Chapter 35
"Get your hands off me," Cloud barked gruffly, trying to sit up again.
"I only have one hand upon you, and I'm sure you don't really want me to remove it, do you? If you say yes, I'll know you're a liar, because your body is betraying how much it is actually revelling in my touch," Sephiroth replied, his gentle stroking motion becoming faster, his grip becoming firmer.
When Cloud had first awoken from his stupor, he had felt drained and sapped of all energy. Now though, with the general's fingers on him, he felt his pulse quicken and it appeared as if his heart was beating louder; in the quietness of the room, it certainly seemed to boom inside his head, blocking out the sound of his inner mind that screamed at him, resist, resist, resist. He made some attempt at doing just that, trying to repel the general's advances by pushing at the man's chest and smacking at his face as it loomed downwards to steal another kiss.
As always, the boy's resistance against him impassioned Sephiroth, and his own cock responded equally as hard as the one he held as desire flared in his blood. As his passion heightened he discounted Cloud's ordeal and his close brush with death. Sex equated life, and so too did fighting. A corpse could not retaliate. And the boy was very much not dead. Moving his head back to escape yet another feeble slap, Sephiroth pulled on the upper arms of the blond youth and yanked him off the table and down onto the floor, where he swooped over the top of him and pinned him in place while he found the opening to his leather pants and released his straining member.
"I don't want this. Let me rest."
Sephiroth heard the weary tone in the boy's plaintive plea, and for the briefest of moments he rebuked himself for what he was doing. But then he noticed that Cloud had marginally tipped his head back, and had slowly thrust up his hips a fraction. His eyes were closed, and rather than strain to bring his knees together, the boy had actually dropped them in wanton abandonment. That was all the encouragement the general needed.
As Sephiroth's cock pushed slowly into Cloud's body, the blond consoled himself that he had tried to reject the man, that he had put up some semblance of a fight. Was it his fault that he was too weak to parry the other, he asked of himself. Although he refrained from asking where he found the strength that he now used to partake of the sexual union; his feet planted firmly on the floor in order to aid in the pushing up of his ass to meet the general's deep penetration, the way his hands gripped tightly at the man's arms, and of how ardently he was returning the kisses that were bestowed on him.
Reaching his climax, Sephiroth shuddered and held himself still as his orgasm erupted. His pleasure was twofold when he felt Cloud's own release, his semen becoming trapped between their bodies. He dipped his head and rested it on the boy's shoulder, and only gave a quiet laugh when he was pushed away, rolling to one side and resting next to his conquest. "Say thank you," he instructed.
"For what? You raping me again?" Cloud rebuked, turning accusing eyes on the general.
Giving an exaggerated sigh, Sephiroth pushed himself up on one elbow and stared down impassively at his 'victim'. "When are you going to stop this farce?" he questioned, mild disdain clear in his voice. "You yearn to be possessed by me, again and again. You push at me so that I will make you submit. You need me to force you into submission. It's what excites you. And you know that it excites me too. Our sex may not be traditional, but it is what both of us crave, and without it we might as well revert back to being empty shells. Do you want to be an empty shell again?" he asked with a quirk of an eyebrow.
Abashed, Cloud shook his head. All that the general had said was true. It was time to admit it. His sex life had never been so thoroughly enjoyable as it had since his first capture with the man. Admittedly, at the beginning, Cloud was convinced he was simply the play toy of his capturer. But once he had had his freedom returned, Cloud had quickly realised that he missed the carnal and violent sex he'd shared with Sephiroth. Theirs was a passionate and thrilling joining, and none of Cloud's other partners had ever made him reach such dizzy heights of fanatical ardour. Control the fervent lover that I am. Evoke my bad side…
"I just saved your life by giving you half my blood, as well as my seed," Sephiroth said, interrupting the boy's thoughts. "So, for all the wrongs I may have done to you before, have I redeemed myself now?"
"You could try saying please, once in a while," Cloud chided.
"That word is not in my vocabulary," Sephiroth replied tartly. "It is a begging word, and I do not beg. Whatever I want from people is either given by them freely, or it is forced from them." He ignored the snort of reproach from the boy. "You have something to say?"
"Yes. You can take this damn collar off me," Cloud spat, sitting up now and tugging at the blue leather that adorned his throat.
"You don't like it?"
"What, when at the click of a button you can have spikes shoot out into my neck to keep me awake all night? No, I don't like it!" Cloud confessed.
Sephiroth blinked in confusion. "There are no spikes embedded in it. At least, not to my knowledge," he said. "And besides, I can think up much more creative ways of keeping you awake all night without the aid of metal spikes being driven into you." He pressed his groin against Cloud's thigh. "I have one of flesh right here that would suffice," he whispered.
"Bastard!" cussed Cloud, explaining when the general tilted his head in question. "The professor. He told me that you'd had this collar specially made. He was just toying with me, wasn't he?"
"Well, he won't be teasing you anymore," Sephiroth revealed, nodding towards the dismembered beast head.
"That's Hojo?" Cloud asked in puzzlement.
"Was," Sephiroth confirmed as he cupped the boy's chin in his hand gently and asked, "Won't you consider wearing my collar, and viewing it as a sort of bonding band?"
"Bonding…band? I… I…" Cloud felt the heat rush through his body, and for a moment or two he found it hard to breathe. Was this really the same cold hearted person in front of him, or had the general somehow been thawed out? And, by him? Cloud felt light headed, and dizzy. Did that mean the man felt the same way about him as…
"A simple yes or no, sometime today, would suffice."
Maybe not completely thawed out, Cloud thought to himself with a smile. Then his smile froze on his face as he remembered, "Tifa!"
"I have competition?"
"No. Yes. I mean, no," Cloud stuttered, recalling the last time he'd seen the girl.
"Tifa. Isn't she the female from that tavern?" Sephiroth questioned.
"Yeah. She's here. Or, she was, until the professor deliberately set off a bomb that blew up the corridor she was in," Cloud related, furrowing his brows as he wondered if Tifa had somehow survived the blast. He doubted it.
"What was she doing here?" the general inquired.
"She said she'd come to save me," Cloud admitted ruefully.
Sephiroth gave a scoff as he repositioned himself over the blond. "She should be made aware that I've already saved you, from yourself," he said, nudging the boy's legs open for a second coupling.
As always, Cloud began to resist, trying to wrestle the general into bottom position, fighting to gain a secure seat on top of the man. He failed. "One day," he panted, licking at a bruised lip. "One day I will take you, as you take me."
"That will never happen," Sephiroth told him as he began to push slowly in and out of the boy's body in triumph. "Not in a million lifetimes."
"Then it's going to be an interesting million and one lifetimes with you," Cloud countered, moaning quietly as the man entered him fully and hit the spot inside that had him feeling fireworks.
Giving a snorting chortle, Sephiroth kissed the boy to stop him from any further talking.
Once his lust was satisfied, and his fears for Cloud's life put at rest, Sephiroth stood and, tucking himself back in his pants, he looked around for some sort of rag with which to clean himself. The front of his leather duster was coated in the boy's come, and while a part of him wanted nothing more than to have the youth kneel before him and lick it clean, he knew that would only result in them having sex again, and they had been too long already. Zack was probably having kittens behind the exit door. Stooping, he retrieved Cloud's clothing from off the floor, tossing them to him but keeping hold of the underwear, which he used as his rag.
Cloud dressed slowly. With his ardour abating, other body feelings had returned to him. Aches and pains, which reminded him of how weak and tired he really felt.
"When we get back, and inter you to a proper lab, I'll give you more blood. That should flush out the toxin from you entirely," Sephiroth promised, casting aside the used scrap of cloth before holding out a hand to help Cloud up on his feet.
Even with the man's aid, Cloud still stumbled as he fought to keep his balance, brushing aside Sephiroth's offer of a supporting arm. "I'm okay," he grumbled, determined to be. Each step he took seemed a little sturdier, and so he steadily made his way unassisted.
Picking up the discarded head, Sephiroth opened the door that led to the exit and was surprised to see his friend sitting the other side. "Nothing better to do, than pry on me?" he mocked.
"Don't build yourself up, old man. From what I could hear, it wasn't that good of a show," Zack answered back smartly as he stood up, winking at Cloud. "Truth be told, I've checked out the way ahead and, apart from some damage done to a wall where one of the bomb blasts must have counteracted with another, this passageway is clean and leads outside to a large plateau that has a copter ready and waiting to take us away. Hojo appeared to have his escape route planned right down to the last detail," he related, nodding at the trophy Sephiroth carried.
"He was clever, yes. But not that clever," the general retorted.
"No, of course he wasn't, he messed about with something that belonged to you," Zack laughed, looking long and hard at the blond who was stood just slightly behind the general. He was pleased to see that the boy didn't appear to be too worse for wear considering what he had gone through these last few hours. "You okay?" he asked of Cloud though, just to make sure.
"As much as anyone can be, that's just been taken whilst unable to defend himself," Cloud answered sullenly, ignoring the mocking look that Sephiroth cast at him.
"Take no notice of him, Zack. He's sulking because he's finally had to admit to himself that he belongs to me."
"Don't be so smug about it," Cloud retaliated with a glare.
"Did I tell an untruth?" Sephiroth asked in feigned innocence.
Cloud turned his face away from the dark haired man, silently admitting to what Sephiroth had revealed, though he muttered dourly, "There's no need to be so brazen though."
Zack had to refrain from making any comment, and he also had to fight to keep the smile from off his face. He gave a little shake of his head as he realised that, no matter what, the pair of them would always have a volatile relationship. Love to hate, he thought to himself, before saying, "I radioed headquarters while you were, 'busy', and told them we've completed the mission and to send in a clean-up party."
"Good," Sephiroth answered. "Now, are you capable of flying the helicopter that you found?"
"I cannot believe you just asked me that," Zack gasped in surprise. "Me? Shin-Ra's best when it comes to any transportation device." He exaggerated a sigh.
"Just checking," Sephiroth said, with the faintest of grins.
"Oh, I get what you just did," Zack said, smiling fully. "I got at you for your love making skills, so you try to down old Zacky on hisown capabilities. Well let me tell you, I'll have us home and in front of the fire in less time than it…"
"You have fifteen minutes."
"Slave driver," Zack quipped, adding with a bowing flourish, "This way, if you please."
The trio made their way forward, but Cloud's feet refused to co-ordinate themselves and more than once he stumbled and almost fell, until the general tossed the severed head he carried towards his second in command, and then picked the boy up, throwing him over one shoulder and ignoring the feeble protests and the punches to his spine.
Zack noticed that with the weight of the blond, Sephiroth's own footsteps seemed to have slowed. It seemed that the transfusion, and the sex, had left the general almost as weak as the boy. Zack decided to run on ahead and get the helicopter prepared. He knew it would be pointless asking to carry Cloud because Sephiroth would simply refuse, so the next best thing would be having the transport ready for take-off as soon as the others got there. "Just follow this path all the way around," he said, pointing out the direction. "You can't get lost," he promised as he sprinted off.
"You're not strong enough to carry me," Cloud complained, squirming and trying to get free.
"Don't you start, I've had enough lecturing from Zack about my welfare," Sephiroth scolded, hefting the boy back in to place.
Cloud gave up his struggle, and allowed the general to carry him. He told himself that his compliancy was simply so he could conserve his own strength, just in case an opportunity for escape arrived. With Sephiroth's power diminished, there was a better chance that he could make it. But then he faced reality and allowed himself to simply enjoy being carried, knowing in his heart he wouldn't even be looking for a way out. So it was with some surprise that he suddenly found himself being pitted forward, and crashing down on to the floor.
"Don't you move! Don't you dare fucking move, or the next shot goes in your head!"
Tentatively, Cloud faced the aggressor, who was emerging from the broken part of the corridor that Zack had mentioned earlier. Tifa stood there, both hands holding a weapon, which was aimed directly at Sephiroth. Cloud turned to the general now, and was shocked to see him on one knee, blood spilling from a wound in his side. The general had a hand upon the floor to steady himself, and the other pressed tight in a ball, trying to stem the flood of blood. "Seph?"
"Cloud, get away from him!" called Tifa. "He won't hurt you any more, I promise."
"Tifa." Cloud pushed himself up gingerly, never taking his eyes from the girl and the weapon she held. "Tifa, stop, please. It's not what it seems." He tried to keep his voice calm, though his heart was racing and his mind was screaming at her to just lower the gun.
"This man, this monster, killed Trey," Tifa cried, her voice catching on a sob. "And he took you, and would have killed you too. He has to die."
"No, Tifa, you got it all wrong," Cloud argued gently. "He's not responsible for what happened. In fact, he took care of the guy who caused all this, himself." Feeling encouraged by her silence, he took a few steps towards her.
Sephiroth barked out a word. "Cloud…"
Ignoring the general's authoritative warning tone, Cloud continued walking forward until he was almost toe to toe with the girl. Then, bending his head and lowering his voice to almost a whisper he said to her, "I'm sorry for your loss, truly, but please don't take away my lover too. He's done nothing to be murdered for."
It took several seconds before realisation sank in to Tifa. Cloud was saying that all her efforts had been unnecessary? She gawped like a fish, looking from the blond to the silver haired man who still knelt prone upon the floor. Then anger crossed over her features and she spat, "Lovers? You two? Then what about us? What about me? Did I mean nothing to you? I was just some cheap thrill?" She pushed at the boy. "I came to rescue you, to save you from him. Are you saying you don't want me?"
Her voice had become shrill, loud and high in her distress. It broke Cloud's heart to hear it, but she had to know the truth. He gently gathered her up in his arms, holding on to her even as she beat at him with her fists, letting her sob and cry, cradling her until her tears slowed and her resisting body stilled. Then he continued to hold her, placing his head next to hers in companionship. "I've been an idiot," he quietly confessed. "I was madly, deeply in love with Sephiroth, but I didn't want to admit to it, not even to myself. So I ran away from him. And right up until he took me back, I was still in denial."
A soft sniff, and continued weeping, answered him.
"Thank you for coming to my aid. I really do appreciate it. And I'm sorry to have caused you so much trouble. You'll always be my friend, I promise you that. But Seph… I guess I've always belonged to him. We're like two separate parts of the same person. Without him I become moody and dark, and with me he becomes a little more human. I feel I can't live without him in my life, no more than he can without me. Tifa, this is the real thing for me. Please, please find it in your heart to be happy for me."
Hiccupping with her sorrow, Tifa lifted her tear stained face and looked deeply in to Cloud's eyes, seeing the truth in them. Then she in turn wrapped her arms around him, and planted her mouth on his in a parting kiss.
"No!"
Sephiroth's shout had Cloud breaking from the embrace, and he turned around to face the general. What he saw had him opening his eyes wide. But what he heard next sealed his fate with the silver haired man forever.
With one hand still upon the floor supporting himself, Sephiroth now had the other reached out towards Cloud, bloodied fingers spread wide and open. And in a pleading voice that he had never used before, he said, "Cloud, stay with me…" A moment's hesitation and then, "…Please."
It was at that moment Zack returned, to see where his passengers were. "Seph, if you've stopped off to make lov…" His words broke off abruptly, as he sized up the situation in front of him. Cloud in the arms of a girl, the general lying upon the floor, his arm upraised as if in an act of submission. And blood. Sephiroth was bleeding. Zack reached for his gun.
Pushing Tifa behind him, Cloud stood guard before her, and tried to explain things. "She thought he was hurting me. She came to save me. She didn't know I didn't need saving."
Zack relaxed just the teeniest bit. His weapon still aimed he gave a small grin. "So you've finally come to accept what he means to you, eh?"
Cloud gave a nod, and then he began walking purposefully towards the general, though he kept his eyes on Zack the whole time. "And he needs help," he said, stooping down to hold, and examine, Sephiroth.
"It wasn't a killing shot," Tifa said meekly. "I… I wanted him to be alive before I killed him."
"That makes no sense," Zack argued. The girl just shrugged her shoulder.
"She's right, about it not being a killing shot," Sephiroth admitted, groaning a little as Cloud helped him to his feet. One arm wrapped around the boy's shoulders for support, and the other placed once again against the wound, the general observed the female. "I will take good care of him, I promise you," he said solemnly.
"Better see that you do, else I may come back and finish the job," Tifa threatened.
"Don't worry about that, if he hurts Cloud he knows he has me to answer to," Zack said with a laugh, finally lowering his weapon. Then in a more serious tone he asked, "Need a lift home? There's a copter just up ahead, we can drop you off."
Tifa shook her head. "Barrett's shot a way out for us back down that corridor. He's waiting for me. I'd better go." She cast Cloud a wan smile, and lifted her hand in farewell. And then she was gone.
Zack took Cloud's place, holding his friend up and aiding him to walk. He let Cloud follow slowly behind. It wasn't as if Sephiroth could go fast anyway, not with a bullet graze in his side. Getting to the helicopter, he helped both men in and strapped them to their seats before taking his own. Within seconds the machine was up and flying.
"You were going to leave with her," Sephiroth accused, undoing his safety belt.
"Is that what you think?" Cloud asked, unlocking his own.
"You were kissing her, weren't you?"
"She was saying goodbye."
"With her mouth?" Sephiroth rebuked.
"It was a friendship kiss."
"Then I'll have to wipe the vision of it from my mind by making my lover remind me of what he can do with his mouth."
"Is that a threat, or a promise?" Cloud asked.
"Take it as you want, but you will take it," Sephiroth answered, undoing his trousers.
Up in the cockpit, Zack heard a little ruckus going on behind him, so he looked back over his shoulder to check on his passengers. With a smile on his face he was saying, "Let's get you two love birds' home before you start shaking the bolts off this thing." And then, upon seeing the position of Cloud's tightly held head he called out sharply, "Hey, hey! Not on the back seat! Aw man, I am so not cleaning up…"
"Have no fear, there will be no mess, not with my boy's talented little mouth," purred Sephiroth, his eyes half closed, and his fingers softly caressing the wild spikey blonde locks.
THE END
/\./\./\./\./\./\./\
Author's Note; Thank you, Jean, for the review, and I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that you find your muse soon.
And many thanks to those of you who left reviews also, and to the ones who have made this story a favourite. But to JBS, a very special thank you, and lots of hugs, for being with me from start to finish.