Night had fallen a long time ago, but Sephiroth couldn't sleep. Echoes of Hojo's words haunted his mind as he sat on his mattress-and-pillow bed in his guest room, decorated much like a Chinese inn. He didn't mind the darkness of his room and welcomed the shadows, his black pants blending in with the darkness. "Hojo was right..." he whispered to himself. "Someone has to die to destroy Jenova...there's no way around it...and I must decide who..." The man shook his head, running a hand through his long hair. "Aeris help me...How can I betray them...when they've helped me reform?"
A knock on his door woke Sephiroth from his thoughts. "Come in."
Cloud entered, wearing his night outfit, hiding something behind his back. "Hey," he greeted Sephiroth with a weak half-smile. "Mind if I join you?"
Sephiroth shrugged. "Go right ahead."
Silently, Cloud went to Sephiroth and sat down beside him. "You weren't at dinner earlier," he attempted to make conversation. "Tifa made this huge feast!"
"I wasn't hungry," Sephiroth replied coldly. "Or in the mood to be brow-beaten by Tifa or to watch Zax get drunk..."
"Sorry...I didn't mean it that way..."
Again Sephiroth shrugged. "Its okay...It was my fault for sounding harsh."
"Don't worry about it." Cloud handed him a small box, tied with a ribbon. "I got this in Wutai. For you."
After a slight hesitation, Sephiroth accepted the box and began untying the ribbon. He smiled and shook his head, seeing what was inside. "An ear cuff," he spoke, smiling. "Its nice..." He set the box aside and went to his pack, pulling out the small package. "Since I suppose we're celebrating an early Christmas, this is for you." Sephiroth handed the package to Cloud.
A curious look on his face, Cloud opened the small bundle and gasped. "No way..." He lifted the cloak to inspect. The material was like black silk and covered with a shield of a layered, flexible unknown substance that was also black. "Those are black dragon scales!" The blonde looked at Sephiroth with wide eyes. "Where did you get this?!"
"Wutai, during the festival," answered the elder man. "Try it on."
Cloud stood and wrapped the cloak around his shoulders, the scales glittering in the moonlight. "Well?"
Sephiroth also stood and went to Cloud, making a few adjustments so the black garment fit the younger teen better. "There." He stepped back to let Cloud move around, adapting to the material.
"Cool..." Cloud started to take off the cloak, but couldn't. His cloak so fitting, he couldn't escape. "Uh...Sephy...could you help me out?"
Sighing with frustration, Sephiroth went to Cloud and helped him with the garment. The blonde shivered as the elder's light fingers grazed Cloud's bare arm under the cloak. Within moments, the black cloak fell to the ground, and Sephiroth stepped away from the younger man. A slight paint of blush decorated Cloud's face as he picked up his gift from the ground. But as he turned to leave, he paused in the doorway and glanced back at Sephiroth, who had sat back down on his bed; the two shared the same silent thought.
"Sephiroth...could I...kiss you?" Cloud whispered in a soft voice.
Blushing a bit, Sephiroth nodded his head, remaining seated. A bit unsure of himself, Cloud set the gift on a nearby chair and went the older male. Butterflies tickled his stomach as he knelt down and leaned closer to Sephiroth, the two closing their eyes to brace themselves for the kiss.
The kiss finally came, Sephiroth's lips cool against Cloud's. His kiss wasn't fierce, though, like it was during their last kiss. The elder's kiss was soft and gentle, making Cloud's blush deepen and stomach fist up. Not thinking about his actions, the blonde leaned forward to deepen the kiss, now sitting on Sephiroth's lap. The silver-haired man didn't flinch as Cloud wrapped his arm around Sephiroth's waist; the two so close now, not even a piece of paper could come between them.
Finally, Sephiroth released his prisoner and the kiss, the two gasping for breath, having forgotten how to breathe. The older man sat back on his elbows, exhausted from the kiss as Cloud lay tired on Sephiroth's chest. "Dear god..." Cloud muttered, his voice catching up with him. "That felt so...good..." He shook his head, trying to sit up, but his strength failed him as he laid back down on Sephiroth. "Thank you...For the kiss I mean..."
"No problem..." whispered Sephiroth in an almost unheard voice, also reflecting his weariness in his voice. "I felt..." The man sighed. "I wanted that kiss."
"Wanted? I thought...I thought you didn't...like me in that way..." Cloud spoke curiously. "I thought you were afraid of being loved."
Sephiroth hesitated, then answered, "I still am..." He laid down, staring at the ceiling. "I'm afraid of hurting myself and being hurt by others. And hurting them in return..." The man closed his eyes, trying to push back the pains of remembering. "So much pain...so much suffering...so much regret."
Cloud sighed to himself, stroking the elder's face with a light hand. "I'm sorry...most of your pain is from me..."
The older man said nothing, holding Cloud's hand to his face for comfort. A slight sigh passing through him, Cloud bent closer to kiss Sephiroth once more, but missed, his lips caressing the older man's throat just above his collar bone. Sephiroth couldn't restrain the soft moan that passed his lips from the sensual kiss of the blonde.
"Cloud...wait..." Sephiroth mumbled, the younger's free hand sliding from Sephiroth's shoulder, down his chest, and towards his waist. "What...are you doing...to me? Stop...please..."
"Love, Sephiroth," the blonde replied, releasing the silver-haired man's neck just long enough to speak. "I'm going to give you my love to replace the pain." Cloud kissed the man again, only this time where his neck met his right ear. The elder struggled a bit, but couldn't push Cloud's weight off him.
"Cloud don't...please don't..." pleaded the elder as the blonde pressed on with unhearing ears. Sephiroth closed his eyes tightly, trying to ignore Cloud's warm body on his, trying to not think of what his captor was doing to him. As he did so, Cloud's hand slid away from Sephiroth's abdomen. He didn't move, though, laying still on Sephiroth.
"You don't love me, do you?" Cloud asked in a faint whisper that Sephiroth almost didn't hear.
"What?"
"I can feel it," sighed Cloud, his head resting on the elder's right shoulder. "You're so tense...so afraid. You'd never love me back...you'd never give your life for me...or anyone else..."
A sudden thought struck Sephiroth. Give my life...That's it! I've decided now... he thought to himself. Smiling, the older man wrapped his arms around Cloud, making the younger gasp and blush. "You're wrong Cloud," Sephiroth spoke. "I would give my life for you...more than you know. Its hard for me to not be afraid of love...because I have never been truly loved...until now."
Cloud looked up at Sephiroth with wide eyes, shining with hope. "Does that...do you mean...?"
Sephiroth smiled kindly, nodding his head. "Yes, Cloud...ai shiteru..."
Giving no warning, Cloud kissed Sephiroth's lips once more. This kiss was filled with a deeper, burning passion; their mouths hot against each other. This is it, Sephiroth thought as Cloud broke the kiss long enough for the blonde to slip out of his shirt. I'll be Cloud's and he'll be mine after tonight...After tonight...there'll be no turning back...
Cloud's kiss left Sephiroth's lips, the blonde's tongue playing on the elder's skin as his kiss moved down Sephiroth's chest and body. He paused at Sephiroth's waist; the younger's tongue probing the silver-haired man's belly button as he gently sucked the man's skin. Again the older male could not suppress a soft moan of forbidden pleasure and desire, Cloud's hands running down Sephiroth's sides, slipping his black pants from his skin.
The blonde could feel Sephiroth harden under him, Cloud's groin throbbing with a sexual lust for the angel he once hated and feared. With a swift movement of his hand, Cloud had Sephiroth undressed, laying naked in the moonlight over the sheets and covers of the bed.
For a moment, time stopped as Sephiroth sat up, his bare body glistening with a light sweat in the moon's light. Then, before Cloud know it, the elder man was behind him, a hand over Cloud's racing heart while the other slid down Cloud's chest and stomach, slipping under his boxers. Cloud's moan of pleasure was louder than Sephiroth's as the dark angel fondled and caressed the blonde's privates. And, as Cloud had done with him, Sephiroth had the last of the younger's clothes off in a quick movement, their hot, bare bodies touching.
"Do you really want me?" Sephiroth whispered in Cloud's ear as his hands massaged Cloud's abdomen, the blonde gasping for breath. "Do you really want the love of an angel of shadows? I could end this now or I could keep going...I may be untouched...but I know what I'm doing."
Still breathing hard, Cloud placed a hand on one of Sephiroth's and held it over the blonde's manhood. "Feel that?" Cloud whispered, knowing he was hard. Sephiroth nodded his head on Cloud's shoulder. "That...that is my burning love for you...You did that to me...You awakened my desires...Neither Tifa nor Aeris could...only you..." He nodded his head. "If you have any desire for me in your black heart...continue..."
Saying nothing, Sephiroth kissed Cloud's neck where it met his shoulder, his hands gently squeezing and releasing the younger's genitals in a rhythm, sticky beads of male seed forming on his fingers. Cloud could hear himself moan once more as Sephiroth laid the blonde down with his back to the ground and his legs spread around the elder; one arm holding him leaned over Cloud while his other hand remained on Cloud's manhood.
"Wait...Sephiroth...wait..." Cloud panted. "It hurts...I've changed my mind...you're hurting me...stop..."
"No..." Sephiroth shook his head. "There's no turning back now...Now that we've already made each other ours." He lifted his dew-covered hand and caressed Cloud's lips with a gooey finger. "As for the pain...you'll enjoy it..."
Without warning, Sephiroth thrust his manhood between Cloud's legs beside his privates. Cloud sat up quickly, shouting in both pleasure and pain, love and hate, happiness and sorrow, the elder's seed soaking the covers around them. He flinched as Sephiroth again assaulted Cloud's body, again and again, the younger digging his nails into Sephiroth's shoulders.
Finally, the onslaught ended and the two laid down, exhausted. "I'm...yours now...Cloud..." Sephiroth whispered. "And...you're mine...There are...no limits...holding us back now...from each other..."
Though Cloud didn't feel it as he drifted into a tired sleep, Sephiroth's silent tears wetted the pillow cushioning their heads. Is this love? Is this the feeling that has been tearing my heart? he thought as he cried. If it is...if this pain that tortures me is love...I never want it to end...