Chapter 10
Cloud felt sick.
He sighed softly in sadness, curling up in a ball on Sephiroth's bed. Sephiroth had already left that morning, leaving Cloud to suffer silently. Tifa had let him stay in the bed when he told her he felt sick, only staying for a couple of minutes to soothe him.
But now, Cloud was alone again.
Everybody had basically heard Sephiroth's confession a week ago, and now they treated him like they did Sephiroth. Cloud didn't want that.
He felt he wasn't part of the family anymore.
He didn't want that.
He wanted comfort.
Wanted to be part of the family.
Cloud got out of bed, fixing it on instinct. He walked slowly to the door, opening it just enough to see if there was anybody around. Cid had come with his breakfast since Cloud hadn't gotten up, his eyebrows rising in confusion.
"Do you want to eat downstairs?" Cloud squinted his eyes, his vision blurring. He felt weak, Cloud not able to stand straight. He felt so hot, his vision blurring even more.
"Cloud, are yo-"
Cloud fell, Cid catching him before he hit the ground. Cid felt Cloud's forehead, his eyes narrowing slightly. Cloud whimpered in distress, feeling vomit rise in his throat. Cloud pushed Cid away, falling to his hands and knees and vomiting up what little he had in his stomach. Something was wrong with him.
"What's wrong with him?" Yuffie asked from the ceiling, Cloud shaking as tears fell down his cheek. Cid helped him up, Cloud hanging onto him tightly so he wouldn't fall.
Was he dying?
"Get the doctor," Cid told her, rather calm despite everything. Yuffie swung away, Cid leading Cloud back into Sephiroth's room. Cloud was shivering when Cid laid him down, Cid lighting the fireplace and getting a spare blanket from a cabinet. Cloud was held beneath the sheets, the extra blanket rather comforting.
Cloud felt less sick now, Cid giving him some water to rinse out the taste and left over chunks in his mouth. Cloud did so, relaxing down in bed when he was done. Cid moved the blanket tighter around Cloud's body, Cloud shivering softly with a groan. Cloud closed his eyes, Cid turning away to leave.
"Cid?"
Cid turned around, looking to Cloud who was barely keeping his eyes open. Cid walked over, Cloud looking into his eyes. Cloud wanted him to answer him honestly, but he didn't have enough energy to order him to do so. Cloud sighed softly, curling into a ball.
"Am I going to die?" Cloud whispered, Cid smirking at Cloud's overdramatic thoughts. Cid pat his back lightly, taking a few steps back.
"You're not dying. Wait till the doctor gets here, he'll tell you what's wrong." Cloud nodded softly, closing his eyes as he let sleep take him.
:::+:::
"You stood up to her? Well, that's not something you hear everyday." Sephiroth smirked as he sat back, the carriage they were in taking them back to Sephiroth's home. Sephiroth had agreed to let Kadaj meet Cloud for the first time, word already spreading quickly that Sephiroth had fallen for a worker.
Sephiroth loved Cloud regardless of his status, and he was ready to show it.
"When do you plan on taking him out with you?" Kadaj asked, Sephiroth looking to his little brother, ending abruptly his sudden fantasy of himself and Cloud together.
"Next week. He told me he was feeling sick yesterday," Sephiroth told him, Kadaj nodding in understanding. He smirked teasingly, leaning forward slightly.
"Are you being too rough with him?" Kadaj asked, Sephiroth thinking it over. He hadn't tried to push him too far in bed, but he could try being more gentle.
"You know not all women can take it from animals in bed." Sephiroth glared at his brother, smacking him across the head. Kadaj yelped in pain, but Sephiroth knew by now he wasn't actually affected by his slaps. Sephiroth had been a very abusive brother as they grew up.
The carriage stopped in front of his home, Sephiroth raising an eyebrow when he saw Tifa standing in front of the doors. She was usually monitoring the others, not waiting outside.
What had happened?
Sephiroth and Kadaj got out, Tifa walking up to them with her lips in a straight line. She bowed to them both, looking to Sephiroth.
"Master Sephiroth, Cloud was sick this morning and the Doctor has arrived. He asks that you come to your chambers immediately." Sephiroth nodded, waving for Kadaj to follow. They entered into his home, Sephiroth's footsteps rather quick despite his uncaring demeanor. Kadaj was basically jogging next to him, following Sephiroth to his chambers.
What had happened to Cloud? Sephiroth knew if he had hurt him, he could never forgive himself.
What if he didn't treat him good enough?
What if he caught geostigma?
Would Sephiroth have to watch the only one he loved die?
Could he?
Yuffie stood by the door, her eyes looking to Sephiroth as he advanced. She opened the door, Sephiroth walking into his room, though slower as he tried to access the situation. Doctor Franz was putting away his things, his eyes flickering up to Sephiroth. He stood from the stool he sat on, a smile on his lips.
Cloud was hidden beneath the blankets, his entire body submerged.
"What's wrong with him?" Sephiroth asked, Franz smiling wide at him as if this predicament was the best thing in the world.
Was Cloud okay?
"Nothing is wrong with him. He's pregnant." Sephiroth's eyes widened to saucers off disbelief and shock. Kadaj nearly gaped, surprise evident in his expression. They were both not expecting that.
Cloud was pregnant?
Sephiroth looked to Cloud's hidden form, holding his breath in fear that if he breathed this would all go away.
He was going to be a father?
"He had been having the case of morning sickness. It might show throughout the rest of the day, but just make sure he is comfortable." Sephiroth nodded once, Franz leaving the room with a small bow. Sephiroth walked up to the bed, touching a hand to Cloud's body. Cloud wasn't shaking like a leaf, but Sephiroth could tell he was crying.
"Cloud?"
Cloud slowly pulled the blankets off from his face, looking to Sephiroth who smiled softly to comfort him. Sephiroth wiped away a tear, Cloud wiping his face with a sniffle. Sephiroth looked over his shoulder when he heard Kadaj clear his throat, Cloud sitting up to see who had made the noise.
Kadaj walked closer when he saw Cloud for the first time, Cloud looking to Sephiroth with confusion. Sephiroth had forgotten Kadaj was even there.
"Cloud, this is my youngest brother, Kadaj." Cloud looked to Kadaj again, outstretching his hand for a handshake. Kadaj smiled, taking Cloud's hand and kissing the back of it. Cloud took his hand back and tried not to wipe it on the sheets. Kadaj looked to Sephiroth, feeling his welcome was extending a tad too long.
"I'll wait downstairs."
Cloud watched Kadaj leave, the shorter man closing the door softly. Cloud wasn't sure if he liked him or not.
"How are you feeling?" Sephiroth asked, Cloud feeling better than he did that morning. He laid down, sighing softly in disbelief.
He was pregnant.
"Okay. A little scared." Cloud rolled onto his side, facing away from Sephiroth. Cloud closed his eyes when Sephiroth got in the bed with him, Sephiroth's hand touching Cloud's still flat stomach. Cloud took in a deep breath, still a little in shock.
"Did you know?" Sephiroth asked, Cloud shaking his head silently. Cloud turned around, pressing his face into Sephiroth's chest. He took in his sweet scent, relaxing fully against him.
"I thought I couldn't be."
Sephiroth didn't believe Cloud could pregnant either. He didn't know much about the hermaphrodite anatomy, but it seemed nearly impossible for one to conceive. Cloud didn't need facts though, he needed comfort.
"Are you excited?" Sephiroth whispered, Cloud lifting his head to look Sephiroth in the eye.
Cloud didn't know.
He was happy he could give Sephiroth children, but...
What will this lead to?
Cloud looked down, pressing his hand against Sephiroth's chest. He was afraid, happy, overwhelmed, excited...
It was all just coming straight at him, and he wasn't sure he was ready. But, when he looked up to Sephiroth's face, he could see Sephiroth was excited. He was happy and shocked, but either way he looked ready for this baby. Cloud smiled a little bit and wrapped his arms around Sephiroth, pulling him just a tad closer. Sephiroth, even though he was full of muscle, was like a giant teddy bear. Cloud loved that about him, sleep daring to take him faster than he thought it would with his lover next to him.
"I'm happy."
Sephiroth smiled, running a hand through Cloud's hair. Sephiroth would do everything in his power to keep him that way.
"Cloud, Kadaj is waiting downstairs for us." Cloud groaned softly, loosening his grip so Sephiroth could get free.
"I sleep," Cloud mumbled, Sephiroth smirking as he ran a hand through Cloud's hair. Before he knew it, Cloud was washed away with the tide of sleep.
Sephiroth knew he should separate from his love, but he didn't want to. He ran his hand over Cloud's stomach, breathing deeply as he thought of seeing his child one day. The wait was going to be long.
He slowly pulled away from Cloud, walking over to the door. Sephiroth stopped, looking over his shoulder to Cloud. The blonde slept peacefully, his eyes free of tears. Sephiroth left the room, quickly heading downstairs.
"Congratulations," Kadaj praised, Sephiroth smiling as he looked to the stairs.
It was his child.
This was real.
"I suggest we rush the wedding to next month. Or two months from now," Kadaj suggested, Sephiroth leading his little brother to the drawing room.
"Next month. I'll have invitations sent out by next week." Kadaj sat down on the chair in the drawing room, Sephiroth taking the couch.
"What about Jenova?" Kadaj asked, Sephiroth sitting back with a sigh as he thought it over. That woman was going to be trouble.
"She believes Cloud is just a woman, so she'll target maids for the time being. But, she is planning something. She never just stops talking." Kadaj nodded in understating, Sephiroth thinking of all possible weak spots.
"Silence the Don. Do whatever it takes. Ask Loz and Yazoo if you need help." Kadaj smirked, Sephiroth already having an idea of what might happen to the fat man.
"I'll go do that now," Kadaj replied with a grin, getting up to leave.
"Kadaj."
Kadaj stopped, looking over his shoulder to Sephiroth. Sephiroth looked to him, his eyes narrowing.
"Aid Jenova in any way, and I will not hesitate to kill you."
Kadaj smirked.
"What are brothers for?"
:::+:::
Kadaj walked out of Sephiroth's house, getting into the carriage Sephiroth had prepared for him. He sighed as he got in, the carriage moving forward.
Kadaj wouldn't tell Jenova a thing.
That old hag didn't deserve anything from either of her grandson's. He looked back to Sephiroth's home, his lips pulling down into a frown.
He knew he couldn't be right.
Pictures of the lost Prince had been burned years ago, but Kadaj had seen one before it was burned.
He wasn't for sure though, it had been some years since he last saw that picture. But he had resembled him so much.
The hair, the eyes...
Kadaj shook his head, deeming that he was wrong. The Prince was dead, they confirmed that years ago because they found his blood on his pillow. He had been hit on the head and died instantly is what doctors said, even though the body wasn't found.
Kadaj looked down to his hands, getting the notion out of his head.
Cloud wasn't the lost Prince.
