Chapter 34: Persuasion Techniques

Cloud's head was snapped back as he panted, knees on either side of Zack's hips on the small cot as he rode his cock. The first time Zack had taken him it had been hard and fast, like it always was when they were allowed to finally be together again. He had fucked him up against the wall, breeding him almost desperately as Cloud took his knot, before they had moved towards the bed for the second round.

"Just look at you," Sephiroth spoke into his ear, and Cloud let out a whining keen as precum poured down his cock at just the sound of the dead SOLDIER's voice. The illusions were becoming more corporeal. Sometimes it was hard for Cloud to distinguish what was even real at all. Had it really been four years? Had Sephiroth really left him that long ago, only to not really leave him at all?

"Zack…" he moaned, mouth an open pant as he met those blown violet eyes, focusing on his mate even as he could feel Sephiroth's hands trace up his hips.

"You're such a mess…" Sephiroth purred, and Cloud whined as he bounced faster on Zack's cock as a mouth touched his neck. Sweat dripped down his thin stomach, heaving with pleasure as he tried to contain what was happening to him. "So full…" Those hands pushed between his thighs, stretching his hips wide as he sank further down on Zack as he cried out.

"Spike…" His mate managed, hands coming up to grip exactly where Sephiroth's were. Their hands moved together as they moved Cloud atop the hard cock. "Can you…can I knot again?" Cloud's eyes shut at just the thought. His stomach still slightly swollen from the first time as he nodded his acquiesce.

"Twice?" Sephiroth questioned dirtily into his ear. "He must have really missed you." Cloud forced his eyes open, turning glowing blue eyes to meet Sephiroth, and moaning as kisses were traced along his jaw. "I miss you so much, my Omega…my everything. Would I still have you if I had allowed this?

Cloud screamed as he felt Zack's cock swell, pressing up inside of him as pleasure overwhelmed him. He would have cum around him had a phantom hand that felt far too real not wrapped tight around him. "No…" Cloud begged. "I want to cum…I want…." Zack, not understanding the problem simply shifted his hips, and the knot pressed directly against his prostate as he entrance convulsed and he cried out at the denied pleasure.

"Have you ever imagined this?" Sephiroth questioned, and Cloud grunted as he was pushed forward slightly, feeling Sephiroth slot behind him. "Both of us at once? I know you have…my slut of a mate." Tears of pleasure and pain welled up in Cloud's eyes as he felt Sephiroth line up at his entrance, pushing into his wetness along with Zack's swollen cock as he almost blacked out from the pleasure pain he knew wasn't real.

As Zack came inside of him, Cloud reached down to grip his hand hard, other hand stretching up above him and behind his back as Sephiroth gripped it, fucking him as his other hand stopped his release. He didn't know if Zack could sense anything was off, couldn't focus on anything besides the fact that they were both inside him—even if they weren't, as it all felt real…felt so right as Sephiroth's teeth latched onto the nonexistent mating mark on his neck.

Cloud came hard, soaking Zack's lap as Sephiroth's hand gripped his spikes, pushing him forward as he met his mate's mouth, kissing Zack as he felt the presence disappear behind him. He ate his way into the other's mouth, slotting their bodies together and whining as his mate pulled him up and off his cock before shifting him to lay next to him, never breaking apart from the kiss.

"Are you okay?" Zack whispered the question as Cloud crawled up wounded to lay against his side, trembling with the aftershocks as he laid on a strong chest. "Did I hurt you?" He felt guilty at just hearing that tone, never able to tell the other what was going on with his own sanity. Especially when they got so little time together.

"I'm fine," Cloud assured him, fingers tracing along Zack's chin as he stared almost reverently at him.

Zack's fingers trailed down Cloud's spine, pushing down between his legs as the blond let out a quiet whine at the pain. The SOLDIER shifted, bringing his hand back up and eyes widening at the blood he saw. "Fuck…" There was total shock in Zack's voice, staring in horror at his fingers as he shot back from him as if he were burned. "Spike, I'm so sorry."

Cloud couldn't speak, just staring at those bloody fingers as realization was knocking at his head. Sephiroth had been in his mind for years, ever since the Nibelheim incident, but the voice had been getting stronger. He seemed to be able to take more and more control, but it wasn't possible. Sephiroth was dead. He couldn't have done it. Which just meant he probably pushed it by taking Zack twice. He just needed to be more careful. Anything else…anything else just wasn't possible.

"It's okay…" he assured Zack, used to pain as he shifted towards the other and held back a wince. "It was my fault…I got a little overzealous."

His mate looked like he wanted to throw up, guilt covering his face and echoing through their bond as he moved back, looking down at his own bloody lap as his hand pressed to the bridge of his nose. "Fuck, I'm so sorry, baby." Zack reached for him, pulling him into his arms as lips pressed against his spikes. "I just missed you so much." The visits had been allowed more frequently lately. What had started as once a year had bent into every couple of months. Cloud counted down the days until Hojo would finally take pity on him for good behavior and let them be together.

"I'm fine, I promise," Cloud assured him, arms wrapping tight around him as they embraced. "I'm sorry it took me so long to get back. I kept trying to get him to give in and let me see you." He pulled back enough to lay his head on the other's shoulder as Zack gripped him tight with continued guilt. He dragged Zack's hand to his stomach, letting him feel how it had a slight swell to it. "If only I could give you a kid, huh?" He meant it as a joke, but at the way he felt his mate flinch he knew the other had not taken it that way. Cloud leaned in, kissing at the cross shaped scar on Zack's jawline. "Zack…I promise I'm not hurt." He'd tell Zack about his insanity if he thought it would help, but there was an unwritten rule that they never brought up Sephiroth, especially in such fleeting times.

Zack exhaled at the words, not seeming to believe them at all as he just clung tighter. "I'll control myself next time, okay? I promise." Cloud nodded, reassuring him as he dragged Zack's mouth down to his own. Pain had never really bothered me….especially pain during sex. "Why'd he let you in here this time?"

Cloud pushed the SOLDIER back, yanking the blankets up around him as he once more laid on his chest. "I agreed to help him with a training project."

"Training project?" Zack asked darkly, the disdain clear in his tone as fingers trailed absentmindedly down his spine. "What kind of training?"

"Don't know yet," Cloud answered, tracing over Zack's heart. "I imagine it has to do with what I am. The cell therapy has been almost constant for the last few months. Apparently I've had enough mako."

"Oh?" his mate mused. "Must have switched it up. I was vomiting mako for days. What kind of cell therapy?"

Project S. That's what was in all those vials Hojo injected into him while he begged to be allowed to see Zack. "I'm not sure." He knew exactly what those cells were, and he would never let the SOLDIER know that Sephiroth was being injected inside him.

"We're going to get out of here, Spike," Zack assured him, kissing the top of his head. Zack always promised him this, but they were being kept in an underground prison cell, and they both knew there was no escape that didn't involve freedom in the form of a bullet.

"I know," he told him anyway, despite his skepticism as he kissed his chest. They didn't talk about the realism of their situation. They didn't talk about how this was all Cloud's fault. He had insisted on everything, and now his mate was stuck in a proverbial hell where he'd been experimented on and kept in a cage for years. It was the absolute least he could do to allow him to fuck him bloody.

Cloud flinched at the pounding knock on the door that always signaled their time together ending. "I don't want to go," he pouted, clinging to Zack as the bastards could give them a few more moments. "I just want to wake up with you."

"You'd hate it," Zack mused, holding him tighter as he clearly didn't want to let go either. "This cot is a killer on the back."

Laughing, Cloud forced himself to sit up, leaning down to kiss his mate. "I love you."

"I love you," Zack repeated back, sitting up with him as he grabbed for their clothes, walking around to scoop it all up as he tossed the appropriate articles at Cloud's head. Cloud pulled on the black pants and red sweater, wincing as he managed to get the pants up over his beyond sore backside.

He glowered at the door as the knocking continued. "We heard you the first time!" Zack grabbed him from behind as he went to open the door. "Zack…" he tried placatingly, shutting his eyes as a mouth moved to his mating mark. "They'll come in…"

"Let 'em," Zack argued. "I'm sure I'll have a few choice words for whoever is trying to drag you away from me."

"I'll be back when I can," Cloud promised, sadness and aching loneliness taking over him as Zack just clung tighter to him. "Zack, we talked about this. If they come in here it ruins it…it makes it dirty."

Zack sighed, kissing his neck one more time before letting him go and pulling on his dark grey sweatpants. "Whatever you want, babe."

Cloud frowned at the words. "I don't want any of this. You know that. I'm just trying to preserve what I can…to preserve as much of us as I can."

Holding up his hands, the SOLDIER shook his head at the tone. "I'm not trying to fight with you. It's just hard for me when you act like this is the status quo. You scratch Hojo's back, he gives you a conjugal as reward for good behavior."

Ignoring the pounding on the door, Cloud crossed his arms as he frowned at his mate. "That's not fair. You don't understand how hard it is to get in here."

"I understand that he makes you jump through hoops, and gives you treats when you do it right," Zack countered. "Which I get that it's your upbringing, and sometimes it's hard to establish what is and is not okay to barter with."

"My upbringing?" Cloud countered, eyes wide at the words. "Well we're currently living my upbringing, Zack, and I didn't hear you complaining neither the first time nor the second time you came inside me."

Zack glared as the pounding continued at the door, turning his narrowed eyes on Cloud. "What do you want me to do? Talk about my day?" he suggested, voice riddled with sarcasm. "Well today Cloud, they poured mako down my throat until I vomited, and then they shocked my muscles to measure their response."

"Stop it," Cloud started, but his mate spoke over him.

"After that they threw me back into here, and twenty minutes before you came in they were taking samples of my piss and blood to see how quickly the mako had processed in my liver." He pointed to the door as the pounding continued. "So when you want to keep them out of here to preserve this wonderful place I get tortured in daily, well I don't really get the romance."

"I'm sorry," Cloud apologized, jaw clenched tight. "I'll let them in then to fetch me."

Cursing under his breath, Zack rubbed his temples in frustration. "Cloud, that's not what I meant…" But Cloud had already reached for the door, pounding on his side as it opened for whatever guard had come to get him for the day. "Cloud!" Zack lunged forward, grabbing for his arm as he yanked him protectively towards him. He just raised an eyebrow, chancing a glance backwards to see why the SOLDIER's hackles were raised.

Blond brows shot up into his spikes as he leaned back against Zack's chest. He took in the perfectly tailored white suit, eyes focusing in on those cold blue eyes. "Rufus Shinra…" he managed, shock flowing through him as he glanced back at his mate to see Zack's eyes were narrowed in on the vice president. "What are you doing here?"

Rufus grinned at him. "Well," he purred. "I asked Hojo if I could come get you myself. Though it's not near as fun as the first time I woke you up." Icy blue eyes flickered down to his stomach. "My condolences of course on the loss of the bundle of joy."

Pain went through at the reminder of the loss, hands coming protectively to his stomach where his child had been. …His child that would have been four years old by now if they hadn't been forced into this hell. …If he hadn't led all of them to this damnation by the nose.

Zack kissed the side of his head, and he knew he must be radiating the pain through their bond. They never talked about the baby. It was just a reminder of what he had lost…of what he and Sephiroth had lost. "What do you want with him?" the SOLDIER questioned, voice dangerous as he clearly seemed to be considering how easy the prince of Shinra would be to take down.

"Not to worry," Rufus assured him, holding his hands up placatingly in surrender. "I just need his help with a little project. He already agreed to do it."

Cloud blinked in realization. "You're the one who requested Hojo's help?"

"He works for me," Rufus pointed out. "Am I not allowed to do that?"

"Keep telling yourself that," Zack joked under his breath. "What does he have to do?"

Rufus shrugged. "Not that it's any of your business, but I want to test the range of his influence."

"His influence?" Zack questioned, arms tightening around Cloud. "On Alphas you mean?"

"In a matter of speaking," Rufus agreed. "Hojo tells me the experiments have increased his…gift." He motioned to the hallway. "Come along Omega, prove you're with the millions of gil invested in you."

Turning slowly in Zack's arms, he leaned up to press his lips against his mate's. "I'm sorry. I have to go." Zack just nodded, eyes wary on Rufus as he didn't let him go.

"You know," he tried, hand rubbing Cloud's shoulders. "Anytime you want to become square on our little bargain. Well…you know where to find me."

A finely sculpted brow raised at the implication of that statement, and Cloud pulled away with one last kiss to go stand beside the Shinra executive, frowning as a hand came to the small of his back to lead him as he slipped on his shoes. "I'll take it under advisement." Cloud mouthed that he loved him one last time, obeying as Rufus swept them out of the room, letting the door slam as he latched Zack back in.

Cloud didn't speak as he was led to the main laboratory, digesting exactly what Zack had hinted at. It seemed like another lifetime where Rufus had been in his apartment, having Sephiroth bring him to his knees as the two loves of his life agreed to commit murder for him. Clearly, nobody had stepped in to take up the reins after everything had gone wrong. His mate had seen the opening, and had taken it without question. It was smart, but he knew all too well how treacherous the Shinra prince could be. He couldn't be trusted, having been the one to send them to the Nibelheim reactor in the first place.

"You look quite different," Rufus pointed out, hand dragging up the back of his sweater. "You used to be so small…effinite…you've really blossomed."

"Thanks," Cloud replied dryly. "It's that all that gil in mako they're forcing into my veins." He glanced over at the bureaucrat. "Don't you have other Omegas to do your bidding that aren't lab rats?"

"An Omega that's not a lab rat?" Rufus asked, seemingly amused. "Isn't that a bit of an oxymoron?"

"I certainly see someone that's a moron." Cloud's eyes widened to saucers at the sound of that voice, bottom dropping out of his stomach as he looked straight ahead to see Reno standing there in the hallway. The redhead looked great. It was amazing what a difference four years made as he seemed to have finally filled out his suit. He stood there with a cocky smile next to his partner. They never told him and Zack what had happened to Reno…or to Genesis and Kadaj. Cloud had spent years assuming they were dead—hunted down like Shinra dogs for being traitors.

A longing ache for the past filled him, tears springing to his eyes as he remembered a time before when it had just been him and his friend. …When he didn't know what an Alpha or an Omega was. A time before Sephiroth…before Zack. Cloud found his feet moving before he could even consider the implications, running towards his friend and flinging himself into his arms, regardless of whether or not Reno wanted anything to do with him anymore after what he had brought into their lives.

"You're okay…" He assured himself out loud, clinging to an unresponsive body as he buried his face in the other's neck. "I was so worried. I'm so sorry for everything." Cloud smiled despite the situation, or the fact that his friend had still yet to reciprocate the embrace. "I'm so glad."

"Well he certainly seems to like you," Rufus mused. "I must say, I didn't get near that as a greeting. I'm a bit jealous."

"Don't be jealous, boss," Reno spoke, seeming to reluctantly wrap his arms around Cloud's back, patting awkwardly. "You know how affectionate they can get."

"They?" Cloud questioned, pulling back to look into Reno's eyes to search for any sign of familiarity…of what they had. "Reno?"

"It's good to see you, Cloud," Reno assured him, but his voice was stiff, almost annoyed by having to use the words. "I thought you were dead."

"I'm sure he wishes he was," Rufus mocked. "For the most part anyways. I did get to see highlights of your little show with Zack."

Cloud blushed, not even knowing he had the ability to be embarrassed anymore as he pulled away from his friend, frowning at the Shinra VP. "You watched us?"

"Can you blame me?" Rufus simply asked back as an explanation to the invasion of privacy. "Porn is so very limited on these long road trips, and it was quite an interesting show." He motioned them inside the laboratory. "Now, Hojo promised me discretion. That's not to say that I'm stupid enough to not know that he's watching our every move, but he thought you would feel more comfortable just the three of us."

"The three of you?" Cloud questioned, stepping into the lab as his eyes immediately traveled up to where he knew the cameras were and Hojo was watching. "And what exactly can I do for the three of you?" Reno and Rude were clearly the vice president's guards. But he didn't know what they wanted from him, and why they would even humor the idea of sending the scientist away. He kept trying to meet his friend's eye, but Reno was conveniently always looking away.

"Cloud, do you know what happened to this place after Sephiroth's little mishap?" Rufus questioned, and Cloud's breath hitched a little to see the General in question sitting on the lab table.

"Mishap?" Cloud questioned, eyes locked into those cat-like glowing green eyes. "Do you mean when he went crazy and tried to murder me?"

"Oh precious," Sephiroth spoke, and Cloud glowered at the nickname and the seeming compassion in his tone. "That wasn't about you. That was about the abomination in your belly."

"Yes," Rufus agreed with the assessment. "Well due to the malfunction, the Omega project was officially shut down."

Cloud frowned, dread filling him at the words as he turned to face Rufus again, leaving Sephiroth to his back. "What do you mean shut down?"

Hands wrapped around his hips, yanking him up and backwards as it appeared that he jumped back onto the lab table as he was pulled to sit next to the ex-SOLDIER. He winced at the pressure it put on his backside, shifting to get comfortable as Sephiroth's arms tightened around him. "Take a load off, my love…" Sephiroth's lips came to his neck, kissing almost apologetically along it. "I know you must ache from our time together." Cloud ignored him, focusing on Rufus instead as he couldn't let anyone know just how insane he had become.

"Officially, funding was pulled from the project," Rufus explained. "Unofficially—well, they burned the reactor to the ground to cover up any trace of wrong doing when Sephiroth was declared dead."

Horror filled him at the callowness in that tone, realization coming over him as his hand covered his mouth in sickness. Sephiroth's arm wrapped around his waist, fingertips pushing up the front of his sweater as they trailed playfully along his belly. "It's for the best, you know. A line of creatures designed to control SOLDIERs…it was always doomed to fail. You were special. You were made for me, and I'm not like them."

"They were people," he spoke to Sephiroth, nausea rolling in his gut at the heartless tone in his dead mate's voice.

"Yes, well…" Rufus answered, obviously thinking Cloud was talking to him. "As a company you must know when to cut your losses, and driving Alphas to insanity was never really our goal."

"You're blaming me for Sephiroth?" Cloud questioned, voice clipped with anger as Sephiroth's laugh reverberated off his neck. "You of all people?" He shook his head. "I didn't turn him insane. Shinra did that. His own actions did that."

Rufus shrugged. "Keep telling yourself that, pet. Regardless, with that other Omega still missing, you're the only one left."

"Kadaj?" Cloud questioned, longing in his tone for his brother. He cleared his throat, clearing out any emotion as he didn't want it used against him. "Kadaj is still missing?"

"You act surprised?" Sephiroth mused. "Genesis had him. He knows how to hide from Shinra. Just like I would have hid you, had you just trusted me…had you just expressed a monochrome of patience."

"For now," Rufus agreed with the assessment, clearly not wanting to talk about it. "We'll find him, and his little protector." Cloud's eyes snapped over to Reno as they spoke about his cousin, seeing no reaction on his face one way or the other. "But I came to see you, Cloud. Not to talk about soon to be corpses."

Sephiroth's hand pushed between his thighs, Cloud seeming to spread his legs as he grabbed for that hand. "Stop," he managed of his ex-lover, focusing on Rufus instead. "Just tell me what you want," he covered with.

"My apologies," Sephiroth purred into his ear, squeezing his hand back. "You know I've never been able to keep my hands off you."

"We have a problem back at Midgar. A group of eco-terrorists are making waves, and we think there's someone on the inside helping them." Rufus crossed his arms as he watched him. "We're still pouring buckets of gil into this project, and it was agreed that I could try to salvage it."

"Meaning?" Cloud questioned, not understanding what the Shinra prince wanted from him.

"I'm going to find out who the traitor is," Rufus explained. "You're going to help me."

Cloud laughed at that, legs swinging underneath the table. "Sorry, but I've never really been trained in the art of interrogation. Why don't you get those highly paid torturers that you have on staff to help you out?"

"We suspect it's a SOLDIER," Rufus explained, voice void of the apparent amusement Cloud felt at the thought. "Orrrrr...one of the Turks." The Vice President motioned to his guards. "Hence this test we're going to run."

"The Turks?" Cloud's eyes wandered to Reno and Rude, frowning at the thought. "They're not Alphas."

"No," Rufus agreed. "They're Betas, and we're going to test your control over them."

"A Beta?" Cloud questioned, eyes flickering over to Reno. "What the hell did you let them do to you? You promised me no more treatments."

"You promised me Sephiroth was okay," Reno pointed out. "You promised me you knew what you were doing. You promised me a lot of things, Cloud."

"There there," Rufus crooned. "He's just upset at learning the new way of the world, Reno. We talked about this, right?"

Reno frowned, before sighing as he nodded. "Right, Boss."

"Since the two of you seem so close, I suppose you'll make the perfect subject." Rufus motioned to Rude who grabbed at a chair, dragging it across the vinyl flooring to face Cloud. "Have a seat, Reno."

"I'm not playing this game," Cloud denied, frowning as Reno took a seat. "Not with him."

"You got to fuck your boyfriend for this game," Rufus pointed out. "Do try not to take too much of the highroad."

"This is purposeful," Sephiroth mused. "Punishment for your big mouthed friend."

"First, I want you to make him do something physically," Rufus demanded. "He has Alpha cells, and if you're as strong as Hojo says you are, then it shouldn't be a problem for you."

"He's not an Alpha," Cloud argued. "I've only ever commanded Zack."

Sephiroth laughed next to him. "You probably shouldn't admit outloud that the only person you've manipulated is your own mate."

"Do it," Rufus murmured, patience strained. "Or I'll hurt you, and if that doesn't work…I'll go and hurt Lieutenant Fair."

Cloud frowned at the threat, looking back and forth between Rufus and Reno as he tried to read the situation. He didn't know what he was supposed to do. He had never tried to push his influence on anyone that wasn't an Alpha. The only time he had ever suspected Reno may be susceptible was the night of his heat. He took a deep breath, knowing he didn't really have an option. "Reno…" He spoke, inhaling deep as he felt nothing, digging deep inside of him. "Reno…Tell me you missed me."

"That's an interesting choice," Sephiroth mused, thumb rubbing the inside of his knee. "Do you not get enough attention, Cloud?" He glared at his ex-mate out of the corner of his eye, focusing instead on Reno who seemed to be frowning at him at the ask.

"Come now," Rufus grumbled. "Surely you can do better. You missed your dear friend, did you not? Make him say he missed you."

"Reno…" Cloud tried again, voice dropping an octave as he focused on his friend. "Tell me you missed me." There was more power in the command, not even feeling bad about it after the cold reception he had received from the person he had always considered his best friend. He didn't know what that said about him. He didn't know if Sephiroth's comments rang any truth. He just wanted the Turk to acknowledge that four years had passed between them.

"I missed you," Reno spoke, face disgusted as he glowered at Rufus. "I don't want to do this. Make Rude be your guinea pig!"

"I have a strict no hypnosis policy in my contract," Rude murmured, staring at Cloud in disgust. "Besides, you already know him."

"Indeed you do," Rufus agreed. "And I'm not through with the demonstration yet." He focused his attention on Cloud. "Ask him if he had anything to do with the events that took place four years ago."

"He didn't," Cloud argued, shaking his head. "It was on me."

"No?" Rufus questioned. "Nothing at all? Well, then you won't mind asking him, right?"

"Reno," Cloud questioned, swallowing nervously as he didn't put the same power he had put behind the other request. "Did you have anything to do with the incident at Nibelheim?"

"No," Reno answered, keeping his face a mask as he stared at him. "I was forced into flying that helicopter."

"Not a bad liar," Sephiroth mused. "But I've seen better…so has Rufus."

"Forced by who exactly?" Rufus questioned. "Ask him why he went along at all…and really ask him Cloud, or I'll go into that room we just came out of and shoot your SOLDIER in the head."

Cloud swallowed at the threat, biting his lip as he stared at his friend in sorrow. "Reno," he put the power behind his tone. "Why did you go to Nibelheim with them?"

"Because I was in love with him," Reno spoke, face strained as he couldn't seem to help himself.

Sephiroth laughed from beside him as Cloud arched a brown in question. "Oh yes," his ex-mate spoke. "I had forgotten about that particular infidelity."

"What are you talking about?" Cloud questioned both Sephiroth and Reno. "Who were you in love with?" Sephiroth chuckled at the question, and anger began to fill him as he dreaded what his sociopathic ex-mate could possibly find so funny.

Reno kept quiet, mouth set in a firm line as he stared him down, turning over to Rude. "This is so stupid. Why aren't you the one in the hot seat again?"

"Reno." Cloud pushed power behind his voice. "Who were you in love with?"

The red headed Turk looked like he wanted to throw up, fighting everything within him. "Zack Fair."

"What?" The word left his mouth as he tried to wrap his mind around just what he was hearing. "Zack? You were in love with Zack?"

"The utter judgment in your tone, precious…" Sephiroth mused. "You dumped your little SOLDIER boy. Remember, you were still pretending that you were in love with me. That you wanted to be with me."

"I was in love with you!" Cloud yelled, jumping down and ignoring the looks of confusion across the three men in the room.

Cloud slammed his hands on either side of the arms of Reno's chair, leaning in to glare at his friend. "Did you sleep with him? Did you sleep with my mate?"

"Did you just say you were in love with me?" Reno asked right back, looking beyond confused and guilty as he stared up into his eyes. "Your eyes glow now. Fuck, what did you let them do to you?"

"Answer the question," Cloud ignored the jab at his appearance, and all the horrendous things that had occurred to his body since that night in Nibelheim. "Did you fuck him? My mate?" He didn't push any influence into the words, hoping his friend would come clean on his own.

Reno shook his head, looking back and forth between Rufus and Rude. Rude just cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable, and the Shinra prince looked amused by the chaos he had created. "You weren't together…"

"You were my best friend!" Cloud yelled into his face, seething jealousy filling him as he gripped the edges of the chair hard enough to break the wood. He remembered a smell on Zack up by the reactor…a familiar smell.

"So?" Reno asked him. "We really bringing up friendship right now?" Pain covered his face. "You abandoned him…and you abandoned me. To do what? Be a pampered bitch in a penthouse? I should have never dragged you down to the slums that night. I should have made sure Sephiroth never laid his eyes on you!"

"Don't talk about him like that," Cloud managed to get out, hating hearing them vilify him as a monster, even if that's exactly what he was.

"You're defending him?" Reno asked incredulously. "Look where you are because of him, and you're defending him?"

"That's very interesting," Rufus murmured, hand at his chin as he took it all in. "Cloud, who do you blame for the reactor?"

"Yes," Sephiroth spoke, hands on Reno's shoulders as he looked directly into his eyes. "Who is really responsible for what happened? Go ahead…say it."

"It's my fault," Cloud spoke, not hesitating as he stared into Sephiroth's eyes, making them flicker over to Rufus. "Everything that happened was because I insisted on it. It was because I never listen."

"Fucking Sephiroth…" Reno growled under his breath, covering his face with his hand in frustrated disgust.

Rufus smirked at the answer. "So loyal, even now. Even when you're mated to Zack."

"I'm not defending his insanity, or what he did," Cloud clarified. "But if I hadn't been there, then neither would he. I did that to him. I deserve to be punished. I deserve to rot and die in this place, but Zack doesn't." He leaned down, pressing his mouth to Reno's ear. "If you are so in love with him…get him the fuck out of here."

Cloud pulled up and away, heading over to the laboratory door. "I hope I've given you an adequate demonstration."

"It served its purpose," Rufus agreed. "I own very powerful secrets slumbering where they shouldn't be."

"No," Cloud disagreed. "Rufus, you don't own me. Your daddy does. Remember that the next time you're pondering your own existence and pretending you matter." Shinra troopers stepped into the room, and he held up his hands. "Don't worry, I can find my own way back to my room." He shot one last look at Reno, hoping that the words had gotten through. He hoped that he had pulled the string enough with Rufus for it to even matter.

,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.

A.N- I'm sorry for not updating in so long! I just passed the game for the second time, and with it came inspiration on how to get them out of this situation. …And plus…I finally gave a threesome between them…sort of. Hopefully the stuff with Sephiroth made sense enough, and I promise I will eventually lead them out of this dark arc. Hope you enjoyed after the long break!