"You're not arranging a meeting with him." Sephiroth glared.
"But he's from my dreams! What's next, I can't take Zack on his offer to meet his girl?" Cloud argued.
"It's too risky when everyone will be watching. And I mean everyone. Now that you're a success at the war, everyone will notice you. Word will spread. Then the company will hear of it and believe you're going back to your old ways then silence you." Sephiroth grimaced when he let that slip.
"What? What do you mean silence me?" The blond felt his blood freeze.
After a long moment the general answered.
"...In order for them to hand you to me, they forced my hand to agree to kill you should you prove to be too stubborn."
The words hurt. His heart shattered. Cloud felt his eyes stung and he blinked. As he did tears streaked down his face. Sephiroth embraced him warmly, and even though Cloud felt safe he still tensed.
"I don't want it to ever come to that. I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to raise my blade to you. Without you the world doesn't make sense." Sephiroth bit back another admission.
As the days passed without any signs of Genesis or Cloud, Sephiroth had grown distant for a reason. He began to hear voices. These voices told him to do horrible things. The urge to kill and harm everyone around him.
It took everything in him not to give in.
Sephiroth clung onto hope. Hope that Genesis will succeed. That Cloud will return. And everything will be right again.
Soon as he laid eyes on the blond the voices stopped.
He hasn't heard them since.
This was more than being possessive. This was about Cloud's own safety. And with it Sephiroth's sanity to not give into those voices that he knew will be back full force should he be given that damn order.
Cloud felt the way Sephiroth trembled. He blinked, realizing that he spoke truth. The way he was effected meant he would be deeply pained should that outcome come true. Slowly he returned the embrace.
Sephiroth tightened his hold then. It was almost suffocating. And Cloud sensed in that moment how important he was to Sephiroth. At the realization it eased his concerns over this man losing himself.
Despite this, a small voice told him find a way. Find a means to get in touch with the caped man. But in this moment he couldn't give into the temptation. Not with the way Sephiroth held him, still trembling.
So they came a silent agreement.
And they never spoke of this again. Cloud couldn't bring himself to check his network after this discussion. He didn't want to face the temptation.
After two weeks and his weight was mostly back to normal, Cloud was given the green light to return to full Soldier duties. And soon he was busier than ever. He had nearly a short time to fully recover and regain his strength back.
With the mako injections and Sephiroth's careful watch over his food intake, Cloud bounced back rapidly. He was always afraid of another sleep walking incident, but it seemed as if that one time was just something random.
Cloud noticed one change however. He was growing rapidly stronger. The first time he noticed this, he was sparring with Zack.
And he sent the lieutenant flying.
"Are you okay!?" Cloud panicked as he raced to help.
"Damn, boy! You hit like a First!" Zack excitedly got back up, flashing a grin.
"I didn't even mean to!" The blond was embarrassed.
"No big deal Spike! That was awesome!"
This of course gained interest from the big three. The first was Angeal to test him. And although it took a while, Cloud managed to knock the commander back.
"You're advancing fast." Angeal commented.
"Thanks?" He wasn't used to praises.
Genesis couldn't help but test him the next day. Their fight was fast and a massive adrenaline rush. Still Cloud kept pace with the red commander easily.
The fight ended when Cloud disarmed Genesis.
"Well, well. Perhaps there are benefits sharing a bed with the general." The commander smirked playfully.
Cloud blushed. He couldn't think of a retort. Of course Genesis made it worse by actually laughing.
And finally Sephiroth.
This time they had an audience. Angeal and Genesis beside a bouncing Zack. A couple of Seconds and Thirds had snuck in, too. Word spread fast of how well Cloud handled the best of the best of Shinra. Tseng even watched from the cameras.
Cloud exhaled. And like that it was only him and Sephiroth. He lunged first at a burst of speed. Almost so fast some had trouble keeping track of him.
Sephiroth expertly blocked. Cloud pushed harder into his attack. He couldn't make the general move. But he felt the power behind the attack and he smirked. His eyes glowed brightly with a swell of pride and something else.
In a flash they moved as one.
It was hard to tell who attacked or who blocked. They were both a blur of movement. Masamune sang as Sephiroth swung. Sparks flew when their blades met.
Cloud tried a different tactic and swarmed Sephiroth from all directions. He stayed still and calmly deflected all of the attacks. It almost seemed too easy.
With a frustrated yell Cloud separated a smaller blade. He twirled with an onslaught of attacks of equal force and ferocity upon Sephiroth. And finally he was pushing the general back.
Sephiroth only stepped back a few steps. But it was something to be proud of. The action earned many gasps and cheers. Sephiroth never backed up when he fought. Never.
And as if to prove he had been holding back Sephiroth sent Cloud flying. The blond yelled in surprise as he went. He quickly back flipped to land back on his feet. He skidded to a halt and gathered himself quickly.
At the heated expression in those eyes Sephiroth lunged. He leaped up for a powerful strike. Cloud stood his ground and raised First Tsurugi to block. He had connected the smaller piece with the main sword before the block.
The blond shuddered under the pressure. And yet he still held his form. He stared into Sephiroth's eyes. They stayed like that a few seconds more to prolong it. They both sensed the same feeling.
This was almost better than their union in bed.
If Cloud were honest, it was actually the same. But he didn't want to admit that. Because it meant it would give way to the desire to fully meet Sephiroth in a fight. To see the malice come to reality.
Cutting away his own thoughts Cloud pulled a piece to strike. Sephiroth twisted to block, eyes narrowing at the gesture. He didn't have time to think of the change in Cloud when he had to block more hurried attacks.
As the fight continued Sephiroth noticed distinct changes. One, Cloud held his ground. The first time they fought he rolled. He would roll because he knew that if he blocked then he will be knocked down.
Two, Cloud took the lesson to heart to reserve his strength. Although he was giving his all, he was saving enough for his biggest push yet. He was waiting for the right opportunity to use it.
Sephiroth felt an ache on his right shoulder.
He silently cursed. He had forgotten to let it stretch for almost a week. Sephiroth knew this was a bad time to feel that sensation. His expression tightened as he contemplated how to end this fight faster.
Cloud noticed the change within Sephiroth. He assumed it meant that he was winning. So he pushed with all his might this time. And to the amazement of everyone he sent Sephiroth up.
A blue aura engulfed Cloud. He activated his sword and all of the pieces went floating up. They glowed a golden shine as they surrounded Sephiroth. He tried to leap up to begin his limit break.
Sephiroth panicked. His wing stretched outward. Cloud gasped, heart racing. His legs didn't send him up with the distance he knew he needed. Even so the beginning of his attack made Sephiroth react upon instinct.
With a whoosh of his wing Sephiroth dived.
It all happened so fast. One second Cloud was in the air. The second he was on the floor. The crash knocked the breath out of him. He might have been unconscious for a few seconds.
Cloud opened his eyes with a desperate gasp. He went still at how close the tip of Masamune was to his face. For a few seconds that's all he focused on.
Then his eyes drifted to Sephiroth.
His eyes burned with fury. There was a turmoil mixed in them as well. Cloud wanted to pull him into an embrace. To whisper that everything will be all right. He would have done it if Masamune wasn't so close.
All of the pieces of First Tsurugi crashed around them in a clang. The noise startled them both. And Sephiroth flinched as reality hit him.
They weren't alone.
Cloud glanced at their audience. All of them were shocked. The blond felt his heart sink. He turned his gaze back at Sephiroth, who seemed torn on what to do.
Having enough the blond pushed Masamune away. Sephiroth whirled his head to him at the notion. Cloud was a blurred movement as he raced forward to hug him close.
Sephiroth was too much in shock to fully process what was happening. He felt his wing tuck close to his body. He wished he didn't have the damn thing.
Cloud felt the general tremble. This time it wasn't just out of fear. There was unbridled anger ready to burst. He hoped against all hope to calm it.
"Sephiroth - " Angeal found his voice.
"Don't. Not now." Sephiroth grit his teeth. His voice seething.
"All of you! Swear to keep this quiet!" Genesis moved to stand before them all, eyes bright.
"Swear it!" He demanded. "If word escapes, I will hunt you down myself. And it won't be pretty."
Wordlessly the Seconds and Thirds nodded. Genesis turned to Angeal and Zack. The pair nodded under his gaze. Genesis turned to address Sephiroth and Cloud calmly.
"Do you two need a moment?" He inquired softly.
"I don't trust myself alone." The voice was loud. Demanding the boy pay for putting him in this position.
She was livid.
Sephiroth had a hard time focusing. Pushing her out of his head was proving near impossible. He was visibly shaking. Genesis noticed the way Masamune trembled.
The elevator dinged. Everyone tuned to see Tseng calmly approaching.
"I disabled the cameras. I checked to make sure no one else was watching. It seems the only witnesses are those in this room and myself watching the security feed." He informed as he approached.
"I suggest this stays quiet. Unless General Sephiroth wishes to come clean in the future. But if he wishes not to, then it is best to follow his actions." Tseng knew they all got the hint of his silent threat.
"I suggest you all disperse." The Turk's words made the Third and Seconds rush out of the training room.
As they left Sephiroth calmed enough to withdraw his wing. When it retracted fully into his body he dropped Masamune. He glanced at it with disdain that he could ever raise it to harm Cloud.
He raised a hand to blond spikes. Sephiroth wished he could feel how soft they were. If only his uniform didn't require gloves.
"...This is my only time I'm sticking up for you guys." Genesis told them.
"I don't think we will slip again." Sephiroth promised.
"...So those dreams have merit." Angeal crossed his arms.
"You told him!?" Cloud whirled, glaring at Zack.
"I may have in passing. I didn't tell him everything." Zack held up his arms.
"That was more of my fault. I didn't reveal a lot, just that you have odd dreams of fighting Sephiroth." Genesis admitted with a sigh.
"Just how many people know?" The blond demanded. "Tell the whole damn world why don't you!"
"Enough." Sephiroth snarled. Cloud flinched at the tone. He didn't have to look up to know how infuriated the general was.
"Whatever the tipping point was in your dreams was a person."
Cloud looked up at that.
"Something urged me to make you pay. With blood. I fought her off. But now I'm confused and - " He couldn't bring himself to say that he was terrified.
"If you give me a bit of time, I may have some answers. I'm waiting to hear from a contact of mine. From what little information given, these secrets were dire enough to kill people over." Tseng hated to give them hope. But with the admission from the general he felt that he shouldn't withhold what he knew.
"I can wait until then. I don't hear the voice anymore." Sephiroth knew the Turks wouldn't be idle with searching deeper into the meaning of the dream journal.
"I'll keep you informed." Tseng promised as he left with the aim to get a hold of Veld later that evening.
"Do you still need us?" Angeal asked gently.
"Can we move somewhere?" Anywhere but here.
"How about the lounge here? Or is that too public for you?" Zack suggested.
"That's enough." Sephiroth agreed.
Cloud reluctantly let go to follow.