DISCLAIMER: Final Fantasy belongs to Squaresoft and various other interested parties, not me. I'm not making any money from this, and no infringement of copyright is intended. This is a work of fandom, intended as appreciation of the original work.
WARNINGS: Violence, Language, Solo
Chapter Ten
Into the Hollow
Cloud clutched the soft yellow feathers tighter as the chocobo scaled a fairly steep incline, tilting him back closer to the man behind him. He knew Sephiroth would not let him fall, but, as always, he was more willing to rely on his own abilities rather than those of another. They had been riding for over an hour now and he was becoming more relaxed as the sun rose over the mountains in the distance. His hands had gone clammy with anxiety when he had first mounted the giant bird, but the warmth of a solid body held steady behind him calmed his nerves. He had worried about the chocobo's ability to carry both Sephiroth and himself, but was pleasantly surprised to learn that the yellow mounts were quite powerful, despite their feeble look.
Goose pimples rose on his forearms as the cold progressed. Just because there was now a sun in the sky didn't mean said cosmic body was doing its job. He had thought it was cold in Midgar, but as they traveled farther north, he soon learned that there were far colder locations. He also knew that this would not be the worst of it either. After staying overnight in a town Sephiroth and Zack had referred to as Kalm, he knew they would be ascending into the frigid mountains . . . and would inevitably have to endure the even colder nights.
When they finally rode over the ridge of the slope, he loosened his grip on the thick golden feathers and shifted forwards in the saddle, sure that Sephiroth would not want him so close now that the birds had made it onto level ground. Zack's chocobo, whose feathers were as dark as night, sprinted to catch up to them. The dark-haired man had fallen behind while climbing the ridge, a sign that his bird was not as fine a specimen as Sephiroth's. Cloud wondered, had this been the very same gold chocobo whose chest he had tripped face-first into before meeting Tylus? He certainly had a strong feeling that this was so, but there was no sure way to prove it.
He had held his gaze to the back of the bird's long, muscular neck to prevent himself from becoming motion sick, having learned that he was susceptible to the illness after riding in Sephiroth's car. Chocobos definitely swayed more than cars. He finally decided to chance letting his eyesight wander in order to take in the scenery.
They were now cantering through a golden field of tall, dry plants. He focused ahead of them, where he could barely discern the edge of the field, which appeared to give way to a vast stretch of green wilderness. As they rode nearer, he saw that the green was littered with what appeared to be massive monoliths of stone. He was then distracted from his thoughts by Zack's overly cheerful voice.
"Hey Spike! You see those boulders ahead?"
Cloud nodded before he remembered that the dark-haired man most likely could not possibly catch the gesture, as the chocobo's constant bobbing made it near impossible. Regardless of his apparent lack of response, Zack continued anyways.
"Those are the remains of an ancient city called Novia. Well, all that remains on the surface anyways."
Cloud shot him a questioning look, his curiosity seeking more information. Instead of receiving it from the source he had expected, Sephiroth had decided to quip him with the answer. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as the man's wide chest vibrated with the production of his deep melodious voice, reverberating through his spine with a pleasant tingle.
"There are ancient scripts that were recovered from the surface that suggest that there is more to Novia than one can see above ground. Though many have done years of research and digging, that theory still has not been proven with credible evidence."
Cloud knew this might sound childish, but he had to ask. "Do you think the scripts are true?"
Sephiroth was silent as he considered his answer. "I am not sure, but I do not believe the possibility of an underground city is plausible. If it ever did exist, then it has most likely collapsed in on itself, thus the reason those who have searched for it have yet to succeed."
"Hmmm," Sephiroth's reasoning made sense . . . a lot of sense actually. Maybe he was right. If there had ever been an underground city there, it had most likely crumbled in on itself, but Cloud would have liked for Sephiroth to be wrong on this subject. The mere concept of an entire civilization thriving beneath the soil fascinated him.
He stared in awe as they passed the great stone figures. Most were simply towering walls adorned with intricate carvings in a foreign alphabet that Cloud couldn't even begin to decipher, but one, although not half as large as the others, caught his gaze and held it. A magnificent stone wolf crouched atop a lush ridge, alone, yet powerful. It seemed to be stalking them. As they drew nearer, Cloud took in every detail his senses would allow without the aid of touch. The beast's eyes were fierce red gemstones . . . rubies perhaps, why hadn't any passing thieves taken it upon themselves to pirate them away? The creature's fur had been weathered over the years, as well as become home to many mosses and lichens, yet Cloud could still spy the original carvings of wisps flowing along its massive body. The jagged teeth were forever frozen in a savage snarl . . . a promise of death.
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Zack grinned as he took in the sight of the blond before him. The young man stared at the stone wolf until he was forced to relent his observations by the human body's limitations. Zack wondered if, had Cloud been an owl, if his head would have turned completely around. Sephiroth's face was expressionless, as was the norm, yet Zack thought he knew what path along which his general's thoughts were running. Since the hour Zack had decided to take up the challenge of bringing the two together as far more than friends, he had been searching for a way to put the white-haired man in a compromising situation, but it would appear said situation had conducted itself, or rather, Sephiroth hadn't taken one thing into consideration. He was a man, and when friction was applied to a certain part of male anatomy, well, let's just say pants had a tendency to become tighter.
Zack had spotted Sephiroth's grave error the very moment the man had mentioned riding double with Cloud and hadn't been able to reign in his devious grin. He idly wondered just how far the General's self control extended. He would never force himself on Cloud, but that didn't mean he couldn't house a longing for reciprocation, and that's exactly what Zack had planned. Before Sephiroth could even think of gaining the blond's attraction in that manner, he would first have to acknowledge his feelings toward the blond himself. Zack knew that would be a problem, but not one that would last for more than a few months. Sephiroth tended to be rather stubborn when it came to admitting things to his worst critic . . . to himself, especially when it came to admitting when he wanted something.
Zack studied his friend again. This time, Sephiroth's face did foreshadow his thoughts. Zack smirked as the man frowned, an obvious sign of irritation. He wondered if Cloud had noticed. Observing said blond, he decided that, no, he hadn't noticed, being too engrossed in his surroundings. Cloud hadn't been out of Midgar in many years, of course his mind would be on the world around him, not the man behind him.
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Sephiroth sighed as Kalm came into view. The last leg of the ride had been torture for him ever since they had ascended that steep incline. While going up the hill, Cloud had been shifted backwards, pressing them bodily together. Yes, he had been close to Cloud often, but, on those occasions, they hadn't been riding on a swaying chocobo. Sephiroth had been fine until the teen's round backside shifted against his groin, sparking a natural reaction.
He had feared the blond would notice. After nearly being taken against his will, Cloud would probably be frightened by the realization that one of the only people he had begun to trust found him attractive in such a manner. Sephiroth would never act on his feelings of course. He knew better, but Cloud didn't know that. Thankfully, said adolescent had seemed too intent on maintaining his own balance and not falling from the chocobo's back to notice.
When they had reached the wheat fields, Sephiroth had worried that Cloud would once again focus his attention to things nearby, but, instead, he had opted to squint at the horizon . . . the ancient ruins of Novia to be more specific. Sephiroth had ascertained that Cloud would not have noticed his . . . problem, but that had not solved its every aspect.
He had finally willed down that instance, but The Planet must have decided to punish him for some long forgotten crime, for, as they headed down the ridge into Kalm, his erection returned with a vengeance. The sun was now lowering itself behind a wall of mountains, surrounding Kalm in a colosseum of The Planet's own natural statues.
His cock begged for release . . . he begged it would behave and leave him be. Now Sephiroth dismounted the bird, rather uncomfortably, and hastened into the inn to establish their rooms for an overnight stay, leaving Zack to assist Cloud from the chocobo's back. He knew that, if anyone chanced a glance down to that general area, they would no doubt notice his dilemma . . . especially Zack, ever the observant pervert.
Once inside the inn, he was grateful that the counter came above his waist, shielding his lower half from the keep's vision. The young girl sat behind the desk, a green book of what appeared to be poetry resting in the lap of her simple lavender dress. She seemed to be completely submerged in the flowing scripts, not even taking notice of him until his tall shadow loomed onto the book's pages.
"Oh!" She closed the book hurriedly, but not fast enough for the persistent appendage pressing against the confines of his dark pants. It would seem he would have to fix his problem the manual way, preferably behind the walls of a private bathroom.
"How may I assist you?" Several inappropriate images flashed through his head. Even if he was gay, he could always close his eyes and pretend she was someone else . . . someone male . . . someone blond . . .
What am I thinking?!? He shook his head. This was bad. He wasn't that attracted to Cloud . . . was he?!
"Sir?"
Dammit, the girl! He had momentarily forgotten where he was.
"Yes, I need a room for the night. Two beds please." His voice would have given him away had the girl had any experience with the subject, but, either she was yet a virgin, or she had politely decided to ignore the clues. Then again, it could have been the fact that she had never heard his voice before, and thus had nothing to compare his current husky tones with.
"Just a moment please."
Fuck! His cock didn't have a moment!
Finally, the young brunette looked up, her green eyes ominously apologetic. "I'm sorry, General Sephiroth, isn't it?"
Sephiroth nodded deftly, wondering what she could possibly be apologizing for.
"We only have one room available. It has one bed, but there is a sofa."
Sephiroth nodded. Perhaps he could convince Zack into sharing with Cloud while he slept on the sofa. Now that his body had shown obvious interest, he would not chance a repeat of the night before. Cloud would definitely notice any of his cock's treacherous reactions if he were being spooned in his sleep. He payed the young girl the correct amount of gil and headed straight to the room, the bathroom to be more specific, sure that Zack would have enough brains to ask the inn-keep where their room was.
Once in the bathroom, he sighed heavily, grateful that he had finally gotten a chance to remedy his predicament. Shrugging off his heavy coat, he turned the shower tap on cold.
We'll see how you like this, you prick. Great, now he was talking to his own penis!
He freed said appendage of its leather prison and couldn't help the breath of relief that left his throat. Leather pants were great and all, but they tended to get a little too tight on certain occasions. Removing the rest of his clothing, the lean man stepped into the icy spray, gasping. Now he only had to wait for the cold to work its wonders.
After waiting for several frustrating moments, Sephiroth cursed his virility. The cold had done nothing but dampen his desires, which wasn't to say much, as they were still of a high degree. He had wanted to avoid masturbation. He always felt as if he had let himself down afterwards, but it had been so long . . . since . . .
Damn it all!
Feeling resigned, Sephiroth lowered his hand to the persistent organ standing at attention between his legs. He needed to get this over with. He had already taken far too long, and was sure Zack had grown suspicious by now.
Turning the tap to warm with one hand, he gripped his thick erection tightly with the other and began to stroke himself with leisure. Yes, he needed this! He closed his eyes and leaned against the cold tile wall, the only evidence of his body's pleasure being his quickened breaths and closed lids. Sephiroth had discovered that he was the type who rarely expressed his pleasure with vocalizations. As he neared his climax, he fisted his leaking cock harder, faster, stopping occasionally to carress the tip with his thumb. He was so close.
With a silent moan, he came, but the pleasure of his orgasm was drowned out by the guilt of the images that had reeled through his mind during his blinding ecstasy. The images, they had all been of Cloud. Cloud, lying beneath him in his bed, his face softened in ecstacy. Cloud, pressed against him in an urgent kiss. Cloud . . . a mistreated sixteen-year-old whom he was forbidden to touch.
Sephiroth wanted to punch himself. Cloud had judged him reliable. Cloud had given him his trust . . . his hard-earned trust. To do that, Cloud must have made himself believe that he, Sephiroth, was not like other men, not like Matthew . . . but, in a way . . . when his true core had been revealed, he was. He was no different. Sephiroth hated himself now. He didn't deserve this young man's trust, his friendship. He buried his face in his hands at the realization that he wanted this boy . . . and he wanted him badly, but Cloud was the only person he could not have.
He could not allow Cloud to know his feelings. The man would never speak to him again, perhaps even run away. Sephiroth didn't want to even imagine what Cloud's fate would be like if he were alone with no financial support. He could hide the true depth of how much he cared if it meant he wouldn't lose Cloud as a friend. He would have to.
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Zack smirked as his friend walked stiffly into the inn. Sephiroth had a hard-on, and there was only one source that could have encouraged it. Cloud.
That is unless Sephiroth likes chocobo's a hell of a lot more than is safe for his mental stability. Zack grinned at his own witty humor.
Cloud glanced at him with a confusedly hurt look. He obviously had no idea what had caused Sephiroth's curt behavior.
"Come on Spike, let's get our stuff into the inn." He gave the blond a hand down from his mount and proceeded to remove their packs from the birds as well. Carrying both Sephiroth's and his own, he led Cloud, who had insisted that he carry his own luggage, into the inn just as the sun disappeared beneath the horizon. Now the only light illuminating the streets came from mako-lit lanterns.
As he had expected, Sephiroth had already gotten a room and headed upstairs, most likely to the bathroom. He made his way to the counter, where one of the cutest girls he had ever seen sat reading a book. He let the packs fall to the wooden floor, creating a loud thump, causing the girl to look up, eyes twinkling.
"Yes?"
"I believe a man with long, white hair just purchased a room a moment ago. We're with him, so would you mind telling us the number, Beautiful?"
"Of course." The brunette smiled as she glanced down at a chart on the desk. "Mr. Sephiroth is in room seventeen. I hope you have a nice stay." Zack smiled at her and continued up the staircase to their room. He may have flirted more if he had not had Aeris back in Midgar, but he was not that shallow.
He turned to Cloud who was trudging along the hallway behind him. "You're being awfully quiet. Something up?" Maybe he had noticed Sephiroth's arousal after all?
"I'm sorry. It's just . . . " the blond hesitated, "Sephiroth . . . He seems . . . tired? . . . maybe?"
"Oh," Okay, perhaps he still had not noticed. In a way, that was a good thing. Cloud was still fragile from the whole Matthew ordeal. Zack wanted to put his friends together, not scare Cloud away before Sephiroth had even taken an attempt at starting a relationship with him. He studied the teen as he opened the door to their room. He was worried, shoulders slumped, face sullen. Maybe he thought something had angered Sephiroth. Maybe he thought he had angered Sephiroth somehow. Zack had to fix this before the boy developed too many negative feelings and went back into that no-talking-unless-spoken-to habit.
"I think he mentioned something about not feeling well this morning before you woke. He probably is tired." There. Well, he hadn't exactly told Cloud that Sephiroth wasn't angry, but he had given him another reason to accredit the white-haired man's odd behavior to. He had to be discrete after all.
As they stepped into the room, Zack immediately took notice of the single bed, then traveled to the massive purple cushion-like couch. He could sleep one more night on a couch if it meant his friends would be happy in the future. He knew Sephiroth, who was currently showering if the sound of spraying water was anything to go by, would not want to put himself in any position that might merit such a reaction as the previous, but he had to make sure he and Cloud slept on the bed together. He glanced at the darkened window. They would be setting out early tomorrow, right? Of course. That meant Cloud would need plenty of rest, which meant he should turn in early.
"We're leaving out early again in the morning, so you should probably get to bed as soon as possible."
Cloud nodded. "I guess I am kinda tired. Riding a chocobo takes away more energy than I expected."
Zack barely suppressed the smirk that threatened to show on his face as the blond began to ready himself for bed. Cloud sat on the maroon blankets, then looked up, as if he'd just noticed there was only one.
"Where are you going to sleep?"
"The couch, where else? I sleep on Seph's more than I sleep in my own bed. I find them quite comfortable actually."
Cloud gave him an odd look as if to say I knew he was mentally unstable, and slipped under the blankets after removing his outer clothing.
Well, one of my chess pieces is in place. Now it's time to take the queen! Zack hastily carried out his nightly bedtime routine and situated himself on the couch, covering his body with a blanket from his bedroll. Now Sephiroth only had one option left, the bed.
He listened to Cloud's quiet breathing until it finally evened out. Gaia, what was Seph doing in that shower?
I'll bet five hundred gil that my first guess is right! Mother, I am such a perve.
His thoughts came to a halt at the absence of the sounds of running water. Zack closed his eyes and purposely evened out his own breaths to feign his sleep. If Sephiroth knew he was awake, he would probably make him move to the bed with Cloud. He lay as still as possible as he heard the door open and damp footsteps pad into the room. They made it about halfway across the floor, or so he judged, before stopping. Silence. Pure silence. Zack imagined Sephiroth was staring at the bed at this moment, most likely cursing a certain brunette in his own mind. Zack smiled as he heard a resigned sigh and the click of a light switch.
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Cloud awoke the next morning curled into a ball, once again, beside a wall of warmth. He had begun to grow used to waking next to a living, breathing being. He did not move. Instead, he listened to the lulling rhythm of Sephiroth's deep breaths. Cloud could feel the steady rise and fall of the man's broad chest. He wished he would never have to leave this comfort, this paradise. He wished he could just lie there forever, drinking in Sephiroth's warmth, his . . . care? Yes, care. Cloud dared not say love. No one could ever love something that was as broken and useless as himself . . . no one.
Cloud wondered if he himself would ever be capable of having feelings for someone else. Was he too full of distrust? Was his soul so broken and twisted he could never allow himself to grow close to another? A single tear rolled down his cheek. Even with his new-found freedom and friends, he would never truly have someone who cared. Sephiroth would get tired of his imposing presence sooner or later. Later, he hoped. Though, now that he thought about it . . . honestly thought about it, he realized he had never been so happy in all of his life. His mother had always ignored him, even struck him at times, and he'd not had a single friend back in Nibelhiem, save one dark-haired girl, but her father would not allow them to speak to one another, so that had not gotten very far. In the orpanage, he had been alone . . . always alone. Kids usually grouped together in small packs, but none of the groups had accepted him. He had always wondered why. Perhaps he had not even wanted their companionship. Even he could not say, or maybe they all had seen him as the village had, as a freak, a nobody. But he did not know what happiness felt like, so how would he ever know? Was this happiness? Maybe. All of his physical needs were being appeased for once in his life, and he had learned to smile . . . to laugh. Smiles and laughter meant people were happy. Right?
Cloud sighed heavily. If only he knew these things. He knew a lot as far as knowledge went, but when it came to the inner workings of his less depressing emotions, he was a complete moron. Who could blame him? How could he be expected to know how to lable these foreign emotions when he had never felt them before? He didn't know what they were, but he did know one thing. The closer he was to Sephiroth, the stronger they felt. Another tear slid down his face as he realized he could be in love with the man, but his feelings could not possibly be returned . . . never. Love . . . he didn't know what that felt like either. Maybe it was something else he felt towards the General, but what if it was love?
He was suddenly jolted out of his dark thoughts when an all-too-cheery voice burst into the room. "Wakey wakey before I eat all of the eggs and bakey!"
Cloud sat up quickly. He hadn't expected Zack to be awake yet, much less downstairs getting breakfast. After all, he had taken the cheery man as the type to sleep in late, but, now that he looked back on the short time he had known him, Zack always gotten up before himself, sometimes even Sephiroth. Speaking of which . . .
The white-haired man sat up and slid his legs onto the floor. Cloud watched the man's sinuous back muscles as they flexed, an odd feeling in his chest. As Sephiroth stood, Cloud couldn't help the blush that flooded his cheeks. Sephiroth took note of his reaction and followed his gaze down to his own boxer shorts. Then the man also blushed slightly.
"Nice boxers Sephy! You know, I've always wanted a pair like that!"
The subject of their scrutiny, Sephiroth's yellow boxer shorts, were, indeed, a sight to behold, especially when the identity of the undergarment's occupant was taken into consideration. Their color was a close match to the color of the chocobo they had ridden yesterday. Not only were they the color of a chocobo, but said birds were printed in rows across the material, creating an odd pattern of cartoonish feathers and beaks.
Sephiroth's only reaction was to swipe up a pair of black leather pants from his pack and stalk into the bathroom with a grunt of annoyance. Cloud turned to Zack as the man handed him a tray of fully loaded hash browns.
"Did you know you can't wear underwear with leather pants?"
Cloud was a little surprised by the question which was obviously Zack's way of concealing a statement of fact. In reply he shook his head, as his mouth was currently full of potatoes, cheese, and ham.
"That's why he's gone into the bathroom to put on his pants. He has to take off his boxers first." Cloud marveled at the truly absurd grin on the dark-haired man's face. This man was one hell of a puzzle, but, then again, he supposed he was a bit of an enigma himself, so he really had no room to talk.
Sephiroth emerged seconds later and went about donning the rest of his attire, discretely depositing the offending underwear in his case. As he turned around, Zack ventured to ask one of the weirdest questions Cloud had ever heard.
"Hey, can I have your underwear?"
"Zack, don't tell me you've become one of those pathetic swoons who worship me as an idol and keep a shrine of me in their closets."
"No! I just want your underwear. I've been looking all over for a pair like those, but I can't find any!"
"Zack . . . you bought me those."
The brunette blinked several times, then slumped his shoulders in defeat. After a few seconds of apparent thinking, his eyes returned to their normal happy manner. "Well, I want them back!"
Sephiroth shook his head as if Zack were a young child. "You can have them back. That's the first time I've worn them and I'm none too fond of the reactions they draw from others. Cloud looked as if he was about to burst into laughter."
"Ha! Wait until you see the ones I picked out for him!"
It was now, or so Zack had decided, Cloud's turn to be embarrassed. Which pair had he decided to sleep in? Unfortunately, he had no time to remember. He yelped in protest as Zack threw off the blankets, revealing . . . black, nothing but black. Cloud sighed in relief until he remembered what was on the other side of said black undergarments.
"Zack, there's nothing humiliating about solid black underwear." Sephiroth pointed out.
"You just wait until he stands up!"
By now, Cloud's face was flushing savagely.
Sephiroth gave them both a questioning look accompanied by his trademark gesture, the raised eyebrow. Cloud idly wondered if the white-haired man could live and communicate without those thin lines of white hair above his eyes. It certainly seemed as if he deployed his eyebrows in every conversation to substitute the words Why? and What the hell?
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They had left the inn at the first sign of light, Zack casting a flirtatious smile at the still-drowsy innkeep. Sephiroth, once again, found himself riding double with Cloud, not being able to find it in himself to refuse the blond, though they had switched positions. This one was a little better, but not radically so. Sephiroth had claimed commanding the chocobo was easier with Cloud behind him, rather than in front.
They were well into the foot of the mountains now, and ascending quickly, wanting to transcend the summits by nightfall and make camp on the other side. Sephiroth sighed listlessly as Cloud's arm shifted around his waist. Nope, this position was no better than the last, but at least he would not get an erection in this manner. To say that these feelings did not vex him would have been like saying giraffes were midgets. He should not be feeling this way toward Cloud. The blond would be terrified of him if he found out. Maybe it was just a temporary thing that would go away with time? He hoped so, not wanting his own selfish emotions to ruin their innocent relationship.
Their relationship. Sephiroth couldn't explain it. He was so much more than a friend to Cloud, or so he felt. In the base of his feelings, he knew he harbored a strong need to protect Cloud, but it could not be described as fatherly. It felt more, dare he even think it, possessive. He hadn't noticed before, but now that he did, he realized he even watched Zack like a hawk stalking a hare when said brunette was near the young man. This was not good. Perhaps if Cloud had not been so harassed where sex was concerned, then he might have considered starting up a relationship, but, from what he knew of the blond, no one had ever approached him in such a manner for any reason other than sex. Like before, it led back to the same conclusion. He would scare Cloud away. He could not protect something that wanted to be as far away from him as possible.
It just wasn't fair. Matthew had ruined his chances with the only person he had ever truly cared about. All the little bastard had wanted was a one-shot fuck with no strings attached. He wanted more, but, thanks to Matthew, there was no possible way he could ask for it without pushing Cloud away.
Maybe if I just wait a little longer. Perhaps, when he trusts me more, maybe he will develop the same feelings. After all, there's still so much more about him that I don't know. What was his life like at the orphanage? Why did the people of Nibelhiem send him all the way to Midgar to begin with? What else did Matthew do to him? Did he have a father?
Sephiroth was squeezed painfully back into reality as his blond conundrum wrapped both arms around his waist tightly, said action accompanied by a audible wince from the teen. Sephiroth assessed their environment. They were nearing the ridge and would soon, or so he guessed, be treated with a breathtaking view of the valley below. Their only surroundings were conifer trees, thick with needles, a cliff face, empty of threats, and a scattered array of towering boulders, most enveloped in blankets of spongy green moss. No outside source could have caused the teen's apparent pain, of that he had ascertained himself. Zack too had halted his bird and was now attempting to pry Cloud's clenched arms from around their human stress release.
Sephiroth reached down to help the brunette. For someone as underweight as Cloud, the adolescent had a strong grip. Together, the SOLDIERs made slow progress, prying the young man from the older's waist, Cloud displaying signs of obvious pain. Sephiroth dismounted hurriedly as Zack lowered the writhing blond to the forest floor. Sephiroth knelt beside him, noting the beads of sweat rolling down his temple dispite the chilled atmosphere.
"What's wrong with him, Sephiroth?" Zack's voice portrayed slight panic.
Unfortunately, Sephiroth too had no explanation for Cloud's sudden change in well-being. He had administered the teen a mako injection just this morning before departing from the inn. That couldn't be the problem.
Cloud's screams increased in magnitude and his fingers left Zack's abused wrists to dig into his own skull. Sephiroth held him down as his body tried to thrust forward. Cloud's eyelids shot open, revealing a near-blinding glow. Zack even covered his eyes. The intense luminescence meant one thing. Whatever was going on inside his body, the mako did not find it agreeable.
Finally, Cloud lay limp from exhaustion, or so Sephiroth assumed. The blond still cried out at unpredictable intervals. The emissions were heart wrenching. The white-haired man wished fervently that he could relieve the teen of whatever the cause of his torture. Cloud's hands slowly left his temple, where they had left behind ten small bloody crescents and sought out the durable leather of his coat.
Sephiroth leaned over him, brushing his hand over the bloodied brow. "Zack, get a damp cloth." His voice was thick with concern.
Slowly, Zack nodded in silence and went to retrieve the requested item. In seconds, Zack had returned with his canteen and a cloth, wetting it on the spot. Sephiroth took the proffered linen and set to work cleaning away the mixture of sweat and blood, muttering comforting nonsense the whole while. Thankfully, Cloud's emissions of pain had died down to unintelligibly shaky utterances.
Breathing heavily, Cloud opened his eyes, which were still glowing unnaturally bright, and focused them on his face.
"Hungh . . . awahhh . . . away."
Sephiroth ceased his actions. What had he meant? Did he want Zack and himself to leave him alone?
"Awa . . ay . . . from hhhhee . . . re." The end of his choppy sentence was punctuated by a sharp intake of breath.
"He wants to get away from here. Away from this place?" Zack's face looked grim and confused. "I don't get it."
Sephiroth shook his head. "Neither do I, but I think we should do as he says. We can't make camp here anyways. Our tent is liable to roll down the mountain in our sleep."
Sephiroth mounted the chocobo while Zack lifted Cloud up after him. He settled the teen in front of him, leaning fully on his chest. He could not possibly become sexually roused in a situation like this. What if Cloud was ill? Fatally so? He clenched his eyes shut. No, he couldn't lose the young man now, not after he had confirmed that he had feelings for him.
You'll be okay. I promise I'll do anything it takes to be sure of that.
Cloud's body shook from exhaustion as they finally reached the ridge's summit. Sephiroth took in the gorgeous view, but was unable to appreciate it. What had happened to Cloud? He had noticed that his condition was growing better with time. Perhaps it was only an isolated incident, but he still yearned to know what had triggered Cloud's pain. The blond's head lay propped beneath his chin, his breathing ragged. Sephiroth wished Cloud could enjoy the valley below from such a prime position on the peak. After all, anyone who had never seen anything of this nature before in his life would certainly find this breath taking.
"We'll make camp here." His voice was oddly silent, barely audible over the chorus of the thousands of cicadas around them. Zack had been completely silent ever since they had last mounted . . . a rare occurrence.
Zack prompted his chocobo, Sen-Sen, to lie on the ground so Cloud could rest against her while they set up camp. Cloud groaned a futile complaint as the bird nuzzled his hair. Sephiroth would have chuckled at the realization that the hen most likely thought Cloud too was a chocobo, due to the feathery appearance of his hair, but the circumstances were too grave.
After they had finally wrestled the giant sheet of polyester into something that resembled temporary shelter, Zack took it upon himself to prepare dinner, canned chili they had packed along. While the brunette busied himself with that, Sephiroth lifted Cloud into the tent and placed him in his bedroll. Two blue eyes were trained on him.
"I'm sorry . . . "
Sephiroth paused as he knelt over him. "What do you mean? You have nothing to apologize for."
"I'm . . . too much trouble."
"Cloud, this is not your fault. It must have something to do with the mako in your body."
"I should never have gotten . . . bitten."
"You had no control over that either."
"But . . . maybe . . . I should never have left the . . . orphanage . . . should've just let Matthew . . . " Tears were slowly rolling down his pale cheeks.
Sephiroth gently took the blond's chin between his fingers and forced the blue eyes to look into the emerald of his own. "Don't say that." His voice was more harsh than he had intended. Softening his tone, he repeated his words, "Don't say that. Cloud, none of the bad events in your life were your fault. Don't take the blame for them."
"None of them would ever have had the chance to occur if I hadn't been born. They're all my fault. My mother's death . . . Matthew's death. You could have been hurt when you rescued me from Tseng . . . You could get hurt when we find him."
Sephiroth shook his head and took the still-shaking hands into his own. "No, Cloud. Matthew deserved what he got, and I knew the dangers I was facing when I saved you. That was my choice then. This is my choice now. If I obtain any injuries during the next few days, they will be my fault."
Cloud remained silent for a moment. When he did speak, his voice seemed void of emotion. " . . . But it is my fault my mother is dead . . . "
Sephiroth had no reply to this, as Cloud had yet to tell him how his mother had passed away. Unable to think of any ways to console Cloud's latter words, Sephiroth had no choice but to listen as the teen continued.
"If I had never been born . . . my father would not have left her . . . She wouldn't have killed herself . . . It's all my fault . . . my fault I was sent to the orphanage, my fault . . . I shouldn't even be here." He inhaled a sharp breath and choked as he let it out. The tears continued in greater numbers.
Sephiroth hesitated, afraid to get too close to the object of his affection. If he revealed too much, Cloud would become suspicious, but that did not currently matter. His heart clenched at what Cloud had said. Is that what he truly believes? How could someone go through so much pain only to blame it all on himself?
He removed his hand from the blond's heated brow. Was Cloud coming down with something? He skin was warm to the touch . . . too warm, and he had begun to shiver in earnest. He looked so small as he lay curled into a ball on the blankets, shaking with unwarranted remorse and Gaia knows what other emotions. No, Sephiroth didn't care if his feelings were discovered. He couldn't just kneel there beside the most important person in his life and watch as he suffered.
Slowly, so as not to startle him, he lay down beside the weeping young man and wrapped his arms around him. Cloud started at first, not yet accustomed to the benevolent physical contact, but melted into his chest as he ran his fingers through the tousled blond locks.
"Cloud . . . You cannot control fate. No one can, so don't blame all of your pain, or the pain of anyone else, on yourself. That will only ruin the rest of your life. Do you understand?" He received no answer, but continued anyway. "Suicide is a decision made by the person who wishes to commit it, and no one else. While outside influences can cause depression, it is still, ultimately, that person's choice in the end, and no one else's. That was your mother's choice, not yours. After all, if you had never been sent here to Midgar, I would never have had the pleasure of being your friend."
I don't think I've ever had a conversation like this with anyone before . . . though I've never felt this way around anyone else before either . . .
Cloud's shaky breathing halted for a brief moment. " . . . friend? I'm not a burden, an annoyance?" The words fell from his lips as if the realization were as much a shock to him as that of any old-fashioned mother who had just been informed that her daughter was a lesbian.
Sephiroth closed his eyes tightly. An annoyance? A burden?
"Oh Cloud. Is that what you think? You think I don't want you here?" Sephiroth held Cloud closer, so close his fingertips recognized the feel of ribs beneath the blond's skin. He was still so thin.
An intense anger flared in his chest, directed at no particular person, but at every factor that had contributed to Cloud's anguish. Because no one person was responsible, Sephiroth could not possibly punish them all, as there were a great many, or so he guessed. Besides, most of them likely had no idea what sort of state they had amassed together to drive Cloud's mind into. Somewhere the blond had clearly drawn up the lie that no one wanted him around, perhaps even loathed his presence. Sephiroth was no invalid. He knew the origin of these types of perceptions . . . abuse, emotional, physical, and sexual. Emotional was an absolute definit, but what of physical?
Surely not his own mother . . . What about the staff at the orphanage?
Then he remembered what Cloud had told him of Matthew. Tseng's nephew had even gone as far as sexual abuse, Sephiroth did not dare discredit his own reasoning in that matter. Even if Cloud had not outright told him everything, he couldn't help but wonder just how far the pervert had gone.
Cloud had very likely sufferred through all three.
If only he would talk about these things.
"Cloud, you're not a burden, and you most certainly don't annoy me. Zack annoys me. Besides, if I remember correctly, I carried you into my apartment myself while you were practically non-responsive, and I don't regret it. If you were a burden, I would have handed you over to Tseng as soon as you'd recovered."
He stroked the nape of Cloud's tender neck, wondering how much time they had until Zack burst in demanding that they eat his creations. That didn't matter . . . not now. Cloud mattered. After much hesitation, he lay down his head to rest on the pillow next to the nest of blond spikes. Unexpectedly, Cloud turned and burried his face further into his chest, if that was even possible.
"I'm sorry . . . I . . . I just . . . " Cloud's voice was muffled.
Sephiroth pulled away enough to reveal the blond's tear-stained face. He slowly reached out his hand and wiped away a falling droplet. "It's okay Cloud. I understand more than you think I do." He guided Cloud's head to rest on his outstrecthed arm. "Let the tears fall. Let your emotions off your chest. You'll feel substantially better tomorrow."
And that's exactly what Cloud did. Sephiroth could feel the fleet of tiny wet beads collecting on his chest as he held the weeping blond. He held Cloud for what seemed like hours. Had Zack slipped on some damp moss and fallen back down the ridge? He should have finished warming up canned chili by now. Sephiroth wasn't about to question his luck, not wanting Zack to burst in on what was most likely one of the few times he would actually get to be this close to Cloud. He knew he had become infatuated, but he didn't care.
He observed Cloud as he lay curled into him like a kitten. His tear-shed had ceased and he had begun the recovery process which consisted of shaky breaths, drowsiness, quiet sniffling and the drying of a wet face. Sephiroth offered him a blanket, which was accepted with much appreciation, from the other side of the bedroll. Once his face was dry, but still slightly pink, Cloud lay his head back into its former position.
"I'm so tired."
"I guessed as much, but you really should try to stay awake long enough to eat something before you dose off." Sephiroth shifted his hand against Cloud's side to acknowledge the presence of his visible bone structure. Then, feeling slightly awkward as the realization of their close proximity came to mind, he removed his hand from the thin hip.
"We should leave the tent now. I'm beginning to wonder if Zack somehow knocked himself out on a low tree limb."
With a light grin, Cloud began to stand. "I haven't known him long, but, from what I have learned of him, that seems like something he's capable of." He then exited the tent, turning back with a quiet thank you.
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Cloud had emerged from the tent to find a frustrated Zack leaning over a pile of dry sticks and leaves. The dark-haired man held a lighter in one hand, and a piece of flammable paper in the other, obviously intending to light the paper to get the flames started before putting it on the tender, but, one small problem had arisen. Zack's rigorous efforts at creating fire were spoiled by the fact that the lighter seemed only able to produce small sparks each time Zack pressed the button, which was hundreds of times from what Cloud could see.
Cloud watched in amusement as Zack, defeated, placed the lighter on a rock and proceeded to smash it into tiny blue shards of plastic with another. Of course, as he did this, the combustible fluid splashed onto his hands and pants. Cloud then watched as he produced two stones of flint from one of the many pockets in his pants. He was aware of Sephiroth's presence as he too exited the tent to find this quite laughable scene.
Both silver and gold speculated the brunette's odd behavior as if they were two National Geographic journalists taking notes of a baboon. Zack was currently squatting over the tender digging in his cargo pants for, presumably, another source of fire. Finally, after searching four pockets, he triumphantly held up a box of matches. Cloud had expected him to go through half the box without success, but was determined wrong after the first strike. Zack began to lower the match to the pile of browned foliage, but, just as he was preparing to light said foliage, his arm jerked back in a surprised yelp, the sleeve aflame.
Zack frantically beat the unwanted blaze with his free hand, but had apparently forgotten about the lighter fluid on it as well. Now both of Zack's sleeves were on fire.
Cloud watched as Sephiroth rolled his eyes. "Use that," he suggested pointing to Zack's khaki jacket lying in the dirt. Cloud imagined that, if Zack were a comic book character, a light bulb definitely would have lit above his head at that moment.
The brunette rushed to snatch up the discarded clothing and soon vanquished the flames on his now-ruined shirt. Then, singed and embarrassed, he seated himself in the dirt with a thud of failure. Zack appeared to be staring angrily at nothing in particular. Then his eyes lit up like just as brighlty as the flames that had dampened them. "You know Seph, I think this is a perfect opportunity for you to teach Spikey how to start a fire."
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The next morning Cloud woke to find himself extremely cold. Not only had he wriggled free of his bedroll in the night, he had also wriggled away from his white-haired human furnace. Shivering, he recovered his blankets and pulled them back to where they had lain when he had fallen asleep, next to Sephiroth, but before he lay back down, Zack burst into the tent with a boisterous greeting, rays of sunshine following him inside.
"It's snowing! Hurry up Spikey, come see!"
He heard Sephiroth shuffle behind him with a groan and was about to turn to him when he was bombarded by warm clothing. "Put them on Spike, and meet me outside."
"Snow," Sephiroth remarked, sitting up, "I have a suspicion that we'll be seeing an awful lot it within the next few days."
Cloud pulled on the fleece sweater and then the thick wool-lined pants. He had seen snow before, but had never been allowed to do more than look, as he was usually on the opposite side of a payne of glass. The orphanage staff never allowed them to play outside when it snowed, proclaiming that they didn't want them sick and miserable, but Cloud knew better. They didn't want their charges sick because the orphanage would have to pay money for doctors and medicines. Besides, he couldn't have felt more miserable in that place if they'd casterated him and threw him into a vat of boiling saltwater.
As he stepped out of the tent after wrestling on his boots, his jaw fell open. He had /seen/ snow before, but never in such abundance. Snow in Midgar meant one inch maximum. Apparently snow in the mountains meant three feet, and then some, as the fluffy white flakes were still falling in large numbers. Cloud knelt down and touched the tip of his forefinger to the crystals . . . His finger left behind an indentation where it had touched. He had read about snow in the books at the orphanage, but the details of its grander qualities had apparently escaped the authors. The icy material was usually described as something volitile and bothersome, so why had Zack made such a big deal of its presence? Speaking of Zack, where was he?
Suddenly, an object struck his back with quite a force, followed by a cold sensation. Fearing something had decided to attack him from behind and was coming in for another blow, Cloud whirrled around with reckless abandon and slipped, which led to him being sprawled spread-eagle in the soft, frozen flakes. He covered his face by instinct, but no impact came. Confused, he lowered his arms only to see Zack hiding behind a tree, or so he guessed was the brunette's plan, as said tree was far too thin.
At that moment, Sephiroth stepped out of the tent and almost stumbled over him. After regaining his catlike balance, Sephiroth quickly saught out the mass that had obstructed his path. At first, Cloud worried if the older man might be angry with him for falling down in front of the tent's opening, but he relaxed after he had deciphered the expression on the white-haired man's face. Confusion.
"What are you doing down there?"
"Something hit me, so I tried to turn around, but I slipped along the way," he replied meakly, wondering if perhaps, after the man had recieved his answer, then he would be angry.
"Something hit you? What?"
At that moment, as Cloud opened his mouth to allay that he didn't have an answer to the question, Zack broke out into histerical laughter which had obviously been pent up in his lungs for some time now. Sephiroth took one look at Zack's wet gloves and Cloud's snow-flecked back, and seemed to come to a realization. Cloud accepted the offerred hand and was pulled to his feet by a strong arm. He winced. His previously burned leg was still a little sore.
"Are you okay?" He asked in a low voice while dusting snow off his front.
"Bruised maybe, but I'll be fine in a few minutes." Zack's snickering could be heard behind them.
"All of this snow will make it difficult for the chocobos to travel, so we should leave before it gets deeper." Sephiroth announced. "Cloud, why don't you go inside the tent and start packing things up. Zack and I will start out here."
Cloud nodded and made his way into the tent, intent on rolling up the bedrolls first. He still didn't know what had hit him. Maybe some snow had fallen from the trees above. Zack would certainly find that as an occurrance to be laughed at.
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Sephiroth waited until Cloud had disappeared into the tent before he commenced his preemptive lecture. He stalked over to Zack, who was still recovering from his giggles, and stood there patiently . . . quietly . . . menacingly. That sort of stance always worked when it came to getting someone's attention. Personally, he hadn't thought Zack's little prank funny at all. It may have been if Cloud had fully recovered from his health conditions, but, while the blond was still so undernourished, no roughhousing could possibly do him any good.
Finally, Zack noticed the dark shadow looming above his crouched figure and looked up, the last of his giggles dissipating immediately.
"I know you mean well Zack, but that was going a little too far."
Zack frowned and looked down as if the white-haired man's boots had suddenly become quite interesting. "Gee . . . Seph . . . I didn't mean to make him slip, I swear it."
"He could have been hurt." Sephiroth's reprimanding glare remained undiluted. "If he had been bruised, which I have no doubt he has, that means his body has one more thing to cope with. His leg isn't even well yet, Zack!"
"Seph," Zack used the nickname to remind the towering man of their friendship, " . . . I'm sorry. I didn't think . . . It's just . . ."
"You thought it would be funny to throw a snowball at him first thing in the morning. You laughed at him Zack . . . How do you think that will affect his confidence? We've just recently gotten him to smile."
Zack seemed momentarily confused. "Seph . . . I wasn't laughing at him. I was laughing at you because, as I'm sure the majority of the masses would agree with me, seeing a graceful man like you trip over something is pretty damned funny."
Sephiroth remained silent for a moment, leaving Zack to display his trade mark sign of uneasiness, snaking his hand to the back of his head to sift through the mass of short, brown spikes.
"I suppose I overreacted. Just . . . be careful with him. He's still . . . still so fragile . . . physically and mentally." Sephiroth sighed briefly before turning back towards the tent. "We should get packed and going soon, or the snow will get worse." He enterred the tent, leaving Zack outside alone. He stood there for a moment, looking pensive, before a sly half-grin painted his lips. "Concern . . . That's definitly a good sign." Scratching his chest curtly, the brunette bent and began to pack up the items they had used outside.
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Even though Cloud was dressed in his warmest clothing, a black tee beneath a black fleece sweater, which was beneath the jacket Zack had bought him with Sephiroth's money, his body still managed to be cold. The warmth of Sephiroth pressed to his front helped tremendously, but that didn't keep his legs warm. The cold writhed its way through the wool with the soul purpose of carressing the skin beneath with its icy tendrils. And to think, he had thought snow wasn't as bad as people made it out to be. Humph! Now, after riding a chocobo through it for little less than an hour, he found that he detested the flaky white crystals. With snow, came the cold . . . Cloud hated the cold . . . Perhaps because he had never truly been warm? Either way, snow was, in his eyes, unpleasant, and that was that. Too bad he couldn't use the blade Sephiroth had gifted him with, now strapped to his waist, to kill the snow . . .
At least it's stopped falling . . . for now . . .
Not only did the snow bring his nemesis, Cold, but it had also slowed their travel by a colossol margin. Unlike the day before, when the chocobos had run their hearts out, today the large, yellow birds fought their way through the packed ice like chisels in a wooden block. They would never reach the bottom of the Hollow at this pace. Either that, or he would become an ice statue in due time. The Hollow . . . from what he could see from his height advantage in the mountains above, was naught but a deep gorge, the bottom of which he hadn't yet seen. How could there be a safe house down there? Had Sephiroth been given faulty information? Or maybe the entire concept of 'safe house' meant that it was supposed to be in an inconspicious location, such as the bottom of a dark gorge.
"The birds need to rest," Sephiroth's rich voice vibrated through the man's back, thus doing the same to Cloud's chest. He could fall asleep just listening to that voice. Unfortunately, that wasn't going to happen as, in order for the chocobos to rest, he had to dismount, which meant he couldn't be so close to Sephiroth without a feasible excuse.
They stopped near the edge of the gorge, which Cloud avoided at all costs.
He accepted Sephiroth's hand down from the tall bird's back. Although he had grown slightly, as he had noticed at the inn, he was still on the short side of the spectrum. He followed Zack to sit on a log that had evaded most of the snow while Sephiroth tied the birds to a tree. Cloud felt sorry for them actually. He knew what it felt like to be so close to freedom, yet not close enough to grasp it.
Sephiroth brought them each a generous portion of dried beef accompanied by plenty of water. Cloud set out with the intention of devouring the meat, following Zack's example. Sephiroth took his place on Cloud's right, whereas Zack had placed himself on his left.
"So," Zack began, "When we find Tseng, what exactly do you have planned for him Sephiroth?"
Sephiroth chewed over his answer on the jerky. Finally, he swallowed and gave Zack his reply. "I had originally planned to simply run him through with Masamune, but . . . I've decided that's not anywhere near the severity of what he tried to do to Cloud. So, instead, I think we should tie him up and set the safe house ablaze. I plan to make sure he knows what he put Cloud through."
"That sounds like a plan to me!" Zack cheered.
Cloud sat in silence. He didn't truly care what Sephiroth did to Tseng . . . as long as the man was dead and he didn't have to go to prison. The thought of walls and men he couldn't trust made him shudder.
"You're cold?" Sephiroth turned to him.
Even though that hadn't been the cause of his shiver, he was cold, so he nodded.
"I don't think we should risk a fire this close to the safe house. Someone might see the smoke and we will lose the element of surprise. I'll get you a blanket." Sephiroth stood and made his way to their tethered mounts.
While Sephiroth was away, Zack asked, "So, how do you feel about Seph's plan?"
Just as Cloud was about to answer the brunette's question, a loud crack resounded from behind them. There was something in the forrest . . . something big if the creaking of the poor trees was anything to estimate by. Zack had leaped to his feet, hand on his gigantic weapon, which Cloud had learned was called a Buster. Sephiroth too had heard the movement and had opted to draw his lengthy sword in full. Sephiroth had yet to teach Cloud the basics of swordsmanship, so he didn't even bother. Instead, he jumped to his feet, ready to flee if the need arose.
Sephiroth had rushed to his side, Masamune at the ready. The sound of trees giving way beneath the weight of some mammoth creature echoed through the brush. Whatever it was, it had decided to annouce its presence by emitting an ear-peircing screech akin to that of a dying pig. Sephiroth held his katana higher and stepped in front of him wholly. His heart pounded. What if Sephiroth got hurt? Sure, he had rescued him from a fortress of armed troopers, but . . whatever this was, it was no ordinary trooper.
Cloud turned at a sound from behind him . . . an answering screech from the other side of the narrow passage. They were trapped, sandwitched between the two beasts. Zack too had heard the second and turned to face it, Buster held at the ready. Cloud felt as if his heart would tear itself from his chest. This wasn't an oversized dog in an allyway, this was two monstrous beasts next to a steep drop off with, from what he could see, no bottom.
He heard a crash from behind him and wheeled to see a gargantuan, black mass of legs and eyes. Sephiroth held his ground, the only thing between Cloud and the giant arachnid. The monster clicked its dripping fangs and dove at the silver-haired swordsman. Sephiroth's blade was as fast as lightning, taking off one of the spider's legs. As the limb hit the ground, Cloud was splattered with thick yellow liquid that smelled of old cheese.
As Sephiroth fought one of their attackers, Zack too had been given an opponent, another spider, but this one had green stripes on its coarse, black coat of nettles. The brunette leaped into the sky and came crashing back down into the insect's back, forcing a hidious cry of agony from his bucking target. Cloud had never seen such speed in his life. Both of these men were incredible.
As he turned back to check on Sephiroth, horror struck him as his gaze flicked over the edge of the gorge. Was he seeing this correctly? No! This couldn't be happening. A third beast, even larger than the other two, had muscled its way up the side of the drop off somehow. Sephiroth and Zack were preoccupied with their own problems . . . what now?
Cloud froze as the creature's multiple eyes drifted over him, then stopped. It was coming straight for him! The spider launched itself in his direction. Snapping from his stupour, Cloud dodge-rolled the monster's attack, causing the beast to continue its momentous leap into the cliff wall above them. After the monster hit, Cloud felt an ominous rumble reverberate beneath his feet. Sephiroth too seemed to notice, as the man's eyes widened in dread just after he had driven Masamune upward into the first beast's chest, causing yet another earsplitting cry to ring out through the icy cliffs as the beast fell to the ground, legs still twitching.
Zack on the other hand, seemed to be struggling with the striped arachnid, which was now attempting to impale him with a wet stinger. The brunette rolled out of its way each time, but how long would he last until he got unlucky?
The third spider stood, rubble from the rock face falling from its body. It searched around, as if dazed, then spotted its fallen comrade. Presumably angered, it thrust back its upper body, standing on its back legs only. As its back hit the cliff face, the earth let out another sinister grumble, but this time the grumble didn't stop. Rocks began to tumble from the ledge above, striking the largest spider. Sephiroth tried to hasten to his side, but the second spider chose then to go tumbling between them, unfortunately still alive. The beast shook itself and advanced on Cloud. He had no choice but to back away, closer to the bluff than he was comfortable with. The monster kept coming, forcing him closer to the edge. Sephiroth was fighting for his life with the largest monster on the other side. Zack was . . . where was he?! Had he gone over the side?! NO! That couldn't happen! Zack was his friend!
Cloud halted as his heel felt the edge of the rock. He had run out of room to run, but the spider was still coming. His death was inching closer, clicking its salivating fangs in delight. Behind the beast, the larger of the two reared its ugly head in pain and, again, struck the cliff face as Sephiroth relieved it of two of its barbed legs. The boulders began to tumble from above just as before, colliding with the green-striped arachnid which was too preoccupied with the closeness of its prey to notice.
Cloud saw it as if in slow motion. Down from the ledge above came the one of the largest boulders of them all. It struck the hungry spider, but just kept coming. It carrened in his direction, or, more accurately, in the smaller spider's direction. Just as the monster had readied its fangs for a death blow, the rock struck it from behind, pushing it foreward even more. It's attack missed, but its massive body was coming striaght for Cloud, and he had no where to go. The beast's body was going to bring him over the edge with it! He tried futily to dodge between its legs, but more and more rocks rolled down, pushing him back . . . pushing him back to the edge. As he was sliding into the gorge, his foot caught something. This was his last chance. He had to push himself back up, or he would surely die.
To his dismay, the pressure he exerted on his life support caused the fragile stone to chip and crumble away. He dug his fingers into the hard earth . . . anything to stay alive, but he was still slipping . . . slipping to his end. It couldn't end this way. He had been happy for once . . . happy . . .
He was vaguely aware of Sephiroth's hurried footsteps. If only he could hold on a little longer . . . his angel was so close. Only a few more steps and he'd be rescued . . . but he just couldn't hold on any longer. The last thing he saw as he fell into the darkness were the terrified emerald eyes of the man who had given him his life back . . . the eyes of the man who shouted his name in deperate anguish as he slipped to his death.
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Author's Notes:
How did you like the new chapter? I'm sorry it took so long to post it, some people have more on their plate of life than others . . . My life truly is ironic. I can go for a month as bored as hell with nothing to do then, suddenly, I have five hundred things to do all at once. I'm surprised I'm not bald because, trust me, not all of my responsibilities and worries are positive. In fact, if I get one more negative thing I should just go ahead and keel over dead!
*huff* Now that my rant is over . . . How have you been?
As for the chapter itself, it turned out a hell of a lot longer than I expected. I apologize for the cliff hanger (pardon the pun.) And, NO, CLOUD IS NOT DEAD. I REPEAT, NOT DEAD!!!!! From his point of view, he thought he was going to die. As I was writing in his point of view, I had to write using only his knowledge . . . not the knowledge of the almighty author who controls his fate. As for Zack's fate . . . you'll just have to wait.
This chapter has been updated as of 12-10-08.