A/N: So this was supposed to be a welcome fic to Sephiroth joining Smash, but... procrastination and life? LOL
WARNINGS: SEXUAL UNDERTONES, F BOMBS EVERYWHERE, ONE SIDED CLOUD/SEPHIROTH, ORGASM (NON SEX), TORTURE, WHUMP, BLOOD.
All characters belong to their respective owners.
The Hero/Luminary is named Haru in this one.
ENJOY!
Plead To Me
The last thing he heard was a voice—a familiar one at that—before he was knocked unconscious. He had no idea how long he was knocked out, but eventually, his eyes fluttered open.
Cloud groaned, his head still throbbing from the blow. What just happened? All he remembered was that he was waiting for Reflet for another training session, and then a voice whispered into his ear before he blacked out.
His vision was blurred before he blinked his Mako-infused eyes to shake it off. It took a few seconds, but eventually, his vision cleared up. His eyes darted around, trying to figure out where he was.
Pitch black. That was all he could see. It was like he was in an endless black void.
The feeling of dread and despair hit him. He wasn't sure why, but this place… where was he?
Another wave of pain hit his head, and he moved his hands to—
...What?
His hands wouldn't move, nor would his legs. He turned to his limbs, and his eyes widened upon seeing that he was restrained with what appeared to be dark matter. His arms were outstretched on both of his sides, and his feet were held together. He couldn't move even if he wanted to.
He gritted his teeth, tugging against the dark matter to free himself to no avail. His heart raced as he grunted, hoping to find a weak point in his bonds.
What's going on?! Why is this happening?
No matter how much he struggled, he couldn't break out of his strong bindings. Not only that, he felt his strength draining whenever he tried to move. He halted his fight for freedom, trying to catch his breath as sweat beaded down his face.
"I see you are awake…"
Cloud's head shot up and fear crossed his face when he heard a voice. That voice. The one he tried so hard to escape from for years. The one he didn't want to hear ever again in his life.
"…Sephiroth…"
As if on cue, Sephiroth walked out of the shadows, his smile hard to miss. His footsteps echoed in the darkness as he approached the bound swordsman. His Masamune was in his hand, ready to strike down Cloud if he so wished.
"Did you enjoy your nap, Cloud?" Sephiroth taunted. He caressed Cloud's cheek with his other hand, his smirk growing wider when Cloud shuddered. The other man tried to pull away to no avail.
"Get your damn hands off of me," Cloud growled, his glare so terrifying that even the likes of Ganondorf would back down from it.
Sephiroth, however, shook his head, unfazed by Cloud's defiance. "Now, that's not a nice way to greet an old friend of yours."
"Fuck you."
Sephiroth ignored this as he held up his Masamune to Cloud's throat. Cloud could only stare at it, his breathing hitched and his muscles tensed. If he even so much as twitched, the long sword could slit his throat and kill him right then and there.
"There we go," Sephiroth purred in Cloud's ear, "be a good little submissive puppet for me."
As he said this, the silver-haired man carded his other hand through Cloud's hair. Cloud flinched upon the touch, but kept his glare as Sephiroth petted him like a cat.
The simple fact that he was touching him disgusted Cloud.
"What…" Cloud questioned, "Why are you here? What are you planning to do with me?"
"Didn't I tell you before, Cloud?" Sephiroth answered, removing his hand from Cloud's hair. Before Cloud could even react, Sephiroth took him by the throat. His grip tightened, nearly choking the blonde swordsman. "I will never go away. No matter where you are, I will always find you."
Cloud gagged, straining against his dark bindings to pull away from Sephiroth's choke hold. Sephiroth only sneered at Cloud's futile struggles before releasing his grip around Cloud's throat.
Before Cloud could catch his breath, lips crashed into his own. His eyes widened in surprise and were locked towards Sephiroth's lustful blue ones. He cried out, attempting to move his head away from Sephiroth's kiss.
Sephiroth, however, took a fistful of Cloud's hair to prevent him from doing so. His tongue touched Cloud's as he moaned, enjoying the taste of his designated prey.
Once Sephiroth finished, their lips parted. A string of saliva formed between them, as Cloud coughed and tried to spit out Sephiroth's lingering taste.
"What? Don't like it?" Sephiroth teased.
"Fuck you," Cloud growled, tugging against his restraints once more.
"You better like it, Cloud," Sephiroth threatened. He caressed his cheek again as he continued, "You will be mine. No one else's."
Cloud turned his head to bite at Sephiroth's hand, but unfortunately, Sephiroth moved it away. Suddenly, leather hit skin. Cloud grunted in pain from the impact, the sound of the smack echoing in the darkness.
A red handprint was left on Cloud's cheek, but he remained defiant. He clenched his jaw, his glare piercing Sephiroth's soul. If looks could kill, Sephiroth would be dead on the spot.
"Oh? Are you in love with someone else? Is that why you don't like it?" Sephiroth mocked.
Cloud didn't answer, but Sephiroth shook his head. "Tch. Typical…"
To Cloud's surprise, Sephiroth turned and walked away from him, disappearing into the shadows. Cloud was only alone for a few moments before Sephiroth returned.
This time, he held a figure in his arms. They were limp in Sephiroth's grip, as if they were a ragdoll. Sephiroth dragged them right in front of Cloud a few feet away before he released them. He snapped his fingers, and more dark matter restrained his new prisoner in the same position as Cloud's.
When a small light shined on the figure, Cloud's stomach dropped and his heart nearly stopped. His eyes widened when he recognized who it was.
Oh Cosmos... no!
Reflet wasn't taken here unscathed. Scratches and bruises littered his body, and blood trickled down his face from the blows Sephiroth clearly gave him. His left eye was black and swollen shut, and blood leaked out from his nose down to his chin, staining his clothes crimson. His right eye was puffy and red, as if he had been crying for hours.
"Reflet!" Cloud gasped as panic began to take over him. He renewed his struggles when he studied his love's injuries.
"Cl-Cloud…" Reflet muttered, apparently in too much pain to move. He slumped in his bonds, his uninjured eye locked with Cloud's fearful eyes.
Sephiroth laughed at this exchange before commenting, "Now isn't this sweet? Two lovers are finally reunited."
"Let him go, Sephiroth!" Cloud yelled. "It's me you want, isn't it?! Let Reflet go now!"
"And lose my leverage? Why, Cloud, you should know me better than that."
He placed his hand on Reflet's white hair, tousling his locks teasingly. Reflet didn't object, as he breathed heavily due to the pain flaring up everywhere in his body.
"You always have great tastes, Cloud," Sephiroth mocked. "Cute boys. Cute girls. My, I think this one is quite adorable! Though, I prefer that pretty girl—the one in the pink dress." He grinned at that last sentence.
"Don't fucking touch him!" Cloud shouted, struggling harder against his bonds. His glare intensified to the point his eyes glowed. His strength began to weaken, but Cloud didn't care. He had to get to Reflet, to protect him from the man who had made his life hell.
"And what are you going to do about it, hm?" Sephiroth asked with a sadistic smile. "You're both at my mercy. And if you don't give me what I want…"
He unsheathed his Masamune, the sword glistening despite the dark atmosphere. Cloud eyed the sword—the same sword that took her away years ago.
"I could take him away, like I did her" Sephiroth threatened, emphasizing the last word. He held the sword to Reflet's throat, the blade dangerously close to his skin.
"Cl-Cloud," Reflet whimpered, his breathing hitched as he kept his eye on the deadly weapon. "Pl-please help me… He would… he would—"
"Shut up!" Sephiroth yelled, and without warning, he moved his sword from Reflet's throat and sliced across Reflet's chest. A stream of blood ran down from the slash, and Reflet gasped and sobbed in pain.
"All right, all right!" Cloud cried, his heart breaking in two and anger boiling inside him as Reflet weeped from his new injury. His eyes were locked with Reflet's tearful one as he continued, "I'll… I'll give you what you want… Just… don't hurt him."
Sephiroth chuckled, pleased with Cloud's agreement before sheathing his sword. He placed his hand on Reflet's head again, this time grabbing a fistful of his white hair. Reflet whimpered, tears streaming down his face.
"I want you to beg," Sephiroth ordered, "Beg and plead to me. Know your place as you do so."
Cloud hesitated for a moment, as if registering Sephiroth's request. When Sephiroth pulled at Reflet's hair again and hearing Reflet's cry of pain, he immediately obliged.
"Please…" Cloud pleaded. "Please… I will be your puppet… I will let you do whatever you want with me. Please."
"More," Sephiroth demanded, releasing Reflet's hair. He breathed heavily, sweat beading down his forehead. He wasn't hot or tired—he was simply "enjoying himself" from hurting Cloud. That made Cloud nearly gag in disgust. "Beg and plead some more."
Sephiroth moved behind Reflet, who shivered in fear. He couldn't see him or see what he was doing—he only heard the familiar sound of a sword being removed from its sheath.
Cloud gritted his teeth at the silver haired man, his fists clenched before he strained against his bonds. His Mako eyes shone so bright it could light up the room—if there even was one.
"If you put one more fucking scratch on him—"
Sephiroth didn't let him finish, as he suddenly slashed through Reflet's back with his Masamune. It didn't cut deeply—Sephiroth's weapon was more of a whip than a sword.
Reflet screamed as Sephiroth continued his assault. The Tactician's black and purple coat was ripped up from behind from each cut as he sobbed in pain. He looked at Cloud, his eyes welling up with tears as he begged to him in his mind to make the torture stop.
Cloud struggled harder against his bonds, his glare saturated with hate as he shouted curses and threats towards Sephiroth. His anger reached its limit; he could only think of murdering Sephiroth brutally for what he was doing to his beloved. Once he managed to free himself, Sephiroth would pay.
"NO!" Cloud yelled. "Leave him alone!"
"Then plead," Sephiroth ordered, slicing through Reflet's back again.
"Cloud…!" Reflet gasped from the pain. More tears fell down his cheeks as each slice hit his vulnerable back. "Please help me… it…" he sobbed before continuing, "it hurts…"
"Did you hear that, Cloud?" Sephiroth taunted. He raised his sword again before he slashed across the helpless Tactician's back once more. "He wants me to stop. You know what to do to make me stop…"
"FUCK YOU!" Cloud screamed, now thrashing against the dark matter. His strength weakened so much that he nearly knocked himself out from exhaustion. No. He wasn't going to back down and plead to Sephiroth, of all people. He refused to be weak in front of the man who had tortured him relentlessly. He wasn't going to give him the satisfaction.
But Reflet? He was someone he vowed to protect. To keep from harm. He had already lost Zack and Aerith; he didn't want to lose Reflet as well.
Sephiroth slashed Reflet's back one more time as Reflet howled. The Tactician's cries echoed in the darkness, his sobs growing softer to the point Cloud could barely hear it.
That was what did him in.
When Sephiroth raised his Masamune to slice through Reflet's back again, Cloud screamed out his pleas.
"Please! Stop! I'll let you do whatever you want with me! Just… please! Please!"
Sephiroth lowered his sword, his breathing returning to normal as his sweat cooled off on his skin. His smug smirk widened before sheathing his weapon. He clapped.
"Bravo, bravo. What a good show," Sephiroth complimented mockingly. "Now, I would like an encore."
Digging through his pockets, he pulled out the familiar yellow sphere of Lightning Materia. He chuckled evilly when Cloud's eyes shot open upon seeing the Materia.
"Don't you dare," Cloud growled.
"Oh, I do dare," Sephiroth laughed. Electricity crackled in his palm, before he aimed a Thundaga spell towards Reflet. Reflet gasped upon seeing the dangerous spell before he turned his head away.
"DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE!" Cloud screamed at the top of his lungs. He eyed Sephiroth's hand that held the spell; one Thundaga was strong enough to seriously injure, if not outright kill, someone. If Reflet was shocked long enough—
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"
Cloud froze, his mouth gaped open in horror as Reflet was zapped by the powerful spell. The electricity flowed through Reflet's body as he screamed. Within seconds, Reflet's cries grew softer as the Thundaga spell continued its assault. A few more seconds and Reflet would be...
"YOU'RE KILLING HIM!" Cloud yelled. "YOU SICK FUCK!"
"Plead!" Sephiroth demanded, as more sweat dripped down his face from watching Cloud suffer. "Plead to me! Unless you want me to take him away, just li—"
"PLEASE! STOP! I BEG YOU! PLEASE STOP!"
Cloud's loud pleas took Sephiroth off guard. However, satisfied, he closed his palm to stop his Thundaga spell. Reflet breathed heavily, trying to regain his strength from the painful attack before he continued to cry silently. The electricity sparked around his body, paralyzing him despite being bound. Reflet glanced up at Cloud, his good eye wide. Tears fell as he whimpered in pain and fear.
Seeing this shattered Cloud's heart. He wanted to hold him and whisper to him that everything was going to be alright. Alas, being tied up, there was nothing he could do but stare at Reflet with guilt ridden eyes.
"That's much better," Sephiroth said, wiping off the sweat from his forehead, "You're such a good boy, Cloud, for following my commands."
"Go. To. Hell," Cloud snarled.
Sephiroth paused and took a deep breath before walking towards the blonde. Without warning, he punched Cloud squarely in the stomach. The swordsman gasped before coughing from the unexpected blow.
"N-no…" Reflet begged under his breath, shaking his head despite a headache coming on. "Don't… hurt him…"
"Shut up," Sephiroth turned his head and growled at the Tactician. "This doesn't involve you."
"Don't…" Cloud coughed before he continued, "don't talk to him like tha—"
Another punch in the gut. Cloud cried out before groaning in pain. He was sure that his stomach was bruised up from the blows.
"That's not how you talk to your master, Cloud," Sephiroth threatened, "know your place. Unless you want to suffer the consequences?"
"You…" Another cough, then a deep breath, "bastard—"
Sephiroth punched his chest. Hard. Cloud heard the sickening crack of one of his ribs breaking from the blow. He screamed in pain, each breath more agonizing than the last.
"C-Cloud!" Reflet cried. Despite his state, the white-haired man struggled against the dark matter. Pain be damned. He didn't want to see Cloud suffer, especially in the hands of Sephiroth.
"I said shut up!" Sephiroth screamed, a small fireball forming in his palm. Before Reflet could say anything, Sephiroth threw a Fira spell towards his chest. The flames charred Reflet's clothes and his bare chest, his wound on his chest getting the brunt of it. Reflet howled in excruciating pain when his wound was opened again, hot blood streaming down. The smell of burnt skin nearly made him vomit. Tears were forming in his eyes, but he held them back. Rather me than Cloud. Even if it hurts…
"Back off of him—" Cloud cried, but was interrupted by another punch in the stomach. He coughed, feeling a warm substance dripping down from his mouth to his shirt. Blood...
"Now…" Sephiroth said, turning back to Cloud. "Where were we?"
"Pl-please," Reflet pleaded. "Don't hu—"
"Reflet," Cloud commanded in a firm tone. "Shush."
"B-but he'll—"
"Listen to my Cloud, child," Sephiroth interrupted, glancing back at Reflet, his scowl hard to miss. Another Fira spell formed in his palm. "Or suffer."
Reflet paused. He didn't want to see this bastard harm Cloud ever again. No. Cloud had gone through more than enough in his life. He swore to keep the blonde happy. After everything that had happened to him, Cloud deserved happiness and peace.
But the mere thought of being punished again made him shiver. It was the worse pain he had ever felt in his life. No one should have to go through what he was feeling. Not even Ridley should feel this much pain.
He kept his mouth shut, his teary eye staring at Cloud. He begged under his breath to Cloud to forgive him for being so weak.
Cloud nodded, as if accepting Reflet's silent apology. He turned his head to Sephiroth, before saying, "Do your worst."
"Oh, I shall," Sephiroth chuckled.
Cloud shut his eyes, expecting more blows towards him, only to feel a body pressed to his own. His eyes shot open, meeting Sephiroth's lustful ones and feeling his hot breath on his skin. The other man's smile implied a certain form of pain. And it was worse than what he had endured the past few minutes.
"Back. Off," Cloud growled.
"Oh? You asked me to do my worst," Sephiroth pointed out. Slowly, Sephiroth placed his hand on his chest, right on his injury. He chuckled at Cloud's startled cry, before he began to rip up his shirt.
"I said back off!" Cloud screamed, trying to shake off Sephiroth to no avail.
"Plead some more," Sephiroth demanded, "plead like the little puppet that you are!"
"Stop!" Reflet cried. His panic grew tenfold, and he began to thrash against his bindings despite the throbbing pain. "L-leave him alone!"
"Shut up, Reflet!" Cloud yelled. He didn't mean to be harsh on him, but he didn't want Sephiroth to target him again.
"Plead, my Cloud," Sephiroth said, now ridding Cloud of his shirt, leaving him half naked and vulnerable. The bruises and cuts from his previous torture showed, to which Reflet flinched as his heart broke into pieces.
Those wounds were there because of me…
"Will you plead to me, my dear?" Sephiroth taunted.
Cloud shuddered at the pet name. He had no right to call him that. "No. Never."
"Plead to me…" Sephiroth threatened. His hand fell to Cloud's belt, eliciting a cry from the blonde. "Or else face humiliation."
Now knowing what Sephiroth would do next if he didn't cooperate, he begged, "...Please. Please don't."
"More," Sephiroth demanded. He reached down to Cloud's groin, squeezing it slightly. Cloud cried out in shock; if his feet weren't bound, he would have kicked Sephiroth relentlessly. "Plead more. Loud and clear!"
"Please! Stop! Please!"
Sephiroth moaned, as if he was reaching orgasm when Cloud pleaded. Cloud trembled, disgusted at Sephiroth for going this far.
At least Reflet was left alone, Cloud reminded himself.
"Beautiful," Sephiroth commented. Placing a finger under Cloud's chin to force him to look at his eyes, he continued, "you're such a good boy, Cloud."
"Stop!" Reflet sobbed, "Don't t-touch him! Please! Let him go!"
"Shut up!" Sephiroth yelled, turning to Reflet before he approached him. Reflet closed his eye, expecting some sort of blow, but instead, he felt his hair being pulled again. He gasped, only to feel a bloody cloth being shoved in his mouth and between his teeth. He shook his head, trying to fight Sephiroth off, but it was no use.
Sephiroth tied the cloth—a piece of Cloud's shirt, Reflet realized—behind his head. He then tightened the knot in order to make sure that Reflet couldn't shake it off.
Cloud only watched, in too much pain to protest when Sephiroth manhandled and gagged his boyfriend. All of this was his fault. If he had been paying more attention, Sephiroth wouldn't have kidnapped them and put them through this hell. Cloud himself should have been taken instead of Reflet.
"There we go," Sephiroth laughed, roughly tousling the bound and gagged Tactician's hair, "nice and quiet."
After finishing his work on Reflet, Sephiroth walked back to Cloud. He held up Cloud's chin, sadistic eyes meeting fearful eyes. "And now, the fun part begins."
He paused for a second, before one black wing materialized on his back.
Cloud flinched. His heart raced. He knew what that meant. FUCK.
"He was last seen here," Robin, Reflet's twin sister, said, as she and the Mario Bros entered the Training stage. When Robin couldn't find neither Cloud nor Reflet anywhere, she sounded the alarm for two missing Smashers. Mario and Luigi were on the case almost immediately. They instructed ROB, Duck Hunt Dog, and Mewtwo to search outside the area for more clues, before they told the rest to stay in their rooms until further notice. If they were dealing with a kidnapper, chances were good that they would probably target other Smashers.
"Hmm…" Mario hummed, looking around in search of unusual markings and items. Besides the graph-like walls and the grey flooring, there was nothing else here. "Do you-a think that a kidnapper—if there is one—cleaned up the evidence before leaving?"
"I believe so," Robin agreed. "If there wasn't a kidnapper, Cloud wouldn't just leave without notifying anyone."
"A-and where was the last time you saw Reflet…?" Luigi stammered.
"He was in our room, the last time I saw him," Robin said. "He left hours ago, telling me that he was going to train with Cloud."
"Was he likely snatched from here, or in the hallway?" Mario asked.
"I don't know," Robin sighed, shaking her head. This was getting frustrating. They had been searching for hours. No clues, no Reflet or Cloud in sight. Something had to turn up. "Like I said previously, the perpetrator… or perpetrators… most likely cleaned up before leaving."
"Well… now-a what?"
"Without any evidence, we have no leads. The best we could do is to keep searching."
"But…" Luigi piped up, "What if they're dea—"
"No," Robin interrupted in a low voice. She didn't want to think about her brother being dead. He was someone she would always turn to besides her husband, Chrom, for advice or comfort. She was lucky to have him as her sibling: he was the best brother one could ever ask for. While she and Cloud weren't close, she hoped that he too was safe and alive, for Reflet's sake. "No, they're not."
...But if they were alive, were they being tortured? Or—
No, no, she chided herself, shaking her head. They're both safe. They were likely stashed somewhere. They're probably held for ransom… right?
When Luigi opened his mouth to say something else, the door to the Training stage flew open. The person entering ran towards the three, huffing and puffing from running. Upon seeing the purple coat and the long brown hair, Robin raised a brow.
"Haru?" Robin questioned. "Weren't you in your world to visit Erik—"
"Lucina sent me a message about what was happening; I came back as fast as I could," Haru interrupted. Robin would have chided the young man for interrupting her, but upon hearing how grave he sounded, she kept it to herself.
"What's-a wrong?" Mario asked.
"The…" Haru panted, wiping off the sweat from his brow. He took a moment to catch his breath before he continued, "I-I saw who took Cloud."
The three gasped, looking at each other. So there was hope? Was there a chance to find Reflet and Cloud?
"Who was it?" Robin asked, impatience laced in her voice. She hoped that Haru's description was quick—she had already wasted enough time looking for her brother and Cloud.
"A man," Haru said, before finally catching his breath. "He was carrying Cloud over his shoulder. He was taking him to some sort of black hole."
"A… black hole?" Mario questioned.
"Yeah."
"Wh-what does the man look like?" Luigi asked, his legs shaking and his teeth chattering.
"Well…" Haru said, shutting his eyes as he tried to jog his memory. After a few moments, he continued, "he had long silver hair, a long sword, and one black wing—"
Upon hearing the last detail, Robin's heart nearly stopped. "Wait," Robin interrupted. Her eyes widened, her face contorted into fear. "Did you say one black wing?!"
"I…" Haru paused, blinking. He had never seen Robin so frightened before. Usually, she stayed calm facing dangerous enemies, even Dharkon during the World of Light incident. Seeing how freaked out she was, even he knew it was bad. "Yes…?"
Robin's eyes grew wider, her body trembling. She balled her fists, and her breathing was erratic. Haru could barely hear her voice when she uttered:
"Sephiroth…"
Robin turned to Mario and Luigi. "Mario! Luigi! Gather every Smasher!"
"Wh-what?" Luigi asked, taking a step back from Robin's angry command. "Why?"
"No. Time!" Robin emphasized. "Gather everyone to fight! Bring all the villains as well!"
"All of them? Even Bowser?" Mario asked incredulously. She couldn't be serious. Rescue mission or not, bringing the villains along would be disastrous. "But—"
"Cloud and Reflet are in grave danger," Robin explained, "We need as much help as we can get!"
Her eyes narrowed at Mario, frightening the plumber. "Send out the command, Mario."
"Y-yes ma'am!" He stuttered before rushing out of the stage. Luigi followed suit, along with Haru.
Robin took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself down before following her comrades.
We have to save them. Or Cloud and Reflet would be…!
Each punch, spell, and slash was more excruciating than the last. Cloud screamed in utter pain as Sephiroth continued his assault. First punching him, breaking more ribs. Then slashing his body with his Masamune, leaving behind bloodied, large cuts. And finally, using a variety of powerful spells to irritate his recent wounds.
If Sephiroth's wing didn't appear, Cloud would have handled all of this torture. But the wing caused Sephiroth to grow stronger, and the pain unbearable.
Reflet yelled through his gag as he strained against his bonds, begging to Sephiroth to leave Cloud alone, to torture him instead. His leaking nose made it harder for him to breathe, but Reflet didn't care about that. He had to protect Cloud!
Sephiroth stopped his Thundaga spell before he paused, panting from his "enjoyment" from hurting Cloud. Seeing Cloud contort in pain made his heart race. "Enjoying it?" Sephiroth taunted.
"Damn… you…" Cloud muttered. The burning, along with the shock and the cold, ripped through his chest wound. The blood seeped down, leaving behind a large pool of blood underneath him.
Sephiroth ignored his insult. Instead, he pressed his body against Cloud's once more. With one finger, he collected a small drop of blood before slowly licking it, his eyes never leaving Cloud's disgusted eyes. Sephiroth's hot breath while he took in his scent made Cloud shudder.
"You're all mine," Sephiroth whispered in his ear. "Nothing will ever get in our way of our love. Not even him." He turned to glance at Reflet for a moment.
Cloud groaned, glaring. However, unlike the past few times, it wasn't as intense as it was. Exhaustion has taken its toll from the torture and his strength weakening thanks to the dark matter.
Suddenly, another sharp pain hit his chest thanks to Sephiroth's Blizzaga spell. Cloud screamed, his loudest one yet. He couldn't stop the tears leaking from his eyes from both the suffering and the despair.
Sephiroth smiled. Finally. Cloud was breaking.
"Aaaw, don't cry, my dear," Sephiroth mocked. "I'll take good care of you…"
"F-fuck y—"
Cloud was interrupted by another wave of pain, this time he was burnt by a Firaga spell. He couldn't help but cry out before whimpering, the pain unbearable to the point he started to cry silently.
"Ooohoho," Sephiroth laughed. "Go ahead and cry, Cloud. Cry like the pathetic little boy that you are!"
"Sh-shut… up…"
Cloud locked eyes with Reflet's tearful ones. Despair weighed heavily on both of them. It was no use. There was no escaping this hell. All they could do was sit here and let Sephiroth do whatever he wanted with them. They both yearned for freedom and safety… but they had no choice but to endure until they either lost consciousness… or die.
"Are you ready for one more round?" Sephiroth asked.
"..." Exhaustion began to take its toll on Cloud. He didn't bother fighting to keep himself awake; unconsciousness or even sweet death would finally free him from this pain. He had enough.
Reflet screamed through his gag, begging Cloud to not close his eyes. If he did so, that was it for Cloud. He didn't want to lose the man he loved dearly. Not like this…
I'm sorry, Cloud… Reflet thought with a sniffle, I'm sorry that I couldn't protect you...
Sephiroth placed his hand on Cloud's bloodied chest, a Thundaga spell sparking in his hand—
"HADOUKEN!"
Before Sephiroth could shock Cloud once more, a large blue fireball hit him squarely in the back. He grunted, temporarily stunned by the sudden attack. He turned to face his attacker.
Ryu was in his Hadouken stance, a glare on his face. He stood in front of Reflet, as if protecting him.
"You!" Sephiroth cried, dashing straight towards Ryu. "How da—"
Before he could even reach the man, Red's Charizard tackled him to the ground with a Flare Blitz. The embers that attacked his body quickly dissipated, however.
Sephiroth got back on his feet, his glare intense. All of the Smashers surrounded the silver-haired man, their weapons and powers ready to strike him down.
"Stay down," Fox McCloud warned, his Blaster trained on Sephiroth. Falco and Wolf also had their Blasters out, ready to shoot him down.
Sephiroth wasn't even planning on giving up right away—he only grinned before rising up in the air. His one wing emitted dark matter as he flew down towards the weaker Smashers.
The fight against Sephiroth was a blur in Cloud's vision. All he could hear were screams of pain, and the clashing of swords and other weapons. He sighed in relief. He was going to be okay. Reflet was going to be okay. They were saved.
During the chaos, Robin rushed up to her brother, quickly freeing him from his bonds. Reflet fell to the ground, but was caught in Chrom's arms.
"Are you okay?" Chrom asked, removing the damned gag from Reflet's mouth.
Reflet didn't answer his question. Instead, he pointed at Cloud with a shaky finger.
"C-Cloud…" he whispered. "He's seriously h-hurt. Help him… first… please…" He struggled to stay awake; he wasn't going to die now that he and Cloud were rescued.
Meanwhile, Haru and Roy freed Cloud from his bonds as well. Roy caught him in his arms before gently placing him on the ground.
Cloud attempted to get up, intending on reaching Reflet, but Haru held him down.
"Don't move," Haru said in a firm voice. In his hand was a Moreheal spell, its light shining at Cloud's chest. "We'll help you—"
"To… to hell with me," Cloud growled. "Please… help Reflet. I beg of you…!"
"Robin is healing him now," Roy tried to soothe the blonde. "He'll be okay."
"But…" Cloud coughed, "he n-needs me…" The fighting grew more muffled in his ears; he could barely hear cries and screams from different voices. He turned his head despite the shooting pain when he did so, spotting blurs of white, purple, blue, and black. Occasionally, a silver color jumped in front of him, only for it to disappear just as quickly as it showed up.
They're fighting Sephiroth.
Cloud reached out to Reflet. His Reflet. He could faintly hear Haru and Roy speaking to him, but he ignored them. Reflet needed comfort. And now.
Despite his efforts, however, his hand fell, and his vision began to darken.
He fainted.
...
Pain exploded everywhere when Cloud opened his eyes with a groan. His vision blurred, only seeing white and grey above him as he blinked to regain his sight. When he could see again, a white ceiling met his sight. It looked… familiar somehow.
His hearing slowly returned to normal each second; he heard the familiar beeping of a heart monitor beside him, along with voices from all directions. Each voice blended with each other, making it hard to tell who was speaking.
Was he… alive?
"Look!" A female voice exclaimed, "He's waking up!"
Cloud heard shuffling, before multiple silhouettes blocked the white light. Everyone was here. Mario. Luigi. Robin. Haru. Even Mewtwo, of all people.
He turned his head and saw Pikachu rushing up to him, before jumping up onto Cloud's bed with a squeak of his own name. He rubbed his face on Cloud's side, which elicited a soft chuckle from the blonde. Cloud reached to pet the Pokemon, but stopped when pain shot up.
"Pikachu," Mewtwo warned. Using his psychic powers, he levitated Pikachu away from the blonde before placing him next to the Psychic type. Pikachu pouted, but didn't attempt to return to Cloud's side.
"Oh, thank goodness!" Peach gasped. She wasn't in her usual pink dress, Cloud realized. Instead, she wore light blue nurse scrubs with a stethoscope around her neck. "We thought you would never wake up! You were sleeping for days!"
Days…? I've been asleep for that long? Cloud thought, his eyes wide. What in the world happened?
That was when it all hit him. Sephiroth. Reflet being tortured in front of him—
...Reflet!
Cloud shot up from his hospital bed in shock, only to hiss in pain. Ritcher placed his palm on his chest, to which Cloud cringed. His injuries weren't fully healed, he realized.
"Whoa, don't get up," Ritcher warned, gently pushing him back down on the bed. "You still need rest."
"But…" Cloud muttered. What he and Reflet had gone through flashed through his mind, like a movie fast-forwarding. Sephiroth torturing Reflet in front of Cloud, threatening his life if Cloud didn't plead to him. "Reflet… is he—"
"He'll be fine," Robin comforted. "He's still recovering, but he's fine."
Cloud's heart slowed as he sighed in relief, hearing the heart monitor also slowing down. Thank Cosmos. Reflet was alive.
...Wait.
"And Sephiroth…?" Cloud asked. Did he run away? Or was he killed? With the large number of Smashers fighting him, he was sure that he was outmatched.
"He fled," Roy confirmed with a frustrated sigh. "We tried to stop him, but… he disappeared before we could even catch him. I'm sorry, Cloud."
"No," Cloud said, shaking his head. "No. It's… it's all right. All that matters is that Reflet's safe."
"Indeed…" Robin agreed with a nod.
"Well," Mario said, clearing his throat. "You should rest for a few more days. Call us if you need anything, okie dokie?"
"...Yeah…" Cloud said, nodding. He yearned to see Reflet to make sure that he was indeed alive, but he trusted Mario and Peach to take care of the white haired man. He's in good hands.
One by one, the Smashers left his hospital room, saying their goodbyes. Soon enough, Cloud was left alone with his own thoughts. He breathed a sigh of relief before closing his eyes. Slowly, he drifted off, a small smile on his face as he dreamed of Reflet.
When he woke up that night, he saw an amorphous form hovering over him, blocking out the bright lights on the ceiling. He also felt a soft hand rubbing his own, as if comforting him. He blinked, trying to identify the person watching over him. Seeing the white, messy hair and the black and purple coat made him smile.
"...Reflet." Cloud whispered.
The younger man was in better shape than the last time he saw him, but he still had some injuries from the ordeal. His chest was bandaged up, dried blood seeping through the cloth tape. His left eye was no longer swollen; only blackness circled his eye.
"Hey Cloud," Reflet greeted. It was meant to sound relieved, but Cloud couldn't help but notice a hint of guilt in his voice. "How are you feeling today?"
"Hurting everywhere," Cloud answered with a chuckle. When Reflet frowned and looked away from Cloud, however, he realized he shouldn't have made such an insensitive joke.
"Cloud," Reflet began, his voice quivering as he turned to face Cloud. "I-I'm—"
"No," Cloud interrupted, shaking his head. He caressed the Tactician's hand as he frowned. "Don't blame yourself. I'm the one who should apologize for what had happened to you. I failed to protect you. I… let Sephiroth hurt you because of me."
"Cloud," Reflet sighed. "Please don't say that. You didn't know. Neither of us knew. Sephiroth… caused this whole thing. Not you."
"Still…" That still didn't ease Cloud's guilt. He dragged Reflet into that whole mess regardless. He should've known better than to keep his guard down. I'm so sorry. I'm so, so, sorry…
"Cloud," Reflet interrupted his thoughts. Cloud stared into Reflet's eye. Instead of fear and despair, Reflet's good eye was filled with relief. Relief that Cloud was still alive and breathing. "I know that you feel guilty… but we're both alive. We're both alive. That's what matters, okay?" He squeezed the blonde's hand in a gentle manner. "Don't give it another thought. Please?"
Cloud paused for a few seconds before he nodded, his guilt finally easing up. He was right. Being alive and safe was what mattered. Nothing else did. "Yeah… All right."
Cloud squeezed Reflet's hand gently as well, a tired smile on his face. "I love you, Reflet."
Reflet chuckled, a smile on his face as well. Cloud had badly yearned to see that smile for days. "I love you too, Cloud." When Cloud began to drift off, Reflet gave him a quick peck on the forehead before falling asleep beside him, their hands still intertwined.
Reflet stayed by Cloud's side every night until Mario released Cloud from the hospital. Both of their fears and worries had since disappeared. They would be there for each other.
Always.
Sephiroth watched the two from the window, his fists clenched and his glare saturated with hatred. That Tactician had no right to take away his Cloud. Cloud was his, and his alone. He would get him for himself one day. Not today. But one day.
He turned before walking away from the Smash Hospital, anger still boiling inside him. His wing materialized behind his back before he disappeared into the shadows.
"One day, Cloud. You will be mine. All mine..."
Constructive criticism is welcomed!