Chapter 4: Hesitation
Cloud sighed as he woke up warm...safe. He had never woken up to feeling so content as arms surrounded him, and his face was buried in a hard chest, rising up and down along with the other's breathing. He smiled as he realized Zack was finally sleeping soundly after a night full of tossing and turning with his nightmares.
He ran his hands up Zack's torso as he stretched, feeling slightly guilty over taking advantage of the situation and waking up next to the SOLDIER. He needed him though. Zack had been in pain, and now he was sleeping soundly. If it meant taking advantage of the situation to stop the other's pain, well then he wouldn't apologize for it.
Cloud leaned up to kiss messy black spikes, smiling once more to himself as the urge to lean into those lips was almost overwhelming. However, that would be taking advantage, and he was slightly above molesting Zack in his sleep, no matter how attractive he looked while doing so.
He kissed the top of his head again instead, sliding out of the warm bed as he saw the SOLDIER stretch in his sleep to reach for him. Zack seemed overly sensitive to his smell, maybe the way Cloud had all but coiled around him as he slept would keep him in that relaxed state.
He glanced at the clock as he padded down the hall, cursing as he knew he was going to be late for patrol. He had 20 minutes to get changed and down on the train leading to the slums before he got his ass chewed once again for punctuality. Would Zack understand why he had to leave? He hoped so, the other knew how much he wanted to get into SOLDIER. The next time he was written up for punctuality he would get a permanent mark on his record.
Doing his best to keep quiet, Cloud slid open the door carefully, moving quickly down the hallway as he was praying the stairwell would let him down without a keycard. His prayers were answered as he slid into the stairwell, cringing at the pain in his feet as he ran down the metal steps to get back towards the dorms.
Cloud snuck around the corner, avoiding any roaming eyes as he was still clothed in Genesis' sweats, and he had no doubt there would be more than a few questions if he was spotted like this. The last thing he wanted people to think was that he was sleeping his way through SOLDIER. Though, judging from both Genesis' and Sephiroth's comments, people already thought that. Had Zack said something? They weren't together, and so he supposed it was probably only rumor and speculation. They spent a lot of time together. Cloud wished it were more. He wished they weren't always so busy, but it had never been more until that night in the hotel. Should he apologize for it leading somewhere he had been longing for? Should he apologize that it had caused a substance leaking between his thighs for Zack to finally make a move?
He made it back to his room, sliding open the door and thanking whoever was listening that the others had already headed out on patrol. He dug through his chest, pulling out a spare uniform and changing as quickly as possible.
Cloud ran down the hall, getting out of the doors and towards the train with five minutes to spare before the security system began running IDs and they could tell just how late he was. Once on the train he sunk on the seat in relief, stupid smile covering his face as he thought back to the bath. They had kissed. Zack had kissed him. Even if the other had been out of it at the time, it was still the best kiss he had ever had in his life.
"You look positively elated," a voice spoke from his side, and Cloud started in his effort to sit up straighter as he noticed the white lab coat under his overcoat. A Shinra scientist. He thought he recognized the long almost greasy black hair surrounding the thick glasses.
"Professor Hojo," Cloud acknowledged a greeting, going to stick his helmet over his head, before a hand reached out to stop him.
"You know who I am?" The professor asked, and Cloud fought the shudder that threatened to go down his spine at the feel of that hand on his arm.
"I've seen you around," Cloud murmured, glancing around the train as nobody had yet been clued into their conversation. People on the train normally didn't pay attention to their surroundings, just trying to get to their destinations without having any kind of human interaction. So why was this scientist striking up conversation with a cadet?
"Have you?" Hojo asked with amusement, not removing the hand from his arm. "Is that where you think we know each other from? You just seeing me around?"
Cloud felt like ice water had been poured down his spine, warning bells going off in his mind as he tried to rip his arm away, only to have the scientist hold strong. "Let go."
"Why?" Hojo questioned. "Am I making you nervous?" Hojo leaned in, and Cloud fought the urge to pull his weapon on the man as hot acrid breath puffed in his face. "I don't think it's safe for you to go to patrol today. We need to give you some suppressants if we're going to continue to play this game."
He saw the needle come out in almost slow motion, shoving at Hojo's chest before it sunk deep into his neck. It felt like deja vu as his eyes rolled to the back of his head, feeling arms slip around him as his body felt like lead.
"That's it, my darling boy," he heard being spoken into his ears as he was yanked up at the next stop. "I'll fix you." His mind flashed in memory to a white room, to a man cooing above him in the same matter. He remembered screams surrounding him, but his body being too heavy to fight. This man's face was above him. He knew him. "Sleep...I'll make you feel better." He did as he was told, the room in white from his memories fading to black.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Cloud grunted as a sword came swinging down towards his face. He parried the blow, staring at the burly cadet as he tried to find his balance as he put pressure on his much smaller lithe frame. He swung after throwing him off, going for the legs as the other jumped over the blow. He grunted as the man kicked out, hitting him below the chin and knocking him backwards onto the mat.
He swung his body up off the mat as the sword came down towards his face. He swung his own at Faron, the biggest cadet in their year. He supposed his instructor had thought it was funny pairing them together. He supposed he was supposed to be made an example from. People were always underestimating him.
Taking it at a leap, Cloud dived at the bigger male, always having a high verticle as his knees knocked into Faron's clavicles. He bowled the other over onto the mat, eyes fierce as he pressed the sword to the other's throat, hearing a whistle blow from behind him.
Cloud grinned down at Faron, getting off his chest and extending a hand down. The burly dark haired late teen shook his head, before grabbing the offered hand and being helped to his feet. "Forgot how you don't quite fight all that fair." Faron joked, and Cloud shrugged.
"It gets results," he managed, dusting off his workout pants.
"That it does," Cloud turned on his heel at the sound of the voice, eyes wide as the General of Shinra was standing there watching the display.
"Sephiroth!" Cloud said with a start, and then blushed at the realization he had been watching that sloppy performance. "I mean, General Sephiroth, sir." he saluted.
Sephiroth eyed Faron who had to be at least 6'5 and weighed a hundred pounds more than he did, and Cloud saw his eyebrow arch a bit in amusement. "Do you always fight like that?"
Cloud held up his chin in defensiveness. "I like to win, sir."
The other actually laughed, and the sound sent vibrations down Cloud's spine. "Of that I have no doubt." Sephiroth turned to Officer Layden. "I need to borrow this cadet. Do you mind if I take him from training?"
Layden seemed to be warring between the need to suck up to Sephiroth, and giving Cloud special treatment. He supposed he didn't blame him. He had been sick the last few weeks. Today was his first day back after being in the hospital. They had told him to take it easy, but Layden clearly wanted to punish him for slacking off. "Go ahead. We're done for today anyways."
Sephiroth nodded. "I appreciate this. I'll have him back before afternoon training." The General motioned towards the door. "Let's go."
Cloud felt all eyes on him as they made their way out of the training hall, following after Sephiroth like a puppy as they headed down the hall. He was quiet as they entered the elevator, and Cloud was only too aware of how he probably stunk of sweat from training all morning. His mind flashed to Sephiroth leaning down to smell him before, and it felt hazy, like it was a dream.
"Is this about Zack?" Cloud questioned as Sephiroth hit the button for the first floor. Zack hadn't come to see him when he was in the hospital. He assumed he was off on some mission. "Is he okay?"
Sephiroth glanced curiously over at him, and Cloud felt himself shifting under the weight of that stare. "Zackary has been going out of his mind trying to get in to see you. You've been off limits until today."
Cloud's blue eyes went wide as confusion filled him, tilting his head in confusion as his heart began to race. "What?" he questioned stupidly. "I was sick. I was in the infirmary." They told him he had a fever. He had passed out on the train going to patrol, and someone had found him and took him to the hospital. He was lucky he wasn't shanked on the train and left for dead.
"Indeed," Sephiroth murmured with thinly veiled skepticism. "Suppose you were contagious too, and that's why you weren't allowed visitors?"
He frowned at the mocking tone. "I didn't know anyone tried to come see me. I'm not exactly popular."
"You're not exactly truthful either, are you Cloud?" Cloud opened his mouth to ask what that meant, but was shoved out of the elevator before he was able to get his question out. "You've been on lock down. Whoever put in the order was clever enough to cover their tracks, and either you're lying, or they were clever enough to mess with your memory before letting you out."
Cloud glanced around at the white washed walls, eyes wide and wild as he realized he had been brought to a lab. "I don't want to be here."
"Why?" Sephiroth questioned. "Seem familiar, does it?" he asked, ignoring the look of panic on the other's face as he dragged him over to a work bench. "Hold out your arm. I need your blood."
The blond glanced nervously as Sephiroth began to lay out various tubes and a needle. "No," he managed, feeling sick as he tried to remember being in the hospital. He only had snippets in his mind. Before that he had been on the train, right? Before that he had been in Zack's bed.
"I wasn't asking," Sephiroth said with impatience. "I don't care much for being kept in the dark."
"So you want my blood?" Cloud questioned, stepping back as Sephiroth grabbed for his forearm. "Stop it. Just tell me what's going on?"
Sephiroth sighed at that, seeming to take some sort of pity from whatever he had seen on his face. "You're not normal, you know that right? You set one of my SOLDIERs, my friend, into a state of insanity. Then you disappear for weeks. Your hospitalization was just put on the record yesterday, and by then you were being released."
"I was sick," Cloud managed, heart pounding. He wasn't supposed to be talking about any of this. He didn't know why, but he was going to get in trouble.
"No doubt," Sephiroth murmured, grabbing for his arm as he tied the tourniquet around his skinny arm. "I've been doing my research about ancient beings. Turns out there used to be a balance in this world, an alpha and an omega."
"Omega?" Cloud whispered, the word tasting like ashes on his tongue, gritting his teeth as a needle plunged into his vein.
"They were exterminated when Shinra took power and built the reactors. Every last one of them." Sephiroth murmured.
"Why?" Cloud questioned, watching his blood pump into the tubes. "Why would they kill them?"
Sephiroth grinned, putting pressure on Cloud's arm as he pulled the needle out. "Not exactly the question I had myself," he said in curiosity, hand reaching out to grip at Cloud's jaw, squeezing until his mouth opened and he plunged a cotton swab in. "Shinra never did want to share power. My question is, why are they trying to hide you?"
Cloud's eyes were fixated on the table where Sephiroth bagged up his blood and saliva, feeling more than a little violated as Sephiroth's questions kept pouring through his mind. "They don't know about me," he managed. "I don't even know about me." he motioned to the table. "What are you going to do with all that?"
Sephiroth glanced down as well at the table of samples, sighing. "It's not all I need from you. For the next part...I need you to collect it yourself." Sephiroth held up a cup, shaking it back and forth in front of him.
Cloud stared questioningly at the plastic cup. "You want me to piss in a cup?" He turned quizzical eyes up toward the General.
For his part, Sephiroth was actually smiling. "Not exactly," he sighed, as if debating how she should begin. "Zackary mentioned to me that there was something rather specific that had set him off."
His thighs trembled as his entire body flushed. He covered his mouth in revulsion as he thought he would rather die from whatever was happening to him then to have to talk for one more second about this with Sephiroth. "He told you?" he asked in horror, not believing Zack would ever tell someone something so personal. Were they laughing at him? Was this all a joke?
Sephiroth laughed at that. "I had to pry it out of him after several drinks. Don't sound so affronted."
"He told you!" Cloud bit back, wanting to hit Sephiroth as the other's grin spread further.
"You're positively adorable when you're embarrassed," he practically purred.
Cloud reacted then, shoving the other as anger lit through his features. "Don't laugh at me!" He had been laughed at all his life, mocked all his life, and now this. Why couldn't he just be normal? Why couldn't he just be a SOLDIER?
Sephiroth grabbed at his wrists to stop any further assault, pulling him close as he leaned down into his neck, inhaling deep. "You don't smell the same. Explains why you're far less agreeable than you were down in the slums." Cloud struggled against the restraint, fire lit up in his eyes as the General held strong.
"Oh?" Cloud questioned. "Am I not interesting anymore then?" There was a time he would have begged for Sephiroth's attention, now that he knew why he was getting it he was revolted with his own nature. "Guess I can't give you your samples."
Sephiroth rolled his eyes at the display. "You're still very interesting to me, Cloud. I've been dreaming about that smell since that day in the alley, and I'm not dumb enough to hold back when it comes to you and set myself into a frenzy."
Blond brows knitted in worry as he stared up into those cat like eyes, calming as Sephiroth dropped his wrists, hand stroking his face instead. "Is Zack okay?" he asked softly, feeling transfixed as he was pushed back against the table.
"He's worried about you, but nervous," Sephiroth answered, other arm lifting him up and onto the table.
"I make him nervous?" Cloud questioned, still locked in those eyes as Sephiroth's fingers went to the tie on his pants.
Sephiroth nodded slowly, tilting the blond's head back as that silver hair cascaded around him. "You make me nervous too." Sephiroth grabbed Cloud's hand, and the blond let out a whine of understanding as he pushed it down below his waistband. "I need those samples if I'm going to help you."
Cloud's fingers were trembling as they trailed over his own cock, feeling it twitch slightly in his hands as Sephiroth pushed the fingers lower in his boxers. "What if I don't get wet?"
The other moaned at that, and Cloud saw the aqua in his eyes begin to spread across his sclera, starting to glow. "Is that what you call it?" His voice was husky and low, arousal obvious as he began to move the hand in Cloud's boxers.
"What would you call it?" Cloud questioned, moaning as his cock began to harden.
"Enthralling," Sephiroth managed, reaching for the waistband of the blond's pants, eyes searching. He was looking for permission. To what, touch him?
Why wasn't he saying no? Why wasn't he shoving the other away for not being Zack? Was it because it was Sephiroth? Was it because he had hero worshipped this man since he was old enough to read? Was it because even though he no longer had a fever, and even though he no longer felt that overwhelming need, he still wanted to be claimed.
"Your eyes are glowing," Cloud managed, not yet giving permission as Sephiroth's long fingers trailed across his lower belly.
"I'm a SOLDIER, my eyes are always glowing." Sephiroth replied with amusement, other hand encouraging Cloud's as he began to stroke himself in his boxers.
"Not like this," Cloud moaned, spreading his legs wider to create room as the other pressed between him on the table. His mouth dropped open slightly as he felt the hardness pressing against his ass.
Sephiroth's eyes had become completely consumed by the aqua color, his teeth sharpening as he watched him, not waiting for permission as he ripped the pants down passed his knees. Cloud's body flushed as those hungry eyes traveled down to where both of their hands covered his cock, pumping him as he moaned out. He stared hungrily down at him, and his body bowed as the hand touching him began to move faster.
"How did he stop himself?" Sephiroth questioned, voice dark and wild. "How did he look at you and not bury himself?" He almost sounded impressed, and Cloud couldn't seem to focus as his own hands dropped away, coming to fist within his own hair as Sephiroth pumped him. His body flushed with arousal, feeling his gut tightening with that same want as mewls began to leave his throat.
"Sephiroth…" he managed, legs spreading wider as need took over his body. He moaned in need as he felt a wetness between his legs, slipping between his cheeks as his body prepared itself.
Cloud reached across the table, managing to grab onto the plastic cup and thrusting it at the other's chest, right before pleasure lit up his spine and he came all over his stomach, ruining the grey t-shirt he was wearing.
As he came back into himself Sephiroth was putting the cap on the cup, grabbing another sample cup as he dragged it over his belly. Cloud could see how bad those hands were shaking, and he looked up to see the barely restrained insanity etched out on the other's features.
"Seph…" He managed to get out, before the other was blanketing him and claiming his lips. Cloud moaned as that mouth was hot and demanding, the body pressing over him as Sephiroth thrust against his ass.
He tried to imagine a world where something like this was actually happening. He tried to wrap his mind around the fact that the General of Shinra was kissing him...had just made him cum. This was wrong. There was a very distinct reason why this was wrong. He pressed at Sephiroth's chest, looking up in desperation. "Zack…"
The growl that ripped through Sephiroth's chest at the name caused his entire body to seize up in fear, head tilting to the side in submission as everything in his body called to him to succumb. His pulse was racing, and as he chanced a glance up towards Sephiroth he saw how sharp those teeth had become, and how his piercing eyes were locked on his neck.
"He had his chance," he managed, and Cloud's heart nearly exploded in fear as the other leaned down to bite him.
"Sephiroth!" Cloud cried out as those teeth closed around his neck, causing the other to pause, chest heaving as he did as his pulse beat wildly against Sephiroth's tongue. "Don't...don't…" he begged. "Not yet,"
The other didn't bite, but didn't pull away, just keeping him pinned down to the table with those teeth ready to rip...to bite. "Sephiroth…" Cloud tried again, not willing to admit how turned on he was at the position. It would be so easy to let this happen. In truth, deep down, he wanted it to happen. But there was Zack. This would hurt him. This would destroy him. He reached up, fingers carding through long silver tresses. "Alpha…" he managed, because it had worked with Zack. "Don't bite…" He didn't know what it meant, but it felt permanent. It felt like there would be no going back.
Sephiroth pulled off his neck slowly, panting in restraint as he looked down into Cloud's face, searching for something. "Not yet," Sephiroth managed, voice a husky pit of need as his fingers went to his leather pants, popping open a button as he searched Cloud's eyes.
"Not yet," Cloud managed, tearing his eyes away from that intense gaze to down where Sephiroth freed his engorged member from the tight leather, and Sephiroth was...huge. Cloud's eyes flickered back up in disbelief to that gorgeous face, seeing an amused smirk spread across those fangs.
"See something you like, Cloud?" he husked, the back of his hand stroking over Cloud's cheek.
"Not yet," Cloud repeated, because he was confused, and turned on, and there was Zack, but then there was this. This felt so right. This felt so good.
That grin widened. "You ask too much of me. I told you I didn't have the same kind of self restraint."
"Wai…" Cloud tried, at the same time he was flipped over with inhuman strength. Cloud was pressed over the table, and Sephiroth pressed over his back, not hesitating in sliding his legs together and thrusting between his thighs.
Cloud moaned as the slick between his legs acted as lubricant for his thighs, Sephiroth pressing between his legs and up against his slowly hardening cock. Sephiroth didn't press in where he ached to be taken, instead thrusting in the mess between his legs. Their cocks slid together in the slick as Cloud reached up to grip the edge of the table, moaning uncontrollably at the feeling of the other between his legs.
"Seph…" he managed in need, entrance spasming in need as the room stunk of their sex even if they weren't having any. Sephiroth's cock rubbed against his own, the other moaning into his ear. "More...more…" he begged, thrusting back against him, in that moment Zack was completely wiped from his mind as he moaned like a slut for the other.
"Not yet…" Sephiroth repeated, thrusting hard against him as he grabbed both their cocks, and Cloud screamed as he felt both pulse as Sephiroth and his cum shot between his legs. They were both trembling messes as the SOLDIER buried his face in the back of his neck, kissing all along it as Cloud turned his face to give him more access. A mouth kissed it's way along his chin, coming to rest on his earlobe as he panted against it. "You're very confusing." Sephiroth sounded almost scared. He sounded like this was something he had never experienced in his life...confusion. It made sense, the General of Shinra was always in complete control.
"I'm sorry," Cloud managed, sighing as he was pulled up off the table and his pants were yanked back over his hips. "Are you going to tell him?" Cloud turned hazy blue eyes to face the other, smiling as he was pulled backwards into his arms.
"And what would I say?" Sephiroth questioned, kissing down along his neck as Cloud leaned into his arms. "That a cadet made me crazy enough to fuck my way between his legs? That I lost control?"
"You didn't," Cloud assured him taking comfort in those arms as he closed his eyes and saw bright lights, a white-washed room. He saw a man leaning over him with glasses and greasy hair, asking him if he knew what he needed to do. By the time he opened his eyes again the memory was gone as if it had never been there to begin with, and he had spun in Sephiroth's arms to pull him down to his lips.
Sephiroth pulled back from the kiss, laying their foreheads together as he held him close. "You need to be careful," he managed, running his hands down his back. "No one can find out about you until I understand more. If you keep making alphas act like this around you they're going to know."
"That your subtle way of telling me to stay away from alphas?" Cloud questioned, pulling back to look up into those eyes that were slowly turning back to cat like.
Sephiroth rose an eyebrow at the question. "Are you asking me about Zackary?"
Cloud shook his head. "I don't need your permission to be with him."
A soft growl went through Sephiroth's chest as he pushed away from the other reluctantly. "Not yet," he agreed, eyeing him, looking barely restrained as he grabbed for the samples. "If all blood draws went like this, I may not have minded my life so much."
Cloud smiled at that. "Pervert," he managed, knowing he was just as guilty for what had transpired. It had caused only more questions rather than answers. It had caused irreparable guilt as he considered what he had done to Zack. Then again, they weren't together. Zack had fucked all those people while he was lost in a haze. How was this different? Why was it wrong at all when the other hadn't even claimed him?
"You have no idea," Sephiroth teased, leaning in to kiss almost softly at his cheek. "Until next time, Cloud."
Until next time...why did it all feel so wrong? Why did it feel like there was something just beyond the veil of his consciousness that was screaming at him to run away? Why hadn't Zack come to him when he had the chance? All he had were questions as Sephiroth gathered up the samples and left. Why did he have the feeling that there would absolutely be a next time, and he didn't want to stop it?
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