Chapter 18

"I swear I don't know anything!"

Sephiroth frowned, looking to the man that held Cloud as a slave all of these years. He had him pinned down by his sword, the holy blade not needing to be tainted by this man's filth. Sephiroth grabbed the hilt, pulling it from his shirt. The man slid down the wall, his eyes wide with fright. Sephiroth knew he was lying, his eyelid kept twitching.

"I will give you one more chance." The man gulped, looking around to make sure no one was listening to what was happening. The man looked back to Sephiroth, his eyes pleading for mercy.

"I swore to keep it secret. I could be killed for telling you." Sephiroth put masamune to the man's neck, his eyes narrowing to angered slits.

"You will die now if you do not tell me."

The man gulped, his entire body shaking. He had confessed he had not known Cloud had been the prince; his signature hair had been cut. His hair was like his heritage, everyone who had met the prince before he was kidnapped knew his hair. Without his hair, he didn't look like the prince. Sephiroth himself had not seen the prince before he was kidnapped, so even he had been at a loss to what he had looked like.

"Shinra. Shinra had brought him to me, for three thousand gil." Sephiroth's eyes widened in disbelief, the man taking a note from his pocket. Sephiroth took it cautiously, his sword never lowered. He opened it, reading it slowly so nothing will be misunderstood.

'James, explain to me why has the Prince been returned?

I specifically ordered for you to give him to the Don, why did this not happen?

How did the spoiled brat find himself in Sephiroth's care?

My patience has waned thin, James. I will send my men and you will be silenced. The same way I silenced Ralph.

-Shinra'

Sephiroth frowned in anger, looking to the man. The man gulped, Sephiroth pining the slave owner back against the wall by his throat. The man gasped for breath, Sephiroth narrowing his eyes.

"When had you been told he was the prince?" Sephiroth asked, the slave owner closing his eyes as he fought to breathe.

"H-He told m-me w-when he t-turned t-twelve. I-I tried t-to tell the Q-Queen but S-Shinra killed my son and wife to s-silence me." Sephiroth let him go, the man falling to the ground as he coughed and gasped for breath. Sephiroth sheathed his sword, looking around himself to make sure no one had heard what had transpired.

He picked up the letter he dropped, putting it in his pocket. Shinra was the one to kill Reno's father, he was the one who had Cloud kidnapped. Sephiroth would make sure he made that man pay.

"The King, he had been murdered. Shinra put poison in his wine." Sephiroth pulled the slave owner to his feet, his eyes searching his for any lies. His eyes begged for mercy, and held a bit of sadness and fear. He was telling the truth, Shinra was behind it all.

Sephiroth let him go, the slave owner stumbling back against the wall. Sephiroth didn't say anything else, turning and away and leaving him for the wolves.

"He'll come for your children too. He's the Queen's cousin. If she doesn't have a successor, he will be able to take the throne." Sephiroth kept on walking, his eyes narrowed in anger.

Greed, it ate at the best of people.

"He'll kill you all! He's a mad man!" Sephiroth stopped in his steps, the slave owner breathing raggedly.

"He'll take everything from you, the same way he took my family." Sephiroth continued to walk, leaving the broken slave owner behind him. Two hours later, Sephiroth was not surprised when he was informed that Shinra had fled the Kingdom. He had spies everywhere it seemed, and that left Sephiroth at a loss.

The Queen, once informed, put a price on his head. Dead or alive, she wanted him at her doorstep. Sephiroth had a feeling no one would step up and bring him. He was a man with an underground reputation. When he returned home, Cloud was waiting for him in their room. He was still glowing brightly, just barely starting his fifth month.

He still felt nauseous, but it never bothered Sephiroth. Cloud stood by their bed, his stomach bigger than it had been only a week before. Sephiroth moved towards him when he opened his arms, accepting his warm embrace. Cloud lightly pushed Sephiroth's head down to his shoulder, running a hand through his long silver hair.

"Relax now," Cloud whispered, Sephiroth guessing he had seen the angered look he tried to disperse before he entered into their room. Sephiroth closed his eyes, breathing in deeply the scent of his lover. Cloud held him just a tad bit tighter, giving Sephiroth comfort he dearly needed.

"What did you learn today?" Cloud asked softly, moving Sephiroth's bangs from his face. Sephiroth still had his eyes closed, but he knew Cloud's eyes demanded an answer. He had been in the dark for almost a month, and it was frustrating him. Sephiroth didn't want to stress out Cloud, he didn't want to lose his baby.

But was telling him healthier than not telling him?

"Shinra had you kidnapped. He wanted the throne."

Cloud was silent for a long second, his fingers not stalling in their gentle combing of Sephiroth's hair. Sephiroth thought of pulling away when he started to fall asleep, but he didn't want to let go.

"He won't." Sephiroth agreed, opening his eyes and looking up to Cloud who was looking off into space. Sephiroth blinked, looking over his love's face. Cloud had gained more weight while with him, his cheeks no longer hollowed with starvation. His muscle was less do to lack of exercise, but his arms and legs were still rather toned. His skin was no longer pale and sickly, instead a healthy shade of lightly tanned.

Cloud was beautiful.

"I'll take the throne." Sephiroth frowned, pulling away from Cloud so he could look him in the eye. Cloud's eyes looked into his, his eyes set and determined.

Whatever Sephiroth said to dissuade him would not work.

Cloud was a hard headed mule when he wanted to be, and though Cloud himself couldn't see it, Sephiroth knew he would be a great King. Or Queen. Sephiroth searched Cloud's eyes for a long second, wanting to make sure this wasn't an out of the blue decision. But he could see it, Cloud had been thinking about this for a long time.

Cloud wanted to step up to the challenge, and Sephiroth would be selfish if he told him not to.

"Are you prepared for this?" Sephiroth asked, Cloud looking away from him to the floor. Sephiroth knew no one could ever be prepared to rule a country, let alone over thousands of people. But when Cloud looked up to him, Sephiroth saw something that even Cloud's mother lacked.

"I am far from prepared to be King. But to ensure the survival of my people and the preservation of my country, I will do what I must." Sephiroth breathed deeply, doubt no longer engraved into his spine. Cloud was ready to take the throne, whether it be by force, or by rite of passage.

He wasn't going to give up.

"Okay," Sephiroth replied, Cloud giving him a small smile. Cloud leaned up, kissing his lips. Sephiroth easily sank into it, but all too soon Cloud pulled away from him. Sephiroth groaned softly in wanting, Cloud chuckling as he tried to move away from him.

Sephiroth caught him before he could get too far, Cloud's back pressed against Sephiroth's chest. Sephiroth slid a hand down, Cloud's long shirt and lifted it up to his chest. Cloud didn't try to fight him, Sephiroth already knowing Cloud craved this as much as he did. Cloud took in a sharp breath when Sephiroth touched his nipples, the flesh red. His chest had risen, small but supple breasts adopting Cloud's upper abdomen.

Cloud gasped when Sephiroth reached his other hand down, touching his flaccid member. Under his gentle touch it hardened, Cloud left panting and bucking against his hand. Cloud grabbed Sephiroth's wrist, leading his hand farther down to his core. Sephiroth kissed his cheek, his fingers skimming over Cloud's womanhood.

"Have I been ignoring you?" Sephiroth asked softly as he played with Cloud's womanhood, Cloud tilting his head back as he hissed from the pleasure.

"Yeah," he replied huskily, biting his bottom lip when Sephiroth started to play with his nipple. The last time they had sex was two weeks before, Cloud rather starved with his overbearing needs. Sephiroth wanted to make up for that lost time, leading Cloud to the bed by his hand.

Cloud got on it, putting many pillows beneath himself before he laid down. He was leveled up more this way, keeping the pressure off of his spine. Sephiroth quickly undressed, kneeling at Cloud's feet. Cloud spread his legs, Sephiroth's eyes skimming over his body before to his eyes. Cloud had become a very vocal partner in the past few weeks, telling him what felt good and what didn't.

He had many ways he liked to be taken, but sometimes his pleasure came first before Sephiroth could have his own. Sephiroth allowed that, moving down so his face was near to Cloud's genitals. Cloud put a hand in his silver hair, moving his bangs out of the way. Sephiroth liked when he played with his hair, his eyes closing as he lapped at his member.

Cloud gasped sharply, his eyes closing as he tilted his head back. Sephiroth took it into his hand, rising up and taking the head into his mouth. Cloud was most sensitive there, so Sephiroth paid close attention to it, sucking harshly on the captured flesh. Cloud arched with a moan, fisting a hand in the pillows by his head as he used his other hand to guide Sephiroth.

"Oh gaia," Cloud whimpered, Sephiroth pulling away when he pulled sharply on his hair. Sephiroth looked to Cloud's face, his eyes telling him what to do. Sephiroth lifted Cloud's balls, rolling them in his fingers. Cloud took in a sharp breath, his eyes closing as he let go of Sephiroth's hair to grab the pillow.

Sephiroth continued to massage Cloud's balls as he moved his head down, lapping at his leaking core. Cloud moaned, moving his hips closer to Sephiroth's face. Sephiroth tilted his head, kissing Cloud's womanhood like he would his mouth. Cloud moaned loudly, reaching a hand down and stroking himself as he watched Sephiroth work between his legs.

Cloud at first was a little apprehensive of Sephiroth kissing him in such an intimate area, but Sephiroth quickly shed his fears. He was gentle, rough, and good, his actions leaving Cloud breathless and unbearably turned on every single time.

"Stop," Cloud whispered breathily, Sephiroth giving his womanhood one last lick before he moved away. Cloud licked his chapped lips, pulling Sephiroth up so he resided over him. Sephiroth instantly got the message, lining himself up. When he pushed in Cloud gasped, his eyes half lidded as he looked up to Sephiroth like he was a god.

Sephiroth smiled shakily down at him, wrapping Cloud's legs around his waist. Cloud wrapped his arms around Sephiroth's neck, biting his lip when he moved out to thrust back in. Sephiroth, for sure now he wasn't hurting Cloud, moved with quick thrusts, leaving the blonde breathless. Cloud moaned every time Sephiroth reentered him, his body three times more sensitive to his touch.

Sephiroth had thought he had been hurting him or would make him miscarry, but the midwife quickly dismissed it. Cloud wouldn't miscarry if Sephiroth decided to get a little rough, and from Cloud's point of view, he was definitely not hurting him.

"Seph!" Cloud suddenly gasped, his nails digging into Sephiroth's shoulders. Sephiroth grunted from the sudden tightness, trying to still move as Cloud rode through his vaginal orgasm. When Cloud threw his head back and came from his member, Sephiroth couldn't take any more of the rhythmic convulsions that milked his member.

He came into his lover's body with a groan, his entire body shaking as he tried not to fall onto Cloud. He slowly pulled out, falling down next to Cloud who was panting heavily from his orgasms.

"My midwife… She told me it was healthy to have sex." Sephiroth couldn't help but snort, jolting slightly when Cloud touched his member.

"Don't you want me to stay healthy?"

Sephiroth had a feeling he wasn't going to sleep tonight.