Adult-FanFiction.org : Final Fantasy

Blonde Ambition	By : sephcounttheways Category: Final Fantasy VII > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 2097 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 18
- 19
- 20
“Strife residence,” An unfamiliar, non-Nibelheim male voice answered over the background noise of what was a loud, drunken holiday gathering at his mother’s house.

Cloud scowled. He hated talking to his mother’s boyfriends.

She began dating when Cloud got older, and tended to be attracted to hooligans. They weren’t Cloud’s type, but were all fairly hot, which was awkward for Cloud in and of itself. But then, every single one of them had declared that Cloud had the perfect soccer physique, and would thus interrogate him as to why he was depriving the game of his Christ-given talents.

…Because he was a faggot who got endlessly teased, that’s why. His shins couldn’t handle the abuse.

But his canned excuse was that he “didn’t feel he was good enough”, which sounded to them like a request to go “kick the fucking ball around”. The last thing he wanted to do was bond with them; they weren’t his father. And for another thing, they were doing things to his mother. He was mature enough not to begrudge her that happiness, but it was all entirely too uncomfortable to fathom, so he kept his contact with them to a bare minimum.

The relationships never lasted too long anyways, maybe one or two dinners where he’d be forced to wear a tie and wet his hair down, a few weeks of “dates” consisting of his mother disappearing for an evening a week while he got the chance to blare his music. Then it would end with a screaming phone call, followed by a great burning of all mementos of Thomas or Johan or Anders or whoever.

“When you fall in love, Cloud…” His mother had said once while they watched the flaming wreckage of her latest relationship smolder in the backyard. “Hold onto that and don’t let go. Fight for it.”

“Aye…” Cloud had acknowledged, embarrassed that she’d said such a grown up thing to him. But he couldn’t help thinking about the undeniable, soul shaking feelings he’d so suddenly developed for the mysterious, young, sharply handsome General Sephiroth. After only a few brief glimpses of him, he felt a skin tingling urge to somehow get closer.

“Mom?” He’d said after she’d bitterly smoked a cigarette. “Can you fall in love after only seeing someone?”

“Absolutely,” She’d then thought on it for a moment. “It’s different for everyone.”

“You’ve been in love?” He’d ventured.

“Sure.”

“How is it supposed to feel?” Cloud asked softly, his face burning at the topic of conversation, but he found his mouth moving on its own. “Whenever I… like someone… it hurts. Isn’t love supposed to make you feel happy?”

She’d laughed at that. “The last thing love makes you, is goddamned happy. It makes you sick, it makes you depressed, it makes you overeat, and it makes you worry that you’re going to lose what you’ve got. Love hurts like hell, and turns you into a raving bitch.”

Cloud frowned down at the curling, blackened movie tickets and snapshots. “So what the hell are the happy love songs all about?”

“If you can show someone else all that ugliness, and they still love you? You’ve got it made. Then you can relax and enjoy. That’s what the hell all those happy love songs about.”

“Were you in love with Anders?” Cloud asked, thinking his mother’s bitchiness hadn’t waxed or waned as of late, but maintained a steady simmer.

“Nah. These are just flings, nothing. You’re the only man I love…” She’d smiled and plucked at Cloud’s nose, who batted her away and rubbed it with a scowly pout. She lit another cigarette. “You’ll be the first to know when the real thing comes along, if it ever does again.”

And as far as Cloud was concerned, it never would, because the brainless soccer jocks just weren’t cutting the mustard. None of the men she’d ever brought home were good enough for her. Not one.

And whoever this current one was probably wasn’t, either.

“This is Cloud, is my mom there?” He asked the stranger, keeping it cordial although half of him wanted to shout ‘get the hell out of my mother!’

“…Hi, Cloud,” The current heat of his mother’s loins said, far too genuinely. “It’s dad.”

Cloud shrugged. Usually the guys weren’t so quick to try and suggest that he refer to them as his father, but he was an adult now, too old to throw a fit about it and, frankly, too comfortable to care about much of anything.

He was lying in bed beside Sephiroth, who was naked as a jay bird and stretched out, thumbing through a Shin-Ra corporate magazine while wearing those thick-framed glasses. It was a fierce distraction from negative thinking. “Sure. Dad. Is April around?”

The next voice he heard was his mother’s. “Happy Christmas, little angel! You don’t want to talk to your dad?”

Cloud blinked. As it dawned on him, his toes splayed out in horror. “What the hell is he doing there?”

His mother laughed, and he could hear the voices of the rest of his family chattering in the background, and every so often the softly spoken male voice of his father. “Relax. He was in town tonight, so he popped by to say hello.”

Cloud erupted. “How many fucking holidays went by with nothing, and he decides to pop by to say hello when I’m not there!?”

April shushed him. “Cloud, he came by hoping you might have come home. Why don’t you talk to him?”

“I don’t wanna!” Cloud declared petulantly. Sephiroth shifted on the bed beside him, and glanced at him from over his magazine, causing him to soften a bit. “I mean… I don’t wanna talk to him on the phone. I’d rather see him in person.”

“I get it. You don’t have to. How did your meal turn out?”

Cloud nodded; his voice was quiet and still shaking off the shock. “Pretty good, no disasters. Oh – I burnt the sweet potatoes but he ate almost all of it anyways. Then again, he’s like a goddamn garbage disposal; I think he’d eat anything.”

Sephiroth huffed a little bit and turned the page.

His mother chirped happily. “I’m glad it was a success, although you could have tried cooking for me once in a fucking while. Ah - I like the clothes you sent! You’re a sweetheart!”

“I thought you might! I tried the skirt on to make sure it would fit you,” Sephiroth hiked an eyebrow at this comment. Cloud ignored him. “It did fit, didn’t it?”

“…Of course it fit.”

“…I was just making sure – ”

“What are you trying to say? You think my ass got fatter since you left? You think I’m letting myself go? You think I’m eating my heart out without you around to wait on hand and foot?”

“No, no way!” Cloud then wisely manufactured a white lie. “The reason I asked was because it was a little tight on me.”

“…Really? It actually fit me perfectly…”

“I could hardly breathe with it on. I thought I might be getting bigger, but the rest of my clothes still fit …so you probably slimmed down a bit?”

His mother lit a cigarette and made a happy sound. “Tell your husband I said Happy Christmas!”

Sephiroth chuckled softly, having heard loud and clear.

Cloud covered his eyes and hissed. “Momma, don’t say it so loud! I don’t want all of them to know!”

“Know what? That you’re gay? Or that you’re dating General Sephiroth?”

“Moo-oom!” He’d just been outed to the entire family – including his estranged father – by his own mother!

She gave a loud, slightly intoxicated laugh and began telling one of his aunts that Cloud had considered his sexual orientation a secret. That aunt turned out to be Judy, and her voice was on the line. “Cloud, it’s your favorite auntie. Darling little sweetie cakes, don’t worry. Your big, gay secret is safe with us!”

Next to take the phone was his rowdy Aunt Geraldine, who was merely ten years older than he was. “Cloud! I’m sort of upset, because your boyfriend is way hotter than any of mine. How big is his dick?” His mother balked in the background, but Geraldine went on to ask, “Just give me a number, in inches. That’s all I need to know!”

Sephiroth smiled in vain satisfaction while he continued pretending to read his magazine.

Cloud raised his chin up. “We’re in love! I’m not telling you shit!”

“You little fucker! C’mon! Tell me something! You’re dating someone famous, don’t you want to brag a bit?”

Cloud peeked at Sephiroth’s groin. As if it knew it was being spoken about, it was halfway filled out and resting on Sephiroth’s thigh. Cloud shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t know for sure…nine, maybe?”

“Nine!?” Geraldine panicked, followed by a loud scream from somebody who might have been his mother. “Where do you put all of it, you skinny little bastard?”

“I’m not telling you anything more, pervert! Give the phone back to my mom!” Cloud yelled, while Sephiroth stopped pretending to read and rolled over onto his side to listen, highly amused.

“Come back home soon, and bring that man with you!” Geraldine demanded. “I’m taking him from you!”

“I’d love to see your sloppy, beat up twat do half of what mine can do, you used up old whore!” Cloud shouted egotistically.

Unfortunately, it was his mother he’d said that to. “Cloud Strife!”

Cloud bit down on his lip. “She started it! I don’t want to talk to anyone else, don’t pass me around! I have something to tell you!”

There was a pause and it was apparently his mother murdering a beer. She belched. “What?”

Cloud declared joyously. “Save this phone number, because it’s my new cell!”

“Aww, that’s wonderful!” She cooed. “Did your husband give it to you?”

“Yup! And he gave me some clothes, and something else. I’ll tell you about it later, though...”

Sephiroth buried his face in Cloud’s neck to kiss along the line of the dog tag chain and chew at his jawline. Cloud giggled and kissed his glasses, purposely leaving behind a smear on the lens. Sephiroth took them off with distaste to wipe them off on the blanket.

April wasn’t nearly too drunk to know the quiet sounds of two people in love, and said privately to him, “You sound incredibly happy, Cloud. I love you.”

“Love you too,” he smiled. “I’m gonna call you tomorrow, and talk to you for real. You’re drunk, and it’s too noisy there.”

April couldn’t argue. “Wanna say goodbye to your father?”

“…Just tell him for me.” Cloud decided after a moment’s thought. “Talk to you tomorrow.”

“Bye, love.” She said.

He closed his phone and rolled into Sephiroth, giving him all the kisses that he had neglected to give him during the ten-minute phone conversation.

“Why didn’t you want to talk to your dad?” Sephiroth asked quietly, when their passion had ebbed for the moment.

Cloud didn’t want to answer the question, because he didn’t know how. Instead, he peered at the clock. He was feeling frisky and playful, and besides… Christmas was certainly done for the year…

“Hey, Seph… I’ve still got something for you.”

Sephiroth raised his eyebrows in question.

Cloud rolled out of bed, thoroughly naked. He coyly put his hands over his ass as he tittered out of the room, and returned with two more wrapped gifts.

“Why didn’t you gimme those earlier?” Sephiroth wondered as Cloud hopped back into bed and presented them.

“You’ll see. Open this one first…”

Sephiroth suspiciously slid his glasses off and set them on the nightstand. He then quickly opened the gift, his brow crinkling at what he found. “Night of the Living Cock…?”

Cloud nodded and bounced on the bed. “Yeah! I read the back, and it’s all survivor on zombie action! The zombies aren’t really dead, only sex crazed and rabid, and they spread the infection by come shots!”

“Why are you givin’ me porn?”

Cloud gulped, then feigned indifference and shrugged a shoulder. “I thought we could watch together. And if you’re into it, I could… you know? …Chew on you.”

The look on Sephiroth’s face remained completely blank, and for a moment, Cloud thought he’d made a serious error. But then his lover’s neon eyes narrowed into something dark and feline. “Hot.”

Cloud melted with relieved delight. “I thought you might think so, but it’s really not the main thing…” He bit the edge of the wrapped gift he still hadn’t handed over, yet. “This one is.”

Sephiroth looked at it wearily. “…What the hell is that?”

“You’ll have to find out!”

Sephiroth unpeeled the wrapping paper carefully and reluctantly. When the cover of the DVD was finally revealed, he stared at it for a long while.

Cloud’s palms became slick when the silence spun out well beyond mere surprise. “Um. I was out shopping and I looked into a store window and there it was…”

Finally, Sephiroth looked up at Cloud with an unidentifiable expression, some sort of innocent mix of awe and disgust. He threw the covers aside and leapt out of bed. Leapt!

Cloud made an embarrassingly loud squeak, honestly anticipating some sort of domestic abuse. Instead, his lover was gnawing on the plastic of the sealed DVD and throwing open his armoire.

Inside was a television, and Sephiroth was hurriedly turning everything on. He got the DVD out and pressed it into the tray, took the remote, and jumped back into bed. Cloud bounced a little as the mattress violently shifted, smiling although he was still slightly terrified for his own personal safety.

The DVD menu appeared. It was an option of scene selections or to play the entire film, with a dramatic, serious pose from the Sephiroth impersonator and his genitalia. There was even background music made of techno, marching boots and grunting.

“This is fucked up.”

Cloud burrowed underneath the covers. “I wasn’t sure if you’d – ”

“Sh!” Sephiroth watched raptly as a low level graphic scrolled slowly across the screen.

Funded entirely and presented proudly by The Silver Elite … Military Men…

The first scene began abruptly, and there Sephiroth’s actor was, busily doing paperwork at a cheap, Spartan desk. Page after obviously blank page received his flourished signature then was slapped into a “completed” work pile that was easily two feet high.

The door burst open, the camera refocused, and Zack’s actor came striding in with a lazy, careless strut that reminded Cloud of a wise ass wearing a leather jacket and sunglasses indoors.

“What have I told you about coming in my office, Zed?” Commander Sitonmyface boomed in a stony, testosterone-laden baritone.

Zed hooked his thumbs into his suspenders and slowly pulled them down his perfect, body-builder arms. “If I come in your office… you come in me.”

“Precisely.” The Commander rose to his feet, and an oddly out of place techno song began.

Both Sephiroth and Cloud burst into laughter when Sitonmyface easily tore away his “leather” clothes, which seemed to be made of some sort of unidentifiable, thin, garbage bag-like material. Within seconds, both actors were naked, and Zed dropped to his knees to eagerly fellate the ultra-muscled Commander.

While Zed was busy sucking, Sitonmyface began to hurriedly work in lubricant, obviously not taking much time for preparation because he didn’t give a fuck, and probably also because Zed was a porn star who obviously knew how to take a cock.

And take a cock, Zed did! It sank in… and in… and in. Cloud cried out and covered his eyes as though it was going to somehow pop the other actor like a balloon. When he was settled in completely, there was only a very short moment of stillness.

Maybe it was rehearsed or planned or maybe it was just sexual luck, but when Sitonmyface moved, all hell broke loose. He immediately settled into brutal rhythm while Zed seemed to be going for an academy award. They began to throw around paperwork while rocking the cheap desk so hard that Cloud was waiting for it to break and send the actors plummeting to the floor… not that it would have really mattered, nothing seemed to distract Sitonmyface, not even when Zed began yanking on his hair and popping his hips up to meet his relentless thrusts.

Both Cloud and Sephiroth’s eyes glazed over slightly, and Cloud didn’t notice that his mouth was slightly ajar, perhaps permanently.

“How many people in the world do you think have gotten off to this?” Sephiroth asked, breaking a several minutes-long silence.

“…Billions.” Cloud answered seriously, then giggled guiltily when Sephiroth swatted his mouth gently with his knuckles.

The brief skin contact made them more aware of each other, and Sephiroth sank his fingers into Cloud’s spikes and then settled on the back of his neck, idly stroking the short, soft hairs. Cloud scooted closer until the lengths of their thighs touched.

The sex scene graduated from doggy style on the desk, to Zed bouncing in Sitonmyface’s lap. Sephiroth leaned down secretively. “Zack can never know about this.”

“Never,” Cloud agreed. “And if he ever does find out, we’ll be shocked and appalled.”

“And I’ll sue,” Sephiroth then laughed. “I should sue, anyways. They didn’t even ask me to be in it.”

“Would you have been?” Cloud giggled, clawing playfully at Sephiroth’s thighs.

“No way,” Sephiroth said, his head tilting a bit as the camera angle switched and gave an overly generous view of Sitonmyface’s suspiciously dark, hairy scrotum bouncing around. “…I can’t help bein’ a little flattered at the dude they picked…”

Cloud shook his head with authority. “Your balls are much nicer.”

The scene ended with a thick spray of semen onto Zed’s face, and the next thing they saw was the Commander patrolling a line of naked soldiers in a locker room. He stopped at a redhead, and the camera panned down to reveal that the redheaded man in particular had an enormous erection.

“Do you have something to say, soldier?” The Commander demanded.

“Sir, yes sir! Permission to speak freely, sir!”

“Permission granted…” Sitonmyface purred, as he began to stroke the soldier.

“Sir, please fuck me, sir!”

“Bend it over, soldier.”

Sephiroth shook his head as another techno song began and all the naked soldiers began to beat off while the Commander rimmed the redhead. “This is ridiculous.”

Cloud giggled behind his hands, having pulled the cover up to his chin in excitement. “But it’s sort of hypnotizing! From some angles, he really looks like you.”

Sephiroth grinned slyly and hit the mute button before he rolled over on top of Cloud. “Is this how you want me to be? Should I be cold and mean… an’ make you call me ‘Sir’ while I fuck you?”

Cloud shivered a little, unable to hide the evident excitement his body felt at such a blunt suggestion. “…Not all the time. I mean, I want you to be you… It might be kind of fun to pretend...”

Sephiroth stared down at him coolly. “Pretend?”

“…Oh,” Cloud blurted, his face going hot. “…I know it isn’t pretend, I just…”

“Don’t trip over your words, cadet. You just what?”

Cloud’s eyes went wide. It was like in Rosemary’s Baby, when she realized she wasn’t dreaming and actually was being raped by Satan. But instead of being drugged and impregnated by the devil, Cloud was in bed with the most dangerous, powerful, beautiful man in the entire world. His wildest dreams were coming true!

But the insanity of it was that they had already been coming true. Sephiroth had kept this facet of himself entirely separate. But if he were to truly love him, he’d love all of him.

He passively laid his wrists above his head near the headboard, and unconscious submission. “I’m sorry, Sir. I meant to say that I haven't seen that side of you. The General side.”

“Do you want to?” There was gravity in the question.

Cloud shivered again. “I love you. I want to know all of you. Sir.”

The person Cloud had come to know was a cockneyed, slightly strange young man with a clinically insane childhood. He was funny, off beat, monotone, an overgrown playground bully with a flawless body… but one who made love with his countless insecurities fresh and unveiled. When he was with Cloud, he seemed to always be searching for validation, and puffing out like a peacock when he got it.

But General Sephiroth, the tall, proud, serious angel on television suddenly knew how to make love to him with no nonsense and all eye contact, as passionate as ever, but also tight, controlling, demanding and, above all, confident. Everytime Cloud would begin to feel like a child, like he was too extraordinarily out of his league, there would come a kiss, a perfectly pronunciated comment, something to pull him back into the moment, and into the reality of their relationship.

It wasn’t that the sex was even that different or overly rough. Perhaps a slightly harsher stroke, a tighter grip, or maybe even a slap on his thighs or ass here and there.

But what made Cloud tremble around his lover was that for the first time, he really, truly felt that he was touching the General. There were no cracks in the act, because it wasn’t an act. Cloud did as he was told because he had no choice – he was only a cadet, afterall.

It was damn good.

But what made it great was the fact that his pretty General, in the few heartbeats after their mutual eruption, became the fat, cuddly bear he always was after sex. One who never hesitated to bestow the sweetest of kisses, one who seemed to want to stroke and pet every part of Cloud’s skin, and one who smiled when he was told that he was loved.

That was the best of both worlds.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

“Every other fag in Midgar is dancing right now, at this very moment, except for us!” Cloud lamented.

“So go dance.”

“I can’t...” Cloud pouted into his cell phone. “Not without you.”

“Ya don’t need me to go everywhere with you.”

“But I want you, Seph. You’re just right down the street...” Cloud whined. “And it’s still early! You could come get me and then we could go down to – ”

“Fuckin’ goddamn, Cloud. Why can’tcha ever take ‘no’ for an answer?”

Cloud’s chin hit his chest. It was New Year’s Eve, a veritable celebration of tight pants and music and boys and alcoholic beverages and ohhh... just about everything Cloud loved in life. It was a holiday for gays to balance out the holiness of Christmas in the month of December. Skylar and the rest of the academy ‘mo’s went down to Dix In Vixen, the most popular gay club in the city, demanding that he come along.

But Cloud didn’t feel right at all going there without his boyfriend.

For one thing, the only deflection to allow him to dance his tush off without gross, unwanted, old man advances was a 6 foot 4 wall of hot muscle. And for another thing, it was a room full of horny guys – and there was only one thing gay guys liked doing more than dancing and dressing well. Cloud didn’t want any sort of weird guilt hanging over his head for looking too long at an overzealous public display of affection. He needed Sephiroth there to point and laugh with, or maybe even wiggle eyebrows with.

And besides, maybe... possibly... he had the urge to make some public displays of his own. Also... dancing! With Sephiroth? His idol, his hero, his lover? Something about that was even sexier than sex!

New Year’s Eve just wouldn’t be any fun without his beloved, bottom line. Cloud wanted to kiss him at midnight, to dance with him, to get tipsy and be carried home by him, make some slightly intoxicated love to him and then skip school the next day from a massive hangover.

It was a queer’s Christmas, and he wouldn’t take no for an answer.

Cloud tried to appeal to Sephiroth’s youth: “But you’re 22! This is the prime of your life, your first real year living as a gay man! This new year is important, and should be celebrated as such!”

“Bullshit,” Sephiroth bluntly declared.

Cloud tried to appeal to his sense of chivalry: “What if I get hit on?”

“I trust you to tell them to fuck off,” Sephiroth answered reasonably. “And four solid months of training? You’re plenty able to take care of yourself.”

“What if they’re bigger than me? What if there are more than one of them? What if they drug me and take me to some warehouse and tie me up and do unspeakable things to me?”

“I’ll show up out of nowhere to save you just in the nick of fuckin’ time.”

Cloud even promised sexual gratification: “But I need to see you tonight anyways, Sephy... but please don’t ask why...”

Sephiroth sighed and took the bait. “…Why?”

“Oh, you know...” Cloud murmured coyly. “I want to... mmm… tee hee! I’m too shy to say it out loud!”

“You are not.”

“Fine! I wanna dance, get drunk, get horny and get fucked! I can’t do any of that without you! Pleeease! It’ll be so much fun and we’re missssing iiit!”

“You want me to come just to buy your booze!” Sephiroth accused.

“No, Seph!” Cloud cried indignantly.

“I’ll get you some beer an’ fuck you if that’s what you really want, but I’m not goin’ to a stupid club,” Sephiroth said point blank.

“Why?”

“I don’t feel the need to.”

“Why!?”

“Because it sounds unappealing.”

“Whhhyyy?!”

Then, something different happened. No clipped denials, no growling, no deep sighing.

Silence. Cloud’s jaw dropped, and he slowly moved his cell phone from his ear and looked at it.

Sephiroth hung up on him!

“That son of a bitch...” Cloud muttered, then redialed the number, and prepared to let the fur fly.

Sephiroth answered the phone with resonating, infectious laughter.

Cloud giggled before he could help himself. “That wasn’t funny!”

“Baby, will it make you happy to go dancing tonight?”

“Yes!”

“Good thing I don’t give a shit about your happiness,” Sephiroth said, and Cloud could almost see him throwing back his head as he laughed.

“SEEEPHIROOTH!”

“Alright, can you give me one good reason; one good, solid reason why I would wanna haul my ass down under the plate on a fuckin’ Tuesday night? Why I would seek out and stand around in a stupid gay club that I’ve never wanted to step foot in before? Just one good reason why I would want to even be in a room full of busted fags, watchin’ while they grind on each other, and pushin’ em off when they try to grind on you? Tell me baby, why I would do that to myself tonight?”

“It’s our two month anniversary.”

A length of silence was ended by Sephiroth’s accusatory snort. “Wait a minute… not until tomorrow, we were official on the first, remember?”

Cloud toyed with his shoelaces. “Nope, the 31st. I was yours on Halloween, remember?”

“We gonna argue about this every goddamn month?”

“Only when it’s convenient!”

“Lemme put somethin’ on. I’ll give you a call when I’m outside.”

“Wear something sexy for me!” Cloud chirped.

“Yeah? You too,” he grumbled.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Cloud made good on that suggestion, as Sephiroth could tell as he watched him climb up into the tank. In fact, his first thought was to send Cloud back to his dorm to change his fucking clothes.

He had on the pants Sephiroth had given him for Christmas, which basically put his asscrack on permanent display, and a little black t-shirt that didn’t even attempt to reach the top of his pants.

And it wasn’t even about what he was wearing, as what was going on underneath his clothes. About two inches of Cloud’s lower stomach was showing, and it was a smoldering two inches, indeed. Even sitting, Cloud’s stomach was now flat and edged, his arms long and gaining shape. But his eyes were as large and innocent as ever, the most gentle water blue Sephiroth had ever seen. His lips were small and soft, and always inviting. His skin was perfect, his hair was that eye catching blonde helmet of soft spikes, hypnotizing as they swayed the feathers with the force of the heater vent.

Cloud frowned slightly when Sephiroth said nothing to him, but was obviously scrutinizing him. “…Do I look okay?”

Sephiroth sighed with the decision that he would not be that boyfriend. Not a jealous bastard who wanted to cover up the beauty that he had been attracted to himself. And finally, he said with a smile, “Very, very sexy.”

Cloud flushed and grinned, his legs squeezing together momentarily in glee.

Sephiroth then pursed his lips. “…Don’t you think you might need a jacket… or somethin’?”

“I figured I didn’t need one,” Cloud shrugged, buckling his belt. “I’ll be on you all night; you’re like a furnace.”

Sephiroth gave Cloud a kiss. That was the first and last time he ever questioned Cloud’s attire.

“Guess what?” Cloud asked after fiddling with the radio. “After tonight, no need to pick me up incognito. I have some friends who’re gonna be at the club and I’m sure everyone at school will know about us within the hour.”

“Is that what you want?”

“I don’t care anymore,” Cloud waved his hand. “I shouldn’t have lied in the first place. It was stupid.”

Sephiroth smiled. “So you’re finally cool with gettin’ teased about us?”

“Teased? Teased? They won’t be teasing me, they’ll all be begging to hear the particulars! Which I will not divulge!…” Cloud promised, although he already had, in rather explicit detail under the pseudo boyfriend name. It’s not like it was anything embarrassing or damaging – a big cock and delicious sexual prowess wasn’t something that was particularly surprising about Sephiroth.

“Well, why didja wanna hide it at all, then?” Sephiroth asked, digging around in his arm rest until he found a package of gum.

Cloud shrugged a shoulder, and lied. “I don’t know, really.”

The truth was, Cloud hadn’t wanted to tell the school because he was afraid the relationship was going to end quickly and abruptly, and then he’d carry the shameful stigma of being Sephiroth’s cast off for the rest of his military career.

But after all they had been through together, after all the love they had both proved to one another… Cloud knew that Sephiroth was, at the very least, the greatest love he’d ever know. He knew it was love, real love. Not one-sided affair, not puppy love, not a desperate, clinging condition of the mind.

They were in love with each other. And while it might not last forever (even with the heartfelt gift of Sephiroth’s dog tags and the subsequent smoldering encounter on the kitchen floor, Cloud’s inner darkness of course kept a timer on true love and happiness)… he’d surely never burn so hotly for anyone else. He couldn’t even fathom wanting anyone else. And he wanted everyone else to know, too.

Sephiroth heard the lie and didn’t like it, but didn’t press the issue. He couldn’t have cared less what the schoolboys at the academy thought about Cloud, him, or anything for that matter. If they were naïve enough to be bigoted against homosexuals, they needed to take a closer examination of the army they were currently enrolled in.

Shin-Ra always had been and always would be open minded about everything; that was what being cutting edge was all about. And of course, old man Shin-Ra’s stranglehold on the press kept everyone’s personal lives permanently off of the newspaper covers, thus granting his freedom to do as he wished with Cloud in public, whether he wanted to eat a hotdog with him on the sidewalk, or fuck him ragged while waiting in line at the post office.

The lower level army grunts and the school kids were the only ones who liked to nitpick and be catty, but once they ascended into the upper ranks, the level of personal camaraderie left no room for prejudices. Giving personal attention to each individual was one of the reasons why being a General for Shin-Ra was so taxing and time consuming, but it was worth it for occasions like Halloween, when the group could gather together as family. Sephiroth was by no means responsible for this, it was just the Shin-Ra way: keep everyone as happy as possible, because they were in it for fucking life.

But he’d found a great deal of pleasure in his work because of this, even blossoming into a semi-reluctant life of the party. Who would have thunk it? The little albino lab rat had grown to become a semi-social butterfly. And anyone who knew him at all was happy he’d finally found a romantic relationship that worked. And if they didn’t like it, they would learn to fucking live with it.

Thinking about all of this impassioned Sephiroth to grab the back of Cloud’s head and reel him in for a kiss. Cloud made an inquisitive noise against his mouth, to which Sephiroth gave him a swipe of his tongue and a smile.

Then he realized he’d lost his gum. Cloud was chewing it without even raising an eyebrow, which he found slightly repulsive, then sort of cute. He dug around in his armrest for more.

They left the tank at Sephiroth’s parking garage, and took the train downtown. This was handy because Sephiroth didn’t like driving under the plate, and also because Cloud was hell bent on getting Sephiroth intoxicated.

The place was packed, with a line of neon-clad gentleman twining around an entire block. Cloud moaned a little, but began to steer himself towards the end of it, but Sephiroth took his hand, and pulled him towards the very front.

Sephiroth didn’t even ask, or say anything at all. He simply strutted up to the next man who was fifth in line, clapped him jovially on the back, and then cut him. Cut! Just like that!

Cloud felt a burning need to apologize for Sephiroth’s diva behavior, and peeked over his shoulder at the victim. The man was well built and standing halfway at attention in his mesh top. Cloud didn’t recognize him, but apparently Sephiroth had, for he turned and began to talk shop with him. They shared a chuckle that only came from delicious, catty gossip, and then Sephiroth hugged Cloud to his side and moved them through the door.

The door guy didn’t ask for Sephiroth’s ID, he simply wrapped a bright pink wristband on him that signified that he was of a drinking age. He looked sideways at Cloud, but didn’t ask for an ID from him either, and reluctantly gave him an armband as well.

Cloud took a moment to marvel at it with wide eyes, forgetting all aspects of coolness. Sephiroth cupped the back of his neck and pulled him out of the doorway while he continued to turn his wrist this way and that.

Once inside, Sephiroth crossed his arms and took in the place. Thumpa thumpa music, scantily clad men, a handful of well-dressed girls who were probably men as well, and flashing lights. It was exactly what he had imagined the place to be. He checked his phone, and saw that he had at least three hours to suffer through until Cloud would be satisfied in celebration of the New Year.

He looked down to find Cloud enchanted and entranced by all that he was surrounded by, spinning in little circles where he stood to take in 360 degrees of the room. He finally stopped spinning and pulled Sephiroth down to speak into his ear. “I’m thirsty!”

“Of course you are,” Sephiroth said back to him, giving his nose a small kiss before leading him to the bar.

He leaned against it and made eye contact with one of the bartenders, who eventually came over to him. Sephiroth gave the floor to Cloud, who chirped out his order. “Nibelheim Lemonade. Two, please!”

The bartender went to work on the order, and Sephiroth leaned down to Cloud’s ear. “You’re not expectin’ me to drink the second one, are ya?”

“Yes!” Cloud nodded. “You’ll like it! I promise!”

When the drinks were complete, Sephiroth paid the man and stubbornly gave Cloud both.

Cloud handed one back to him. “C’mon, just try it!”

Sephiroth rolled his eyes and took a sip, while Cloud downed his entire cup. The General had a little bit of difficulty swallowing it, and immediately set the cup down. “Why tha fuck would you ever give me that?”

Cloud threw back his head with laughter. “How can you not like it!? It’s sweet!”

“Nasty,” Sephiroth disagreed, shaking his head while Cloud drained his unfinished cup.

“Let’s try again!” Cloud suggested after wiping his mouth, begged the bartender with his eyes to return, and then made a second order. “Raspberry Kamikaze! Two!”

The next set of drinks came back, and Sephiroth blithely took a sip. “Ugh.”

Cloud was highly amused. “You’re such a baby! Just drink it!”

“I could puke,” Sephiroth frowned, crinkling his nose in distaste as Cloud greedily consumed both cups.

Cloud’s limbs were noticeably loosened as he reached over the bar and pulled on the bartenders arm. “We have a situation! This man isn’t a drinker, and hates the taste of alcohol. How can I get him drunk?”

The bartender leaned on his elbows. “Maybe he’s a Bloody Mary kind of guy?”

Cloud cocked his head. “Do we look like two old ladies playing Bridge to you?”

“Maybe… Midgar Iced Tea?”

Cloud shrugged. “He’s already tried Nibelheim Lemonade, and that’s even sweeter.”

The bartender reached idly behind himself and began to rearrange the cash lining his g-string. “A lot of people who don’t like mixed drinks don’t like them because of the sweetness. Have you tried just giving him straight liquor?”

Cloud looked at the bartender as though he were a prophet. “Brilliant! Bring him some Captain Morgan! Ohh… and can I have a Leg Spreader? Actually, two.”

Sephiroth watched this with the same exact feeling he had when two scientists had discussed his fecal content in front of him. Embarrassing, but he had to give them credit for caring so much about something so disgusting.

The bartender returned, and stayed to watch Sephiroth’s reaction to the rum. Sephiroth tried to be casual as he picked his cup up, although he was a bit nervous when a few other people stopped to watch him drink as well. Cloud sipped his own little cocktail, his eyes wide and excited.

Sephiroth took a sip of it, and made the exact same serious, pouty face he made while swallowing semen. When it was done, he licked his lips.

“Well?” Cloud beamed.

“It’s okay,” Sephiroth nodded. He didn’t exactly like it, but it didn’t make his throat constrict and reject it like the other beverages had. It burned, and he sort of liked that. He took another drink, and Cloud slapped on the bar and begged for one, two, no, three more!

“No, that’s all wrong,” Cloud shouted loosely, and half-slapped the drink from Sephiroth’s hand. “Don’t sip, throw.”

Cloud demonstrated, by “throwing” an 8 gil drink down in one puff cheeked swallow.

Sephiroth followed his example with the rum, involuntarily hissing as it passed down his trachea. It was sort of fun, and it was a type of male bonding that he hadn’t experienced before with Cloud. And frankly, didn’t think the loving little blonde had it in him. It wasn’t romantic, mushy, or sexual, it was just fun, painful, and noisy as they hissed and groaned with every swallow. It made Sephiroth greatly look forward to a time when he could train Cloud… or at least fuck him without the intense self-restraint.

While they waited for another round, a little gaggle of cadets stormed Cloud, nearly causing him to spill his drink. They all began to speak in some sort of high-pitched teenage language, commenting on what each other was wearing and generally acting as though they hadn’t seen each other in thousands of years.

Skylar began to search around. “So where’s your SOLDIER boy?”

Cloud waved his hands until they quieted down. Then, ever so slowly, he curled his arm around Sephiroth’s waist.

The cadets realized who it was that had been leaning on the bar next to Cloud, and then the significance of their close proximity. Questions passed over their faces faster than their features could keep up with.

Cloud licked his lips. “Guys, there’s no Brody. This is my boyfriend, and always as been. Sephiroth.”

“Hello,” Sephiroth said, sick to death of them already, and more rum had shown up to give him something else to focus on.

“Sir!” They all squawked, standing a little straighter in their skinny jeans.

One with glitter covering a good portion of his skin clapped his hands. “I heard a rumor about this! I never would have thought it was Cloud! I mean… of all people, Cloud?” Then he covered his mouth. “No offense, hon.”

“None taken. It’s not like I deserve him, who possibly could…?” Cloud flaunted somewhat shamelessly, hugging Sephiroth close. The little gaggle of gays all drew in loud breaths when General Sephiroth not only allowed himself to be hugged, but hooked a heavy arm around Cloud in return.

“Cloud! You’re so lucky!…” A dark haired one wailed, giving Sephiroth a doe eyed, gag inducing gaze.

He knew exactly what he was doing when he cleared his throat judicially. “I disagree. I’m the lucky one.”

Sephiroth had just sealed Cloud’s coolness for the rest of his military career. It was as if a bomb had been set off in the center of their little group. The boys flailed and screamed, and Cloud hid his face against Sephiroth’s side in happy embarrassment.

“But why did you say you were dating some dude named Brody?…Why did you?…” Skylar’s question died in his mouth, because there were obviously dozens of reasons one might initially hide such a thing.

And it added up anyways, as sometimes Cloud would mention long hair, and others he manufactured a spiky haired description of his lover. Other times he talked about green eyes, only to later say they were brown. Skylar had wondered if Cloud was making the boyfriend up, but the tales of their romance were a little too realistic to be totally fabricated, and almost every Monday morning had found Cloud limping very slightly on the field, a telltale side effect of sex, and the constant glow in his eyes a telltale side effect of amazing sex.

It all made sense now. Skylar blinked, and something faded a little inside of them.

That was the last of his lingering hopes to have Cloud finally put to rest. He’d been eager to meet this Brody guy, to size him up and hopefully find some sort of flaw, some sort of loophole to get rid of him and take what he’d wanted since the first day of school.

He’d listened to Cloud’s sexual tales, putting himself in the role of “Brody” almost nightly while alone in his bed, or enacting Sephiroth's moves on unsuspecting sexual partners, practicing for the day when he’d have his chance to blow Cloud’s mind… and everything else. He could hold him up against a shower wall, he could throw those legs over his shoulders, he could make Cloud lose control, he could do anything to Cloud that this guy could do. Skylar was certain of it, and was prepared to compete.

But not against a god.

Cloud was too happy, in love, and buzzed to notice Skylar’s dark eyed glare, but Sephiroth easily recognized that for what it was as the boy’s energy shifted from to surprise, to jealousy, to pure hatred. Did he feel sorry for the hopeless, lovelorn little cadet? Not a damn bit! But he wanted to treat Cloud’s friends well, even if this one was currently murdering him in his mind in eight thousand different ways.

“You boys want anything?” He asked mildly, unable to keep a bemused little smile off of his face when Skylar lost his nerve and his little death glare fizzled into a bashful pout.

The others gasped, then grabbed at Cloud’s wrist to examine his armband in disbelief, then began fumbling through their tight little pockets for cash. Skylar gave Cloud a fake smile, and searched for money through his own pockets.

The boys took their illegal drinks and dispersed before the General could change his mind, chattering and lisping loudly about Cloud’s intensely good fortune. The one with the black hair screamed that Sephiroth was the hottest man he’d ever seen at the top of his lungs, to which Sephiroth snickered against his cup, and Cloud hugged and nuzzled him possessively.

Skylar lingered for only a few moments longer, wishing Cloud a happy New Year, and nodding to the General before finally disappearing into the crowd.

“That wasn’t so bad!” Cloud chirped, sipping demurely at his drink before losing patience and throwing it back in two graceless gulps. “I thought they’d want to lynch me or something for lying to them!”

“You have vapid friends,” Sephiroth chuckled colorfully, following suit with more rum.

“They aren’t my friends, shit,” Cloud slurred. “They wouldn’t piss on me if I was on fire.”

Sephiroth chuckled. “One has a big fuckin’ crush on you.”

“I knooow,” Cloud admitted, even though his sober self never would have. “But I don’t like himmm.”

“Why tha hell not?” Sephiroth asked, rubbing his eyes.

“He’s too much like me. And he’s so girly,” Cloud complained, pressing his cheek against the bar as he was suddenly curious about its temperature. “He’s got like, an anal vagina.”

That was the funniest thing he’d ever heard Cloud, or anyone say. Sephiroth couldn’t stop the flood of laughter. As soon as it died down, Cloud giggled slightly and they both fell apart all over again.

Sephiroth smiled for no reason, and regrettably squinted at someone he thought he recognized across the bar. That someone mistook this as an invitation and began approaching.

“Oh, fuck…” He muttered, and quickly turned around in the naïve assumption that the back of him would be any less recognizable than the front of him.

“What?” Cloud wondered, and then happily exclaimed, “Ruuufus!”

“Ladies,” Rufus Shin-Ra greeted fancily, despite the fact that he was wearing nothing but snow-white skinny jeans and a white Chanel scarf around his neck. Cloud hugged him happily, and Rufus shrugged him off with a flourish and turned to Sephiroth. “Well well well, another year, another queer. Never thought I’d see you here. And the belle of the ball is being quite the wallflower this evening.”

Sephiroth cocked his head. “I’m not bein’ a wall – ”

“I was referring to myself,” Rufus interjected haughtily, then turned to Cloud. “I’ve been waiting for a real man to come along, but they’re all so ugly at this bar. You’re the only decent looking guy in a thirty-foot radius. I’ll do you the honor.”

Cloud blushed, and then looked to Sephiroth. “Do you mind?”

Sephiroth waved them away, sad to lose his company, but somewhat grateful to get Rufus out of his face. Cloud hopped to attention and offered his arm to Rufus, who took it gracefully and followed the shorter blonde out onto the dance floor.

Sephiroth could see them easily from his vantage point at the bar, and Rufus began a ridiculous, tightly controlled sort of stepping movement, which inexplicably caught the attention of several nearby dancers. Cloud watched him dance for a moment, smiling and swaying a little to the beat before he began hopping about messily in some punk rock semblance of dancing.

Sephiroth smiled as Cloud grabbed one of Rufus’ arms and flailed with it, much to Rufus’ displeasure. When Cloud led a screaming Rufus right into a conga line, Sephiroth turned around and rested his chin on his hand.

“Don’t look so bored,” A familiar voice said near his ear. “It’s a party.”

Sephiroth grinned and looked at Genesis. “What the hell are you doin’ here?”

“Only breathing,” Genesis answered easily. “Imagine my surprise to turn and see you sitting here all alone like a black and white tragedy. Flawless, stunning, and sighing in solitude after letting your little boy leave with that asshole, Rufus.”

As per usual, Sephiroth ignored the flowery, somewhat insulting statement except for the latter. “How’d you manage to slip under Rufus’ radar?”

Genesis’ smile deepened. “I didn’t. I came here with him.”

Sephiroth’s eyebrows popped up with more gossipy interest than his sober self would have allowed. “You’re back together?”

“Impossible,” Was all he said about it. Then he touched Sephiroth’s arm. “What I want to know, is what it’s going to take to make my dreams come true, and lure you onto the dance floor.”

Sephiroth winced slightly at the sea of flailing men.

“You’re not afraid, are you?”

Cloud was happily bopping Rufus around before finally being shoved away in favor of a tall brunette with a pink and yellow polo. That was fine by Cloud because everything in the world was perfect and beautiful in that moment. He was so alive! It was as though the club were a womb and the music throbbed like a mother’s heartbeat, Cloud felt like he was in his most primal element.

There was only one thing that would have made him feel more complete, and he swung himself around to go collect him from the bar. He danced his way through the crowd, only to find a two old lesbians making out in his place.

Cloud scanned around to see where Sephiroth could have strutted off to, thankful that his lover didn’t exactly have the luxury of low visibility. He just needed to look for the waterfall of shiny hair reflecting the lights like a silver mirror. When he finally spotted him, a dreadful chill jetted down Cloud’s sides and back again before leaving his body with a grave walking shiver.

He never expected to see Sephiroth moving like that… at least not buried several inches inside of him. And even if he was aware that Sephiroth knew how to dance like a gogo stripper, he definitely wasn’t supposed to be doing it with his hands hooked over some other man’s shoulders, while the man in question’s hands clutched at the throat of his black v-neck and the semi- exposed small of his back.

He couldn’t deny how beautiful and arousing it could have been to just watch, but Sephiroth’s eyes on another man’s, his mouth smiling for another man?…

Cloud was ready to knife a bitch.

Then he realized with a sickened sigh who it was that his lover was dancing all too neighborly with. And fucking goddamit… Rufus was certainly not exaggerating. Genesis’ hair was like caramel apples. His eyes were oceanic teal. Homeboy was so perfect he didn’t even look like an actual human being… Genesis was obviously a pleasure-droid, and he proved so by sliding down low on the floor and smiling up at Sephiroth mischievously, inches away from the crotch of his jeans.

Cloud frantically reached into his drunken memory banks for information that had been offered up about Genesis during the telling of Sephiroth’s life story. Not much had been said about even a mild flirtation. Genesis was one of Sephiroth’s friends in school, and that they remained close through the years and ranks.

It’s nothing, Cloud exhaled, remembering the dog tags he was wearing.

It was nothing. He’d given Sephiroth his first male kiss, and every other important subsequent homosexual first on down the line. Not Genesis, for whatever reason. They were only friends having a little drunken, suggestive fun.

Like Cam, perhaps. Cloud would have danced like that with Cam, no problem.

Cloud’s hesitant confidence in this shattered when Genesis slid his hands up Sephiroth’s shirt and pulled it up to his chin, and his long pink tongue came in direct contact with Sephiroth’s collar bone. Sephiroth did nothing to stop the attack, only pushed his shirt down after a moment and playfully wagged his finger in Genesis’ face… only to have it captured and nibbled on.

Not on Cloud fucking Strife’s watch! He quickly considered many courses of action.

He could order a drink and throw it on Genesis, a modern day glove-slap to the face. But then again, he was only a cadet and this was a first class General… if he were to challenge the saucy, red headed tart to a lover’s duel… Cloud would lose.

Then he considered grabbing the nearest man and snogging him right in front of Sephiroth to give him a taste of his own medicine… but he didn’t want to kiss someone else. And although he was tipsy, he wasn’t drunk enough not to realize the serious gravity of such a trespass.

That only left Cloud with one clear option, and that involved taking off his shirt. He tucked it into his back pocket and weathered the groping and wandering hands of strangers as he worked his way over to the Generals, and their cooled off, but still way-too-fucking friendly dance-off.

Cloud approached Sephiroth from behind, and almost hesitated.

But then again, no! He thrust his hands into Sephiroth’s front pockets, grabbed two handfuls full of denim material, and jerked him away from Genesis as hard as he could.

If Sephiroth had had one or two more strong drinks in him, he would have damn well tumbled right over on top of Cloud. Instead, he barely managed his footing and threw an arm around Cloud’s neck, who wrapped both arms around Sephiroth and instinctively locked his legs.

“What the fuck was that for?” Sephiroth demanded, still leaning heavily on Cloud.

Cloud righted his lover sheepishly. “I missed you.”

Sephiroth stood up and his expression softened, and for a moment Cloud thought he might have overreacted… that is until a perfect, doll-like face peered down at him from around Sephiroth’s shoulder.

Genesis said something that Cloud couldn’t quite make out over the noise of the club, and before he could help himself, Cloud tilted his head and went, “Huh?”

He realized the stupidity in his reaction when Sephiroth smiled and ruffled Cloud’s slightly damp bangs. “Don’t worry about it, baby. You wanna drink?”

Cloud shook his head. “No, I wanna dance with you!”

Genesis then leaned down close to Cloud’s ear. “Why don’t you go hop around with Rufus?”

Cloud narrowed his eyes. “I don’t wanna dance with Rufus. I wanna dance with my boyfriend.”

“You made a mistake in leaving him alone. I got him out here first!”

Cloud was about to go into a whole laundry list of things he’d done to Sephiroth first, but he was cut short by a soft pair of lips touching his. Then Sephiroth said into his ear. “Whatever you do, don’t worry about it.”

Cloud was about to ask him what the hell that was supposed to mean, and just exactly what it was he wasn’t supposed to worry about, when Sephiroth turned back around and went right back to dancing with Genesis. Instead of pouting about it, he put his hands on Sephiroth’s hips, flat out refusing to be ignored.

Sephiroth gave him a smile over his shoulder, and turned a little to wrap an arm around Cloud’s neck and pull him closer. Cloud wished he’d turn his back on Genesis, but then again… he didn’t want Genesis anywhere near Sephiroth’s ass.

So he contented himself with sharing Sephiroth, who danced with both of them like a regular pimp. It was all very well, because Cloud’s presence had cooled Genesis off of wandering his hands over Sephiroth’s body, at least. And then it began to be less about competition, and more about sharing the beat with Sephiroth, who kept the time perfectly.

Cloud ground his feet into the floor, jumping and swaying and using his hips to talk to Sephiroth’s. Suddenly a new beat began, and all was not just well, but heavenly. It was one of Cloud’s favorites, and he threw back his head to declare so.

“This is my favorite song!” Cloud roared.

Genesis leaned down teasingly. “You said the same about the last three songs, fickle one!”

Cloud bumped his head into Genesis’, which he meant to come off as territorial, but ended up looking and feeling lolling and affectionate. He didn’t even know the man beyond his first name and his aura of cattiness, but so close to his face, his better judgment reigned in a soul deep desire to kiss the man.

He moved from around Sephiroth and danced with Genesis. The man’s hands ran over him, and he then understood what Sephiroth had been talking about. It was all for show, he felt nothing when the man touched his bare chest or even ran his hands over his hips. For all of the redhead’s handsy showmanship, being touched by him felt oddly… asexual.

What did not feel asexual at all, was Sephiroth’s heat at his back. He couldn’t see what he was doing, but rather felt his hands caress over his shoulders and his groin bump into his ass. It wasn’t lewd, but rather a moving display of sexual affection. Genesis became interested in someone else, and for the moment it was only the two of them.

Before Cloud could turn, he felt a trail of slow, sloppy kisses move up his back starting at the base of his spine. He arched a little at the unexpected affection, and looked over his shoulder in time to see Sephiroth straightening up gracefully.

“What was that for?” Cloud asked, falling back against him.

“Midnight,” Sephiroth explained, kissing along his neck and onto his cheek.

Cloud raised his eyebrows and looked around the club to see almost everybody either engaged in a lip lock, or just ending one. Cloud smiled and turned his face up, and Sephiroth gladly took the invitation.

They forgot about everything. They lost themselves and dulled out any sense that didn’t have to do with the taste and slide of each other’s tongues.

“I’m ready to leave when you are,” Cloud offered, leaning heavily.

“Already?” Sephiroth teased his lips with more tiny pecks.

Cloud had the perfect smoldering retort, but he was shoved unceremoniously out of the way, and Genesis quickly took his spot. Sephiroth looked mildly surprised, that is, until there came a dry, unimpressed voice.

Rufus yawned despite the festive atmosphere. “Sephiroth, Cloud, you’re relatively new to the Midgar gay scene, so I’ll just warn you now, that Genesis Rhapsodos is the loosest slut on the planet.”

Genesis sneered. “Well if that isn’t the pot with the big, gaping asshole calling the kettle black.”

Rufus didn’t seem too shocked or disgusted. “Listen, herpes, I didn’t come here tonight to indulge you in drama. I came here to dance in celebration of the New Year. Sephiroth, put down your pet and your crabs-infested coworker and dance with me.”

Genesis knocked Cloud out of the way. “Sephiroth is already dancing with me. Go buy yourself someone to dance with.”

Rufus claimed Cloud. “No need, I’ll take him.”

Cloud looked up at Sephiroth, quickly sobering and wondering what the hell was happening. The neon green eyes narrowed and rolled in their sockets.

Genesis, with his hands full of Sephiroth, and Rufus, with his hands full of Cloud, both seemed to be attempting to outdo each other in slutitude, quite hypocritically considering their earlier insult slinging. Rufus became surprisingly dominant, and shoved Cloud around until he was behind him, suggestively grinding. Cloud blushed furiously, unsure of what to do, so he took advice from Lady Gaga and just danced.

Genesis busied himself with gyrating on Sephiroth’s long frame as though he were a human stripper pole, and forcefully pushing his hands into the silver haired beauty’s clothes. Even though it was indescribably non-sexual, Cloud still didn’t like the looks of it. He wrapped his arms around Sephiroth’s waist from behind in an effort to make his presence known, and discourage copulation.

With Cloud stretched out towards Sephiroth, Rufus smacked his hand between his shoulder blades, shocking him into a plainly bent over and entirely too suggestive position in front of him. Genesis narrowed his eyes and gnawed on Sephiroth’s jaw line, peering at Rufus in challenge. Then, when the stakes were at their highest, Rufus then did the unthinkable.

He thrust his hands down the front of Cloud’s pants.

Before Cloud could finish his embarrassed yelp, his feet had left the ground and he instinctively tossed his hands around Sephiroth’s neck, who had swooped him up before he even realized he’d cried out in surprise. Apparently he had been keeping an extremely close eye on the action between the blondes.

Both Genesis and Rufus stopped dancing and looked slightly bewildered, like naughty children.

“Too far,” Sephiroth said seriously, glaring at Rufus, who wilted only slightly in his designer jeans. “We don’t mind being your pawns to make each other jealous, but you don’t put your hands on him like that. Ever.”

Cloud swooned quietly, never in his entire life the recipient of such heroic behavior. Sephiroth squeezed him, still staring at Rufus to cement his warning.

Rufus then reclaimed his superior footing. “I wouldn’t have done it if this skank hadn’t been egging me on.”

Genesis raised an eyebrow. “I was merely dancing with a good friend. I don’t pay you any attention, you little drama whoring twat.”

“As if I’d want your attention!” Rufus snapped his fingers near Genesis’ ear, causing him to flinch slightly. “Why did you even bother to ask me out tonight if you were just going to flirt with every shirtless wonder that floats by?”

Genesis rolled his eyes, his defenses crumbling a bit and genuine weariness slipping through. “I told you, you stupid bitch. He was the bartender! I was merely tipping him a gratuity when I put the money in his g-string!”

Rufus crossed his arms. “With your teeth?”

Cloud piped up. “The guy with the little thong and the black flippy hair? He was the bartender, Rufus! We bought drinks from him and everything… but we only handed him the tips, we didn’t use our teeth.”

“See!?” Rufus smiled haughtily. “Genesis is obviously a disgusting slut!”

Genesis scowled. “I didn’t want to ask you here tonight, anyways. Everyone else had prior engagements, so I did you a favor by giving your dusty cell phone a call.”

Rufus seemed to be genuinely pained by that comment. “I got a lot of calls for tonight, and you know it. I just didn’t want to go out with those lowlifes.”

“What a martyr! So saintly and superior now that you’ve given up coke! Too bad you were a weak willed little follower to let yourself get hooked in the first place!”

“How dare you throw it in my face! You’re supposed to be my support system! But you haven’t done anything but take all the credit!” Rufus then turned to leave. “And by the way, sitting through Loveless SUCKS without coke!”

After all the ammo that had been slung, Genesis looked actually stunned with insult. He lunged out and seized Rufus’ arm. “How dare you!? And besides, I do support you! You’re paranoid now that you’re sober!”

“I’m not paranoid! I need you!” Rufus’ lower lip quivered. “I need a friend.”

Genesis’ face darkened quickly. “Friend? I’m not your goddamn friend. I’m your man.”

“My man?” Rufus asked doubtfully.

“And don’t forget it.”

Rufus reeled back and slapped Genesis across the face. Cloud gasped sharply and covered his mouth, but then Sephiroth chuckled knowingly.

Then, both of the men came together like hyper charged magnets. Genesis kissed passionately, and Rufus seemed slightly naked in that moment with his nose pressed into the slightly taller man’s cheek. It was intense, but brief. Their lips came apart, and they began to say words that only they could hear, but not one of them sounded damaging.

Cloud thought he might have seen Rufus tell Genesis ‘Happy New Year’, and he would have bet his left testicle that Genesis then said, ‘I love you’.

There was a cluster of men intently watching the delicious drama, and a few aww’d at the somewhat bittersweet ending, and then went back to dancing. Sephiroth smiled against Cloud’s ear, “See? Don’t worry.”

Cloud nodded, understanding. This was obviously nothing new.

“First Zack and Aerith on Christmas Eve, and now this!” Cloud grinned, hugging Sephiroth close and slowly beginning to dance against him again. “Is there always so much drama on the holidays?”

Sephiroth’s mouth became a line. “Just wait for fuckin’ Valentine’s day.”

Genesis and Rufus began dancing together after that before disappearing completely.

Finally alone, Cloud got to enjoy Sephiroth’s deliciously loose dancing style privately, doing his best to keep up. He mostly just hooked his fingers into Sephiroth’s belt loops and let his feet stomp and grind into the floor. His own dancing style was jerky, nothing like the usual, rolling swing of his hips. He thought he’d be the one to put on a show for the General, but he was also fine with watching, feeling, touching and enjoying… especially when Sephiroth did the little twisty thing with his arms above his head…

They were mostly sober when they spilled out of the club, still talking loudly from having become used to being submerged in noise. The sweat cooled on their skin quickly, and Sephiroth put his arm around Cloud to keep him within the circle of his heat.

The train ride home was a blur for most parties involved, every aboard was drunk or worse, and there appeared to be a woman turning tricks in the seat behind them. Every so often there was a loud, wet sucking pop of a noise, followed by a muttered apology that had both of them puzzled.

It happened about ten times in less than a minute before curiosity got the better of the General.

“I can’t stand it anymore,” Sephiroth whispered intensely to Cloud. “Take a look and tell me what they’re doin’.”

“I don’t wanna look!” Cloud hissed.

“Find out what that poppin’ sound is,” Sephiroth urged again, elbowing him. “I’ll wonder the rest of my life if I don’t know.”

Cloud frowned.

“Now.”

Cloud instantly turned in the seat on his knees, and pushed down his hair to minimize his obviousness. He peered up over the seat for a moment until the wet pop and subsequent apology happened again, then turned back around, looking slightly pale and damaged. “You don’t want to know what the popping sound is.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes!”

“…The guy’s glass eye keeps falling out.”

Sephiroth laughed until he was bright red in the face and two watery trails of tears streamed from his eyes. Even though Cloud would be haunted for life, he was helpless but to join in on the infectious guffaw.

At the loft, the first love that they made that year was clumsy, messy, and not exactly the most picturesque of unions, but anything beyond immediate pleasure consisted of an effort that was just out of their reach. Sephiroth sprawled heavily and gracelessly over him, licking and kissing his face and neck, while Cloud was nothing but tightness, trembling limbs and clawing fingers.

Both knew it was sloppy but neither cared. It felt too good to care. In its own reckless, passionate way, it was the best sex they’d yet had.

Cloud obviously had no intention of going to school, which was evident as he curled beneath Sephiroth’s arm. Work also felt like an optional obligation as pale blue morning light broke through Sephiroth’s window. He actually considered getting up and readying himself for the busy day ahead, but the small face pressed into his neck and the gentle, affectionate sounds Cloud made threatened to lull him under.

“Are you leaving me?” Cloud mumbled, feeling Sephiroth’s hesitation, even on the precipice of sleep.

“No,” Sephiroth finally decided. “I’m not. Not today.”

Cloud purred in appreciation and almost immediately began that little whirring in his throat that signaled sleep. Sephiroth brushed his nose against Cloud’s hair, and inhaled the mix of smoke from the bar, sweat from their lovemaking, and that unidentifiable, soft smell underneath.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Shin-Ra was a different place when at war.

Well, they weren’t at war. Nobody wanted to say war, again. Ever, if possible, even if war was what it was.

Active, was the new word coined by Shin-Ra’s public relations department. The army was currently active.

Active was a word that suggested some sort of fun, but futhermore suggested a previous dormancy. What he knew from Sephiroth’s life, the army was anything but lazy or dormant, always having someone to rescue, something to kill, somewhere to fly and someone to help. Heroes.

The school hallways were noticeably emptier without the tall, broadening figures of the junior SOLDIERs clogging the exits and being generally obnoxious. They were already fully grown men, but still carried the minds of undisciplined young boys while tripping the younger students and hogging all the best food in the cafeteria. But the days leading up to their departure, they were quiet, stoic, and solemn. And then, they were gone.

It was a Wednesday that they disappeared, as if the rapture came and left the younger boys alone at the school. It made them weary, skittish.

Every single year at the academy, several yearbook pages honored the names of the deceased. Cloud had seen it with his own eyes in the library, snooping around the older volumes for candid shots of Sephiroth while he was supposed to be researching. He’d found a few photos, nothing special, just his beloved looking off to the side, or caught surprised while eating his lunch. The juiciest picture he’d found was of his lankier, twinkier form in basketball shorts with his shoulder length hair tied back. But Sephiroth was a nobody then, so the real stars of the yearbook were the older boys, and of course, the departed.

They looked just like the young men who had left this year.

Some of them wouldn’t be coming back.

Unfathomable.

Cloud made his way through the day, quickly cleaned up, and then walked to the Shin-Ra building. The same effect had filled their halls; less executives and more SOLDIERs all with the same yellow paper. Cloud had managed to sneak a peek at one of them in the elevator, and it was an air shuttle ticket, departure time, troop assignment, and oddly enough, some sort of little comic strip that he couldn’t read. Apparently it was gut busting hilarious, if the SOLDIERs pointing and laughing on this kind of day was any indication.

He reached Sephiroth’s floor, which looked rather normal for the most part. He zigged and zagged his way to his office, and was slightly deflated to find the door closed.

“You can go on in,” Sephiroth’s secretary said before he could gather the nerve to ask her for guidance.

He nodded and went to the door, but felt the need to tap his knuckles on it before cracking it open. He peered inside, and spied Sephiroth standing at one of the bookcases and holding files against his hip.

“Hey,” He greeted without turning around.

“Hi,” Cloud said softly before slipping in and gently closing the door behind him. “You got a haircut.”

It was true, Sephiroth’s bangs were trimmed to just above his jaw line, and a good foot of his length had been cut off. “Yeah, I got it cleaned up a little bit.”

“It looks good,” Cloud went over to him, and was given a small, chaste kiss, letting his fingers play in the shorter, edged fringe next to Sephiroth’s ears. “Everyone’s already gone at school… when do you leave?”

“Gotta get to the air dock and brief everybody at seven.”

“So you’re leaving at seven?”

“…Well, I gotta speak at seven, so I gotta leave around six. And I have a meetin’ before then.”

“How long do I have you for?” Cloud asked, getting right to the point.

“I need to start movin’ in about twenty minutes.”

Cloud’s stomach clenched, and he felt a wave of dreadful nausea. Then, it quickly simmered until it became a hot, misplaced anger. How dare Sephiroth be a General! How dare he have to leave!

“Why did you make me go to school today?!” Cloud suddenly snapped, glaring through a film of furious water covering his eyes.

Sephiroth looked at him for a moment before rumbling in a non-playful tone, “You missed school last week. And it wouldn’t have mattered if you were here. I didn’t have time for you today, Cloud.”

“You said you’d make time for me!”

“I went dancing for you on New Year’s. I drank disgusting shit for you. I made pancakes for you the next day… and last Saturday you stayed over, didn’t you have a good time, then? And during the holiday week before that?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Cloud creaked out miserably, fighting tears still.

“I worked hard to make that time for you. And it doesn’t matter?” Sephiroth paused, before snorting softly, his patience maxed out. “You’re impossible to please, Cloud. I won’t bother tryin’, next time.”

Cloud’s head snapped up. “I didn’t mean it like that – ”

“Yeah. You did.”

Cloud growled defiantly. “I didn’t mean it like that!… Don’t be like this. Don’t leave me angry!”

“Cloud…” Sephiroth moaned patronizingly, replacing the files in his bookcase haphazardly and took out different ones. “You know what? I don’t have the space left in my skull to muster up the emotion required to be angry with you. So if you came here to piss an’ whine at me… just get the fuck out.”

For the next several moments, Cloud became… nothing. He had no thoughts, no feelings, no physical or mental activity in his body whatsoever. Slowly, his heart began to beat again, his blood began to pump again, and with that, a rush of blood flooded to his face so quickly it almost made him dizzy.

Cloud didn’t blink, but two streaks of salty water flooded from his eyes anyways. Sephiroth just stood there with his arms full of files, looking disappointed, annoyed, and somewhat… resentful.

Never in Cloud’s entire life did he feel like such a foolish, spoiled child. Never.

“I’m a brat,” he admitted.

“Yep,” Sephiroth agreed, somehow without a single drop of sarcasm, which only made it sting more.

“And incredibly selfish.”

“Damn straight.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“You act like this is some sort of party you’re not invited to. I don’t wanna leave, you do realize that, right? This isn’t a vacation to the Northern fuckin’ Crater. There ain’t nothin’ I can do to help this situation, but go there and do what I have to do. This is my job. I cannot apologize for having to go, but when you come here and cry and look like… the fuckin’ prettiest doll I’ve ever seen in my life, it frustrates the fuck out of me, Cloud.”

“I’m sorry!” He repeated, drying his face. “I couldn’t think of it from your end…”

“You didn’t need to come by today. The other night should have just been goodbye.”

“I’m sorry, so sorry…” Cloud repeated, feeling an inch tall. “I don’t feel like you’re leaving me on purpose, Seph. It’s just… hard for me to think past myself, sometimes...”

Sephiroth hiked an eyebrow.

Cloud turned even redder. “Okay, all the time! You just feel so good, and I love you so much, and I’m going to miss you so much… I know it’s selfish of me, but it’s almost like you just woke up from being sick a couple of weeks ago, and now you’re being taken from me again.”

After all his rambling there was a long silence, and Cloud finally looked up to find a small smile hinting on Sephiroth’s lips. He plopped his files on his desk with a patronizing weariness. “You exhaust me, baby.”

“…Is that bad?”

Sephiroth didn’t need to think it over. “No way. You’re fun.”

“Even if I’m clingy?”

“I think I like clingy,” He answered, his smile widening as he got closer to the emotional wreck of a blonde. “And I lied, before. I’m glad you came by today to say goodbye to me.”

Cloud managed a smile, and twisted his fingers together and looked up at Sephiroth hopefully as he approached. A gloved hand ran through his hair and pulled his head against his chest, holding him.

It was all he really wanted, just a moment to share with him. The silence that followed was a warm one, but loaded with unsaid words. But what was the point of saying any of them and muddying up the already tainted occasion?

Cloud licked his lips and chose different ones. “Come back safe.”

“You don’t have to worry about that,” Sephiroth assured.

“I probably will. So you have to call me all the time.”

“Time zone’s different. You’re at school during my nights.”

“Oh,” Cloud frowned. “Call me anyways. Leaves messages if I can’t pick up. Text me, too. At least once a day so I know you’re alright, promise?”

“I promise.” Sephiroth’s Adam’s apple moved against his cheek, and a deep rumble reverberated when he softly inquired, “Make sure to keep on lovin’ me.”

“Yes!” Cloud exclaimed with a sudden, melodramatic mixture of misery and passion, tightening his fists in Sephiroth’s coat and shaking him slightly. Sephiroth sputtered on laughter, although Cloud was a little too far gone in his inner Gone with the Wind fantasies to notice. “Will you still love me?”

“The thing about leavin’ for duty is… it’s scary to think about things changin’ while you’re away. Mostly because the things you want, and the way you feel about things doesn’t change at all. It’s like time stops for you. And when you get home, you hope that everything can be exactly as it was.”

Cloud got the meaning, but had to hear it, anyways. “So… is that a yes?”

“Yes. Fuck, yes. You’re the first thing I’m gonna wanna see when I come back, whether it’s just a couple weeks, or months. It won’t matter to me. I’ll need you bad.”

Cloud was tremendously relieved in that regard, but it was a shallow relief that was only a tiny Christmas tree bulb amount of light in the sea of dark anxiety. He pressed his nose harder against Sephiroth’s collarbone. “I love you. We’ll be better than ever when you get back. Even if you get back on our six month anniversary.”

“Sounds good,” Sephiroth agreed, then tightened his grip. “I don’t wanna say this… But.. nah, nevermind.”

“What?”

“Nuthin’.”

“What?” Cloud pressed.

“Don’t fuck anyone, okay?” Sephiroth blurted.

“Seph…” Cloud moaned against his leather lapel. “You don’t need to worry about that.”

“But I will, so you gotta text me and lemme know you still want me, once a day. Text me every time you pop a stiffy. Gotta promise.” Sephiroth mimicked Cloud gently with teasing, but the serious meaning was still there, hiding behind his tone.

Cloud giggled. “Yes, Sir.”

“I’ll say again, that I’ll crack anyone’s skull that touches you. Then I’ll crack yours for lettin’ ‘em.”

Cloud was filled to the brim with some sort of unidentifiable warmth from that declaration. But instead of letting it be known, he merely nuzzled slightly before tsking. “I should be more worried about you, pretty. Off to war, surrounded by hundreds of hot men who adore you…”

“Yeah, right. Everyone’s gonna be smelly, and dirty, and not you.”

Cloud giggled against his shoulder. “I don’t want anyone but you. Not ever.”

A few more minutes ticked away until finally Sephiroth said it. “I need to go, babe.”

“Okay,” Cloud said, his fists uncurling from the leather and smoothing it out. He was not ready to leave, or let go. But it didn’t matter, because he never would be. So he turned towards the door with the intent of leaving with his dignity intact.

Sephiroth caught his belt loop with two fingers. “No kiss?”

Cloud pursed his lips, and said nothing. The very last thing he wanted on Earth was to have that fire of desire lit inside of him, one that wouldn’t be extinguished for some time to come.

Sephiroth understood why there was hesitation. “…I know if I let you leave without at least a kiss… I’m gonna be kickin’ myself in the ass.”

A small smile flickered on Cloud’s face, and slowly he leaned down, pausing when he met Sephiroth’s warm, smooth cushioned mouth. He gave a sweet, tender peck. Then another. And another. And another. Then a hot tongue flicked against his closed lips and he felt Sephiroth’s fingers in his belt loop draw him closer.

Cloud screamed bloody murder in his mind. He needed to kiss Sephiroth as though he might not see him ever again.

Leaping up, he locked his arms around Sephiroth’s neck and kissed his lips without reserve or hesitation, as his fingers curling into his hair to hold him close. Sephiroth cupped the back of Cloud’s skull, kissing him as if he wanted to crawl inside of him.

They eased and slowed when their teeth began to click and grind together. Cloud tilted his head to end that distraction and nudged his tongue past Sephiroth’s lips, getting his last sample of that unique taste he’d come to associate with passion and love. It was the taste of the inside of a carnivore’s mouth, hot and alive and delicious and –

A loud, embarrassed voice broke through the roar of blood in both of their ears. “Our bad!…”

There had been only one, unheard knock on Sephiroth’s door before it swung open and Zack, Angeal, and Genesis had strolled inside. Cloud only saw a flash of them, because all three retreated just as quickly as they’d came, and closed the door softly.

The damage was done, though. Sephiroth’s tongue gave one more kittenish lick before it curled back and the kiss was gently closed off.

“I’m sorry ‘bout that,” Sephiroth panted softly.

Whether he was apologizing for the interruption, or the all too brief act of passion, it didn’t matter, because neither were his fault. Cloud couldn’t speak; he only shook his head, hoping Sephiroth could understand the meaning.

After a few deep breaths to steady his pulse, Sephiroth set him on his feet and ran a hand through his bangs as Cloud straightened out his clothes. Sephiroth took the files from his desk and led Cloud to the door, and closed and locked it behind them.

“Here,” Sephiroth suddenly said, and held the keys out to Cloud.

Cloud gazed at them for a moment before opening his palm and accepting them.

“If you ever need someplace to be, you can go to my place. Or if you need a ride somewhere for whatever reason, use the truck” Sephiroth explained as his fingers reached out to twist the longest tress of blonde that framed Cloud’s face. Then he tugged on it in warning. “Be careful with the truck if you use it. It’s my other baby.”

Cloud grinned. “Basically, don’t drive like you?”

Sephiroth nodded. “Exactly.”

They stood looking at each other for another moment or two, before Sephiroth took a step backwards and lifted a hand to pinch his nose. “Smell you later.”

Leave it to him to find a way to make Cloud smile, even now. “Love you!”

Cloud then turned and headed towards the elevators. He tried not to look back, but he did.

Sephiroth was gone.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Cloud violently wept.

Cam awkwardly hovered over his bed, rubbing his back and touching his shoulders, while offering useless words of comfort. Even Psycho purred in concern and walked in restless circles on his bed.

“…He’s gone …He’s gone!” Cloud repeated over and over, clutching onto Cam when he finally sat on the bed and held him uncertainly.

He was gone, he was gone, he was gone.

Cloud didn’t know how many days it would be before he came back. There was a countdown starting at one with an end unknown.

It wasn’t even day one, yet.

“He ain’t dead, Cloud,” Cam said firmly. “He’ll be back.”

Cloud sniffed and nodded, finally drawing back from Cam, whose shirt had become wet and slightly crusty with snot, saliva, and tears. His throat was thirsty and ragged, so without even taking the effort to make himself pretty, they walked together to the cafeteria for something to drink, his red eyes and face not entirely out of place due to the evening snowstorm.

Cam was a great help, but the heartache had burrowed itself a hole. He was worried about Sephiroth; his lover’s life, his well being, and their future together. Although they had shared some warm, promising words, it did nothing to comfort now that he was facing the reality that he was gone. Sephiroth was gone. Gone!

“I feel so pathetic,” Cloud croaked with a cracked, raw voice, and sipped his tea angrily at what the future had to offer him. “I’m like some stupid girl. I can’t help it…”

“S’not stupid. S’not girly, either. Just real normal,” Cam promised. “Anyone’d feel dis way. I’d be cryin’ my head off, too.”

Cloud went to bed. When he woke up, before his eyes had even fully opened, he was filled with a terrible, horrible dread. One wicked thought wormed into his brain, adding guilt on top of everything: At least when Sephiroth had been in a coma… he’d been able to see him every single day.

Was he really so self centered that he’d rather see his lover hurt than to not see him at all? His mother was right; love had made him become a complete, stark raving lunatic. He refused to let his desire for Sephiroth turn him into an obsessive basket case. He’d done too much growing in the past year to let himself become so warped and sad, especially not over something so temporary.

Sephiroth’s career was far more important than Cloud’s craving for kisses and snuggles.

Besides, he was a man. Men didn’t require kisses, nor snuggles.

He’d just have to stand alone and be strong. And most importantly of all, as a SOLDIER, he’d have to trust his General. If Sephiroth loved him, he’d had to trust that it would be strong enough to last.

He didn’t cry that morning. The military was changing Cloud.

With that reality, he’d gotten out of bed and done his best in school, humorless and steadfast. He’d watched his instructors as they taught with rapt, narrow, piercing blue eyes, drinking in every word’s full meaning until his math teacher actually told him to chill out on the intense staring.

Drum class had him banging, and sword training had him concentrated and quick. Even though the instructors often scolded Cloud on his tendency to swing his sword like an axe, they quieted this day, and let his form fall into what was natural for him. And it seemed to work.

Cloud trudged back to his room, hoping to be exhausted enough to fall into bed without a thought and sleep for the next month or two, but his head was full of words and pictures and dimming, unignorable self pity as it hit the pillow.

Music made it worse.

So, off to the gym with Cam he went. He didn’t often indulge in the loud grunting that the other boys did while lifting weights, but he was really feeling it. Besides, the fuzzy feeling of being fully involved with the group was stimulating and addictive. With every pump of his arms, he snarled up at Cam, who was happy to snarl back. The other boys snarled as well.

Frankly, it was awfully gay.

Sore and tired, the gym rat pack went to eat some dinner together at the cafeteria. Cloud usually went for salads and chicken and fruits, but instead, he was feeling a taste for something fattening and greasy. He realized what he’d done when he crunched down onto a deep fried cheese stick and immediately tasted Sephiroth. His body reacted in an unwelcome way; half of it recoiled in grief, the other half warmed as his mouth salivated for more than just food.

He took his carton of chocolate milk and feigned muscle cramps, and walked jerkily out of the cafeteria, only to break into a fast sprint the minute he hit the cold outside air.

Cloud was going to run away to the Northern Crater.

He was gonna fucking thumb it.

When he arrived, Sephiroth would surely let him stay in his cot, or his tent, or his sleeping bag, or his luxury hotel suite, or wherever the hell he we currently residing. He could do his schoolwork by mail, and maybe get some extra credit for, you know, being in a war and all.

Cloud got as far as the electric gate at the edge of the plate. He looked down at the endless expanse of dirty, polluted land that stretched out beyond the downtown slums, and opened his chocolate milk. It had turned partially to ice.

He then actually felt the cold, as if he had been placed in the middle of a snowball. He almost was, as the snow was falling at a rate that had his boots almost completely covered in white. People passed him by with tsks as he was standing in only his pilates pants and a wife beater.

Life couldn’t have gotten much worse. He momentarily considered throwing himself off the upper plate of Midgar in a protest against the Northern Crater battle. Instead, he turned around to go back the way he came, back home. Home was the Shin-Ra military academy, and that’s where he belonged. Not riding Sephiroth’s back through battle.

He was too cold and tired to walk anymore, so instead he went to the train station, and dug out a couple gil in change for a ticket. He sat in the orgasmically wonderful warmth of the train station like a regular orphan, pulling his knees up to his chin to warm himself.

His legs were so numb and sore, he hadn’t felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. It was when he pulled it out to check the time that he found a missed call from Sephiroth, plus three unread texts, and one voice message.

The train arrived, and he quickly boarded and prepared himself to slowly explore the digital affection that had been left for him by his lover.

Its coldas fuck here!! The first text read.

Cloud cracked a smile, and read the next one.

I saw something reminded me of you. Guess what……

Cloud tried to, but couldn’t. He went to the next text, that was sent about half a minute later.

Baby seals. Remember them at the zoo? Babies, tho. They were playing. You woulda shat yourself.

Cloud snickered a little against the palm if his hand, because it was absolutely true. He probably would have held up the entire company to watch them. He decided to listen to his message before returning a text, and laid his head against his heated seat.

“Hey. We landed alright. I’m staying in an igloo if you can fuckin’ believe that,” Cloud then heard a voice that he thought might have been Angeal’s in the background argue that it wasn’t an igloo. “It looks like an igloo from the outside. Maybe it’s just a cabin. But it’s cold here, and I absolutely hate it. I thought that might cheer you up… And that’s all I have to say. Night, babe.”

Cloud called on impulse, his thumb smacked against the button on its own.

It rang until it was sent to voicemail.

He cleared his throat a bit. “Hi. I went out for a run tonight, and I started thinking and went too far, so I’m riding the train back home. I worked hard in school, you’d be proud of me. I’m not sure about straight A’s, but I think I’ll do well this semester. It’s cold here, too… but not as bad as there. But you do get baby seal action, so it can’t be all that bad,” Cloud sighed a little, wanting to say something serious, but not something that would make Sephiroth feel any farther than he already was. “I can’t wait to have you again. Talk to you, soon.”

He closed the phone and smiled.

No more tears.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Cloud woke up, his eyes drifting apart. A faint blue light cast shadows on his wall from the window, the early morning sunshine eclipsed by snow. The colors, the composition, the cold.

It usually felt like home, but it didn’t. Not without Sephiroth.

It was the first time in the three weeks that had passed that Cloud had gone to Sephiroth’s empty apartment. He’d been lying in his bed on a Saturday morning, petting Psycho idly while listening to music, staring at nothing but memories. The first week without his lover had been difficult at first, but got better after he accepted things and moved on. The second week was strangely manic and happy as he desperately busied himself with other things. That third week had been just as manic, but lonely.

They talked on the phone almost daily, usually just before Sephiroth went to sleep, and when Cloud was between classes and had only five minutes to speak. But it was enough for Cloud to know that Sephiroth was safe, and for Sephiroth to know that Cloud was well, and loved him.

The texts were more frequent, sometimes Sephiroth sent briefly worded, descriptively lewd messages. If they were designed just to throw Cloud off during his day, they succeeded fabulously. The worst was when his pocket vibrated during math class with this simple message: I want in you.

Cloud’s entire day was ruined after that. He could barely function.

Cloud’s fingers tangled then smoothed through Psycho’s fur, and he closed his eyes, ready to fall back asleep as soon as his Mp3 player’s batteries finally gave out. Sleep was good, sleep made the time pass, and sleep offered up dreams in which Sephiroth was near.

“M’goin’ out for the weekend!” Cam had declared jovially, rousing Cloud from the border of blissful oblivion.

“Where are you going?” Cloud snorted, opening one eye and shifting slightly. “Take me with you, I wanna go, too!”

“Not this time, shawty. Michelle’s folks are leavin’ for a week.”

Cloud yawned. “Are you two finally going to have sex indoors?”

Due to a very limited amount of locations the two could unite in holy heterosexual bliss, Cam and Michelle’s sex life happened whenever and wherever it could. She was a year older and more experienced, but poor Cam had lost his virginity on an almost empty train car in broad daylight. As it turned out, the guy sleeping eight rows in front of them turned out to be dead.

The way Cam told the tale, it seemed awfully romantic.

Since then, no alleyway, movie theatre or public restroom was safe from the two of them and their fluids. Empty laundry rooms, mail drop off boxes, parked delivery trucks, bleachers, gazebos, beneath tables in restaurants… as the locations and situations became wackier and more diverse, Cloud began to think that maybe the two liked getting off in public.

But at least it gave use to the 400 condoms Cloud still had in his possession. Since he’d offered them to Cam after he complained about the outrageous price of getting laid, all 400 of them had moved permanently into Cam’s closet, where the count was now considerably lower and scattered across the city.

“We fuck indoors all tha time!” Cam defended, throwing items into a purple duffle bag. “You’re usually gone all fuckin’ weekend, ya know.”

Cloud had paused, realizing that he indeed usually was. He chuckled, although it was slightly hollow. “You sneak her in here?”

“Just a couple a times. We fucked on your bed, once.”

Cloud was suddenly wide awake. “Are you serious? Ewww! You’re serious!”

“Was an accident!” Cam laughed.

“My ass!” Cloud guffawed. “You just wanted another place on your world wide fuck map! Cloud’s bed? Check!”

“You tellin’ me you an’ Seph didn’t screw around in here? Gimme a fuckin’ break!”

“Well it definitely wasn’t on your bed!” Cloud snarked, for a moment awash in a vivid memory that manifested itself, oddly enough, with the linen taste of his tie. “When he gets back, I’m having him shoot all over your pillow.”

Cam hummed. “I ain’t gay, but dat guy can shoot all over my fuckin’ face if he really wanted to.”

Cam departed, and there Cloud was. Homesick for Sephiroth, alone, and bored. So, he’d packed a little bag, put some extra food out for Psycho, and had taken the train to Sephiroth’s place.

He’d turned on all the lights, put on a movie that had nothing to do with murder or gore, and sat on Sephiroth’s couch. It was too quiet, too cold. Eerie. There were still a few random little leftovers from Christmas in his fridge, two onion rolls and a little frost bitten wedge of kidney casserole, the perfect comfort food. So Cloud heated it up and ate it, hating that the only sounds were the clinking of his fork and the stale television noise.

Without Sephiroth, his place was just a big, empty series of rooms. Echoes that were usually charming now just emphasized his solitude. He couldn’t even muster up the pluckiness to snoop or walk around naked. It was just all wrong, and no fun without the possibility of being caught, so he’d gone to bed.

The next morning, Cloud rolled around in the sheets, stirring up the scent in them. Sadly enough, he bunched up a few large pillows and cuddled into them, clutching one and pressing his face into it.

If he just closed his eyes… used his imagination a little…

His mental Sephiroth was rusty and unused, but he was still there to be called upon. Cloud could smell him. Sephiroth’s hands trailed down his stomach and over his hip, down to barely tease his soft genitals before finally resting on Cloud’s throat. As sleep began to recapture him the fantasy fleshed out in his mind, every neuron in his brain feeling hot skin instead of cool linen.

Before he could freefall into unawareness, a chorus of chimes signaled an incoming cell phone call, thus shattering his illusion and yanking him into reality: a sleepy, lovesick faggot, alone and bundled up into his lover’s pillows.

He huffed in disgust, rolled over, and reached into his bag. He’d half expected to see Sephiroth’s name on the ID, but it sent a shiver through his insides, anyways. He answered with a giggle. “I was just thinking about you!”

“No shit,” Sephiroth said, sounding tired and somewhat smooshed, as if his face were halfway pressed into a pillow.

“I totally was. Are you in bed?”

“Not exactly what I’d call a bed, but I’m sleepin’ on it,” Sephiroth answered dryly. “I wanted ta call before I conked out. What time is it, there?”

“Almost nine in the morning. I’m still in bed, too... Your bed, actually.”

Sephiroth gave a happy sounding yawn. “Alright, I’ll have your little come puddles all over my sheets when I get home.”

“I’m not doing anything like that! I just wanted to be here… I...”

“Don’t gotta explain, s’why I left you the keys.”

“This is the longest we’ve gotten to talk in a while,” Cloud commented, sinking back down into the body pillow he’d made. “I miss you.”

“I miss you,” Sephiroth echoed. “You sound pretty good right about now.”

Cloud snickered at being spoken of like something edible. “You sound good, too. I was imagining you were here with me right before you called.”

“Oh yeah? What was I doin’?”

“You were holding me,” Cloud answered intimately.

“That’s sweet. Too bad it’s bullshit.”

“Bullshit!?” Cloud crowed.

“Utter bullshit. That is absolutely not what I’d be doin’ to ya if I was there, trust me.”

“What would you be doing, then?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“I would like to know…” Cloud bit his thumb. “…Can I?”

Sephiroth laughed coyly. “Can you what?...”

“It just seems a crime that I have a cell phone and everything now, and we haven’t had a chance to talk dirty, yet…”

“And you won’t hafta whisper, like on the public phone,” Sephiroth murmured, tickling Cloud’s ear from across the planet. “…and repeat it about a thousand times so I can hear ya.”

“You could so hear it!” Cloud argued happily. “You just liked making me say it over and over!”

“Am I that easy to figure out?”

“Yes!” Cloud giggled. “So… I don’t know how to begin…”

“There’s always this: whatcha got on?”

Cloud hated his answer, but it was the truth. “Nothing.”

Sephiroth barked on laughter. “Liar!”

“I swear! I’m still in bed, and I haven’t gotten up or dressed yet. What have you got on?”

Sephiroth chuckled softly. “I’m not comfortable enough with where we’re at to take my clothes off. Got my uniform on.”

Cloud burrowed down into the covers. He trailed a hand down between his legs, where his anatomy was wide awake with the sound of Sephiroth’s voice and a little bit of heavy flirtation. He stroked himself slowly. “Mmm. So…”

“Mmm, so…” Sephiroth echoed with a smile, knowing damn well what Cloud was up to so many miles away.

“Sooo, answer my first question. If you were with me right now, what would you do?”

“Kiss you,” Sephiroth answered automatically, and it sent prickles across Cloud’s ear and down his neck. “You don’t know how bad I wanna kiss you. I’d do that, definitely. And when you finally put your tongue in my mouth, I’d snatch it and suck on it – ”

“You always do that!” Cloud giggled wildly, blushing at things they did being spoken aloud.

“I know I always do that, and I do it with enthusiasm… ‘Cause it makes you think of me suckin’ your cock, doesn’t it?”

“Little bit…” Cloud admitted, biting his lip.

“And it gets ya all hot and bothered?”

“…Little bit.”

Sephiroth spoke slowly and narratively. “Close your eyes… imagine I’m there… imagine me kissin’ all over you… now, bite your tongue, just a little…”

Cloud sighed.

Sephiroth grinned in his ear. “Did your cock jump?”

“…Why are you so good at this?” Cloud breathed being fluttering eyelashes, thoroughly seduced by just the sound of his lover’s voice.

“If I didn’t have a good imagination, I’da died a long time ago. Now talk to me.”

“… Oh, I’d… dunno...” Cloud suddenly felt his vocabulary dammed, unable to voice what actions he would take, as he never really thought too much about what he did with Sephiroth as he did it, for fear of losing his nerve. But he closed his eyes and created a vision, putting an effort to describe what it was he saw. “I’ve missed you badly, so I’m a little bit impatient right now. I want to try and hurry you along, because I need you. I just unzip your pants, because you said you weren’t able to take your clothes off…” Cloud hoped Sephiroth got the hint and did it to himself. “And I’d pull you out... lay back and pull you down with me. And you know...” Cloud’s face burned. “...spread my legs for you.”

“I’m fuckin’ dyin’ to get between ‘em…” Sephiroth responded, his voice slow, deep and dark. “I think you need lube.”

Cloud paused in his sultry vision. “This is just phone sex, we don’t have to get that involved.”

“We do. I want you to fuck yourself.”

Cloud blushed harder. “…With our Boyfriend?”

Sephiroth chuckled at the nickname. “Sure, go get him.”

Cloud wished he had powers to float the needed items over to himself. But he didn’t, so he kicked off his covers and grabbed his erection so it wouldn’t wag painfully as he skittered to the closet to retrieve the toy. He pulled the tube of lubricant out of the bedside table before worming back under the warmed sheets.

“Okay, got it.”

“Lay back and pull one knee up,” Sephiroth said in a manner that couldn’t be argued with.

Cloud did as he was told and hooked his wrist under one knee to hold it in place. “Okay.”

“Squeeze out some lube, and spread it all over your little asshole.”

Cloud gasped shrilly. “Ew! Don’t say asshole!”

“Why not? It is your asshole.”

Cloud frowned a little. “That’s not a romantic word…”

“I’m sorry baby, I won’t say it.”

“Do you think it when we make love?! Is that what it is to you?!”

“Um…no.” Was the unsure reply.

“Don’t think it!” Cloud wailed, humiliated.

Sephiroth sighed in impatience. “I won’t think it, I swear. Now, squeeze out some lube all over your cupcake factory.”

“SEPH!”

“Shut tha fuck up,” Sephiroth grinned wolfishly. “Push a finger in, already. I wanna hear it.”

Cloud didn’t have a chance to be impatient or huffy, he was too intrigued by the way his lover was speaking. His clipped and low tones gave away the fact that he was probably hard and solid. Maybe even moving his long fingered fist up and down on it... why wonder? “Seph… are you touching yourself?”

“Yeah.”

That thought propelled Cloud’s hands into motion. He brushed his fingers across the puddle of lubricant pooling at his opening, mentally preparing himself for penetration. He then moved the phone down, aiming it between his legs. When he pushed his middle finger in, there was a small, wet, barely audible sound of breaching.

“…Did you hear?” Cloud asked softly, resting the cell phone between his chin and the pillow.

Sephiroth grunted his affirmative, and then slowly suggested, “How would you feel about takin’ pictures?”

“Seeeph…” Cloud whined. “I don’t think I can do that.”

“Why not?”

“I’ll have to look at myself! That’s… weird…”

“Then you’ll see how sexy you are,” Sephiroth suggested with a smile.

“Well it’s obvious you have no problem looking at your own naked, perfect body… but I don’t think I can – ”

“I’ll owe you one.” Sephiroth interrupted silkily.

“…Two. And you have to send them first!”

“Whatever it takes,” Sephiroth gloated, and Cloud heard him rustle around a bit on his end.

“Okay, say somethin’ sexy,” Sephiroth requested once he found himself presentable.

“I’ve been… fingering myself a lot since you’ve left.”

Sephiroth made a soft noise, and then became curious. “…Why?”

“It feels good,” Cloud smiled. “And I wanna be as ready as possible for you, when you come home to me.”

Sephiroth made a long, low sound of approval. He then laughed. “It’s too easy. I shoulda starred in my own goddamn porno!”

Almost instantaneously, Cloud’s phone blipped that he had received a picture message. He eagerly switched screens to view it.

And sweet little baby Jesus… Sephiroth was lying on a very crude, simple cot. He was fully clothed, sans armor, his coat unbuttoned and his cock jutting from his leather pants. He was stroking himself, and while it was large, hard and needy, Cloud’s eyes were drawn to the top of the small picture.

There, the bottom half of Sephiroth’s face was visible. He was smiling while biting his bottom lip, revealing a little touch of shyness that he probably didn’t intend to capture in the photo. And it was that tiny hint of insecurity that made Cloud’s fingers work inside himself a bit deeper, searching for his pleasure point.

His breath caught just a little in his throat when he found it. “Seph, you are so fucking hot.”

“Only for you.” He commented, and Cloud’s phone received the second promised picture. He eagerly viewed it, and instead of assorted body parts, it was only Sephiroth’s face with his lips puckered sweetly.

Cloud grinned at that, because to him, that was just as good as porn. He then sighed with heavy reservation. “Okay, my turn... how do I get the camera to work?”

Sephiroth chuckled. “Press the button that says camera, sweetness.”

Cloud did, and instantly his phone screen became the eye. His stomach jolted in nervousness. “…What should I do?”

“Whatever you think would get me off.”

Cloud rolled his eyes and kicked the sheets off of himself, trying in vain to pat down his bed head before thinking that perhaps it might add something to the image. He then hesitantly spread his legs wide on the bed, and hovered the camera over himself.

He was too nervous, he needed some real inspiration. He put the phone back to his ear.

“Will you say something sexy?” Cloud requested earnestly.

Sephiroth offered a rarely used voice, the sort of voice a little boy uses to ask for a cookie. “Please work that hot little ass for me?”

Cloud moaned a little at the crudeness that he loved so dearly, and he held out the phone and let his thumb capture the image. His face went bright red as the camera took a moment to load the new picture, which he regarded with a wince.

In the split second of the photograph, his two fingers were spreading himself wide apart just underneath the rigid swell of his cock, revealing a hidden pinkness inside of himself that he never knew was there. His body was bent at an angle that not only caused a ripple through his abs, but also allowed his entire face to be caught in the shot.

Cloud was stuck in a moment of overall shock at the image. He looked hot and flustered, a little shy, and… pretty.

People had called him pretty all his life, in both cruelty and kindness, but he’d never looked at himself in a photograph and actually saw it before. Maybe because he had always been fully clothed in all previous photos.

Cloud always did think he looked better without clothes on, now he had photographic evidence. Conveniently enough, an option popped up to send the photo to the current caller. Cloud hit ‘yes’ before he could talk himself out of it, but declined the save the image.

Sephiroth was quiet for a moment as he received the message, before bursting out with an uncharacteristically vibrant, “GODDAAAMN!”

Cloud sputtered laughter. “Was that a good ‘goddamn’?”

Sephiroth panted out a chuckle of amusement, then groaned a little. “Lemme see more.”

“If you want to see more, you have to send more!”

A few seconds later, Cloud received a photo of Sephiroth from his chiseled lower abs down, even more lined and tight than before with the efforts of war. He was fisting his erection, slick and flushed and utterly delectable.

Cloud’s mouth literally watered. He slid a third digit inside himself, wiggling his hips slightly against it, and it inspired a flow of heated, whispered words. “I love your cock... I love how it feels inside me. Do you know that?”

Sephiroth took a moment longer than usual to respond, and when he did, it was thick and deep. “…What’s it feel like? Tell me.”

Cloud sighed lengthily. “The best pain I’ve ever felt, better than I ever thought it could have been. You… you…” Cloud didn’t know how to explain any further than that, and hoped whatever he had said made some kind of sense.

“I’m glad. Just imagine that’s what’s in you, instead of your fingers. God I wish I could fuck you…” Sephiroth’s words were simple, but his rumbling voice and soft moans caused Cloud to shiver and arch up, wishing he would bump up into and brush against a hard, heated body.

“What does it feel like for you, Seph?”

“I’d sound like a fuckin’ idiot if I tried to describe it,” He answered, which surprised Cloud, and slightly disappointed him, until Sephiroth continued. “It’s just …perfect. Sometimes I want you so bad I could kill somebody. I could jerk off eight hundred times in a row. It’s not the same as bein’ with you.”

Cloud grunted in passionate agreement. “I knooow! It’s never enough…” He then decided that this was quickly turning from a fuck call into a whine-fest, so he decided to steer the conversation back to the matters at, erm, hand. “…but luckily… we’re together right now. Not alone, together… and I’m ready for you. Right now.”

“I’d stick it in – ”

“Don’t say ‘stick’.”

Sephiroth chucked a little. “I’d… slide it in. All the way.”

Cloud nodded a little. “It feels the best when I put my legs over your shoulders.”

“I like it when your toes pull my hair.”

Cloud laughed a little at that, “You do? I usually try not to… I like the way your legs spread out more when mine are on your shoulders. I like how you move.”

“I’ll spread ‘em out as far as they go if that’s what you like, baby. It turns me on so fucking much when you keep your eyes open, and watch.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

The conversation degraded down into affirmatives and swear words at that point, every so often with a small piece of imaginary commentary. Cloud wanted to be kissed. Sephiroth angled his lower stomach down so it would grind into Cloud’s cock. Cloud locked his ankles behind Sephiroth’s head. Sephiroth suddenly became fascinated with Cloud’s nipples.

Every press of his fingers felt like that first shattering half second of climax, over and over, and he whimpered as his own erection responded by emitting a long, slow drop that tickled down his length.

He put Sephiroth on speakerphone and put in on the pillow while he let his other hand trail down to wrap around his erection. His hips lifted up and he moaned raggedly, lost in the soft panting on the other end of the phone. “Yea… Seph…I’m close.”

“M’too. I can’t be loud, but… don’t you dare hold back. Lemme hear you.”

Cloud’s wet fingers dug deep inside of himself and the other hand pumped in that twisting, heavily practiced way. It only took a few more moments before he slingshotted himself to a jolting, grinding release. He closed his eyes and lost himself as his orgasm swept through him. He let whatever noises rose in his throat free, all the quick, high pitched squeaks and long, guttural groans, and it truly seemed, in that hot moment, that he wasn’t alone.

It was like lingering on the border of a dream, and he could feel Sephiroth’s heat, the sharpness of his hipbones, a stray lock of hair or two tickling his legs. He slowed his fingers only when he heard a shallow gasp in his ear, signaling Sephiroth’s climax on the other side of the world, and reality came back into perspective.

He cupped his balls, kneading them softly through a stream of brief aftershocks as he heard Sephiroth grunt softly, curse, then let out a little gust of air.

“Fuuuck..” Sephiroth panted after a few breathy moments. “This phone thing is the best fuckin’ idea I’ve ever had.”

Cloud panted softly. “Aw, damn. I forgot the use our Boyfriend.”

“Next time.”

Cloud blew a kiss into the camera, laughing at a speck of ejaculate that had found its’ way onto his cheek, then sent it along to Sephiroth. There was an affectionate chuckle from his end and he took a picture of himself just laying there with a small smile on his face, his clothes were already rebuttoned and he a scratchy looking blanket pulled up to his chest.

Cloud gazed at it for a moment, then shifted lazily to clean up. “Please don’t show anyone those pictures.”

“I was gonna print ‘em out and put ‘em on my desk.”

“You better not! Those are just for you.”

“You think I’d share this? Gimme a break,” Sephiroth then snorted. “Don’t show my cock off to anyone, either. I realize there’s a lot of money to be found in it, but I’m shy.”

“I would sooner die!” And Cloud meant that. Those thick, strong inches were his and his alone, and he couldn’t be more thrilled to have his own private collection of genuine General Sephiroth spank bank. No porn star in a wig for him, although if he’d found that video two years prior, he’d probably have been the first teenage boy to die of masturbation.

Sephiroth suddenly sounded dog tired, and was quickly fading. “Alright baby… I’ma let you go.”

Cloud was genuinely disappointed, as he was locked firmly in a stage of affectionate, flirtatious afterglow. “Aww. I guess you do need to sleep, huh?”

He smiled. “I’m gonna sleep good. You prolly got shit to do anyways.”

Cloud pouted, as that wasn’t the case at all. But he lied. “Yeah, I’ve got shit to take care of. I love you, General Sephiroth. Sweet dreams.”

“You know it.” And then the connection was gone.

Cloud laid on his side, blinking in the morning light. It wasn’t so bad, the distance. They could still make love. Sort of.

At the very least, he didn’t have to rinse his ass out.

CHAPTER IMAGES

1 - http://owmyhearteries.deviantart.com/art/Blonde-Ambition-ch19-Jealousy-112416268

2 - http://owmyhearteries.deviantart.com/art/Blonde-Ambition-ch19-Porn-112416197

A/N

1 - After Blonde Ambition 2 is finished, I intend on writing a Genesis x Rufus fic set in the Blonde Ambition-verse. I’ll offer glimpses in BA, but there is an actual story there, haha. It’s either going to be called ‘A Tale of Two Bitches’ or ‘Lonesome No More’. But yeah, it’s going to be a train wreck, and I can’t wait.

2 - I worked on this chapter for a looong tiiiime. I couldn’t fit nearly all I wanted to, which seems to be the trend for me, hence chapter NINE-fucking-TEEN. Every chapter seems to be longer than the last, this one clocking in at well over 19,000 words. But there’s lots and lots of fun to be had, so I hope I’m not boring anyone with my long winded self.
- 18
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Blonde Ambition