So I might have replied to a few people on Archive of Our Own that I would have this chapter up yesterday, and I know I didn't deliver on that, but I have two very valid reasons for not having this up yesterday.
1. This chapter didn't actually want to end and we might be getting an epilogue as a wrap-up. So my normal 8-9 pages turned into 13 full pages of pure brain-melting goodness.
2. My internet died as soon as I had gotten the last sentence written and my document saved. So even if I wanted to post it at 12:30 am I couldn't cause dead internet is a pain and a half.
So without further ado! Enjoy this beautiful chapter that is actually longer than my other chapters.
Chapter 10
Seph watched Cloud closely as he spent the following week tending to Aerith. She was healing quickly for an unenhanced individual with wounds that would keep anyone else in bed and unable to move for a month at least. Zack was already working on helping her sit and stand while Cloud went out to tend to the Chocobos.
But Cloud had been holding his head and looking off to the north with a vacant gaze for a few days now. It scared him a lot, especially because Cloud always looked confused when he asked him if something was wrong. Not even Zack could answer him when he asked.
"Seph…"
Seph tilted his head and looked up at Cloud from where he was sitting, but he wasn't looking at him. Cloud was looking north.
"Cloud?" Seph asked. He vaguely realized Zack was looking over from the barn, his hand frozen in an aborted motion to get attention. "Cloud what's wrong?"
Cloud started walking forward as if drugged and unable to walk steadily. "Sephiroth…"
Seph stood up and tried to stabilize Cloud, but Zack was suddenly in front of Cloud, shoving him to the ground.
"Cloud buddy," Zack called out, pinning Cloud's struggling body down. "Cloud buddy you need to come back to me. Seph! I know we were going to wait until later but I need Aerith's help! NOW!"
Seph nodded and ran off, his body shaking. He had never seen Cloud look so… possessed before. He had seen that look in Zack's eyes when President Strife took control. He never wanted to see Cloud's eyes have that gleam of dullness to them. His world was starting to take a turn and tumble for the worse, and he didn't know how to deal with them.
"Miss Aerith!" Seph gasped out as he slid to a stop in front of her, he dully realized Genesis was helping her stand and Angeal was startled by the door. "Miss Aerith! Zack needs you! Something is wrong with Cloud!"
"Seph?" Aerith repeated, a frown crossing her features. "Seph what's wrong?"
"Miss Aerith, please!" Seph cried. "H-his eyes have turned to look like mine but they look dull and like he's not there! He tried to walk north but he was stumbling like he had little control over his limbs! And he won't stop saying my name!"
"Genesis," Angeal called out, moving to comfort Seph. "Take her outside to Zack. She doesn't understand us and one of us needs to be here to comfort Seph. Zack should be able to explain what's happening better."
Genesis nodded and started moving towards the door as Angeal nudged Seph into the ever-growing and comfortable nest of blankets, hay, and straw in the corner. As Angeal bunkered down in the nest, curled around Seph, he watched as Genesis and Aerith left as fast as her injuries allowed her too, praying silently that Aerith was able to help Cloud. Seph cried silently under his wing, his trembling never stopping as he curled closer to Angeal's body.
Seph fell asleep crying, listening to Angeal coo gently and lovingly trying to comfort him, but the voice that comforted him the most was one he knew no one else could hear, the one that gently told him that everything was going to be fine, that Cloud would be back to normal once he wakes up.
Seph liked that voice, the calm one that kept reassuring him softly that everything would be okay. He couldn't help but feel like he was right and when he woke up, Cloud would be smiling and laughing with him again.
FINAL FANTASY 7
Aerith didn't know what had Seph shaking and screeching at her, but whatever it was, Angeal had taken charge of the situation and now Genesis was leading her out of the barn while Angeal took Seph to the nest. She really wished she could understand them, then maybe she would be able to help them.
Genesis cooed at her as they exited the barn, then shifted his head to look around. She felt him stiffen as he looked over towards the left, then she heard the yell of pain.
"ZACK!" Then she found herself thrown onto Genesis' back and she saw what he had seen.
Zack was groaning and holding his arm against the side of a shed, his arm twisted and resting in a very broken position. Cloud was stumbling forward like a drunkard, muttering something under his breath over and over.
"Genesis stop him!" Zack called out. "He's being pulled by Sephiroth somewhere!"
Genesis ran right into Cloud and flopped down to land on his chest, pinning his arms to the side. Aerith clutched to him desperately to keep herself on him the entire time, which ended up with her looking right into green cat-like eyes on the face of her best friend.
"Cloud?" Aerith asked, tilting her head sideways. She had to make herself as small and harmless as possible while talking to him like this, that she remembered.
His eyes snapped to hers, the green growing darker as they met, until his pupils slowly started to return to normal, the blue slowly creeping back into his iris. "Aerith."
"Cloud, can you tell me why Sephiroth is calling you?" Aerith asked, watching Cloud's eyes do some kind of weird mix of blue and green.
"He…" Cloud started a frown forming. "He wants to show me something. Said I should come to him to see it…"
"Cloud," Aerith said softly, shifting so she could slide off Genesis' back and to the ground next to CLoud's head. She was trying to keep her fear in check. Last time she was this close to Cloud he attacked her. "What if he's just trying to get you away from everyone so he can hurt you?"
Cloud blinked, his eyes turning bluer as he continued to blink while looking up at her. Then he frowned, his eyes turning back to normal. "Sephiroth said I have nothing to fear from him. That he did my job for me and all he wanted was for me to see how well he did it and to reward him. But if you won't let me go to him, then he is fine bringing the source of your trauma here to you."
Genesis spoke up then, moving to sit next to Cloud instead of on him.
After several moments of Genesis 'talking' Cloud looked up at the sky in thought.
"I mean I guess he could mean when Aerith was attacked by President Strife in the Lifestream," Cloud replied. "He sounded… Mad almost, like whatever the problem was had hurt someone he has a bond with. Maybe he found out that President Strife hurt you?"
Genesis made a noise that sounded almost like a scoffing snort.
"Excuse me for thinking that the Holy Trinity would have bonded like brothers in a company where you only had each other for any real company."
Genesis almost whined in a tone that sounded something like betrayal.
"You're just being rude now," Cloud sighed out, slowly moving to sit up. "Whatever. He said he was on his way to us before he pulled away enough for me to not hear him anymore. We can ask him when he gets here."
Aerith just cocked her head and blinked at Cloud. She had seen Zack talking to Genesis, Angeal, and Seph multiple times before and them responding, but Aerith had never taken Zack's word that they could understand them at face value. She thought it was more like he was talking to himself and making replies up based on the response tone. To think Cloud could actually understand Genesis, did that mean Zack was also able to understand them as well?
Just how much did she miss while in the Lifestream?
"Wait," Cloud started, turning to look at her. "Zack said you two had put Sephiroth to rest in the Lifestream already. How is he back?"
Aerith found herself unable to look at Cloud, instead, she found herself turning to look at Zack, who looked like he wanted Cloud to take those words back. Zack was still injured. "Zack is injured, I should go tend to him!"
She could feel Cloud watching her as she stumbled the few feet over to Zack's side. Her legs were starting to burn and her back was starting to feel so unbearably stretched the longer she was moving, but as long as she didn't have to answer that question then everything would be fine.
Besides, how do you tell someone that the person you killed three times was being controlled by Jenova, and even though he could see what was happening around him, he couldn't actually do anything about it? With that person being Sephiroth, who could pull himself out of the Lifestream whenever he wanted and never actually merged with the Lifestream, only using it as a place to take a nap or get a few hours of sleep before coming back around to learn how to garden, to patrol with Zack to find any stray strands of Jenova that they had to get rid of before they could merge again, to prevent another plague like Geostigma, or sit by the lake and do some Cloud watching.
Actually, how do you tell someone that the person you consider your biggest enemy and a threat to the planet, is actually your biggest admirer and has fancied you since you caught Zack's attention while still a Shinra trooper? That the great General Sephiroth had wanted to meet the adorable baby Chocobo named Cloud Strife and had an interest in becoming acquaintances with the one person left who could cow Zack? That that interest had turned into a crush as you killed him the first time, then love as you chased him around the world and then killed him two more times? That Sephiroth himself had found you the perfect match for him to love and cherish?
"Zack."
Zack flinched as Cloud leveled him with a glare, demanding answers.
"Ah, well, you see," Zack awkwardly started, trying to look everywhere but at Cloud. "I, um, might have not told the entire truth?"
Aerith could feel the coldness of the gaze on them as she took Zack's arm and snapped it back into place. She would not give in. She would not be the one to tell Cloud that Sephiroth had probably saved the world just to get Cloud to have a civil conversation with him before he returned to the Lifestream to have a fangirl moment, and then go back to Cloud Watching.
"Ah, well, you see," Zack coughed out, laughing slightly. "You know. Sephiroth is crazy. You understand and get exactly what I mean."
"No, Zack. I don-"
"Don't be silly!" Zack cut in quickly. "Of course you do! This conversation is over and will never be brought up again. Good? Good."
"Zack!"
"Let's go check on Seph!" Zack shouted out. "He was really freaking out when he saw your eyes! We should go let him know that you're fine and it's not going to happen again!"
"As long as Sephiroth is alive it will hap-"
"It won't happen again," Zack grounded out, glaring at Cloud so harshly, Aerith let out a very small sound of distress that no human could ever possibly pull off and pulled away from him. "Right, Cloud?"
When Aerith looked over at Cloud, he was hiding behind Genesis' wing, trying to make himself as small as possible.
"R-right," he muttered. "W-won't happen again."
"Good!" Zack cheered, the frozen, harsh glare gone just like that. "Let's go check on Seph then shall we?"
As Aerith watched Cloud walk away, Zack with his arm slung over him, Genesis at her side helping her walk again, she could almost feel happy again, could almost forget her fear of Cloud. But every step she took reminded her that Cloud had gotten into the Lifestream without being called and had attacked her with the intent to kill her. He may be acting as if he had never done it, but she knew he had. Just like how Hojo was somehow crazy enough to make a Chocobo version of Sephiroth.
She knew Cloud had explained to her that they were from different worlds, but she really didn't believe that. A lot of strange things happened around Cloud, but Gaia did a lot of things to keep order, and if they were from other worlds, then Aerith would have been told that they had broken through and that they had to be sent back to their proper worlds.
She had no reason to believe that they were from other worlds like Zack and Cloud were made to believe. Gaia would never allow it. Not unless she was helping them all get here to this world, but even then Aerith would have been told that new people were coming and she would have to help them along in this new world until they adjusted.
But there was a huge disruption and chaos that happened in the Lifestream when Zack was kicked out and at the same time, three Chocobos who went by the names Genesis, Angeal, and Sephiroth had appeared in the world at the same place as Zack, who was also a Chocobo.
Aerith blinked and looked back at Zack's back. Surely Gaia wouldn't send Zack instead of her if they were from different worlds. She was more connected to Gaia and could help them find purpose and reason in a new world. So surely, if Gaia did have a hand in this, surely she would have sent Aerith instead of Zack right?
Right. Gaia always called on her when there were issues in the Lifestream.
'But this isn't the Lifestream,' a traitorous part of her mind argued. 'The Lifestream was in danger and new people needed to be guided. Gaia had two guides she could call upon, one a warrior who could subdue the new ones if they tried anything and the other the one who mediated and fixed issues in the Lifestream itself.'
Aerith slipped into deep thought as she was led back into the barn, her mind racing.
FINAL FANTASY 7
Sephiroth caught himself humming as he tied the monster up. It was a happy tune that Cloud had a tendency to hum when he was having a hard time falling asleep while he was alone. Cloud also hummed it to the Chocobo's he cared for as he made sure they had food and water. It was part of Cloud's everyday routine, he didn't even know if Cloud knew he was humming it anymore. It was a very nice tune that he was still trying to find the origin for. He would probably have to ask Cloud at this point where it was from.
The harsh hiss and the groan on the ground had him looking back down at the monster. He had tied that particular knot much too tight.
Oh well~!
He can suffer. He had hurt Genesis and Aerith after all. He also had the gull to brainwash and control Zack, then try the same damn trick on him. If the bastard actually wanted to succeed with his plans he never should have hurt his friends. Cloud would have been much nicer then he was.
What could he get Cloud to give him as a reward for giving him a break from constantly having to save the world over and over again? Maybe he could ask for the name of the tune he hummed. Or maybe he could get Cloud to teach him how to care for Chocobos. Maybe he could even get to talk to Cloud without the threat of being killed. Or perhaps he could request a kiss from the blue-eyed beauty. Oh, the options were endless!
Another pained yelp rang out from below him. This time he hadn't been careful and had placed a rope into an open and gushing wound. That was going to be irritating and painful as that wound tried to heal.
Maybe if he did it right, the wound would heal around the rope and the bastard would have to reopen the wound to remove it.
Well, only if Cloud decided to let the man live, of course. He was going to give Cloud the last say on if this monster lived or not. Just like Cloud would have last say on if he would be left on this world or dragged back to his own. Even if he was stronger then Cloud, Gaia had chosen Cloud to be her Champion.
He only hoped Aerith would tell Cloud exactly what being Gaia's Champion meant exactly while she was around. He didn't want to be that guy that broke the news to you that your existence is now going to go on until Gaia herself is either destroyed or someone else takes your place as Champion. Besides, how exactly are you supposed to tell the guy that hates you that he is now immortal because Gaia always has enemies and her last Champion sent himself off the planet and killed himself where she couldn't reach him.
Yeah, that conversation would never go over well between them both. It would be disastrous and Cloud would think he was insane and any chance he could have ever had would be blown out the window so fast it would be like it was never there in the first place.
"Can you fucking pay attention to what you're doing and stop getting stuck in Lala Land?!" The monster screamed in pain.
Sephiroth looked at what he had just done. Tied to the point his muscles couldn't even twitch, the rope was digging into gashes that were still bleeding, placed into open wounds that showed bone, and was overall just over the top in holding even him still. It was overkill, it was painful for the monster.
It was perfect for getting revenge for hurting Aerith like he had.
Though he did happen to grab Aerith's treasured staff before they left the Lifestream, the one that she was able to summon to her whenever she wanted. She could beat on him a bit if she wanted to. He had killed her entire meadow that she worked so hard to make grow in the Lifestream after all.
Sephiroth had the passing thought that Cid Highwind was going to have a heart attack when he next entered the armory on the Shera and found this particular staff missing.
"I'm tied up now," came the irritating call from the monster. "What are you going to do to me now?"
"Now?" Sephiroth asked and repeated. "I guess now is to see how well you take a high-speed flight from here to my Chocobo."
And with a grin that would make anyone who saw it run and never stop, Sephiroth picked up the monster and took to the air, dangling the man by the end that he left long just for this purpose alone.
His screams were music to his ears though as he got higher and higher. The sheer terrified screams that met his ears when he purposely dropped and then grabbed the monster at unpredicted intervals was just the icing on the cake.
This man was going to be begging for death before they even reached his beautiful golden Chocobo.
Maybe Cloud would let him stick around this time. He wanted to spend more time with his Golden Beauty, this would be a good way to do so. Maybe if he phrased it just so he could manage it.
If anyone could hear what was happening at the altitude that he was flying, they would hear the monsters' terrified screams and sobs and Sephiroth laughing joyously as his mind was drifting off again.
"Help me," the monster sobbed. "Someone help me please."
But no one could hear the repeated pleas and sobs of the monster but Sephiroth, and they only made him feel satisfied. Even if this monster was allowed to live, he would never again try anything on this planet, the fear of the great General Sephiroth was not one that you simply got over. It was a way of life, one that either kept you alive or killed you.
"Oh, my Beautiful Golden Chocobo will be so pleased when he sees what I have done for him!" Sephiroth chuckled out. "He will be so pleased he might even grant a request of mine!"
FINAL FANTASY 7
Cid and Vincent were having a grand old time on the Shera. Cid needed to give his baby a good cleaning and Vincent was bored enough to join him on the trip back to Rocket Town to clean the ship with Cid. It was as they were crossing the ocean after an exhausting run for Reeve that they found themselves staring at the most unusual sight above them.
What looked like Sephiroth was flying through the air with someone really bloody and beaten tied up under him. Sephiroth was seemingly dropping the person and then dashing down to grab them back up, only to do it again and again, until Sephiroth was beside the Shera and could look inside and see them. Sephiroth looked absolutely ruined, his hair windblown, his face red from unknown causes, his signature leather clothing ruffled and torn. But that wasn't what kept Cid and Vincent in place instead of helping the man they could now identify as Cloud.
No, what kept them in place was the way Sephiroth's eyes sparkled with what looked like joy and smug satisfaction, the way his mouth was forming a genuine smile, how his laugh so filled with life and joy could be heard through the glass. Not even Cloud bloody, beaten, and tied up, could bring them to move to interfere, not while seeing Sephiroth so human had them both frozen stiff.
Sephiroth waved at them, and they saw the blonde start screaming something that sounded like muffled pleas to save him, and then they were gone almost as if they were never there in the first place.
It took until they saw land again for Vincent to break the silence.
"Did he have Aerith's staff strapped to his back?"
"More importantly," Cid huffed out, shoving an unlit cigarette into his mouth. "Do we alert the others or just act like we never saw whatever weird courting ritual that was?"
"Let us ignore it for now," Vincent said, turning to head down to the armory. "If Cloud needs help he will call. Let us go check on him after cleaning the Shera if it will help you rest easier. I am going to go see if that was Aerith's staff then I shall be back."
"Got it!" Cid replied, putting his attention back onto getting them back to Rocket Town. "Let's also have a day to recover just the two of us before going, just in case we do need to fight Sephiroth."
Vincent laughed as he walked out of the room. Cid smirked when the door shut behind Vincent. He always enjoyed getting Vincent to laugh when it was just the two of them. He was glad he never got a crew for the Shera. Him and Shera were fine piloting it on their own, and when Vincent came around, it was even funnier. Vincent was a good damn co-pilot.
The issue with Sephiroth could wait for a while. He had more important things to deal with before even thinking of Sephiroth. Like the fact that Vincent and his other parts had promised him a fun time when they got a chance to be alone and not have to do anything for a few hours. That was something to look forward to.
FINAL FANTASY 7
Cloud had to admit that when he ran out of the barn to figure out who was screaming like he was dying, he really wasn't expecting to see himself falling from the sky with Sephiroth lazily flying behind him. It was very startling and also short-circuited his brain. He watched as Sephiroth caught the falling man right before he would have hit the ground, and at this point everyone in the barn was next to Cloud just staring in disbelief at Sephiroth, who was now standing on the man's back, his foot grinding the man's head into the ground.
"That was fun wasn't it?" Sephiroth asked, looking down at the man on the ground. He frowned when the man made no move to respond. "I didn't kill you by accident, did I? That would be bad."
Cloud blinked. His brain was so fried he didn't even realize Zack and Aerith were looking down at him in concern until Seph nudged him into leaning against him on the ground.
"Cloud's brain isn't working right now," Seph said softly, his wing moving to cover him. "I think he needs a minute to reboot."
"Yeah," Zack said softly, crouching down next to him. "I think we all need a minute to actually process what the fuck is happening."
Sephiroth looked up at them, tilted his head, located Cloud curling into a Silver Chocobo with eyes like his but duller, raised an elegant eyebrow, then shrugged and moved to check on the man he was previously standing on.
"Your fucking crazy," was the grumble that snapped everyone out of their dazes. "Your insane, and I'm going to fucking kill you for what you have done!"
Cloud felt Seph stiffen and pulled closer to him, the soft whimpers of fear that escaped from him were enough for Cloud to get pissed as he realized exactly who Sephiroth had brought to them.
"Oh please, do keep trying to kill me," Sephiroth said dully. "But if you keep scaring the little one, I'm going to have to make a decision without the consent of Gaia's Champion."
President Strife was now kneeling on the ground before them, his eyes filled with terror as he met Sephiroth's cold and hardened gaze.
"No smart remark?" Sephiroth chuckled out. "Good. Then I truly haven't lost my touch on breaking wills. Now I believe you own a nice lady, an apology for destroying her entire meadow, a child for taking his childhood and ruining him, two well-meaning men for breaking their bones and trying to kill them, and Zack an apology for taking over his mind."
"I have nothing to-" A sharp thin blade was in his mouth and President Strife froze.
"I didn't ask," Sephiroth coldly stated. "You will apologize, or you will eat my sword. Am I understood?"
"Y-yes," President Strife said carefully around the sword in his mouth.
He stayed still as the sword was removed and then looked at them, his eyes filled with so much fear, Cloud almost felt sorry for him, but he knew what this man had done to Seph, what he had done to Angeal and Genesis, what he had done to Zack. This man would get none of his pity.
"I-I am sorry for everything-" the sword was back, but it was against his throat this time. President Strife made a very girly squeal as he flinched back from the blade. "Miss, I am terribly sorry I tried to kill you and that I destroyed the flower meadow you worked so hard to bring to life. I am sorry to the men that I threw around and tried to kill. I am sorry to Zack for taking over your mind against your will. I am sorry to Seph for ruining his life and for making him my slave. And I am sorry I ever tried to control you and make you my slave as well. I won't ever do any of it again. Please. Please let me go."
Cloud watched with eyes of stone. He felt nothing for the terrified sobbing man before him. "Sorry doesn't erase what you have done. And even if you really are sorry, no one here you have wronged would ever accept it. What you have done is beyond despicable."
"Miss Aerith," Sephiroth interrupted. "I brought you your staff. Do you wish to make this man regret attacking you?"
Aerith blinked at the staff Sephiroth was holding out for her. Cloud blinked at the gesture. Then he looked back at the man who was looking at Aerith as if she was nothing to him.
"Give him a few good smacks, Aer," Cloud said, watching the man's eyes snap to him. "He did kill your flowers and throw the Lifestream into disarray. He also killed his Aerith's family just to get Seph back into his grasp."
Aerith stiffened, Zack stiffened, President Strife stiffened.
"H-how did?"
"So you really did kill them," Sephiroth stated calmly, removing the blade from his throat. He walked over and put the staff into Aerith's hands. "He killed them, and he did it in such a way that they will never be able to join the Lifestream and find peace. They will never be reborn or be allowed to drift forever or protect the Lifestream. You decide if you want to make him suffer for a bit or not. I already spent so much time just picking him apart and breaking him, but your touch would be the perfect finishing touch before the Champion decides his fate."
Aerith snapped and screamed. Cloud watched as she hit the man with all of her might, Sephiroth throwing a Curaga on her to seal her wounds and let her go at him with everything. Cloud felt a level of satisfaction and regret run through him. Satisfaction for the man getting what he deserves, but regret because Aerith was too pure for this.
Zack caught her when she collapsed crying. He said nothing, not to them and not to her, he just picked her up and carried her into the barn.
Cloud's eyes never left the bastard that was now curled as best as he could into a ball on the ground.
"Well, Champion?" Sephiroth asked, moving to stand beside him. "Your call. Does he die or does he live?"
Cloud took a moment to think it all through. If he lived, he could hurt others and try to come after Seph again. If he died, his soul would be a blight in the lifestream. Neither option sounded good to him.
"I can kill him and leave his soul shattered like he has done to many countless others he has killed," Sephiroth offered. "Of course, I'd have to drag him back to his world to do so, but it's an option."
"Would that affect Seph in any way?" Cloud asked, hand tightening in silver feathers.
Cloud flinched and looked up as a leather-covered hand covered his.
"Seph will stay here," Sephiroth assured, his eyes showing something possessive. "I won't let him leave this world unless he wills it. I promise."
Cloud studied Sephiroth's eyes, looking for lies or anything to indicate he couldn't be trusted. He couldn't find anything, but what solidified his decision was Seph looking up at Sephiroth and nudging him, cooing softly as Sephiroth's other hand gently ran through his feathers and his eyes softened with something like love and affection.
"Take him back to his world and show him the hell he has subjected countless others too," Cloud stated. Seph looked back at him, his eyes growing sad and scared. He looked up at Sephiroth and looked him right in the eyes. "But you better come back to us, you hear me? I will never forgive you if you don't come back to us."
Sephiroth smiled, and Cloud felt his throat close up as he saw the adoration, love, possession, devotion in his eyes. Then Cloud felt lips press against his before Sephiroth was stalking over to President Strife and picking him up.
The pain-filled grunt as President Strife hit the ground a moment later was ignored as Cloud found himself wrapped up in Sephiroth's arms, kissing the man for all he was worth. Cloud didn't even register that he wasn't touching the ground until they broke apart for air and he felt Sephiroth's muscles flexing under his legs and arms.
"If this isn't motivation to return as fast as I can, I don't know what is," Sephiroth chuckled, resting his forehead against Clouds. "Don't worry, Cloud, I will always return to you. I promise you. I will return to you no matter how long it takes me."
Cloud chuckled softly, tightening his grip on Sephiroth. "Fucking hell, Sephiroth. I should hate you. Why do you make me feel like this?"
Sephiroth huffed in amusement. "Talk emotions with Zack and Aerith, they are much better than I am at this. I just know that I love you, have for a very long time." He looked over at the three Chocobo's watching them, each one with various reactions, but it looked like they all agreed to go into the barn. "When I get back you better have plans for a house ready, and a small silver-haired boy running to welcome me back. I always wanted a son."
Cloud smiled and unhooked himself to let go of Sephiroth. "A nice house on a Chocobo farm with a child running around to make our days complete, right?"
Sephiroth looked startled for a second, then he smiled down at him. "So you do remember that night in the library when you broke into the room to make me eat. And here I thought you forgot it."
"I would never forget seeing you starving and dehydrated and talking about being a monster and not human," Cloud murmured. "It scared me, which is why I was excited to hear that you still had a very human dream you wanted to work for. Might even be why I spent so long learning about everything needed to run a farm and care for chocobos. Though I am a traveler by heart so I'm not stopping my delivery service for you."
"I would never ask that of you," Sephiroth replied softly. "Now if I don't go now, then I will never even leave to carry out what the Champion has declared that monsters fate to be."
Cloud stepped back and watched with a small smile as Sephiroth grabbed the 'monster' and then entered into a portal. He knew Sephiroth was good on his word. This was the man that he fell in love with all those years ago before Nibelhiem happened and he lost him in the madness and lies.
"Looks like we got a lot of work cut out for us then, don't we?" Cloud said, turning around to look at Zack and Seph. "And it looks like we are going to need to actually fill Avalanche in on Sephiroth being back again. Now, what do we want to do first? Get Seph a human body or build a house?"
Zack grinned and started spouting off possible locations for Seph to get a human body at, Sephiroth did die in multiple places after all, and Seph was eagerly going on about rooms that they could have for the house. Cloud couldn't help the smile as they walked, him writing down every suggestion for locations and every room Seph wanted in the house.
He didn't know when Sephiroth was going to be coming back, and he didn't know if they would be able to finish everything before then, but Cloud could still start it all, looking forward to a future where he could finally call his family complete.
Though he still needed to actually sit down with Zack and Aerith and have an emotional heart to heart about what Sephiroth really meant to him and how he really felt for him after all these years.
But that was later and this was now. Cloud had time, and he was ready to spend it all with family and friends, waiting for the last member of his misfit family to return home to them all.
"Do you think Sephiroth would complain if we painted his room in the house pink?" Zack asked, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
Cloud found himself laughing. He would be alright, they would be alright, and his family was feeling more complete than ever. This was the life he wanted for himself, this was the life he was happy to live. And he couldn't wait for Sephiroth to come back and live it by his side.
"Make it glittery pink," Cloud replied, still laughing. "And all the furniture has to be in shades of purple or blue with more glitter. Glitter bomb the room."
FINAL FANTASY 7
Okay! This part is for my lovely Guest who is waiting patiently for me to write out the first chapter of the DOC Mercenary OC story, so if you guys are interested in reading that go ahead and read this to find out about its very soon due date, but if not, I'm glad you have stuck with me for this long and I will have a shorter chapter coming for this series just to actually give you all that Sephiroth/Cloud ship that I promised in the tags. It's going to also be out today so two chapters in one day! Get excited people!
Guest! My lovely guest! I wanted to let you know that now that I have this story wrapped up and the I Saved The World is also a few chapters away from completion, I am now going to get started on writing the first chapter of your suggestion. I would like to thank you in the beginning author notes for the wonderful idea, so if you would like to, I can take your first name or a pen name and thank you that way, or I can just keep calling you Guest when I thank you for the idea and say it is all for you. Which I guess isn't really thanking you for the idea and more giving you credit to why the story existed in the first place, so I would really be dedicating it to you. Which is even better actually! So if you want to, you can give me a name you want to be called by and I can dedicate the fic to you by name, or I can keep calling you Guest and dedicate it to you that way. Either way is fine with me because I'm still going to dedicate it to you. I am also going to let you name the story because at this point all I got is DOC Mercenary OC Fic. So you can name it. The first chapter will be out in the next day or two, giving me time to flesh out the first chapter, and you time to name the story.
Thank you for being so patient with me! Love you all!