Cloud probably shouldn't have wasted time cursing Aeris out, he should have gone straight after Sephiroth, but...she'd been so cruel with the way she'd introduced Tseng. And now he wasn't sure where Sephiroth had gone...he knew where his consort was likely to have gone; the man seemed to take a perverse sort of comfort in being in the armoury, surrounded by weapons he'd never be able to use again. Except there was usually at least one person in the armoury, and Sephiroth wouldn't want anyone to see how upset he was by what Aeris had done to him.

Cloud paused and reached into his connection with the Planet, it wouldn't work with anyone else, but for some reason the Planet was always aware of Sephiroth and so Cloud could ask it to tell him where to find his consort. If Cloud had tried to find him by what he knew of Sephiroth he'd have guessed all wrong, Sephiroth had got to the small medical facility Cloud kept for training accidents, and he knew how much it scared his consort to be there. And...he wouldn't have expected Sephiroth to have got so far so quickly; Cloud sometimes forgot how much the other man had been enhanced because he'd been so limited for all the time Cloud had known him.

When he got there he found Sephiroth curled up in one corner of the furthest bed from the entrance. Cloud approached him slowly, making enough noise to warn his consort that he was coming, but hopefully not enough to scare him and knelt by the bed just far enough away that Sephiroth would have to initiate any touch.

"Sephiroth? Can you...look at me?" He lifted his head then, wide, startled eyes fixing on Cloud's face, looking as if he hadn't expected Cloud to come after him, as if he couldn't really believe that Cloud had bothered.

"I...you..." Then he shook his head, sending a ripple down that beautiful silver hair of his. "Why are you over there?"

"Because I'm not going to try and crowd you, or trap you." But he did hold his hand out to Sephiroth in invitation and it seemed to be enough to get him to stretch out a bit, still looking wary, within Cloud's reach, but not touching him yet.

"Didn't Aeris' gift appeal to you?" Sephiroth really thought Cloud could care about what a stranger looked like or did when he was in pain? Cloud knew the hurt of that showed on his face; it was meant to.

"It doesn't matter if I find him attractive or not. I don't love him, I love you, and if having him here is going to upset you then tell me, and I'll sell him away." Sephiroth looked shocked at that, but the last of the fear Cloud had seen in his eyes disappeared and he moved to lie fully stretched out on the bed.

"I...you don't have to do that. At least since Aeris chose him I know you weren't trying to replace me or anything, right?" Cloud couldn't quite believe Sephiroth would ask that; that he didn't know that no one could ever replace him, ever be more than an inadequate substitute for him.

"Sephiroth, remember when we were discussing if you could fuck someone other than me?" Perhaps if Sephiroth had some control over when or if Cloud bothered with Tseng it would help. He nodded silently, eyes fixed on Cloud's face. "I think you'd look good fucking Tseng, and I won't touch him until after you've had him. And you get to decide when and if you want to do that."

"I...hold me, please?" Sephiroth held out his arms and Cloud gladly climbed onto the bed to wrap his arms around his consort. "You really mean that? You don't want to even try Tseng before you try me because he's new to you, and hasn't been pressing you for sex before you were ready?"

"I've wanted you for a while, but if we didn't wait, you know I could have lost you." It looked as if Sephiroth couldn't quite believe Cloud wanted him, not that Cloud could really blame him after all the times his advances had been rejected so...

He moved to lie on top of Sephiroth, kissing him carefully and stroking his body gently, waiting for his consort to respond. And he did, eventually, lifting his arms to wrap around Cloud's shoulders, one hand trailing down his spine as Sephiroth kissed back, far more hesitantly than he ever had in the make-out sessions that had been all Cloud dared to allow.

"Let me show you just how much I desire you Sephiroth."

"What can I do to please you then?" That...wasn't exactly the response he wanted, but Cloud could work with that.

"Just lie back and let me show you how much you mean to me." He pushed Sephiroth's coat open enough to lick gently at his nipples and then proceeded to kiss his way down his consort's body, stopping when he reached his pants to open them and pull Sephiroth's dick out. He'd read about this, now he just hoped he could put what he'd read into action. He wrapped one hand around the base of Sephiroth's dick, pinning his hips down with the other, and hesitantly licked at the very tip, along the slit. Sephiroth made a small inarticulate sound half pleasure and half protest.

"Hush. I want to do this for you, and I want you to just lie back and enjoy it." Sephiroth obediently fell silent and Cloud fastened his lips around the very head of Sephiroth's dick, glancing up to see his reaction and freezing when he saw his consort's set expression and bitten lower lip. "You can make noises if you want, I'd like to know when I do something right, but don't protest what I'm doing unless I hurt or scare you."

"I...yes Cloud." Cloud waited until Sephiroth seemed to have relaxed and then began again, this time starting with licks, little darting licks and longer slower licks as well as licking along the vein on the underside of Sephiroth's dick once or twice, enjoying the sound of Sephiroth's pleasured moans until he could taste the precum on his tongue. Then he took just the head into his mouth and sucked hard while he stroked his consort and Sephiroth came with a scream. Cloud pulled back and began straightening out Sephiroth's clothing as his consort reached for him.

"Cloud, please...let me do something for you?"

"No, not yet. Let's save that for tonight. This was about you, not me." Cloud stood and held his hand out to help Sephiroth up and Sephiroth kept his eyes lowered as he stood.

"But...I'm supposed to please you. I want to please you. And...that can't be comfortable." Cloud had managed to ignore how his groin ached until Sephiroth called his attention to it, but he still didn't want to do anything else now.

"You did please me. You looked so beautiful in your pleasure and we really need to get back to the party now."

"If that is what you wish." Cloud wished Sephiroth didn't look so disappointed, but it was only Aeris who'd offended him, not her mother or his, and he wouldn't be able to see his mother so easily after this last week. He reached up and kissed his consort again, pulling back reluctantly.

"I want to be able to spend as long as I want to when I have you properly. Tonight, I promise."

"Yes Cloud." Sephiroth gave him a half smile and they made their way back to the party and Cloud sat by his mother, with Sephiroth settling at his feet.

"Tseng, since you carry knives I expect you to spend at least an hour a day practising with them. And within a week I want you to find one of my guards to practise with, and accept whatever lessons you're offered."

"Thank you my lord." Cloud would have to find somewhere to put him - preferably well away from his own quarters, especially since he didn't plan on acquiring any more of a harem. He knew that Aeris noticed the way he tensed when she knelt down in front of Sephiroth, but she'd damaged his trust in her, and possibly destroyed Sephiroth's so she'd have to live with the consequences.

"Sephiroth. I'm sorry to have hurt you with the way I presented Tseng. Isis gave me all these perfectly logical arguments for why I should give Cloud a concubine for his coming of age, including that I'd be able to find one who wouldn't actually have any interest in performing the duties, who wouldn't try to be a rival for you the way most would. But she didn't bother to tell me that traditionally consorts are supposed to be consulted beforehand. I swear to you that as soon as I can I'm going to dismiss her, and then, I'll find a way to ruin her if you want me to. Other than that, just tell me if there's anything I can do to even begin to apologise for what I did to you today."

"I'll keep that in mind. You really would prefer not to share Cloud's bed?" Sephiroth sounded so...disbelieving; it was really flattering, even if Cloud didn't share his consort's apparent belief in his desirability.

"I...haven't had good experiences with warrior caste Cetra sir. I'll obey if I'm ordered to my master's bed, but I wouldn't try to seek it out. At least this time I'm actually being encouraged to train with my knives so I can defend myself if I have to."

"And you won't have any problems with doing your duties outside of my lord's bed?" Sephiroth's voice had turned hard now, and Cloud stroked his hair approvingly.

"No sir. Although I'm...not as decorative as most concubines."

"You're not fishing for compliments are you?" Cloud wouldn't leave Sephiroth to handle that.

"No my lord. But I have been sold simply because my master saw my scars."

"I doubt they're serious enough to matter. Sephiroth, any ideas about where we can put him?"

"The red guest room perhaps?"

"Yes, that will do."

oxOX()XOxo

Aeris hoped she was still supposed to come and help Sephiroth get dressed for the formal celebration this evening; she really loved the excuse to play with his hair, even if it did make her feel plain when she compared herself to him. Uncertain of her welcome she knocked at the door to Cloud's quarters instead of just walking in the way she always had before, trying not to show her relief when Sephiroth finally opened the door.

"Aeris? Come in, but..."

"You don't want my help to get ready then? I suppose after three years you don't really need it." But she'd been doing this for Sephiroth since the second formal celebration he'd had to attend, after there'd been some cruel comments at the first one, and for a year and a half it had been the closest she got to attending the celebrations, to feeling like an adult.

"I didn't expect that you'd still want to help." Aeris didn't understand why not, and it must have showed on her face. "Cloud's only problem with your gift was that it upset me."

"And I hate that I managed to hurt you like that brother. You had every right to be upset, I should have spoken to you first. I was trying to keep you from being hurt, I thought if Cloud's only concubine was someone given to him, not someone he chose, you'd be more confident he was only keeping a concubine for appearances, and you wouldn't be worried about Cloud actually wanting him." She hesitated, then knelt and bowed her head in a deliberate display of submission, trying to make her brother understand that she'd meant what she told him at the party, she hadn't just been saying she owed him to appease Cloud. "Whatever you ask me to do in apology I will do, I swear it. If you want it you can have my virginity when I come of age."

"You're my sister. I'd never ask you to do that." Sephiroth helped Aeris back to her feet, looking away from her. "And...Hojo once planned to 'breed' us, although he never knew I overheard him telling the Turks why he wanted you. That is reason enough never to do anything like that. You don't mind helping me prepare for these things?"

"I won't be allowed to once I'm an adult, but until then I'll do it unless you tell me not to."

"Thank you." Aeris followed Sephiroth into his room and went to the wardrobe while he showered. He was supposed to wear something at least mildly suggestive according to Isis and Morgan, so Cloud had ordered clothes made for Sephiroth in heavy silk. Cloud hadn't been too specific, except to say that they had to cover his consort from ankle to neck and so the pants were all the next thing to skin tight at the waist, falling loose from the knees and the tunics only just reached to cover Sephiroth's groin. Still, they looked more sensual than blatantly sexual on Sephiroth, and the pants weren't that much tighter than the leather pants Sephiroth usually wore.

Black pants, and a dark green tunic, edged with silver embroidery would work best and Aeris pulled the appropriate clothes out of the wardrobe, selecting the tunic with stylised flames at the hems since it echoed the outfit she knew Cloud had been planning to wear to this party. Sephiroth smelled a bit like a warrior caste Cetra without scent, so Aeris had ended up searching for something that would work well on him and camouflage that a bit, and they'd come up with a set of toiletries scented with cinnamon, enough that she didn't need to offend him by insisting on perfume. Aeris wasn't entirely sure why he'd had complaints about his own natural scent - or rather Cloud had been approached by warrior caste complaining about his consort's scent, the similarity to a warrior caste's scent - when they accepted the same similarity from enhanced human slaves.

By the time Sephiroth came out towelling his hair as dry as he could Aeris had selected his entire outfit, including his jewellery - a silver chain belt and a platinum ring set with an emerald - his make up, and the silver combs set with emeralds she'd use to keep his hair in place. They didn't need to say anything as he lay face down on the bed so she could begin blowing his hair dry, using a comb as well, and drying it in sections to make sure it dried straight and lay smooth.

"Do you think I should do anything special for Cloud?" Because they were planning to have their first time tonight? That was really sweet.

"I don't know. Is there anything he particularly likes that you can emphasise easily?"

"Not that I've seen. So...nothing I can do that I know he'll like?" Aeris never thought she'd see her brother so nervous, and she leaned down to kiss the back of his neck.

"I don't think you need to do anything special. He loves you, and all he wants is for you to be yourself. Do you want me to give you a massage before you get dressed?" Massage was part of her training as a healer caste, and something Cloud and Sephiroth were more than happy to let her practise on them - then she'd taught Sephiroth how to massage someone, since he'd been a bit jealous of her being permitted to touch Cloud so intimately.

"We don't have time, do we?"

"No, not really, unless I find a shirt instead of a tunic." But she didn't really think that Sephiroth had any shirts; he'd just continued wearing the uniform he'd been given for ShinRa's war, and new copies of it had been made as needed, while all of his formal clothes had been made very simple in cut, tunics, not shirts.

"Which won't happen. Is my hair ready for me to get dressed now?"

"Yes. I thought dark green polish on your fingernails and silver on your toes."

"Whatever you think works best." Sephiroth shrugged as Aeris went to collect her choices and obediently put each foot in her lap so she could paint his nails when she asked, offering his hands to her when she needed to paint those. Three coats of colour were more than enough, since it didn't really need to last beyond the evening, and Sephiroth never made any effort to maintain the colour, even if he didn't bother to remove it a lot of the time.

"You are going to have to develop a sense for this yourself you know."

"I don't think I will, not really. I can simply match the fingers to my clothes and paint my toenails silver. And I know the technique to paint my face; I just don't have the experience, or a natural sense of what works. But then I don't need it do I?"

"No. You're beautiful enough that you can get away with minimal make up and doing it by rote. And I expect you will be for a long time." Aeris was sure that her brother's beauty was the sort that only improved with age. "If you wanted to you could try your hand now, when I've done your hair, then I'll have time to correct it if need be."

"Very well." Sephiroth moved to the chair so Aeris could work on his hair and she took a moment to run her fingers through it, enjoying how soft it was before she began to backcomb it and pin it into place. They'd experimented a bit at first, but after about six months they'd ended up with a more or less consistent pattern of putting it up at the sides and on top, but leaving about half of it to fall down his back.

"How were you going to do this if I hadn't come?"

"I would have just braided it or left it loose. I don't know how to do something like that for myself."

"And besides it's hard to get the back right. You should consider asking Cloud for a slave to do this for you." Or a servant, but a slave was less likely to cause trouble for Sephiroth.

"I couldn't ask him for a slave just to do that. And what about you? You don't have anyone to do this sort of thing for you."

"I don't need one yet, not until I'm an adult." Aeris laughed as she replied. "And my mother wouldn't give her approval of that - she doesn't really like slavery that much." Most of the household didn't, but they settled for making sure their slaves were well treated. "And it wouldn't be just for doing your hair and face on special occasions, you'd be getting a proper body slave to tidy up after you, serve you at meals, take care of your clothes and stuff like that." She could see her brother wasn't entirely happy with the idea, and she'd need her mother's approval even to buy a slave to give to her brother, so that would have to wait until she'd come of age unless Cloud did something about it first. "Your hair's done. Want to try doing your face now?"

"Very well." Aeris stood back and watched. The result was technically perfect, but it was obvious that her brother had no real sense for this sort of thing, and she took over to smudge the eyeshadow just a little bit, add a second shade of blusher to emphasise his cheekbones a little more and make those tempting lips seem just a little fuller by adding a touch of gloss in a slightly lighter shade.

"What you did would have worked, but this works better." And she explained what she'd done before she had to leave to attend to her own preparations. It was simpler for her; the dress she would be wearing was the same style she normally wore, just in a slightly richer material and with a red skirt shading to pink at the waist and above. And as a 'child' she wasn't expected to wear more than the most minimal make up; eyeshadow in a single, neutral, shade and fairly natural lipstick at the most and absolutely no scent.

oxOX()XOxo

"I haven't really had a chance to consummate my relationship with my consort properly yet, so if you'll excuse me..." Cloud stood and pulled Sephiroth up into his arms from his seat to the left of his throne. When Aeris stood he kissed her in farewell, but he ignored Tseng as his new concubine followed him out of the hall.

"You're dismissed. I expect to find that you've started your training by the end of the week. And I will find out if you skimp on it."

"Yes my lord." Tseng turned and walked away, apparently indifferent to how closely his tunic skirted the edges of decency. But it didn't matter what Tseng looked like; Sephiroth's appearance was what mattered, and he had the faintest blush on his face, his breathing just slightly faster than normal.

"You could have 'consummated' our relationship after the family party had finished."

"But then I wouldn't have had an excuse to make sure everyone knows that you're mine, that it isn't just for show you being my consort." He'd made sure that Sephiroth knew how much he loved him, but he'd overheard some people saying that Cloud couldn't still abide by the choice he'd made as a child and he wanted to make sure they knew better.

"Thank you." Sephiroth blushed a bit more deeply, and bowed his head as Cloud began taking him back to his quarters. It was hard to resist the temptation to grope Sephiroth as they moved, but he didn't want to make his consort look like a slut, or let anyone think that Cloud considered him anything other than the treasure he was. But once they got inside his quarters, even just in the first room, he didn't have any need to hold back, and he pinned Sephiroth against the wall, pulling his head down to kiss him and sliding his leg between his consort's. Secretly Cloud was a bit disappointed that Sephiroth hadn't already been as aroused as he was, but that quickly changed and he could feel his consort growing hard against his thigh as they kissed.

"We should move this to the bedroom love."

"Yes, please." Sephiroth let Cloud lead him to his bedroom pretty passively, but he slowed down once they got there and Cloud realised that his consort had never been allowed in there, or at least not since Cloud was thirteen and started to be attracted to him sexually. He didn't want Sephiroth to feel nervous, so...

"Why don't we start with you undressing me?" It wasn't quite the fantasy Sephiroth had told him, but he could see that his consort was a bit uncomfortable already, and he hoped that making himself vulnerable, even just symbolically, would help.

"If you wish it Cloud." Sephiroth looked a bit confused at the instruction, but he knelt and started by removing Cloud's boots. He was a bit awkward in removing the armour, probably because he'd never worn it himself, or helped Cloud with his before, but that would change - one of the duties of a consort of a warrior caste was to outfit him for formal battle, duels and that sort of thing. Cloud didn't like the anxious looks Sephiroth was giving him every time he fumbled, but he wasn't sure what to do about them either, and once Sephiroth had him down to his briefs he took hold of his consort's chin and kissed him.

"Sit on the bed." When Sephiroth obeyed Cloud climbed into his lap, straddling Sephiroth's thighs and facing him, their groins close together as he began kissing him. "Touch me however you like, we don't have to hold back anymore." He didn't want Sephiroth to feel constrained, and he'd noticed that his own exploratory touches hadn't been returned, because of what he'd told Sephiroth to do earlier? It didn't matter, they'd had plenty of practice at this in the last four days, they were good at it and it helped relax Sephiroth, making sure he was comfortable and wouldn't be disappointed.

This was Sephiroth's first time and Cloud was determined to make it special for him - he didn't care that this was his first time too; he hadn't had all his choices stolen from him, or been forced to submit totally to a child then forced to stay celibate until the child came of age. He pushed Sephiroth down to lie on the bed when he was sure his consort was relaxed enough to go further, and he began sliding his hands under the tunic, instead of over it as a prelude to removing it.

"You are gorgeous love, and I've loved you for so long." Cloud began inching the tunic up Sephiroth's body, kissing the exposed skin and marvelling at the tight muscles it had been hiding - his consort was almost better muscled than he was and he hadn't expected Sephiroth to retain so much tone when he couldn't actually fight any more.

"You have?" The uncertainty in Sephiroth's voice was heartbreaking, at least to Cloud.

"Since I was just six. When I met you, while you were helping us hunt Hojo down, I could feel your soul, it...resonated with mine, and I knew I had to be with you. I...if I'd lost you, if the others hadn't agreed you could be my pledged consort, I don't know what I'd have done." Cloud shook his head, looking down at his consort's body, the tunic off now, and he kissed Sephiroth again before moving down to pull his pants off, not really surprised to find that he wasn't wearing anything underneath.

"But...you acted like you didn't really want me. I was scared you might see me the way Aeris does after our time with Hojo, like a big brother, right up until you kissed me after I told you about my fantasy." Cloud had to laugh at that, soothing any hurt Sephiroth might feel by kissing him immediately after.

"The reason I told you not to come in here anymore when I was thirteen? It was to keep me from the temptation to throw myself at you. Now, didn't you say something about wanting to find out how I react to your touch?" He rolled them both over, giving Sephiroth control for a while, until his consort seemed to tire of the game and returned them to their previous positions.

"Your turn now." Cloud laughed a bit at that; he hadn't expected Sephiroth to be willing to make the request, but he was only too happy to oblige, stroking his lover's body and learning the first things about what pleased him as he prepared him, slowly, teasingly.

"Wh-what is that? I...it always hurt a bit...when I tried playing..." Sephiroth blushed as he trailed off and Cloud smiled down at him.

"It's the best lubricant on the market, and it's made with a Potion base. I wasn't going to let you get hurt when we did this." And as he explained he released that he'd just about finished preparing Sephiroth. He'd learn more about how to make his consort moan in pleasure in the future, but for now he slid a pillow under Sephiroth's hips and thrust into him slowly.

It was hot and tight and he had to stay still for a few moments to keep from climaxing at once, so he spent the time stroking and petting his consort's body, making sure Sephiroth was still enjoying it.

"Pl-lease Cloud...do something."

Cloud took that as his cue to move, pulling out a little before pushing back in, moving further and faster every time until he'd found a good rhythm for the both of them, and leaned over Sephiroth to kiss him, feeling his lover's cock against his belly.

"Stay like this, please?" Sephiroth's hands stole tentatively over his back, resting at the nape of his neck, and the small of his back and Cloud agreed, feeling his consort press against him to take his own pleasure from the friction between their bodies. He still came first, but it was just a matter of wrapping his hand around Sephiroth and stroking him a few times to bring him to completion as well and he pulled out to lie beside his consort, holding him in his arms.

After a while Sephiroth pulled away and Cloud let him, but when he started gathering up his clothes he realised there was something wrong.

"What are you doing love?"

"Going back to my room." There was resignation in Sephiroth's voice, and Cloud hated whoever it was had made him expect to be treated like a whore - probably Isis.

"No, you're not." Cloud made his voice as stern as he could manage it to keep Sephiroth from getting any more stupid ideas. "My bed's more than big enough for two and I want you to sleep with me most of the time. You can keep your formal clothes in your old room, but generally you'll be sleeping here, beside me. Now, why don't you go through there and run a bath for the two of us while I make arrangements for the sheets to be changed."

"Yes Cloud...thank you." Sephiroth smiled at Cloud, gratitude clear in his eyes and retreated into the bathroom Cloud had indicated as he spoke. Cloud himself stood up and crossed to the hidden intercom, contacting housekeeping and ordering them to send someone to replace his sheets.

By the time he was ready to go through to the bathroom himself Sephiroth had finished filling the huge bath and from the smell he'd added scented oils to it as well, not that Cloud minded that, especially not since Sephiroth was waiting there for him.

"Sephiroth? Why did you think I'd force you to sleep away from me?" He had to know why his consort thought he'd shame him that way as he joined him in the bath, and he pulled his lover into an embrace to comfort him as well.

"I talked to some of your guest's consorts, and I was generally responsible for arranging where to put them. Most of the time we were asked to arrange separate, but convenient, rooms for the consorts, and apparently that just reflected their situation at home."

"I promise you, the only time you won't be welcome to sleep in my bed is if you're being punished for something. If anyone else wants to sleep in my bed they'll have to accept that."

"I...thank you Cloud." Sephiroth shut his eyes and leaned against Cloud then, his relief clear in every line of his body, and Cloud began washing him, slowly.

oxOX()XOxo