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Part Three – Hollow Bastion
-Chapter Twenty Three-
Starting Over
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Cloud roamed the corridors beneath the coliseum listlessly. Sephiroth wasn't there.
He had been so confident when he left Traverse Town, determined to remain at the coliseum until Sephiroth grew tired of waiting and came after him there – to beat the bastard at his own game – but confidence was a lot easier to come by when surrounded by friends. After weeks of being alone, lost in his own head, Cloud could feel his will already crumbling, that familiar restless itch gnawing at his resolve. It seemed that no matter how certain he was of his course of action, Sephiroth was always one step ahead.
He was tired, both mentally and emotionally – tired of the coliseum, tired of Sephiroth, and most of all, tired of being alone. He missed the others, and his thoughts often turned to them as he wandered the empty halls. Especially Leon. Cloud often found himself lost in daydreams of the handsome brunet.
He couldn't get the image out of his head of Leon lying naked in his bed or forget the feeling of holding him in his arms, Leon drunkenly nibbling on his neck. Cloud would wake from his reveries to find himself in an entirely different part of the coliseum, overwhelmed by loneliness and hard with desire. With a deep sigh, he would shake off his longing and plod on.
He was also physically tired, he realized, and decided to return to his room to try to get some rest; he hadn't slept in days. He stretched out on his small bed, wishing only for the temporary respite of a dreamless void, but as he drifted off to sleep, his mind once again strayed to the object of his desire. He dreamed they were flying, Leon's body clasped tightly to his own as they soared through the sky.
"How is it that you can still fly?" Leon asked as they sailed over the snow-capped Nibel mountains, and a sharp pain in Cloud's shoulder blade, followed by a wave of panic, reminded him that he no longer had his wing. They plummeted toward the jagged peaks, but landed gently on Leon's bed in Traverse Town instead. Cloud pushed himself up a few inches, resting his weight on his forearms to give the man beneath him room to breathe.
Deep blue eyes, sparkling with silver, gazed up at him, and Leon laughed. "I dreamed we were dancing. Naked."
"We are naked," Cloud pointed out.
Leon's eyes fell from Cloud's face to their bodies, and a flush of warmth spread across his cheeks; they were indeed naked, their erections nestled side by side, hard and hot between their bellies. "So we are," he said, and then he kissed him, lifting his shoulders off the bed to reach Cloud's lips with his own.
Cloud pressed him down into the mattress and deepened the kiss, fingers threading through Leon's hair as his tongue delved into the heat of Leon's mouth. Leon's hands traveled the length of his back to grip his ass and pull Cloud's hips more tightly to his own as they rocked against one another, strong fingers sliding into the cleft between his cheeks to rub against his entrance. Cloud moaned into Leon's mouth, encouraging, pleading, and pushed back against his probing fingers, attempting to drive them in deeper. He was torn between which he wanted more; to bury himself in Leon's body or for Leon to fuck him into oblivion.
Luckily, he didn't have to debate the issue for long before Leon made the decision for him. Wrapping his long legs around Cloud's, he rolled them over and straddled Cloud's hips, taking him in inch by agonizing inch until he was fully seated on Cloud's cock, and then began to ride him at the same tortuously slow pace. Cloud wrapped his hand around Leon's swollen flesh and stroked him faster, trying to encourage him to pick up the tempo, but Leon refused to yield to his unspoken demand. "Patience," he growled, and continued his deliberate, leisurely torment.
Cloud gave in with a groan of frustration and allowed Leon to set the rhythm, but once he did, he realized how good it was. This was not the fast, sharp ascent to climax that Cloud was accustomed to but a slow, steady climb, taking Cloud to a deeper and deeper level of desire. When Cloud got too close, Leon would pull him back before once again beginning the climb, keeping Cloud balanced and writhing on the sweet edge between pleasure and pain. With every slow pull and steady push, every well-timed clinch of his muscles on Cloud's cock, Leon brought him to the brink and back again, and when he finally pulled Cloud over the edge, Cloud's whole body shuddered violently in the most intense climax he had ever experienced.
Leon followed immediately after, brought to his own release as soon as he felt the warmth from Cloud's flood his body. He cried out when he came, a deep, keening moan, and a pair of beautiful wings burst from his back as he spilled his seed on Cloud's stomach. Still panting heavily from his own orgasm, Cloud reached up to stroke the soft, white feathers, but Leon vanished beneath his fingers in a flurry of down. Cloud watched as he flew over rising falls, past a twisted castle, and disappeared beyond azure cliffs.
He knew this place; he recognized it from Sora's description.
The dream shifted, and Cloud found himself standing on top of the cliff, looking down into a deep ravine. Sephiroth was staring up at him. With a malicious smirk, he opened his hand and held it out for Cloud to see; on his palm was a white feather, tattered and bloody. Cloud jolted awake, drenched with sweat and gasping for breath, a scream lodged in his throat.
The goddamned bastard was in Hollow Bastion.
And so was Leon.
Cloud knew he was there because Vincent had told him when he stopped by a few days earlier on his way to Hollow Bastion, having stopped first in Traverse Town only to find the others already gone. Including Leon.
As soon as Cloud's racing heart returned to normal, he grabbed some clean clothes from his dresser and headed for the showers. It annoyed him to waste the precious time, but he supposed it wouldn't do to turn up in Hollow Bastion smelling of sex. His thoughts returned to his dream, replaying it in his head as he washed its results down the drain, and he couldn't help but wonder if sex with Leon would be that good in real life. He felt himself growing hard again at the mere thought.
He'd had plenty of sex in his life – none of it wanted and all of it abusive, from gang rapes in the Shin-Ra showers to Sephiroth's selfish rush to his own satisfaction with never a regard for Cloud's – but only in his dream had he known the touch of a considerate lover. Leon had been attentive to every detail, every nuance of Cloud's needs – needs that even Cloud himself was not aware of – and had devoted himself to fulfilling them.
But of course, it had only been a dream. It had felt so real, but sadly, the semen splattered across his belly was not Leon's, but his own.
With thoughts of Leon still swirling in his mind, Cloud stepped from the shower and quickly dressed, then opened a portal to Hollow Bastion and stepped inside, praying that he wasn't too late. He didn't like using the Dark Corridors, but he couldn't wait around for Vincent to give him a ride.
And what was a little more darkness to him?
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They had been in Hollow Bastion for almost a week when Cloud showed up.
After disembarking at the rising falls, the group from Traverse Town had fought their way through the castle until they reached the library, which seemed to be a haven from the Heartless. Perhaps the Heartless had an aversion to books, Aerith had joked, but whatever the reason, they seemed to confine themselves to the other areas of the castle.
They decided it was as good a spot as they were likely to find to establish temporary quarters until they could explore the surrounding area and, hopefully, locate more suitable permanent lodgings. It was relatively comfortable and quiet with its plush green carpet, and there were numerous wings that would provide some privacy for sleeping. By sliding the shelves into different positions, some of the wings could even be closed off for greater privacy, though no one wanted to be too far away or shut off from the others in this strange castle filled with strong Heartless. There were even two restrooms – one for the "Ladies" and one for the "Gents", though they didn't contain showers – as well as a large table under the stairs where they could set up a makeshift kitchen.
Cid and Leon returned to the gummi to bring in everyone's bags while Aerith and Yuffie took a closer look around the library. Despite the absence of Heartless, Merlin fortified the area with protective wards to make sure they stayed out.
By the time Cid and Leon returned, Aerith had found several Ansem's reports hidden away among the books, and Yuffie had discovered the secret passageway, previously opened by Sora, no doubt, to another part of the castle. From the corridor beyond, they could hear the sound of fighting somewhere higher up in the castle and decided to go have a look, figuring that it must be the young Keyblade wielder himself and his two companions, whose gummi ship was still parked at the falls when they landed. They found them in the Grand Hall.
After sealing the keyhole, the trio followed them back to the library so Aerith could give Sora the reports she had found, and then took off to continue their search for Ansem. Once they were gone, the new residents set about turning the library into a temporary home.
Merlin dug into his bag, pulling out items right and left and tossing them onto the table. There was the cooking equipment, of course: the camping stove, a couple of pots and pans, and some bowls, plates, and eating utensils. Next came some coffee and tea, along with powdered creamer and sugar; several loaves of bread and a large jar of peanut butter; oatmeal or cereal with powdered milk for breakfast and Leon's homemade jerky and trail mix (with lots of M&Ms!), as well as several boxes of energy bars for snacks. It was all followed by the pièce de résistance – a dozen large cans of stew.
Leon groaned. He really couldn't fathom the wizard's fondness for the stuff. He seemed to think that one could subsist on stew alone; it was all he ever ate!
Then again, Merlin was quite old...
Once Merlin had emptied his bag of kitchen supplies, he pulled out some toilet paper and towels and soap for the bathrooms, followed by sleeping bags, small tables, and lamps for the others. Then he nabbed the largest wing for himself and proceeded to furnish it with all of his belongings as the others enviously eyed his bed.
Aerith organized the kitchen area, neatly putting away the pile of assorted goods on the table while Yuffie picked out a sizable wing for the two of them and put away their things. They had grown accustomed to sharing a room and were in no hurry to change that arrangement under their current circumstances. Cid and Leon each settled into one of the smaller wings, with Leon choosing the most private one he could find away from the others. After a dinner of yummy canned stew, they took turns using the bathrooms to brush their teeth and wash the day from their faces before retiring to their "rooms" for their first night in their new home.
They spent most of the following week further exploring the library, leafing through all of the books in the hopes of finding more reports or other relevant information, though Leon wasn't much help as they often found him leaning against the wall reading rather than looking for reports. Aerith gave him exasperated looks, but they didn't faze him in the least; he was in heaven surrounded by all those books!
A few days after Sora left, Vincent showed up to inform them that he had found Organization Thirteen's new base of operations in an obscure castle in the Realm Between. Aerith tried to persuade him to stay for a while, or at least for dinner, but Vincent shook his head and took off again to keep an eye on the organization's comings and goings. Little did they know that during Vincent's brief absence, Sora had entered that very castle, and in the weeks that followed, everyone gradually forgot about his existence altogether.
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Cloud headed straight for the ravine he had seen in his dream and traversed its length from one end to the other, twice, but there was no sign of Sephiroth, nor any of the telltale taint of darkness that lingered long after the man himself was gone. He had been so certain of finding Sephiroth here that he had failed to consider what to do if he wasn't.
Cloud rubbed his brow in frustration as if that might clear the fogginess in his brain. He was still fuzzy from from his trip through the Corridor of Darkness, and past experience told him it could take several hours to pass. He climbed to the top of the cliff where he could watch the valley below as he waited it out and debated his next move.
He knew he should just stay here, find a crevice large enough to hunker down in for the night from which he could maintain his vigilance, but the desolation hanging over the valley weighed so heavily on his heart he could hardly breathe, and as twilight settled on the surrounding bluffs, reminding him of the evenings spent on the roof of the Gizmo Shop with Leon, a crushing sadness settled in his soul. It didn't help knowing that his friends were mere minutes away.
There was a light on in the castle, like a candle left burning in the window to guide him home, and his feet moved toward it of their own accord.
Besides, he told himself, if Sephiroth knew that his friends were here, perhaps it would be better to stay close.
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As everyone was preparing to settle down for the night, there was a knock on the locked library door. They were pretty sure that a Heartless wouldn't bother to knock, but who could it be at this late hour? Had Vincent decided to return after all? Cid went to check while the others looked on, gasping in surprise when he ushered Cloud into the room. Cloud glanced around, and when his eyes met Leon's, a small smile curled the corner of his mouth, an exact mirror of the one on Leon's. They both looked away lest it blossom into a full-blown grin.
Especially since Aerith had leaned forward to study Cloud's face. Satisfied by what she found there, or maybe not, she insisted on heating up some stew for him despite Cloud's protest that he wasn't hungry. Leon showed him around their new quarters while she got it ready. Once they were out of earshot, the normally undemonstrative brunet admitted, "I'm glad you decided to come."
"I could say the same," Cloud replied. "What changed your mind?"
"Merlin. And you?"
"Sephiroth wasn't there," Cloud answered and left it at that. Perhaps he should tell Leon that he suspected Sephiroth was here, but he didn't want to involve him if he was right, or unduly worry him if he wasn't, and he really didn't want to have to explain what had led him to suspect it in the first place.
Leon had his own suspicion that Cloud wasn't telling him the whole story, but he didn't press him further. He could question him about it later, but for now, he was just glad the man was here.
"It's ready," Aerith called. "Come eat!"
Leon joined Cloud at the table, and Cid ambled over soon after. Yuffie was already there, polishing off her second bowl of stew. Cloud tried to eat as much as he could, but Aerith had filled his bowl to the brim, and he only made it halfway through before giving up and setting down his spoon.
"You gonna finish that?" Yuffie asked. Cloud pushed the bowl over to her in reply.
"Good god, Yuffie," Cid said. "You're gonna bust."
"No way; I've still got plenty of room!" she proclaimed and proceed to prove it by finishing off the rest of Cloud's stew.
"Well, I'm goin' to bed. I don't want to be here when you puke all over everything!"
Merlin came over to bring Cloud a sleeping bag and say good night before also retiring, leaving the foursome who had shared Leon's Traverse Town house to themselves. Aerith made another pot of tea, and they sat around the table talking for far too long into the night.
Yuffie was first to give it up and go to bed, followed shortly by the others. Cloud tried to help Aerith clear away the dishes, but she insisted there wasn't much to do and shooed him out of the kitchen. "Go on to bed. You must be tired."
"A little," he admitted.
He and Leon walked together to the bathroom, stopping outside the door to the men's room. "Is there anything you need?" Leon asked him. "I noticed you didn't bring anything with you."
Cloud scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, well, I kinda left in a hurry. A toothbrush would be nice."
Leon went into the bathroom and got a new toothbrush for Cloud, as well as his own, from his toiletry bag on the counter. "How did you get here, anyway?" he asked, handing the toothbrush to Cloud, and then answered his own question when he saw the shamed look on Cloud's face. "You used the corridors."
"I... it was the only way. I didn't want to wait for a ride." Cloud shrank a little inside, expecting to hear disappointment or even reproof in Leon's reaction, but received only gentle concern.
"Then you must be really tired," he said. "You should have said something; we wouldn't have kept you up so long. We're just so glad to see you, I'm afraid we've been selfish with your time."
"It's not like I didn't enjoy it too, you know. I'm glad to be back."
A long moment passed between them as they gazed into each other's eyes, spellbound, and though no words were spoken, a great deal was said. It was Leon who finally broke the trance, tearing his eyes away from Cloud's and taking a step back before he did something really stupid. "So are you sure there's nothing else you need? Some clothes to sleep in maybe?"
Cloud shook his head. "Just the toothbrush, thanks."
"All right, then. I'll see you in the morning."
"Wait, didn't you want to brush your teeth?" Cloud asked, indicating the toothbrush still in Leon's hand.
"I'll use the little girls' room," Leon replied, smirking as he closed the door behind him.
By the time Cloud was done in the bathroom, Aerith had just finished tidying up the kitchen and met him at the foot of the stairs. "I'm really glad you're here." She smiled up at him. "We've missed you so much!"
"I missed you guys too," he admitted. "Even Yuffie."
Aerith laughed. "Well, sleep tight," she said, turning off the light. "And don't let the bed bugs bite!" she added over her shoulder as she walked off to bed.
Bed bugs indeed, Cloud thought. More like bad dreams...
Cloud grabbed his sleeping bag and headed up the stairs, hoping he would be far enough away from the others that he wouldn't disturb them with his nightmares. They had returned worse than ever since he'd gone back to the coliseum and assailed him every time he closed his eyes. The sole exception had been his dream that very morning of Leon, which, in its own right, was even more unsettling, and Cloud really hoped he wouldn't have a repeat of that.
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Though it was only a soft whimper, Leon woke immediately at the sound. It seemed that whether he wished it or not, he was keenly attuned to the blond. He crawled out of the warmth of his sleeping bag and pulled on his jacket; the library was chilly. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he quietly climbed the stairs to look for the other man, finally finding him curled up in the farthest corner, trembling.
Leon shook his head. Why Cloud had opted to sleep on top of his bag rather than inside it was bewildering. Though they had brought blankets with them, they were still in Merlin's bag, which could only be opened by Merlin, and Merlin was asleep. Leon wasn't about to wake him because Cloud was an idiot. Hoping that Cloud's shivering was just from the cold, but suspecting it wasn't, Leon took off his jacket and draped it over the other man.
Cloud snuggled into the jacket, still warm from the heat of Leon's body, and quickly quieted down. Leon watched him as his breathing returned to normal and the shivering ceased, and as soon as he was sure Cloud was sleeping soundly, he returned to his own bed and didn't hear another peep from the other man for the rest of the night.
Leon, however, was now wide awake.
Cloud had been doing so well before he left Traverse Town to return to the coliseum, but his nightmares seemed to be back, and Leon couldn't help but wonder why as he stared into the darkness.
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Cloud slowly woke the following morning to the sound of light chatter and the smell of brewing coffee coming from below and smiled to himself. He had been dreaming of his mother's freshly baked rosemary bread.
She had just brought a plate with a couple of thick slices, still warm and slathered with butter, and a cup of coffee to the bed in their kitchen where he was lying. I'm so glad you took my advice and found yourself an older man, she was saying...
It was warm and cozy under the covers, and Cloud was in no hurry to get up. The proximity of his friends was comforting, and the light streaming in through the stained glass window cast an orange glow over the room, bathing him with a sense of well-being. Even the floor was surprisingly comfy, and he realized he had slept very well. He snuggled back into the warmth and buried his nose in the soft fur collar of Leon's ja-
Wait ... Cloud came fully awake … why was he covered with Leon's jacket? He certainly hadn't gone to bed with it last night, which meant that sometime during the night Leon had...
Cloud was flooded with even more warmth at the thought of Leon covering him with his jacket while he slept – a little too much warmth, actually. Leon's jacket smelled like Leon, a scent more enticing than even the coffee wafting up from below or the memory of his mother's rosemary bread, and instantly brought his dream of Leon to mind.
Big mistake.
Though he hadn't woken up with an erection, he certainly had one now. As he was lying there attempting to will it away, another problem presented itself: what to do with Leon's jacket?
There was no way he would be able to sneak down the stairs and give it back to Leon without being seen by the others, and that would be embarrassing for both of them. Cid would probably make some expletive-filled wisecrack and Aerith would giggle. Yuffie would– oh god, Yuffie... Cloud could feel his face turning red from just thinking about it. But wouldn't it be rude to just leave the jacket behind? Especially since it was so chilly in the library; Leon was probably freezing without it. Maybe he could just hang it on the back of the chair at the small table upstairs and let Leon know as soon as he could pull the brunet aside.
Oh for heaven's sake, Cloud laughed at himself; he was being ridiculous. He was a grown man, not some kid in junior high! Well, at least all his worrying had taken care of his first problem.
Still shaking his head at his own foolishness, Cloud went downstairs, and no one even noticed when he casually handed Leon his jacket. Nobody other than Aerith, that is, who merely looked up and smiled. Cid was too busy arguing with Merlin, and Yuffie was too busy helping herself to another bowl of oatmeal. "What?" she said when Leon rolled his eyes. "I'm having a growing spurt!"
Smiling, Cloud poured himself a cup of coffee and joined the others at the table. It really was good to be back.
