Chapter 11

Cloud woke up from the feeling of fingers running through his hair. He moved closer to the warmth he felt, smelling Sephiroth's sweet smell mixed with musk. Cloud groaned softly when Sephiroth took his hand away, opening his eyes to look at the silver haired man.

Sephiroth was reading a letter, his eyes not leaving the paper to look at him. Cloud yawned, the sound catching Sephiroth's attention. Sephiroth placed the letter down on his dresser, Cloud slowly sitting up to give Sephiroth's lips a chaste kiss. Sephiroth moved the blanket off from Cloud's bare body as he deepened the kiss.

Cloud moaned softly when Sephiroth ran a hand over his chest, Sephiroth's hands surprisingly warm. Cloud touched a hand to Sephiroth's chest, feeling the soft skin with his fingers.

Cloud pulled away to breathe when his lungs screamed for air, feeling a scar beneath his fingers. Sephiroth didn't say anything about it, slowly coaxing him down to lay on the bed. Cloud looked up to Sephiroth who sat at his side, his body burning from his stare.

"I love you," Cloud told him with as much truth and love he could muster, Sephiroth smiling softly as he moved over Cloud.

"I love you too."

Tifa took her hand away from the doorknob. Her eyes burned with tears, anger and envy burning in her chest. She turned away from the door, her hands clenching into fists when she heard Cloud moan.

Sephiroth didn't deserve Cloud's love. He didn't deserve his kisses, his hugs, his attention.

Tifa walked away from the door as silently as she could, hurrying away from Sephiroth's chambers. She ran down the stairs, her hair covering the traces of her tears.

The butler opened the door when she told him to, Tifa slowing down as she came to stand in the garden.

Why didn't Cloud love her?

Tifa looked down to the many flowers surrounding her, wanting to destroy each and every one. Tifa couldn't though, she couldn't destroy them. The same way she couldn't find it in herself to destroy Cloud and Sephiroth's relationship.

When Cloud first came here, Tifa took care of him. She cleaned him, fed him, made him part of the family. She wanted him by her side, she wanted him to love her.

Sephiroth could have had any woman he wanted, any man. He could just ask and they would say yes. He was a God who refused to use his power, but just when Tifa thought she had found the one she loved...

Tifa tore a couple flowers from the garden, her hand clenching around their delicate stems.

Sephiroth took him from her!

Tifa gasped when she was stabbed by a thorn, dropping the flowers. She looked to her hand, seeing the wound fill with blood.

"You have to be careful with roses." Tifa turned around at the voice, her eyes widening slightly in surprise when she saw Jenova.

"They're beautiful but dangerous."

Tifa bowed, hiding her injured hand behind her back. Jenova scoffed, Tifa looking to the older woman as she gently guided her to stand straight again. Tifa didn't know what to say, Jenova having not warned beforehand that she was coming to visit.

"Let me see," Jenova ordered softly, Tifa uncertain for a second. She eventually showed Jenova her hand, her palm starting to be colored red with blood. Jenova tsked, taking out a handkerchief and pressing it against the wound. Tifa tried not to hiss from the pain, looking to Jenova's face.

"Miss, not to be rude, but may I ask why you are here?" Tifa asked, Jenova smiling softly as she looked up to her. It wasn't her usual snake like smiles. It was soft, kind. Tifa relaxed under her stare, the pain a dull throb now.

"I came to give a message. Last week I had acted out of order and character. I was rude, and I know I hurt my grandson." Tifa looked down to the ground, remembering the words she had said. She had been rude, cruel even, but she had come to apologize for it all. It took a wise woman to do such a thing.

"I know he will not see me, not after how I acted towards his chosen woman." Tifa looked up, her heart pounding in her chest. This woman was suffering. Tifa wanted to help her, show her how Cloud really was.

"Cloud is very kind, Miss." Jenova smiled softly at her words, her eyes saddened. Sephiroth was probably never going to let this woman see Cloud. Tifa knew if she tried she could sneak him out. When he meets Jenova and she sees how kind he is, than maybe Cloud could talk Sephiroth into finding favor in his grandmother again.

"Cloud isn't actually a woman. He is part, but he's also a man." Jenova raised an eyebrow, looking down to Tifa's hand. The blood had stopped pouring out, Jenova cleaning up the rest of the blood.

"As long as Sephiroth is happy, I would accept Cloud. No matter how he is." Tifa smiled, knowing this woman wasn't as heartless as Sephiroth made her seem. She knew she couldn't have Cloud, but maybe he would love her more if she showed him she was useful.

"I was heartless before. I thought what I was doing was best for him," Jenova sighed, Tifa's smile slowly falling.

So did she.

"Sephiroth is very happy. We learned two days ago that Cloud had conceived," Tifa told her, Jenova smiling brightly at the news. Tifa was just as excited to see the baby, her earlier jealousy gone. She only wanted what was best for Cloud.

Even if it meant they wouldn't have happiness together.

"That is good news!" Jenova exclaimed, Tifa feeling at ease with this woman. She looked down to her hand, Jenova letting it go when there was no more blood to clean.

"How did Sephiroth find this rare beauty?" Jenova asked, Tifa leading her to a bench in the shade to get away from the hot sun.

"Cloud had been a slave. The Don wanted him, but Sephiroth had out bid him. He became a butler here," Tifa told her, chuckling softly at how quickly he warmed the ice man's heart.

"But now, he is of equal to Sephiroth," Tifa told her, Jenova smiling softly as she looked out to the garden. She still looked sad.

"I can arrange for you to meet him." Jenova looked to her with disbelief, but Tifa could see the gratefulness in her eyes.

"Tomorrow at noon. Sephiroth will be off on an errand than," Tifa told her, Jenova pulling her into a hug.

"Thank you."

Tifa held her back, releasing her when she moved away. Jenova smiled, slowly standing up.

"Meet me at the hat shop on Loveless. I'll be waiting there." Tifa nodded, Jenova smiling wide before leaving.

Tifa knew she had done the right thing.

:::+:::

Jenova wiped off her dress after she got in her carriage, disgusted from the wench touching her. The maid was easy to fool, Jenova was glad for that. Jenova laughed at how easy it was, already knowing what she would do to the little bastard Sephiroth grew interest in.

Jenova would make sure Sephiroth never saw Cloud again.

The carriage started to move forward, the butler already knowing where to go. Jenova smiled wide, thinking of how well Sephiroth would take to the princess. She may have been an adopted brat, but she had money and that was all that mattered.

Jenova took a letter from the seat next to her, reading it again.

The Queen had sent Sephiroth an invitation to a ball for tomorrow night, asking that his new fiance comes as well.

Tomorrow night, Cloud will be at the hands of the Don.

She'll make sure the baby inside of him is destroyed.

The carriage stopped by a decorated house, the fake gold stairwell hiding the trash inside. She waited for the butler to open her door before she got out, lifting her dress so it wouldn't touch the dirty ground. She headed to the house, two bodyguards stopping her.

"What are you here for?" One asked, Jenova leveling them both with an ice cold glare.

"I'm here to make an offer." The bodyguards let her in, Jenova walking into the house. The door was opened by a woman who was bare, her hair pinned up into a bun. Jenova ignored her, heading to the kitchen.

The Don sat at the table, a woman laying down on it with food covering her body. She had her eyes closed as a man she didn't know ate food off from her. He was bare of clothing as well, Jenova looking away with disgust.

"Don."

The Don looked to her, a wide smile touching his thin lips. Jenova didn't move as he stood, his fat body moving towards her quickly. He stopped in front of her, his smile turning into a grin.

"Yes, my darling?" Jenova smiled softly, her disgust replaced with eagerness.

"Do you remember a slave named Cloud?" The Don's grin stretched impossibly wider, Jenova leaning down just slightly.

"What if I told you I could get you him?" The Don chuckled, leading her out of the kitchen. They went into a separate room where nobody was, the Don closing the door. He lit a candle, turning to Jenova.

"How would you get me my prized possession?" The Don asked, Jenova smiling wide.

"One of Sephiroth's maids agreed to let me see the boy, secretly of course. He is a very special case."

The Don sat down on the bed, Jenova rather sure it was covered in the release of many people.

"How interesting. Tell me, how is that boy a special case?" Jenova moved closer, already thinking of how much Cloud would suffer at the hands of this man.

"Cloud is both male and female. I'm sure you can have much fun with him." The Don stood, walking over to her till they were face to face.

"How much?" He asked, Jenova touching a finger to his cheek. He closed his eyes, Jenova leaning in close till their lips almost touched.

"Nothing."

:::+:::

Cloud laid down next to Sephiroth, panting softly as he came down from his orgasmic high. Sephiroth was slowly calming his breathing, his eyes closed as he relaxed against the bed.

"Why did you pick me?" Cloud whispered, Sephiroth opening his eyes. He looked to Cloud who was staring at the far wall, his eyes filled with doubts. Sephiroth smiled a little bit, lifting Cloud's head by his chin. Cloud looked to him, Sephiroth kissing his lips chastely.

"I love you because you made my heart stop when I first looked at you." Cloud rose up, looking down to Sephiroth with a frown of confusion.

"I was covered in dirt and grime. I was nothing beautiful," Cloud told him, Sephiroth smiling softly at Cloud's accusation.

"I loved you when you were a dirty slave, and I'll love you when you're my wife. My love won't change because of how or who you are."

Cloud smiled, more happy than Sephiroth would ever know.

Cloud loved Sephiroth more than anything, and he knew he would be with him forever.

"I don't deserve you," Cloud told him, Sephiroth smirking as he tucked a piece of Cloud's hair behind his ear and out of his face. Cloud didn't deserve this man at all.

"You deserve so much more than me Cloud. You could have chosen any woman, but instead you chose me." Cloud kissed Sephiroth's lips, pulling away after a brief taste of tongue.

"You could have done the same," Cloud replied, Sephiroth looking down to Cloud's stomach.

Cloud straddled Sephiroth's hips, Sephiroth touching a hand to Cloud's stomach.

Cloud put a hand over his, Sephiroth looking up to Cloud's eyes.

"Stay with me." Cloud leaned down, kissing Sephiroth's lips. He pulled away just enough to speak, looking into Sephiroth's eyes so he could see he spoke no lies.

"Always."