephiroth blinked, unable to answer.
Sebastian continued. "The only thing that could have been worth saving was the people, but you are not interested in them, are you? You want something else...unattainable by natural means. I can help you, for a price. I can be your loyal servant until you reach your goal, never faltering, unkillable by any mortal weapon. I cannot be swayed by bribes nor frightened into submission. I only require one thing."
Again, that curiosity. "And that would be?" Sephiroth asked.
Sebastian inclined his head briefly. "All I ask is your soul."
Sephiroth laughed. "My soul? What are you supposed to be then, a devil?"
The silent smile that crept over Sebastian's features was all the answer Sephiroth needed. His brow furrowed in confusion, Sephiroth's mind whirled trying to make sense of this. "But devils are a legend only."
Sebastian's expression became more serious. "Perhaps I need to prove to you then that I am more than human? Of course, if you do not wish to employ my services, I can leave you now to your business..."
"Wait," Sephiroth whispered. He could not risk losing this person now. No one could leave this place alive but himself, least of all someone as intriguing as this winged stranger.
Sebastian's eyed remained locked on Sephiroth's.
"Suppose I were to fight you, when I bested you, you would die. If you bested me, I would die. How would I be able to employ you in either case?
That playful smile returned to Sebastian's face. "It would not be a fight to the death, of course. A simple match. Perhaps unarmed in order to ensure the survival of all parties involved."
Now it was Sephiroth's turn to smile. This would be easier than he thought. "Alright then, if I were to accept your challenge, however, your defeat would name your fate. It would mean death."
"As I said, mortal weapons cannot kill me," Sebastian crooned.
Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. "We shall see about that."
"So you accept my offer?" Sebastian asked, his gaze unwavering.
"If you fail, you die. If you are still standing after ten minutes, then we shall discuss your terms."
As soon as the words left Sephiroth's lips, Sebastian leaped up further into the branches, disappearing momentarily before coming down directly behind where Sephiroth stood. This creature's agility and strength were already more than any human foe he had ever fought. However, Sephiroth had moved during this time, taking up his masamune in one hand and already arcing it across in a powerful sweep at Sebastian's midsection. However, Sebastian skittered out of reach of the seven foot blade as if it were nothing.
Fascinating.
As Sephiroth moved at the wrist to bring the blade back around, only the slightest gap left him unprotected. He knew exactly where it was, however was shocked when Sebastian moved quickly enough to seemingly appear instantly in that spot, his strong hands gripping Sephiroth's wrists and forcing his balance off-kilter. The hiss of shock and rage at the match turning south this quickly was sharp enough to make a bird flee its nest several branches away.
Sharply bringing up one knee, Sephiroth pulled an entirely undignified move, however he had to break loose. Sebastian's grip was fierce, strong enough to hurt, but it loosened for just a moment as Sephiroth's low blow made contact. It was enough. His weaponless hand broke free, finding purchase around Sebastian's throat before being caught again. Their strengths seemed equally matched, a first for Sephiroth. Neither seemed able to break loose from the other. Eventually, Sephiroth allowed his long sword to fall from his grip, and at that point, the fight would change drastically.
As soon as the masamune fell, Sebastian shoved forward a little harder, worsening Sephiroth's already compromised balanced and both of them fell to the time-smoothed bark of the giant treebranch, Sebastian landing on top of him.
Sephiroth hissed a gasp.
Despite how he struggled, Sephiroth was unable to wrest himself from Sebastian's grip until finally he realized the raven-winged demon was speaking.
"The ten minutes are up, what say you to my proposition?"
Still gasping from the struggle, Sephiroth answered, "I...accept."
In that moment, those crimson eyes flashed and the animal grin showed a hint of fangs. Genuine fear of the possibility of death flickered through Sephiroth's mind as Sebastian bent down, still holding his wrists pinned to the tree. He wanted to close his eyes, to open them again and realize it was a dream.
The brush of lips on his. Sephiroth's eyes widened, unable to respond in his pure and unadultered shock. But for as long as he could remember, some part of his soul had always craved to feel something positive from another living being. Before he realized it, Sephiroth started to return the kiss, feeling both repulsed and drawn in by that simple action. The flare of hormones made his blood sing and his mind began to melt as his struggling lessened.
This continued, Sephiroth opening his mouth as Sebastian's tongue began to probe, allowing it to slip past his teeth to slide along his own. At this point he gave up fighting completely, the tension in his shoulders lessening to the point where Sebastian released him to stroke the liquid silver of Sephiroth's hair as his own hands reached up and around Sebastian's neck, fingers tangling in ebony locks. When Sebastian broke the kiss to lay caresses and tiny nips down Sephiroth's throat, Sephiroth found himsel closing his eyes and feeling the gentle touches ease back the hardened layers of his soul. It hurt, but in a way that cried out to him to keep going, telling him he needed this, to feel this.
However, what shocked him was the small whimper that escaped him as Sebastian's mouth returned to his own for another kiss, then heaving up and away to begin playing with the closures to Sephiroth's clothing. It took some struggle to relieve each other of the garments that had so suddenly gone from necessary to annoying, but when again Sephiroth's back was pressed to the smooth wood, it was bare rather than shielded by layers of cloth and leather.
The thrill of creamy skin against his own was sending Sephiroth's mind into a whirlspin of rapidly degrading coherency, Sebastian's kisses and touches seemingly attuned to what Sephiroth needed—and only giving him enough to make his mind spiral further into crazed animal need.
Closing his green eyes, Sephiroth felt the whole Planet begin to spin as the tide of passion rolled in, making him slowly blind and death to the world except for the male body on top of him and his own thirst for release. Everything about Sebastian was new and interesting: his scent was spicy, exotic; his taste was distinctly male and humming with strength that matched his own; the sheer heat emanating from his body burned with the fevered fire of lust. The smell of it worked its way into Sephiroth's mind to raise a rarely-felt thrill toward the skies. But even now, Sebastian was only teasing him.
Slim, strong thighs straddled Sephiroth's waist over his belly, his own smooth muscles clenched in anticipation of what was to come, the faintest brushings of chest against hairless chest, the caress of male hands against his neck and shoulders, dancing over his flesh.
Despite the fact that language was rapidly falling off the list of things that Sephiroth was capable of at the moment, he felt the need to ask, his voice husky and low, "Why are you doing this?"
Sebastian pulled away, a tender look on his face. "We have made a contract. I do whatever you need me to."
At the moment, that made little sense. So Sephiroth just blinked, pulling the raven-winged man back against himself, contented with reveling in the sinful pleasures being offered on a silven platter. What he needed he didn't dare voice. It was something too alien, too strange, but felt perfectly right at the time. Another soft whimper escaped his lips as Sebastian pulled away again after only a few short minutes of kissing and touching.
Sephiroth tried to get up to follow the retreating Sebastian, but a firm hand held him down. A soft, crooning voice, "Don't move."
Doing as he was hold, Sephiroth tried to stay still as Sebastian led a wandering path of kisses down from his collarbone, lingered over one nipple, then continued down his abs as those long fingers stayed higher, playing across his chest like a musical instrument. As the warm wetness of Sebastian's mouth continued further lower, Sephiroth arched his spine upward like a cat, gasping as Sebastian's mouth made contact with his swollen member.
The gasp turned into a cry as as Sebastian took him fully into his mouth, the pent up years of sensual desire that he had been using to help fuel his anger and hate toward the humans knocking at the floodgates of his mind. His very blood began to sing a chant begging for release.
Sebastian's hands touched and played across Sephiroth's thighs, occasionally reaching upward to pinch one hard bead of a nipple. While doing this, his head bobbed up and down, eliciting sharper and sharper hisses from Sephiroth, who arched into it, still feeling like this was not quite enough, that someone was yet escaping him. However, the pressure was beginning to build until he was afraid he would burst, the simple but complex motions of Sebastian's mouth making him spiral further into the intensity of primal instinct until a shudder shook through him so fiercely he felt like he felt his own body might rend itself in two.
It was several heartbeats later that Sephiroth realized he was holding his breath, and when he raggedly sucked cool oxygen into his lungs, he found Sebastian had moved again, pressed gently against him. Sebastian kissed him, the faint taste of Sephiroth's own sexual release still on his lips. They kissed lazily, but long, not ending until Sephiroth relaxed into the final bliss of sleep curled against Sebastian's warm body. He would not awaken until dawn, completely freed of all nightmares and no thoughts beyond the simple bliss of being held.