Cloud was willingly in Sephiroth's mercy. Every instinct in his body told him to obey. Obey and accept the punishment given.

And so Cloud endured. He endured the harsh slaps on his ass. The painful twists of his nipples. Even the grip that tightened around his neck as he gasped.

Despite the pain the blond was still turned on. Even as he was being used, abused, and degraded Cloud was turned on by it all. Sephiroth was unrelenting. And Cloud wasn't allowed to cum for a long time.

Each time he felt that he drew close to release, Sephiroth paused. He gave the blond time to breathe and gather himself again before continuing with another method of sexual torture that was just as amazing as the previous.

A few times Cloud felt alarmed. The feel of the hand as it gripped his throat and his vision swirled. The tension eased but then he would sense a mind not his own brush against his. And this gentle pressure eased the anxieties until Cloud forgot what he was worried about.

Yet that sense of a mind not his own lingered. It was there to stay. Sephiroth didn't fully trust him after the stunt he pulled. Strangely Cloud didn't mind this change.

"Please!" He gasped out.

"You don't get release, yet." Sephiroth replied harshly.

Cloud leaned until his mouth met the mark he had made. He latched onto it gently. A silent plea for a mark to be done the same for him.

"Do you even deserve it after what you've done?" Sephiroth wondered, slowing his thrusts.

"I love you!" Cloud declared.

"Such devotion. And yet it is apparent with the way your body reacts to me."

"It's more than that! It's the way your scent drowns me. From the way you protect me, your patience with my ignorance, to my potential to be your equal."

"That's just the surface. An iceberg floating in an ocean." Sephiroth, although moved by the words, still wasn't enough.

"I..." Cloud didn't know how to put into words.

"Show me. Surrender your walls and allow me a peek." Sephiroth felt the urge then. To take full control. To claim what was his and chain it forever to his heart.

Cloud crumbled as he gave in. His body went limp and his eyes glazed over. And suddenly the mind not his own invaded his as he let down the mental walls.

Sephiroth saw it all as Cloud's heart laid bare before his very eyes. That everything the blond spoke of was true.

In fact the blond was so full of love, desire, so deeply rooted within that it was too much. Sephiroth pulled away, both mentally and physically. Cloud released a desperate cry.

Sephiroth latched onto a collarbone and bit hard enough for blood to taste his tongue. Cloud convulsed as he came violently. His walls tightened in such a way that Sephiroth reached new heights with his release.

"Sephiroth..." Cloud whispered softly.

He pulled away from the collarbone. Instead he placed their foreheads together. Once more Cloud was entranced by Sephiroth's eyes.

"I..." Sephiroth tried to express.

"It's okay. When you're ready. I know you feel the same." Cloud assured. He had glimpsed into his mate's mind earlier for a brief second.

"How do you say it so easily?" Sephiroth wondered.

"Because I know you need to hear it."

"Now I feel inept."

"Then surprise me when you feel like you can say it." Cloud nuzzled against his mate's chest.

"I suppose I can do that. In the meantime, I believe we should make way to our settlement." Sephiroth gathered their clothes.

"Do we have to walk?" The blond groaned.

"I'll fly us to the outskirts." He promised.

And as the moon crept higher Sephiroth took flight with Cloud in his arms. As they drew closer they landed. Cloud watched as the wing retracted with curiosity. He wondered why Sephiroth and Genesis both had wings.

"I am unsure with his, but mine is a gift." Sephiroth still had a sense of Cloud's thoughts.

"From who?" Cloud asked.

"I am unsure. But it has to be someone common between me and Genesis. Curiously, that would be Angeal. But he's missing, and I doubt he's the source." Sephiroth had pondered this detail during the flight.

Cloud made no move that he wanted to walk. So the general continued to hold him as he approached the army settlement. He half expected Soldiers to take aim, but they must have caught sight of his hair in the moonlight.

They were greeted with cheers. And a surprise face as Zack raced towards them. At his heels was Tseng.

"Oh thank Gaia! You're both safe!" Zack wrapped his arms around both of them at once.

"When did you get here?" Sephiroth didn't expect this.

"Not too long after you disappeared. They said Cloud was kidnapped and you gave chase." Zack explained. "Tseng here wouldn't let me follow."

"I wouldn't have wanted you to." Sephiroth agreed with the statement.

"I suppose you went through a lot. I won't ask for a report until morning. I find it curious, though. There were reports someone was with you when you left." Tseng eyed the general.

"We parted ways upon achieving my goal of taking Cloud back. I will give you the full report in the morning." Sephiroth promised.

"In the meantime, either of you wish to eat dinner?" The Turk offered.

"Bring two meals to the tent." Sephiroth began to head that way.

"Can I visit?" Zack followed behind.

"I can't exactly say no. I imagine there's a lot we need to catch up on."

So Zack followed them into the large tent. He didn't bat an eye as Sephiroth laid Cloud down on the shared bed. There was even mischief in his eyes at how tender Sephiroth seemed to be handling Cloud.

"I'm guessing you can't move very well because of other means than an injury." Zack smirked at the blush on Cloud's face.

"I suggest you keep that knowledge quiet." Sephiroth glared, earning hands in the air.

"You know I wouldn't say anything." Zack assured. "So, what exactly happened?"

"I was approached by Weiss. He seemed desperate to have my help. I thought, maybe I can double cross him. However, he seemed to know how to read me. He set a trap." Cloud began.

"...I would revise this in the reports. They might look you in worse light. They already feel you're encouraging Sephiroth to refuse orders."

"I've already put thought into it. I might need Kunsel to agree with our story, if he still lives that is."

"He is. And I'll have a word with him. Anyway, continue." Zack encouraged.

"They took me to some laboratory. I remember waking up and they used some sort of weapon that creates darkness. I think they were trying to use the darkness to control me. Then Sephiroth found me."

"Okay...how did you find Cloud so fast?" Zack turned to the general.

"Shalua's contact. He found a detail where Cloud's earring also acts as a tracker. It pings with any tower that connects to satellites. With this information he wiped away from the laboratory systems so the Turks never found out." Sephiroth elaborated.

"That's handy. But the others didn't get the same trick?"

"I got the earring just hours before you guys invaded." Cloud informed. "Maybe the others didn't have time to be given the same kind of trackers. Then again, I don't think some of them will wear earrings."

"Convenient. So what happened at the new laboratory?"

"I fought my way inside and located Cloud. I allowed the darkness to consume me instead. Strangely, I was unaffected by it. In the end I won against the darkness. And in a panic Weiss made the laboratory self destruct."

Cloud understood that important details were left out. He understood when it came to Vincent. If the man needed to acquire proof then he needed to stay just out of radar of Shinra.

He also noticed Sephiroth didn't bring up another deeper connection they shared. A mental connection that grew stronger by the minute. Their bodies can even sense each other.

Such a bond was too personal to share. Even though Zack would be considered someone to tell this secret to, there was an uncertainty with passing over this knowledge.

Cloud agreed with Sephiroth's thoughts. This was something special. Their own little secret. Something they wished to explore their limits if there were any.

"How come the darkness didn't effect you?" Zack wondered, raising an eyebrow.

"I am unsure. It did effect Cloud to a point. But even he wasn't totally immune. I however only felt a cold breeze, and then it was over."

"Huh. Maybe that device survived? I wouldn't put it past Tseng wanting to salvage anything left." Zack shrugged.

"Or pieces of it, anyway. Enough for either Hojo or Scarlett to have a look." Sephiroth paused as someone brought their suppers.

"I think I'll let you guys eat in peace. Just uh, don't go get yourself kidnapped, Cloud?"

"I don't plan on it." The blond assured.

Zack left them be. Cloud collected his bowl of stew. As he ate he chuckled.

"What is it?" Sephiroth inquired.

"This is my first real food in almost a month." Cloud wasn't sure how to feel about that.

"Don't allow yourself to slip like that again. I will see if you can hunt in Midgar under the radar should you begin craving hearts again." Sephiroth was beginning to come up with some solutions.

However he had to look into better details. See if he can pull any favors. Anything to help Cloud so that they didn't always have to head to the front lines.

"I'll keep you informed." Cloud promised.

"Does this mean you will eat with the rest of us?" The general was hopeful.

"I think I will. Seeing as how much that stressed you out before. I don't want that again. The way we stress each other out made me crave them even more."

"Good. In the meantime, let us revise what we will say in the reports." Sephiroth was grateful they had the sexual desires out of their system. Otherwise it would have been way too tempting to make Cloud scream and allow everyone to hear.

Although with the slight bruising on the neck that was barely covered by the uniform was a tempting offer. Even so Sephiroth reigned in his wants. They had satiated enough of their desires earlier.