Inspired partly by a conversation with Cloud-mun on Daisychain LJ comm. XD And the song 'Dream Girl' by Basshunter. Which has no real bearing on the story but it came on while I was writing.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Warnings: Some swearing, a little yaoi, a lot of "WTF?!"


All white. The Lifestream...it had to be. But then, where was Aerith? Surely she should be here as she normally was. Cloud looked around, hardly daring to move his feet. Even in the Lifestream, he did not want to harm the flowers Aerith had loved so much.

"Hello, Cloud. We meet again."

Cloud narrowed his eyes and glared at the man – no, the monster – now standing in front of him.

"Sephiroth. What do you want?" he snarled.

The silver haired man smirked. "Silly puppet. Don't get so worked up. Your emotions are not real, after all."

"Yes they are," the shorter blond replied. "You are nothing, Sephiroth, so why can't you leave me alone?!"

Sephiroth walked closer and circled around behind Cloud. "Because you don't want me to leave you alone, dear puppet." He bent low to Cloud's ear. "Don't deny it. You and I both know it's true."

"Why would I ever want to see you again?" growled Cloud. "You've destroyed so much, killed so many people. Why can't you just stop existing?!"

The touch of a black leather glove on his arm made Cloud flinch and he knew Sephiroth had noticed. Fuck. The silver haired man was still standing so close!

"But Cloud, where would the fun in that be?" Sephiroth asked, smirking. He stroked his hand up Cloud's arm. "You used to idolise me, Cloud. Tell me you don't admire me anymore and maybe I'll leave."

Cloud laughed humourlessly. "Admire you?! How can I admire you after you burned my hometown to the ground? After you killed everyone there? After you killed Aerith?" He whipped around to face Sephiroth. Tearing out of the ex-general's light grip. "I hate you! I wish you had never existed! I wish you would go the hell away and never, ever come back!"

Sephiroth's amused expression turned to one of anger. He backhanded Cloud across the face and watched him fall to the ground. "Liar. If you didn't want me here, then I would not be here! Do you understand that?" He stalked over to where the blond lay and hauled him roughly to his feet. "You called me here, Cloud. Now tell me why you don't want to be left alone." His voice was low but still full of anger and hate.

Cloud did not answer, wincing slightly at the pain where Sephiroth held him tightly by the arms. He blinked at Sephiroth's chest, the only part he could see at eye level. The blond was unwilling to look up at his enemy's face.

'No no no nonononocan'ttellhimdon'twanthimpleaseAerithwhereareyouhelpme...' His frantic mental mantra.

"Anwer me, Cloud!" Sephiroth shook him roughly, forcing his head up. Cat-like green eyes stared down into wide blue eyes. "Are you scared of me, Cloud? I could kill you so easily here and none of your friends could stop me."

"...no...stop it...let me go..." Cloud's voice was barely above a whisper but Sephiroth was holding him so close he could not have missed the words.

Sephiroth smirked. "I don't think so, Cloud." He pulled him closer and hissed, "I have you right where I want you. You're helpless, Cloud."

And Cloud knew it was true. Sephiroth's grip was too strong and Cloud had no fight in him. A bitter laugh rose in his throat. To think he had once dreamed of being led this close by the silver haired general. "Go ahead then. Do it. Kill me." His gaze dropped. "Make it quick."

Sephiroth laughed in response."Oh no, I don't think so. Who would I toy with? You are my favourite puppet, after all."

Cloud's gaze snapped back to meet Sephiroth's eyes. "I am not a puppet," he replied, a brief spark of anger lighting his eyes.

"Much better." Sephiroth dropped him unceremoniously on the ground. "You don't have any fight in you anymore, Cloud. Be careful or I'll have to find a new toy."

"What?" Cloud climbed to his feet, rubbing his arms. They were sore where the older man had gripped him. "What are you-"

The rest of Cloud's question was cut off when Sephiroth pulled him close. The silver haired man yanked the neck of Cloud's top down to expose more of his neck and bent his head to start sucking at the smooth skin there.

"Sephiroth! What do you think you're doing?!" Cloud yelled. He struggled, trying to push Sephiroth away. "Get off me!" But though he fought, Cloud did notice that it felt...well...good. If only someone other than Sephiroth was doing it.

Eventually, Sephiroth released Cloud. "Always remember, you are my puppet, Cloud."

Then he was gone, with no trace that he had ever been there.

"What the fuck?!" Cloud asked the empty space.

Cloud woke up to bright sunlight shining in his eyes. Squinting in the bright morning light, he sat up and pushed the covers back on his bed. So it had just been a dream? His imagination really did know how to freak him out. Sephiroth had given him a fucking hickey, for crying out loud. Right after threatening his life, no less.

Downstairs, Cloud could hear Tifa and the children were already up. That meant he should get up too. After all, those deliveries weren't going to hppen by themselves. Rugging the last of the sleep out of his eyes, the blond stumbled to the bathroom to shower. He turned the water on and began stripping off his pyjamas when something about his reflection in the mirror caught his eye.

There, glaringly obvious on his neck, was a fresh purple mark.


No, I don't know what the hell was going on either. The muse abandoned me halfway through the story in protest. Review?