Twinkle, twinkle little star
Angel took a really cute shade of red as the instructor stepped in. Cloud, though in pain, burst out laughing, well laughing and grimacing. He was shaking so much from mirth that he did not see Zack beside him until the doctor put the ice pack directly on his skin. The blond jerked up at one go.
- Aaaah! Ooow!!!
- Stop laughing at him, you're just making him more embarrassed…
- Ow… I am sorry… but you should have seen your face, Angel… Anyway. Why don't you two go into the yard to talk? After all, it is a beautiful day. But don't forget to cover yourselves. You don't want to loose your voice suddenly, no?
Angel rolled his eyes at the grin his father shot him and invited Quistis to come out in the yard with him. They walked to the area where the Lifestream pool once was. A thick layer of snow covered the yard, making it shine under the pale sunrays of noon. Angel was nervous. His heart was beating so hard he was fearing it could jump out of his chest. Timidly he asked what was bringing her here.
- Oh… I wanted to talk to you. And I wanted to talk to Squall as well. His father had been transferred and he is better, well, it's what Kyros told me.
- Those are good news.
- Indeed.
A weird silence fell on them both. Angel discretely looked back to see Sephiroth and Squall watching him from the great window of his bedroom. A shock of spiked blond and silver hair was also visible. Gathering every drop of courage he had, he gently grabbed the instructor's hand. Quistis lifted her head to meet the gaze of Angel.
- Quistis, he started nervously, Would you be embarrassed if I asked for a kiss?
- I think… actually… not at all, she stuttered, I've been thinking about this… for a while now.
Flustered, both new lovers awkwardly reached for each other's lips. Angel, though he had been in love once, was very afraid of being attached to someone. But somehow, Quistis's touch made that fear evaporate like water on scalding stones. He was bound to her. He passed his arms around her waist and brought him closer in a tender embrace.
In the second floor bedroom of the house, there were an enlaced couple and two brothers who just contemplated the scene with an 'awwww' face.
- See? I told you he was in love, Cloud said to Sephiroth
- I gotta go tell Seifer!
Cloud was about to kiss Sephiroth when he heard Zack sigh. The doctor was a little jealous, but being a doctor implied sacrifices… Two times already he had lost his boyfriends because of his job. The lack of love sometimes was harder to bear, and it hurt him. Solitude could be forgotten by extra work, but the loneliness…
- Your father said not to worry, you'll surely find yourself someone, too.
Sephiroth put a hand on his son's shoulder, then made a quick sign with his hands, placing them just under his head. Go to sleep, you're tired. Smiling weakly, Zack nodded.
- You're probably right. *sigh* I'll call the hospital and ask for a week off.
They both waited until he shut himself into his room to cuddle a little. Cloud wrapped a blanket around his mate's shoulders and kissed his forehead, urging him to return to bed. But the silver haired man refused, shivering and cuddling closer. The blond understood almost instantly and grabbed the bedding.
- Come into the living room, the fire will warm you up. And I'll take a nap there, too. *sigh* You never really recovered from your captivity in the Northern Crater, ne?
Sephiroth tapped lightly his head, making a 'no' sign with his finger and leaned his forehead against Cloud's.
- I think too much?
A nod, followed by a soft kiss answered his question.
********
Three months later
- A shooting, two bombs and one poisoning attempt? And you're still doubting? If you weren't so clumsy, you would be dead by now. You're still green, though. Stay in bed. I will send the SeeDs out to collect info. That's what we need the most, now.
Laguna mumbled something under the covers that Squall did not fully understand.
- What?
- I said I don't want you to go. Fellin' bad…
- I have to, but I'll be back. Take care of you, and don't let anyone enter here but Kyros and me, okay?
Laguna waved his hand feebly. The poisoning attempt had occurred two weeks ago. Someone had send a chocolate box to him, and the tag said it was from Kyros. So he hadn't been suspicious for a second, and took one right away… before dropping his coffee over the box. It has been that accident that saved his life. The treats were poisoned. Less than an hour later, he was taken to the hospital, victim of violent convulsions, nausea and delirium. The amount of poison in his organism was minimum, but it was enough to make him very, very sick… and he was still recovering from the first shooting attempt.
He slowly put a hand over his stomach, god he hated to feel queasy. He had been taken into Kyros bedroom, since his was too wide and had a great window. Squall had insisted to occupy his usual bedroom, that way he could be there if another assassin tried to kill him. Weakly, he grabbed the top cover of the bed and muffled himself into it. And minutes later, he was fast asleep again for a few hours. When he woke up, Kyros was there; only he and Squall had the key to enter this room. He was accompanied by Sephiroth and Cloud. The lithe blond was dressed in a long-sleeved green kimono with a long, sleeveless light blue jacket. And his belly was enormous; for sure his baby was to come into this world in a very near future.
- Hey…, said Kyros, Are you any better now? You have visitors.
The President of Esthar propped himself on his elbows and smiled to the couple. Laguna was enchanted whenever the talk was going toward the newborn, and Kyros let him chat all he wanted. They learned that Cloud was effectively due soon, it was a question of days, only. So Laguna was touched they took the time to come to visit.
- And your sons?
- At home, answered Sephiroth, They all came back to prepare their brother's bedroom. But Zack is working today. They really got to you, this time…
- And it's been two weeks. I do hope Squall will find who is after you, added Cloud. Seph hoped you would be strong enough to play chess with him.
- I am sorry… I would have liked to play, but all I'm able to is to sleep.
- And whine, added Kyros.
Cloud and Sephiroth laughed at the cute scene. But laughter evaporated when the door burst out of it's hinges all of a sudden. A man clad in black quickly spotted Kyros, and after a short battle, he knocked the lean fighter out. Cloud was slowly trying to slip out, and he succeeded, but the assassin joined him before he could give the alarm. Sephiroth meanwhile had grabbed Laguna and he had locked him into the small bathroom, so he did not see what had become of Cloud during the few seconds he was busy. The next thing he knew was that a gun was leaned against his temple.
- No one will stand against the Sorceress's revival. Get away from that door or I put a bullet into that strong head of yours.
Sephiroth's eyes narrowed to slits.
- No one ever dared to speak to me that way and lived, he said menacingly.
The tone of Sephiroth stricken fear into his assailant. Victim and aggressor switched place; the gun fell with a dull thud as the silver haired man twisted the wrist of the man until he heard a snapping sound. Now he had the mysterious man at his mercy. But he could tell he was well trained and determined, for even if his wrist was broken, he had not cried out in pain. Not yet.
********
Zell and Quistis walked into the main hall of the Presidential Palace. They had to meet Squall and report on the numerous info they had collected into the dark places of Esthar. Upon turning the corner, something in the west wing caught her attention. Someone was laying face first on the floor. The instructor began to run when she recognized him, but when she noticed that the door of the bedroom was open, she stopped dead in her tracks and grabbed her whip. She carefully bent down to check on Cloud; he was breathing. He had a small amount of blood into his hair, and for a moment she thought he had been shot.
- Zell, go get Squall, quick!
But a sharp, painful scream prevented them to do so and both SeeDs readied their weapons and jumped into the room. What they saw was astonishing. Sephiroth was standing over the assailant, a foot placed on his crotch and holding him by his hair. He did not looked very pleased. The man he was questioning had an arm completely limp at his side, and Quistis was sure it was broken at least 2 times. Slowly, they saw him bend down to look right into his eyes.
- Talk. /Now/.
- No!
- I made you scream, I can do it again. And believe me, I will get what I want. Who sent you?
His voice was literally dripping with menace, cold and inhuman, making them realise what he must have been when he was the General of Shinra. And since he got no answer, he grabbed the man by the throat, lifted him from the ground and rammed him into the wall. Then, using his free hand, he pressed two precise points into his chest, and two ribs snapped. The scream that followed was loud enough to gather all the guards around. Zell kept them outside the bedroom and let Squall in; the man had began to talk.
- Who sent you, the brunette repeated
Sephiroth let him go. In the opposite corner, Kyros was coming back from the blackness, and immediately asked where was Laguna, reminding the silver haired man of his own lover. He passed through the small crowd and, seeing him nowhere, he asked if anyone had seen him. The news of him being knocked out froze his heart on place and he ran to get to him. He had been taken into a nearby office and laid on a couch. A maid was with him with an ice bag she was just placing on the huge bump at the back of his head. Sephiroth winced; from experience he knew his love would suffer from a major migraine in the next hours, that he would be sick and that it would be practically impossible to soothe him. So he reached for the pills he always carried in his pouch and, before Cloud could really wake up, made him swallow two. Then, carefully, he leaned on his tummy to hear if the baby was okay. The soft beating told him so. Cloud's was slow, meaning that he was stable and the baby's a little faster, like usual. He was doing this so often, lately, and it was extremely reassuring for him. When Cloud would sleep, Sephiroth was leaning on him, just to hear the baby. But a worried voice got him out of his reverie.
- What are you doing? He's still unconscious!, exclaimed the maid.
- I know him since long enough miss…, he answered in a soft voice, If he doesn't take those, he will be very difficult to deal with. Isn't there any other place where he could lie down more comfortably?
- Yes, sir. The President's bedroom is currently unoccupied.
- Good. Show me the way. Oh, and before I forget, bring a bucket and some washcloths. He will need a little tending.
********
Cloud was literally crying out in pain each time Sephiroth was touching his head with the ice. Muffled against Sephiroth, trying to ignore all of this, trying to sleep… anything not to /feel/ his condition. A quantity of sleep spells had been used in vain on him, all he was able to do was moan. The silver haired man placed Cloud's hand on the ice bag, holding it where it was, then gently laid him on his side.
- Don't move, he whispered, I have to clean this mess. I'll bring you some water.
A feeble nod told him he had been heard. He grabbed a washcloth and the bucket to empty it in the bathroom. When he came back, he asked once again to his love not to move. Soon after that, Cloud finally felt something else than pain, for his mate was gently massaging his back. Moans of pain became moans of relief and just as he thought he would slip into sleep, all his being tensed and the pain returned, but of another kind. Tears spilled out on the pillow, tears of joy and excitation.
- What is it? Are you hurting again?, Sephiroth asked suddenly
- No… Yes… Sephiroth, he's coming… Our fourth son is coming home…
- It's only the first wave. We still have a few hours ahead us. You should really try to sleep…
- Ooow… aah, I can't… my head hurts. Hold me…
Sephiroth obliged with a renewed fervour. He gave Cloud a peck on the cheek and began to hum a lullaby.
Twinkle, twinkle little star…End
Author's notes
*receives an old printer square in the face* oooooooooowwiiiiiiieee… I know it's an awful place to stop… but I kinda like to make you suffer… mwahahahahaha !!!! *get knocked out by a 1000lbs anvil*
Sephiroth and Cloud: ………-_-
Cloud: Let me guess… cliffie?
Sephiroth: Yup. And I think baby needs his father =^_^=
Cloud: Awww.. Isn't he cute when he wants a ride?
You'll meet him in: Chocolate stains