Exchange My Soul
FF7 Alternate Universe
Disclaimers: Characters are owned by Square-Enix
Warning: Yaoi- SephirothxCloud, Het- ZackxAerith, Abuse, Science, Violence
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Deep down… some where… That little voice told him to stop. Told him it was all just a dream and he really needed to wake up.
But he couldn't. He couldn't get passed the ink, and the papers, and the folders, and more importantly…
He couldn't stop because of the word…. Jenova.
So he paced, walking back and forth in the small bookcase enclosed hallway and office. The ever present dim light which would make it hard to even think of reading for some no problem for his well trained makou eyes. He ignored the rug under his feet as it made a soft squish noise, damp from the cracking basement walls leaking moisture. With all said and done, the basement he had confined himself in was, for lack of a better word, a dungeon and these papers made him its prisoner.
With a sigh, the weary and tired man sat in the large chair behind the elegant desk. Really out of place for a dungeon if he did say so himself. His bright green eyes combed the area taking the all so familiar area in again. The slimy, mossy bricks of the walls…. The scent of old books and mold… Soft glow of the many scientific equipment down the hall… A nervous blond holding a food tray…
Wait… A nervous blond holding a food tray?
Sephiroth's gaze went back to the said blond who was indeed nervous. He shook in his spot, soft bangs wobbling and brushing his cheeks a little, and the tray he held rattled slightly from dishes clanking on dishes.
Sephiroth wanted to smile at the sight, but his lips didn't seem to move. Dear Zackary was right…
Cloud was a chocobo in disguise.
Perhaps he would come closer if Sephiroth had a carrot.
"What is it Cloud?" His soft voice causing the blond to jump a little. Was he truly that scary? Or was there more to the boy's actions?
The boy took a step closer and words came to Sephiroth's mind… Jailbait that's worth it.
"I… Zack…. Um…" This did make Sephiroth smile. Was the boy nervous because this was the first time they were alone together? Did Sephiroth's looks play a part of this?
Or was it just hero worship? This thought slightly crushed Sephiroth but he shook it away with graceful movement of his head.
"Zack what?" He looked at the slowly approaching blond. "Strife I don't bite." Hard he added mentally.
"Zack said… I should bring you some food…" Cloud got close enough to set the tray down. He bit his lip shyly, his mind wanting to ask Sephiroth so many questions. Why did you lock yourself down here? What can I do to help?
Where do I start…? You're so much stronger and powerful and…. Why would you ever need help from someone as weak as me…? There's no point in asking anything… Cloud hung his head a little at his thoughts echoed in his head. Personally he blamed being home and seeing everyone who made him feel useless in the first place.
"Thank you, Cloud. Anything else…?"
"…..What are you reading about?" The question slipped those pouty lips faster then he could stop it. Cloud was almost ready to bolt when he saw what his question had done to Sephiroth.
The General had gone from warm and friendly to hard and cold. Cloud gulped. This wasn't the Sephiroth he'd been witnessing. Something was wrong. His blue eyes glanced down and couldn't help but skim over the page open.
"General sir, you-"
"Get out." The voice held a low threat to it which made Cloud wince. He admitted it. He wanted to run. He wanted to get the hell out of there.
"No. Sir just talk-"
"We have nothing to talk about Strife."
"We do!! Those papers are-"
"You haven't read them, Private. Now get out."
"I WON'T!!" Cloud stomped his foot causing the carpet to complain with a loud squish noise. "I won't leave till you hear me out!"
"…" Sephiroth conceded quietly. He didn't want to openly admit that the young chocobo beat him in a yelling match. "Speak then leave."
"You need to talk to someone sir. You can't just hold it in and expect everything to be ok! Talk to Zack! Talk to someone in Midgar or Junon! Talk-"
"To you?" The question froze Cloud in his tracks. Talk to him? Sephiroth talk to HIM?! No this couldn't happen… Cloud was a nobody and Sephiroth needed a somebody to cheer him up.
"……Whatever it is sir…. They're papers. They're not truths or things that say 'this is how it's going to be'. Papers. Something someone wrote. They're not hardcore facts, people can manipulate words to get what they want…" Cloud swallowed the lump in his throat. "Like… Like what that Genesis guy said… He could easily have said something else but he didn't and now you're here. Maybe he planted these. Maybe this is what he wanted. Maybe he gets a kick of fucking with your mind."
Sephiroth's silver eyebrow raised at Cloud's swearing. His mind though, overlooked the swearing and let Cloud's words sink in. Perhaps the youth was right. Perhaps this was all a ruse and he fell for it. Shame and guilt came over him and he ran a hand though his hair.
"All of this…. Is too much of a… There's so much information on these papers Cloud and Genesis isn't smart enough to even conceive something of this great of detail."
"They're still just papers…." Cloud whispered some. Sephiroth couldn't help but feel like he hurt the boy's feelings.
"Cloud… Don't sulk. Continue speaking." Cloud looked up at him through his bangs and sighed.
"We're not monsters. We aren't. You aren't. Zack isn't. I'm not. We're humans. We may be special humans but we're humans none the less. Who cares what others say. What matters is our thoughts and opinions of ourselves…" Cloud jumped at the sound of wood scrapping against mushy carpet and stone. He looked up and watched Sephiroth get up and walk around the desk.
This is it Cloud… you should have run… He's going to kill you now. You're such an idiot, staying here and opening your big mouth. Good job! Cloud closed his eyes as the older man approached. He tried to will himself to do something but he froze and…
His eyes shot open as strong arms slipped around his body and pulled him into a hug. Was he dead? Did he not feel the deathblow?
The strong scent of lavender told him he was still alive.
"G-g-general?" Cloud squeaked a little as he felt the man's head nuzzle his neck some. The General was hugging him. The man he idolized… hugging him…. The object of his dreams… hug… Cloud slowly felt his brain crash.
"Please… Sephiroth is fine, Cloud…" Sephiroth could barely get out the whisper. His mind was trying to reason with itself. What gave the boy such anguish? What hurt him so badly that he can speak with knowledge on this… painful subject? What could he do to protect him?
"…Sephiroth…." The blond said softly and wrapped his arms around him as best he could. Cloud didn't really know what else to do but this.. It was comforting. "It's… ok Sephiroth… I promise you… we're human… Nothing anyone can say will change that… Not those papers. Not Genesis… Nothing…"
All the General could do was nod and pull the blond closer.
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"So that's what was in those papers…." Zack nodded sage like from his spot on the inn's bed, his black hair bouncing slightly. "All Jenova this… Jenova that… Kinda makes a guy's head hurt."
"You don't understand a word of what I just said do you?" Sephiroth mused from his seat at the table, sipping calmly a cup of tea. He looked around the small room they were in and couldn't help but smile when his eyes landed on the back of the blond who guarded the door. Too bad the boy had put back on his helmet.
"Not in the least bit." Zack nodded again. "What I do know is Cloud is right. The Chocobo has some brains in that head of his."
"I'M NOT A CHOCOBO!" Cloud snapped from his place. Damned he would be if he allowed them to speak about him without commentary.
"Chocobo!!" Zack stuck his tongue out, a worthless gesture since the boy had his back to him but effective none the less as he saw Cloud ball up a fist.
"Onto the point of the matter, children." Sephiroth interrupted. "We have these papers and something needs to be done."
"Well papers don't change who we are, Sephiroth. As long as you've got a soul and a mind, you're human. So what if you were part of the S-Project." Zack laid down on the bed and swung his foot some. "All of SOLDIER are experimented on as well so you're not any different then me."
"You weren't born an experiment." Sephiroth added with a grim look. Zack's upbeat attitude didn't change.
"No I wasn't but that doesn't matter a damn bit. Besides who told you, your mother is Jenova?"
"Hojo."
"Exactly! And that man is batshit crazy! I really wouldn't go on what he says in the least bit." Zack sat up and leaned on his arms. "Who knows maybe your mom is some mysterious woman. Maybe you should talk to your dad about this."
Sephiroth blinked then laughed. "Hojo is my father."
"…. That's fucked up…." Zack couldn't help but shudder. Whoever the mother was she HAD to be hot to get a child like Sephiroth.
"Maybe…" the blond turned to face them. "Maybe Hojo wrote those reports. Maybe he made it so those creatures broke out of those pods at a certain time in your life. Maybe he wants you to find those reports and go crazy and end up destroying the world. What if it's all just one giant plot to get rid of mankind?"
"…..Cloud you need to stop playing video games." Zack smirked and stood. "What's in that Chocobo brain of yours?"
"I'm serious! And I'm not a Chocobo!!" Cloud stomped his foot in a huff.
"Cloud might not be far off." Sephiroth stood as well. The younger two looked at him both with questions playing on their face. "Hojo was never one to appreciate the human race. He constantly seeks to improve it. Perhaps this was just some sort of ploy. Some… sort of plan he's devised since my birth. Sadly the one man who could help me discover the truth of the matter is dead but there has to be somewhere information is stored."
"There's a guy in a coffin in the basement sleeping. We could go poke him with a stick and see if he knows." Zack grinned. Cloud shook his head.
"Now who plays too many video games?" Cloud muttered some and turned back to resume his guard duty.
"As I don't doubt you Zack, I find it hard to believe he was just…. Sleeping." Sephiroth shook his head some. "At any rate, it's getting late and we should turn in. I've called for a transport to pick us up in the wee hours of the morning." He smiled as Zack groaned. "I did it just for you, Zack."
"Thanks I feel honored." Zack grumbled a little. "I'll turn in later though. I promised Tifa I'd hang out with her and answer some questions about a mysterious blond SOLDIER." He couldn't help but grin slyly at the squeak that came from the door. "So I'm gonna to do that since who knows when I'll have another chance. Wanna come with Cloud?"
"No!" The word came out squeaked which caused Zack to laugh and Sephiroth to raise an eyebrow.
"Alright then. You stay here and be a prude." Zack patted Cloud's shoulder causing the younger to jump. "You have fun sleeping." He smiled and hurried out. Cloud couldn't help but sigh in relief at the other being gone.
Wait….. Zack gone…. Him alone with Sephiroth…. Brain failure.
He mentally kicked himself for acting like a school girl who's giddy about being around the boy she likes.
"Cloud why did you kick yourself?" The question caught the blond completely off guard. He blinked and looked at Sephiroth then blushed heavily when he felt a spot on his leg start to hurt.
"No…. no reason…." He laughed nervously. Sephiroth eyed him some then motioned for him to come in.
"Stand down. You're off duty now." Sephiroth sat on his appointed bed and pulled off his boots. Cloud slouched over some, glad to not be standing like a board and came into the room, shutting the door on instinct.
Cloud froze. ……What do I do now…?
"Relax Cloud." Cloud jumped and looked at Sephiroth. The man had a soft amused smile on his lips and Cloud swore to the gods Sephiroth was looking him over.
Slowly the blond pulled off the helmet and shook his head, letting the spikes bounce back into place. He walked over to his bed and sat setting the helmet on the nightstand and pulled off his own boots. He unzipped his jacket and tossed it aside. He stretched feeling his fledgling muscles contract some then froze in position when he felt the other's eyes on him.
"S-s-sephiroth?"
"Cloud…. Do you… want to sleep with me tonight?"
Brain crashing, crashing, crashing, BOOM!! Exploded. Cloud was sure there was mushy brain matter all over the inside of his skull now.
"Uh….um….I….uh…" Use your words Cloud!! Use your words!!
"It's… quite alright if you don't. I don't mind sle-"
"I DO!" Cloud squeaked and covered his mouth with his sudden burst. Sephiroth blinked then smiled softly.
"You're an odd one, Cloud…" Sephiroth stood and removed his jacket, hanging it on the back of the chair nearest to his bed. Cloud couldn't help but stare at the other's chest. "You're drooling."
"What..?" Cloud blinked then wiped his chin with his hand. He paled, then blushed deeply as he discovered he had in fact been drooling.
Sephiroth couldn't help but chuckle. So the boy's nervousness was sexual attraction. Perhaps he could get away with more then just sleeping.
"Well do you sleep in your uniform?" Sephiroth asked as he noted the boy not moving. He removed his own pants and set them aside, now dressed in dark blue silk boxers.
"Huh? Oh… No…" Cloud stood up and pulled off his pants and tossed them onto his bed. He removed the muscle shirt from his uniform and replaced it with a cotton tank top then stood in his… Chocobo boxers that poorly hid his awakening excitement and the soft shirt that gave Sephiroth a nice view of his clavicles.
Sephiroth could feel a slight pulse in his own groin as he looked the boy over. A part of him felt like a dirt old letch while the rest of him said take the boy then and there. Taking a deep breath and forcing some will power into his arms, he leaned down and pulled back the blankets to slip under them, then patted next to him for Cloud to join.
This is really happening… Cloud swallowed nervously as he climbed into the bed. He watched Sephiroth lay down and squeaked shyly as he was slightly pushed towards the edge. He frown some but didn't let the fact the bed was made for one stop him from getting comfortable, even if it meant using Sephiroth as his pillow….which…. Was the only option Cloud had and he was just staring at the other with wide blue eyes.
"Something wrong?"
"Ok I'm just coming to come out and say it. Sephiroth I'm very much in love with you, no it's not just hero worship, no I'm not crazy, yes I realize I'm 9 years younger then you, no I don't care and finally I think I'm going to pass out."
Sephiroth couldn't help but chuckle as he observed the boy start to panic a little. "Relax, Cloud. Just lay down."
"But if I do that then I have to lay either on you or snuggled as close as I can to you cause if you haven't noticed you're kind of a giant compared to me as I am tiny and short and that helps somewhat it doesn't stop the fact that I-"
"It's alright Cloud. If I didn't take in the fact you would have to sleep on me I wouldn't have asked you into my bed." Sephiroth believed this was a moment Zack would go 'Oh you sly boots you.' however the black haired SOLDIER wasn't around and all Sephiroth had was a nervous blond boy, that continued to remind him of a Chocobo caught in headlights, debating whether or not it was alright to lay his head down onto Sephiroth's chest.
Well then Sephiroth just had to remedy this problem as the blond obviously could not. Reaching up Sephiroth gently cupped Cloud's head and pulled it down to his chest. He felt the boy tense some and he smiled.
"It's alright." He repeated and the other body relaxed and slowly reached and arm over to rest it on Sephiroth's chest. He couldn't help but sigh in some happiness. This was… probably the greatest feeling Sephiroth had ever felt.
Wait he took that back. What Cloud has started doing was the greatest feeling he's ever felt. He looked down at the fluffy blond spiky one and watches with a light moan as Cloud's tongue flicked out over his nipple again.
"You know we-"
"Shouldn't have sex…" Cloud finished, his words breathing over Sephiroth's chest. "But… In Nibelheim the age of consent is 14... After all it's a town of 'let's marry our cousin' thought…" He licked in a swirl around Sephiroth's nipple again. "Nothing wrong with… us taking care of our problems… orally…" The blond blushed as he spoke and hid his face some as he started to suckle gently on the pebble of flesh between his lips.
Sephiroth couldn't believe it. Cloud was instigating. He's definitely learning his lesson that the shy innocent looking blond was shy and not so innocent. He was going to protest again but the boy crawling on top of him naked (when did he shed his boxers and tank?) stopped all brain function.
"Cloud…." The name came out in a husky moan as the blond worked on disposing the only thing keeping Sephiroth clothed.
"Wow…." Cloud blushed and couldn't help but stare at Sephiroth's length. Really he felt he shouldn't be as impressed with it as he was, considering his own wasn't fully matured but he couldn't help it. It was so much better then in his dreams and just helped more on his quest.
Moving slowly the blond leaned down and licked Sephiroth's tip lightly causing a hiss to escape the other. He worked his lips around the head some and sucked moaning at the taste the man beneath him hand. Definitely better then his dreams.
Sephiroth groaned as he watched his length disappear into the boy's mouth. Part of him wondered where the boy learned all this but that was quickly killed by the urge to touch back. Causing a startled yelp from Cloud, Sephiroth, spun him so his knees were resting on either side of this head.
"Warn me next time!!" Cloud huffed and pouted over his shoulder.
"I'm glad there's promise of a next time." Sephiroth smirked a bit and took Cloud into his mouth in one motion causing a loud moan to escape the youth. He increased his suction some as Cloud resumed his own, willing his hips not to buck into the pouty mouth that encased him.
Sadly though the blond didn't have the stamina as Sephiroth. It wasn't soon after they had started that Cloud cried out in his release and spilled into the older man's mouth. Now determined to give the same pleasure, Cloud started to suck harder and stroked what he couldn't fit into his mouth. He bobbed his head some and shivered at the noises Sephiroth made. He felt Sephiroth tense under him and soon he swallowed somewhat frantically to take what Sephiroth spouted into his mouth.
Sephiroth was slightly impressed as the blond turned around and sat on Sephiroth's stomach. The Chocobo hadn't spilt a drop of his cum, and he couldn't help but smile at the satisfied smirk on the young man's face.
"Please?" Sephiroth asked softly as Cloud laid down and pulled the blankets over them.
"Yeah…" Cloud nodded lazily and rested his head on Sephiroth's chest, falling asleep to the heartbeat of his General.
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"Helicopter I disown you…" Cloud urked a little at another jolt the helicopter made. He looked around and frowned some at being the only MP who lived on this mission. Zack was happily chatting away on his phone, Cloud could only guess it was that girl he liked, and Sephiroth sat across from him, eyes closed and arms crossed over his chest.
Cloud studied the other closer, trying to memorize Sephiroth's features. The slim arched eyebrows, the long dark silver lashes, those full soft lips…Those lips... Cloud frown. He and Sephiroth didn't kiss at all… When Cloud woke up that morning he was dressed in his boxers and tank and Sephiroth was scolding Zack for staying out all night.
He frowned more. Why was Zack out all night? Did he really have that much to say with Tifa? Well Zack was a bit of a blab, this being proven as Zack chatted away on the phone.
Another jolt and Cloud grabbed the sick bag.
"Hey Aerith I gotta go, Cloud's really sick." Zack hung up and rubbed the smaller one's back as he emptied his breakfast into the small airsick bag. "I don't remember you having motion sickness this bad on the way here…." Zack looked up at Sephiroth. "Could it be from the makou?"
"Cloud wasn't near any makou during the mission." Sephiroth replied, not opening his eyes. His mind was still trying to wrap around the events the night before.
"Well I'm worried. I think he needs to go see a doctor when we land in Junon."
"I'm fine… I'll be fine… I just…" Cloud frowned at his slightly slurred words. He was fine… He hadn't come into contact with makou like Sephiroth said so no chance of makou poisoning…. Unless….
Cloud paled. No way he could have gotten makou poisoning from Sephiroth… They would have had to had done that lots of times for THAT to happen…. Right?
He kept his mouth shut as Zack bickered with Sephiroth over Cloud seeing a doctor. He focused on Sephiroth some to try and get rid of the sick feeling that was over coming him. He frowned a little vision getting blurry, and… was the helicopter spinning?
"Ok.. So I'm not so fine…" The blond started to crumble and Zack caught him before he hit the metal floor.
"He's going to a doctor." Zack shifted Cloud so his head laid in his lap. Sephiroth felt a tinge of jealousy as he nodded.
"Someone doesn't pass out from motion sickness… I concede. We'll take him to the doctors."
"Thank you. Now then…. What exactly was Cloud doing sleeping on you this morning?"