Chapter 22
Dedicted as always to my most favourite of guinea pigs, Stephy. Happy Halloween, Pet. Lump. Thanks for putting up with my stresses, lol.
And also to Zadi. (Waves like a lunatic) Hiya Zadi, great to see you on IMVU. How's your hunt going for a Vinnie cozzy?
And of course, to everyone else who is following this story of mine...Thank you all. Have a safe and happy night, and I hope this chapter sends chills of a different kind down your spines, lol......
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The music from the band came to a shuddering halt, as a small blond haired man in an immaculate white suit stood up and took over the microphone that was set into the centre of the stage.
He held up one hand with an authoritative air, and slowly the noise of talking and laughing from those gathered quelled, and an expectant hush filled the room instead as all attention now became fixated up him.
A tall dark haired man in an equally immaculate black suit came and stood next to him, his long hair tied back in a ponytail, his strong legs open, his arms folded across his chest. He neither smiled nor frowned, his face seemingly blank, set without expression.
Even Sephiroth paused in the touching of his pet as Rufus prepared to talk, watching with wry amusement as the Shin-Ra leader tapped the microphone and spoke into it, making sure that it worked.
"Testing....testing....."
An ear splitting screech rent the air for a moment as the sound was adjusted.
"Somebody kill the Mixer," Rufus said quietly into the microphone, an order which was heard clearly by everyone, because the instrument was now working perfectly.
A small bespectacled young man that had been twiddling with the control panel paled and shook, watching terrified as two men menacingly approached him.
"I was just joking... of course," echoed the soft amused voice of the man stood at the microphone, and a ripple of nervous laughter ran through the room as the two approaching men checked their step, and returned back to their places against the wall as if nothing had happened.
Cloud had his attention turned away from the speaker when he felt firm fingers take a grip on his chin, turning his face forcibly to one side.
"You may adopt the 'At Rest' pose," Sephiroth said quietly, his voice carrying only loud enough for the boy he was face to face with to hear. Cloud didn't need telling twice, only too happy to drop his aching arms to his sides, to sit on his ass and fold his hands in his lap, crossing his legs and enjoying the feeling of his tired, stressed joints and muscles slowly relaxing.
Sephiroth had his gaze fixed towards the stage, upon Rufus, but he could still observe his pet from the corner of his eye, and he smiled a little to himself as he saw Cloud inconspicuously flex his shoulders and roll his head. The boy was a proud one, he told himself. Proud, and strong.
"I would like to thank you all for attending," the blond Shin-Ra leader was saying, addressing his audience. "We have had our feasting, and I think we've all had enough time to catch up with the latest gossip. Although....." Rufus looked pointedly over the heads of the cadets gathered around the front of the stage, locking eyes with his number one general, a sardonic smirk on his lips. "Although...some of us have yet to divulge more...information."
All heads turned momentarily to look upon Sephiroth, more so to gawk at the young male sat so quietly beside his chair, at the blond spiky head lowered in submission. Titters of laughter and some yelled out jeers and catcalls filled the room until Rufus gave an exaggerated cough, claiming the full attention of the masses back once again, picking up once more in his speech, and ignoring the audible snort of distain the silver haired man threw his way.
"I think you all know what comes next, and for me personally, what follows now happens to be my favourite part of the whole evening. The Sparring Match....." Rufus broke off and allowed for the cheers that rang out to dissipate before continuing.
"As always, the event will start off with the top eight of our newest recruits that have shown promise since enlisting. Each one of them will take their place on a separate point of the star that is embedded in the floor. On the given call, they will meet in the middle to engage in hand to hand combat. The last man standing earns the right to enter into the final match. After their bout ends, will come the next advanced group members of Shin-Ra, thus working our way up through the ranks until we reach the 1st Class Soldiers. The very last contest will be between the best of each ranking. This is an opportunity for the lower tiers to see just how good they are up against their superiors. A newbie champion we have yet to see, but who knows....it could happen, one day. So, without further ado, let the first team take their places on the points of the star."
An excited murmur began to fill the room as the crowd began breaking up into smaller groups, each surrounding and supporting the men chosen to represent their class. The eight young men that had been selected to represent the new recruits began taking off their jackets and handing them to friends, receiving final words of encouragement and advice before going to stand on their designated positions on the floor.
The other Shin-Ra ranks all moved back, allowing the friends and colleagues of the new recruits to stand nearest to the edge of the arena, encircling the chosen men. Already calls of the names of the favourites to win were being shouted out, whistles and laughter and playful bantering the sounds now filling the room.
Zack shifted slightly in his chair as he watched the preparations, hooking one of his legs over the arm of his chair, looking decidedly bored.
"Why does Rufus allow the 'Greens' to take part in this event every year?" he asked aloud of no one in particular. "The victor of their group doesn't stand a chance of winning the final round. I think it's pointless."
"I disagree," Sephiroth replied, earning a glance of surprise from his friend. "I think Rufus is right to include them in this. It gives them something to aspire to. It shows them how strong they will become in a few short years. Remember how cocksure you were, Zackary, when you first took your point at the star?"
The dark haired man now shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
""You failed to make it through, as I recall," Sephiroth said, a slight note of laughter in his voice.
Pushing himself up quickly, Zack's face grimaced at the memory. He had been practically one of the first to fall in his chosen group of eight.
"And yet," continued Sephiroth, "look at you now, second in command to me. Who would have thought it of you?"
"I'm gonna grab me some food," Zack mumbled, walking away hurriedly, while on the stage Rufus gave the call for the first round of sparring to begin, and in the centre of the room, eight young men charged forward and began to wrestle and brawl.
Resuming with his playing of Cloud's hair, Stephiroth's gloved fingers twined and twirled in the long growing locks. Since his capture, the blond spikes of the boy had lengthened and his bangs were now curling and framing his pretty face pleasingly. The general tugged teasingly hard at the tresses in his hold, enjoying the look of defiance and aggression the held boy threw his way. Yet not a single word of complaint was uttered from the succulent, compressed lips, just a fiery glare from blazing blue eyes.
Sephiroth felt himself hardening, felt his cock twitching, as his pet's beautiful face flushed with a multitude of emotions.
Anger, fear, and just a small spark of rebellion suffused Cloud's features, as he suddenly yanked his head away from his captive's hold, not caring that many strands of silken hair remained left behind, clasped in the general's pinching fingers.
Cloud flinched instinctively, waiting for the blow he knew was coming for his act of insubordination. The general was always quick to quell any defiance or disobedience that was shown. He tensed, and prepared for the first strike.
But it didn't come. Instead, Zack reappeared, bearing two laden plates of the fine food from the banqueting table, offering a dish out towards Sephiroth. With just the slightest pause, the gloved fingers discarded the loose hair and reached instead for the meal offered. His head snapped up with surprise when he saw Zack bending down to give the second plate to the boy.
"What do you think you're doing?" he asked.
Zack stopped in his tracks, the half-offered plate of food held between two different sets of fingers.
"I've giving the kid something to eat," Zack answered simply, stating the obvious. "He is allowed to eat, isn't he?"
"If...and when...I say so, yes," Sephiroth confirmed. One shaky set of fingers released their hold of the dish reluctantly.
"Oh come on, Seph," Zack argued, standing up to his full height. "There's just some slices of fresh meat, a selection of diced cheese, a few chunks of rye bread, and some sour cream. It's hardly spoiling the boy."
"I will see to his feeding, thank you Zackary," the general replied, his tone indicating that the argument was over.
With a sigh, the dark haired man sat himself in his seat, and began picking at the food on the plate he still held. He stole a glance down at the boy sat between the chairs, and mouthed his apologises. Small slim shoulders were shrugged, and the blond head lowered to the floor once more.
Cloud could not bear to sit and watch the two men eating. He held his hands tighter in his lap against his stomach, trying to ignore the pain and the growling coming from within him. His mouth had started watering as soon as he had been offered the food, and it was salivating even more so now as he heard the sound of the generals second in command tearing and chomping as he consumed the items that were held on the plate.
Over the noise of the last few men still fighting, and the loud chorus of cheers and encouragements that were being hollered, Cloud thought he heard the general's voice speak to him. But he blatantly ignored the silver haired man, knowing he could lay claim to ignorance because of the increasing crescendo in the room.
But the general was not to be ignored. Cloud felt something brush underneath his lowered chin and push at his tightly closed mouth. He lifted his head up, and stared into icy green eyes as the object bumped against his lips once more.
Sephiroth leaned over towards the boy, holding a choice piece of meat daintily between his gloved fingers, the succulent fat staining the leather that sheathed his hands. Cloud lifted an eager hand towards the morsel of food, barely stopping himself from snatching it from the generals hold, so hungry was he. But his hunger was to be denied, for as his fingers barely touched the food, the silver haired man pulled it cruelly from his grasp, holding it aloft out of reach.
"You want me to beg?" Cloud asked. "Never!"
Sephiroth smiled lazily. "Did I say I wanted you to beg? No. I simply want you to accept it as it is given."
Cloud looked puzzled, and as the food was lowered he tried once again to take it, only this time saying thank you to the general for the food he was about to give.
Again, the morsel was snatched away, and Cloud began to show his anger.
"What?" he snapped. "Why won't you feed me?"
"I thought that was what I was trying to do," Sephiroth replied.
Cloud finally understood, and this time when the food was lowered, he simply opened his mouth wide, keeping his hands still at his sides, fisted with temper.
The titbit went into his mouth, and Sephiroth let his fingers linger inside as Clouds lips closed over the small sample of food. He wished now that he had removed his gloves to feed his pet, but he realised that mistake could be rectified. He slipped them off.
As the fallen and bloodied bodies of the injured recruits were helped from the arena, and the blood smeared winner took a well earned rest to get his wounds looked at, Sephiroth picked up some cheese with his now bare fingers and slowly held them out temptingly to the hungry boy.
And as the next rank of fighters took their places the general smiled with contentment, and continued feeding his compliant pet, enjoying the sensation of the boys tongue and the boy's soft lips against his flesh, as Cloud closed his mouth gently against the fingers that fed him.