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
- 23
- 24
- 25
The middle of the day was always the worst for Cloud. The sugar high from lunch had worn off, his muscles burned in protest from morning classes, there were endless amounts of worksheets to complete, and there was still another whole half of the day to go. More classes, followed by another grueling round of physical activity. Then it was off to the gym with Cameron and their friends, homework, dinner, and perhaps a chat with Sephiroth before he fell asleep – often with the General still on the line.

Of course there had been fun things to poke breathing holes in the stress of cadet life, such as planning Sephiroth's twenty-third birthday party. Cloud approached Zack with the notion of throwing a party, who then employed the help of Julie who was only too glad to give it a woman's touch. Together, they had planned the perfect surprise party.

And even though Sephiroth probably knew exactly what he was walking into – why would Zack ask him to come tfo a remote part of the Shin-Ra building for a meeting on his birthday? He'd acted surprised just the same. Cloud had gathered all his favorite people and all his favorite food, and there were practical and fun gifts from everyone.

Zack got him a pair of ultra aerodynamic, green and black running shoes that apparently were the greatest thing he'd ever seen. Never had Cloud seen Sephiroth so worked up over an item of clothing, the man turned his nose up at priceless couture but apparently came in his pants from the latest Nikes. Genesis and Angeal had given Sephiroth the gift of time: Sephiroth would have Cloud's two week summer vacation in August off, free and clear of all work duties. Cloud was so happy that he kissed Genesis on the lips, who got a little excited by the idea and tried to slip him some tongue. Genesis was then slapped in the face by Rufus, who then gave Sephiroth a fancy pen since it was the sort of thing rich people liked to give other rich people.

Julie and Rhonda's children had also attended the party, and had apparently the twin boys had found the spare cash and motorf skills to give Sephiroth a very trendy new outfit. Cloud didn't know babies had such good taste in clothes. Other people gave Sephiroth odds and ends – a gift card to a generic store where he could buy what he wanted, or yummy treats they knew he liked.

Cloud's gift was more personal. He knew it was useless to buy Sephiroth anything – the man had a way of reimbursing Cloud for any expense he might have had on his behalf. It hurt Cloud's pride a little bit, but it eventually became clear that he shouldn't spend a dime on Sephiroth.

So, he created a "coupon book", where he had drawn stick figures of himself performing various tasks. Most of the coupons were for Sephiroth's choice of massage, cleaning, cooking, and personal assistant services. Things he often whined for Cloud to do, who was usually tired enough to complain about it. Sephiroth's feet weren't the funnest part of his body to massage after a long week, after all. Then there were two very discreet, but valuable coupons in the back of the book that simply read : One hour, whatever you want. Anything at all : 3

There was also a coupon for a free weekend, where Cloud had drawn a stick figure of Sephiroth reclining with tiny Z's coming from his head. Sephiroth had been confused, "What's this one for?"

"Well, whenever you're in town I always take up your weekends," Cloud explained. "This is just in case you have a weekend where you're home, but you just want time alone. I won't mind."

Sephiroth examined it closely, "It's cute. But I won't ever wanna use it."

"Never say never," Rhonda interjected.

Rufus chimed in, "Is the coupon transferable to other couples? I'd like to use it right now."

Julie and Genesis were highly offended.

The party was filled with laughter, as any good party should be. They were the Shin-Ra elite, but they were friends foremost. Angeal regaled the party with stories about Sephiroth's young Academy years as a squeaky-voiced shrimp, always tagging along and bothering himself and Genesis. Nurse Rhonda was glad to join in on the ribbing, but actually ended up making a very heartfelt toast to Sephiroth, her best friend.

Towards the end of the party and a little drunk, Sephiroth had pulled Cloud into his lap and kissed him. Not skipping a single ounce of intimacy despite the fact that they were in front of everyone he knew and respected.

When he let Cloud's lips go, he said, "You made this birthday awesome."

"I didn't do that much. Zack helped. Julie did most of it," Cloud blushed, taken aback slightly by Sephiroth's warmth and gentle tone.

"They aren't the ones who make me happy, though. That's you."

And later in Sephiroth's bedroom, Cloud worked hard to keep him very, very happy. No coupon required.

When the festivities were over, final exams began approaching rapidly. The days zoomed by, and Cloud was so overloaded with schoolwork and physical fatigue that he could have just died.

Even his weekends were overshadowed with responsibility. If he was lucky enough to spend it with Sephiroth he was still stuck with homework, and even the beautiful act of lovemaking was strenuous on Cloud's sore and overworked body. If he was without Sephiroth for a weekend, it might as well have been another school day since Cameron filled his time with training and studying.

This was completely unacceptable to Cloud Strife, a true slacker at heart. He was about to snap into a million pieces.

He needed exams to be over. He needed to get drunk. He needed to get fucked by the man he loved without his mind drifting to battle tactics or sword exercises. And God bless him, but he needed to get the hell away from Cameron Wedge for a while, before they got into an actual fistfight over who used the last of the toilet paper.

Cloud needed a fucking vacation!

Luckily, there was only one more month of school left. Then, he would have two solid weeks of blessed time away from the Academy. No schoolwork! No training! No alarm at five in the morning!

It was already planned out: The first week would consist of a road trip to Nibelheim, where Cloud and Sephiroth would help April pack their house and move to Junon, where she had a brand new condo and job teaching high schoolers waiting for her.

The second week would consist of a hotel room on the West shore. Jellyfish were migrating, and Sephiroth wanted to dive down to hang out with them. Cloud just wanted to see Sephiroth in a wetsuit – from the comfort of the warm sand, where he would soak up the sun in a Speedo and drink tequila until he forgot his own name.

Cloud couldn't wait. But the matter of Sephiroth meeting his family was a huge obstacle. His mother would behave, he knew. She'd become comfortable with the idea of Cloud and Sephiroth, and had even grown to like him. But the others in his family … They were uncontrollable. Cloud shuddered to think what social disgraces they were capable of.

The previous weekend, they were sitting together on Sephiroth's couch, waiting for a pizza delivery. They had to distract themselves from the temptation to fool around – nothing was worse than being interrupted by a pizza guy and having to answer the door with a boner. But with the way Sephiroth was staring at him with a smile playing on his soft, kissable lips, it was hard not to crawl forward and taste them.

So Cloud had held a piece of popcorn, "Open your mouth."

"No," Sephiroth shook his head and took a long drink of his beer. Cloud's influence over the past year was inherently a bad one, and this included choice of beverages. "You're just gonna make a fuckin' mess."

"You have a huge mouth! There's no way I could miss!" Cloud laughed, aiming to pitch.

"You're gonna choke me to death."

"Says the man who won't even let me know when he's about to come down my throat!" Cloud cried in outrage.

Sephiroth couldn't suppress a smug chuckle, "… Warnin' you takes some of the fun out of it, though."

"I know," Cloud agreed, then squinted one eye and prepared the popcorn's trajectory. Sephiroth finally gave in and opened up, and Cloud arched the little puff of popcorn right in. "Yes!"

"Do it again," Sephiroth said after chewing it.

Cloud had thrown most of the bowl of popcorn into Sephiroth's mouth before the delivery finally came. Sephiroth paid the man and brought the thin pizza boxes to the table, and began to dig in. He folded his slice and leaned back, flipping through the channels. With greasy food in his mouth, a remote in his hand, and a bottle of beer held between his thighs, Sephiroth created a perfect portrait of Midgarian bliss.

Cloud took a slice of his pizza and chewed on it for a moment before asking, "Are you nervous?"

"About what?" Sephiroth asked through his food.

"You're gonna meet my mom and my family next month."

"I'm not nervous about it," Sephiroth said, flipping his crust into the box and taking another piece.

"How can you not be nervous?"

"Well …" He shrugged before taking a big bite. "Maybe a little I guess."

"Don't be!" Cloud told him.

Sephiroth's eyebrows furrowed and he clearly had something to say, but his mouth was full of barely chewed pizza. He then took a long gulp of beer to wash it down before shouting, "Why the hell did you make me admit it, if you were just gonna tell me to not be?"

"Because I'm kind of nervous."

"You think I'm gonna embarrass you?"

"Of course not! I'm afraid my family will repulse you."

Sephiroth shook his head, and chewed until he could swallow and clear his mouth, "I don't care what they're like, they could be total bitches. I'ma still be perfect and charmin' and by the end of the weekend they're gonna wanna eat my shit."

"Seeeph!" Cloud laughed, "I love you to bits, but even I wouldn't eat your shit."

"I have a coupon that says otherwise."

"EWW!"

Sephiroth snorted around a new slice of pizza, "There's nothin' to worry about. We'll drive over there on Saturday and be outta there by Monday. We'll get her to Junon on Tuesday and get to the beach by Thursday. Not even a problem."

Cloud knew nothing was as simple as that, not when it came to his family.

And so there he was, sitting in another never-ending class and daydreaming, thinking of all the nightmare scenarios that could arise. He sighed in listless boredom when his phone began to vibrate in his pocket. For a text it was just a short buzz. But it was vibrating for much longer, and so Cloud pulled it out curiously to see who might be calling him.

One of the many pictures from his private archive of Sephiroth's goofy facial expressions was blinking on the screen. Sephiroth was calling him in the middle of a school day? Sephiroth never called him in the middle of a school day.

Cloud's face parted in a delighted smile, the first actual facial expression he'd made in hours, and he stuffed the phone in his pocket, "I need the bathroom pass!"

All eyes in the classroom turned to him as he scrambled up the aisle, nearly tripping over a backpack in his haste to retrieve the hall pass and evacuate the room. His teacher waved him on and continued to write on the white board and drone on.

Once he was in the hall, Cloud answered the call but didn't say anything until he was certain there were no patrols, teachers, or drill instructors lurking around, "Hello!"

"… I wanted to leave a message."

"Sorry!" Cloud laughed, and then imitated a robotic voice: "Please leave a message after the tone. Beeeeep."

"Very cute. Now you made me forget what I wanted to say," Sephiroth griped. "I gotta think about it."

Cloud giggled, just because his boyfriend had that effect on him. "Take your time remembering, you got me out of a boring class. What's up? And pleeease tell me it's what I hope it is!"

"I do have a semi, actually," Sephiroth remarked, actually sounding a little surprised at the realization. "But that's not why I called."

Cloud was more distracted by the semi comment, but found the maturity to inquire, "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I just wanted to ask you somethin' …" Sephiroth cleared his throat. "I know you've got your finals comin' up soon, but do ya think you might be able to stay over tonight and miss school tomorrow?"

Cloud stopped walking. His beloved boyfriend, the ever so studious, punctual, and militant General of the Shin-Ra army … Was asking him to spend the night and skip school.

He had an urge to pinch himself, but quickly became suspicious, "Are you fucking with me right now? If you are, you're a cruel, cold man."

Sephiroth laughed, "No, I'm serious. I have to go somewhere tomorrow mornin', and I'm ... Well, I'm really nervous to be honest. I don't wanna go alone."

Cloud began to panic slightly, "You're not being sent away again are you?"

"No."

"Are you sick? You don't have like a surgery or something – "

"No, it's nothin' like that at all."

"Well, what is it?"

"Um," Sephiroth cleared his throat again. "Tomorrow mornin' I have a ..."

"Cavity filling?" Cloud guessed.

"… Photo shoot."

Cloud gasped. "What?"

"I have a photo shoot, okay?" Sephiroth sounded peeved. "It's for a new recruitment campaign, supposed to try an' get more Cadets to sign up this fall and next year. It's apparently gonna run in every magazine and newspaper on the fuckin' planet this whole year."

Cloud was incredibly excited, "Wow! And it's just going to be you in the ads? Wearing what?"

"I dunno, my uniform. Genesis is doin' some this weekend, and Angeal already did his. So … Can you take a day off and come with me?" Sephiroth asked. "But don't come if you've got somethin' important happening."

"Screw everything else, of course I'll come with you! I don't understand why you're nervous though, you know you're gorgeous."

Sephiroth groaned. "I've been avoidin' this type of PR since I got this position."

"I know you've been avoiding it!" Cloud growled. "Do you know how much time I spent in high school trying to hunt down a poster or a picture of you? I scoured newspapers almost everyday!"

"I forget sometimes how pathetic you were."

"Still am," Cloud corrected with an adoring grin, "I'm your biggest fan. Do you mind?"

"I guess I got lucky that my biggest fan turned out to have such a nice ass," Sephiroth flirted. "But I don't want this to be some kinda invitation to not-so-sexy people to approach me. I get enough of that as it is."

"Poor you.i," Cloud comforted sarcastically. "I'm sure nothing will change in your social life, Seph. You're still big, bad and scary. And so am I, I'll protect you."

"Of course. I trust you to keep the wierdos in check."

"Oh, don't worry ..." Cloud nodded earnestly, envisioning himself shielding Sephiroth with a spray of bullets from a flesh hungry, zombie-esque horde of admirers.

"Go back to class, have a good day. Pack your shit and be ready around five."

What an unexpected surprise! Cloud wanted to perform a cartwheel! He thanked the universe in all its infinite randomness, to bless him with such good fortune on an otherwise boring Tuesday. "I can't wait to see you and hug you and kiss you! Tell me something sexy to get me through the rest of this day!"

"Sexy?" Sephiroth snorted. "What makes you think you're gettin' lucky tonight? We're gonna have to get up early, and I need all the beauty rest I can get."

Cloud cupped his mouth and whispered into his phone. "You can just lay back and rest then ... I'll do all the work for you."

"Remember how I had a semi?" Sephiroth smiled, and it was audible even over the phone. "Not a semi anymore ..."

"Oh?" Cloud gushed.

"You're gettin' me solid over here."

"Mm," Cloud hummed, licking his lips. "How solid?"

"Back to class, Cloud."

"Wait!" He implored desperately. "Do you have a ruler handy?"

Sephiroth then hung up on him.

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

The next morning, Sephiroth and Cloud were called at four AM with the unhappy news that their lift to the photo studio was already waiting outside.

It was a grumpy start to the day. They both washed their faces, brushed their teeth, and threw clothes on with little communication beyond grunting at each other.

Cloud had made good on his threat to do all the work for Sephiroth the night before. In his fervor to put on a good show, he was left with aching thighs, a sore ass, and an overly worked lower stomach. His entire body burned as he descended the stairs of Sephiroth's apartment complex. He was just grateful that he could probably get away with sitting most of the day, preferably unconscious.

Once they were in the car and on their way to the studio, Sephiroth curled up beside Cloud and laid his head on his shoulder. Almost immediately, he was dozing and making those innocent sleeping noises in Cloud's ear. He relaxed against Sephiroth with a smile and let himself doze off as well.

The studio didn't look like much from the outside, but inside it was bustling with a photography team that was impatient with everyone and everything. There was a makeshift hair and makeup area, a clothes rack full of different uniforms, and several sets. One resembled a training field, while another was a mountaintop with a smoldering red sunset in the background sky, and another looked like some bizarre, Hollywood vision of a smoking battlefield.

Cloud was taking in his surroundings when the photographer and the art director greeted them.

The art director was a thin, bald faggot with sunglasses on inside. He gave Sephiroth a limp handshake before flouncing to put more touches on the sets and lighting, all fluttering hands and waving arms. Cloud inwardly grimaced, hoping to be a little more distinguished when he himself became an aging homosexual. Not likely. At least he wouldn't ever be bald, though.

The photographer was a heavy, middle aged woman with frizzy red hair and purple lipstick, and she bellowed orders like she was leading a pack of wild dogs through the Northern tundra. Sephiroth had shown up in jeans and a loose t-shirt, and the photographer was apparently displeased with his cavalier appearance.

"Get him into hair and makeup!" She bellowed. "Then into wardrobe! I want him camera ready in twenty minutes!"

"I'm not wearin' any makeup," Sephiroth declared, but was already being pulled at by a malnourished young woman. Sephiroth apparently suffered an affliction that caused him to bend to the whims of tiny people, so he was forced to follow. The waspy young woman urged him into a chair and immediately began to spackle his perfect skin with concealer.

Cloud watched in fascination as Sephiroth's usual dark under eye circles disappeared, and was replaced with flattering maroon tinted eye shadow. It blended seamlessly into his skin, and made his green eyes look even more piercing than usual.

"I'm gonna look like a tranny," Sephiroth complained, but the young lady silenced him by patting his lips with clear gloss.

"You won't in pictures," She promised him. "We're just evening up your skin tone and playing up your features. We don't want a repeat of the TimeWeek cover, do we?"

Sephiroth rolled his eyes as she began to use light plum eyeliner pencil around them, "I didn't look that bad ..."

She began to apply mascara to his ludicrously long lashes, "I could have grated cheese on your chapped lips. We're gonna make you pretty, this time."

A young, fashionable man with glasses began to roughly brush Sephiroth's hair while running a flat iron through it, root to tip. Cloud didn't know how, but he could tell this man was straight. Some people were just born with a passion for fashion, regardless of sexual orientation.

The straight hairdresser shook his head in disapproval. "We've got a split end situation, here. I'm gonna trim a little."

Sephiroth was helpless. He turned his eyes to Cloud, and they shared a long gaze that ended with Cloud giggling and Sephiroth's face filled with embarrassed color.

"What the hell?" The tiny makeup artist balked when his perfect skin began to break out in a reddened flush. "Stop that!"

"I can't help it," Sephiroth chuckled and his face became even rosier.

She sighed loudly and began to fan his face with a nearby fashion magazine, "Try to calm down, okay?"

Sephiroth refused to look at Cloud again, and was forced to look at himself in the mirror. He watched the hair stylist begin to almost haphazardly trim his split ends and work in leave in conditioner. He watched the makeup girl brush tinted concealer onto his cheeks.

The hair stylist tsked as he went about the heavy task of cutting the four and a half foot length of Sephiroth's tresses. "General Sir, you've got to try to stop sitting and sleeping on your hair. You're breaking it in half in some places. I'm warning you, either braid it or put it up when you're at home and when you sleep."

"Braids look stupid. And do you know how annoyin' it is to try and put it up all the time?" Sephiroth grumbled, crossing his arms like a diva.

"You want a bowl cut instead?" The hairdresser threatened.

"You wanna find out what my foot feels like up your ass?" Sephiroth retorted darkly. "Get off my case."

Cloud couldn't stop snickering. The photographer came by to survey the work being done on her subject, and nodded sagely. "He looks good, he's ready."

The assistants put on finishing touches before allowing Sephiroth to stand up. He was then guided to the wardrobe area, was given a new uniform and stepped behind a folding wall to change.

The photographer began to adjust the settings on her camera, then stopped to squint at Cloud, "Who the hell are you and what are you supposed to be doing right now?"

Cloud cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted his response. "General Sephiroth's moral support!"

"Fine, but stay out of the way!" She barked.

And so Cloud obeyed and stayed back, watching with a smile as Sephiroth reappeared and stood nervously in front of the entire crew. "What do want me to do?"

The art director ushered him to the training field set, where most of the shoot was going to take place. "Make everyone in this room want to join the Shin-Ra army."

Sephiroth spent the next several hours doing just that. Cloud watched him with a mixture of possessive pride and pure awe of just how graceful, powerful and inspiring his lover could be. His natural stance, weight rested on one knee, hands at his sides, and staring down the barrel of the camera … It was perfect. Cloud watched the images appear on the photographer's computer screen and nearly drooled.

Then, the studio had him do every move from the Big Book Of Gorgeous Male Model Poses. Perfection was constantly improved upon time and time again. Sephiroth was unable to take an unflattering photograph, every single picture was breathtaking. Cloud was so excited to see them in print, and for Sephiroth to finally gain recognition for more than being a military leader with a small cult following of obsessed fans. He was the most beautiful man on the planet.

Cloud began to daydream about the doors this ad campaign might open for Sephiroth. He'd accept a bowl cut from the straight stylist just to see Sephiroth in a Fruit of the Loom underwear campaign.

The photographer and art director agreed that that was enough on the field set. It was back into makeup for Sephiroth, and this time she caked his face and any exposed areas of skin with "dirt". Then she decided to splatter red paint onto him – and Sephiroth outright refused to be photographed wearing anything resembling blood.

"This is propaganda, Sephiroth," the photographer argued. "It's what impassions people to risk their life fighting for one army over another. This is raw, and real. This is what war is."

"I'm well aware of the concept of propaganda, and I know exactly what war is," He argued back without his accent, wiping the fake blood off his face with a stolen tissue. "But what's raw and real is the fact that I'm a leader. A leader who would use fear to spike recruitment numbers is morally repugnant."

"It's not fear, Sephiroth – "

"Whose blood is this supposed to represent?" He asked calmly. "You can make me dirty if you want – I usually am. Roll me in mud if you want to. But you won't win this blood issue. There are better things I could be doing today."

Nobody spoke for a moment, until the art director waved his finger in Sephiroth's direction, "Can you hold that thought in your head during the next round of shots? Because I am just loving your look right now."

"You heard him! Get the blood off of him! What is this, a cheap zombie movie? Do your job!" The photographer shouted at the makeup girl, who gave Sephiroth a respectful nod.

Cloud put his elbows on Sephiroth's chair and quietly whispered to him, "I'm telling."

"You're tellin' what?" He responded, speaking from the corner of his mouth to not disrupt the makeup girl's work.

"Anyone who'll listen ... That you're wonderful," Cloud told him, pressing a kiss to the side of his head before getting out of the way.

The makeup girl was less than pleased, "You made him red again! Get lost!"

Over the course of the next hour, Sephiroth was dirty on top of a mountain. Cloud thought he'd never get tired of looking at him. The man was a true muse, and Cloud snuck a few photos on his cell phone when he thought the photographer wasn't looking.

She noticed, though. "Hey blondie. Come over here."

Cloud gulped, hoping he wasn't about to be kicked out due to some sort of obscure copyright law. Of course, he had joint custody of Sephiroth's body, so he should be able to snap all the pictures he wanted to of it! And so he marched up to the photographer with confidence. "Problem?"

"No, there's not a problem, smartass. I just wanna ask you a couple questions," She continued to snap Sephiroth's picture occasionally. "You're his boyfriend, right? The Cadet?"

"Yeah," Cloud nodded.

"Did he make you wanna join up?"

"Of course," Cloud told her truthfully. It wasn't that uncommon, Sephiroth was a regular hero to everyone.

"Tell us then," the art director pulled him close. "What do you think would be truly inspiring? An iconic image that will echo through the ages, like Uncle Sam, like Hitler, like Ghandi..."

Cloud blurted what he'd been thinking all morning: "Take off his damn coat."

Sephiroth looked like he might have hesitated, but assistants flew forward to help him shuck off the iron shoulder pads and remove his coat. The makeup girl came running with more dirt, and practically threw it at him in order to accommodate the photographer's latest burst of inspiration.

"Genius," The art director declared. Then, consulted Cloud again. "What else?"

"Maybe… get him into a regular First Class SOLDIER uniform!" Cloud grinned, hopping a little in excitement.

Three minutes, five wardrobe assistants and a baby wipe later, Sephiroth was fresh and clean in the linen blues of the First Class. Cloud approved, "Now have him clean his sword!"

It felt like he was playing with a life-size doll of his beloved. Anything he wanted him to do, Sephiroth did. He cleaned his sword for the camera. He swung it around without a shirt on, only those loose, starchy blue fatigues and thick leather suspenders. Then staring at the camera with hair cascading over one shoulder. Then he had him back in full uniform, only to take it off piece by piece ... Slowly.

He had Sephiroth show the camera about his natural fire wielding talents. He made fire with his fingers, and larger ones in the palms of his hands, until the smoke alarm went off, that is. The entire studio played dumb when the firefighters arrived, and they chalked it up to a malfunction.

Cloud was having a grand time, until the photographer announced that she was on her final photograph. "Last one, General Sephiroth. Make it count."

Sephiroth enthusiastically flipped her off with both hands. The photo shoot was complete, and everyone applauded, none louder or more joyously than Cloud. Sephiroth's faced enflamed, and he fled into the wardrobe area to change.

Before she allowed them to leave, the photographer approached Sephiroth to thank him. "Extremely inspirational, you're a true professional. We've got some outstanding photographs, I know the President will be pleased."

"Everyone's gonna see this," Sephiroth told her, staring her in the eyes. "Make it classy."

"Impossible to do otherwise!" The art director cried, shaking the General's hand a final time.

Sephiroth and Cloud left the studio every bit as tired as they'd arrived, and didn't speak on the ride home. Their hands loosely clasped in the center of the seat, and one of Cloud's thumbs moved across Sephiroth's knuckles, the only sign that he hadn't fallen asleep in the car.

When they arrived back at Sephiroth's loft, Cloud pulled him by the hand to his bedroom.

Sephiroth followed, playing dumb with a grin, "Oh, you want a nap?"

"Not exactly," Cloud purred, and pushed his boyfriend onto the bed. Sephiroth fell backwards from the tiny amount of pressure that Cloud administered and bounced on the mattress. He felt his body already reacting in excitement when his small lover smoothly followed, laying on top of him and immediately pushing kisses across his mouth.

The perfect mood for making love wasn't planned, and it couldn't be. Sometimes it was promised but not delivered, and sometimes it wasn't as Earth shattering as usual. There was never a particular moment in which they knew they'd crossed the line from a loving, extended embrace into foreplay territory. It just got to a point where one would wait and see how far the other would go.

Another kiss, another touch, the loss of another article of clothing. It was like hypnotism, they lost track of time, of themselves, but never lost track of each other. They knew where every limb was placed, every finger as it brushed over damp skin, every heartbeat and intake of air.

Through all the kisses and shifting on the mattress, Cloud had found a place between Sephiroth's thighs. He sat up on his knees, breaking the spell for a moment to pull down Sephiroth's jeans. They were tight, and clung to Sephiroth's creamy skin, pulling it away from the muscle, almost making him look like a melting ice cream treat.

Cloud smiled at that thought and licked along his exposed skin. It tasted of salt and smelled of sugar, and mixed together in Cloud's senses like an exotic dessert. His lover tasted wonderful, every inch of him.

He stopped at Sephiroth's lips, through with simply tasting and ready for full on devouring, "… You're so gorgeous."

"Thanks," Sephiroth muttered, kissing Cloud back and further enjoying what had become a day of nonstop attention. Not that he drew away from the spotlight, it just wasn't always shining on him in bed. He was usually the photographer, as it were, instead of the subject.

But Cloud was making him the subject that night. It was … Unusual. It made Sephiroth wonder how far Cloud would take it. So, he remained on his back and passive, not wanting to disrupt the course that Cloud was setting for them. It was easy to lose himself in Cloud's lips, the teenager kissed beautifully under the briefest of circumstances, but in extended sessions he became an artist with his mouth. His tongue moved gently but insistently, thrusting and running along Sephiroth's sharp teeth.

Moments expanded outwards while their bodies talked, always full of new things to say to each other. Legs moved against each other. Groins bumped together. Hands felt everything they could reach.

Cloud's hands were especially restless. One cradled the back of Sephiroth's skull while he kissed him, massaging circles into his scalp and mixing with his glossy hair. The other hand brushed downwards.

Cloud touched Sephiroth's cock as a greeting, and then his long fingers curled beneath his tight balls to what waited beneath. With a groan against his lips, Cloud rubbed Sephiroth's opening. His fingertips tickled with the anticipation of sinking inside.

Cloud broke their kiss, panting down at Sephiroth. He brought his fingers to Sephiroth's lips, sucking in air at the shapes they made around them.

Then Sephiroth let them go with a pop, "Baby … Would you mind getting … Ya know? The stuff."

Cloud stared at him dumbly. "Lube?"

"I'll need it … Right?"

Cloud realized what Sephiroth was asking. Sephiroth was asking for lube. Sephiroth was acknowledging this. This was not going to be a just a finger fuck. Sephiroth was going to let him …

Cloud shook his head and his thoughts spilled out of his mouth, "Yeah, you'll need that if we're going to do that. You do need that. I'm so stupid, I'm not thinking! I'm sorry! One second!"

Sephiroth waited with highly amused patience while Cloud scrambled on his knees over to the table, searching noisily for lube. None was to be found there. How many times had Sephiroth reached blindly into this drawer and always come back with the damn lube? It should have taken microseconds.

The man was devious, he must have planned ahead. Where the hell could it be?

Then Cloud remembered that it probably had been taken out into the living room, and there was perhaps another tube abandoned in the bathroom.

He placed several nervous, pleading kisses on Sephiroth's lips, "Be right back! Don't move!"

Then Cloud literally sprinted full speed to the bathroom. Running into the sink, he cursed and noisily searching through drawers until he found what he was looking for in the bathtub, almost completely hidden among shampoo bottles and body wash. He knocked over almost everything, and grasped the tube with trembling fingers.

He came back to bed much more slowly than he'd left it. Sephiroth was lying there waiting for him with his hands laced behind his head. His limbs seemed to go on forever, pure perfection. He turned his head slowly to look at Cloud, and his face remained a porcelain vision of tranquil beauty.

"Found it …" Cloud nearly whispered in reverence, putting a knee onto the bed.

"Mm," Was all Sephiroth said. He didn't want to react too much, it was hysterically funny to see what Cloud would do when unprovoked, and how worked up he could make himself. He was content to just watch for the time being.

Cloud crawled up onto the bed like a nervous puppy. "So … You said something about wanting me to use this ... On you?"

"Uh huh," Sephiroth agreed. Then, only because he couldn't help himself, "I'm sure you know what to do."

Cloud's breath stopped, and he stuttered for a moment before collecting himself. "Yeah, just ... Stop me if I go too far."

"M'kay."

Cloud gently moved back between Sephiroth's legs, and quickly began to kiss him again, to conjure up their previous passion – not only for Sephiroth's seduction, but to build his own anticipation, his need, and his confidence. He kissed Sephiroth, his cheeks, his chin, his neck. He realized that Sephiroth didn't prefer to be bitten, and responded much more to ghostly, ticklish kisses on his throat and behind his ears. Cloud whispered kisses across these secret areas until the General finally gave in to squirming slightly beneath him.

"Love you," Cloud whispered, letting his breath fan across Sephiroth's ear. The General squirmed again, and Cloud was satisfied.

He moved down to worship Sephiroth's ridiculous abs with his tongue, as he so often did. He kept one hand on the mattress to steady himself, while the other worked alone to uncap the Pleasureglide.

He managed to get it onto his fingers, and paused in kissing Sephiroth's belly button to watch. Curious blue eyes widened just a bit as his middle finger easily slid inside his beloved. He looked up to Sephiroth's face, and was greeted with a relaxed expression, like a lazy feline waiting to see what would happen next, but not too particularly bothered by the outcome either way.

They'd played like this before. Sephiroth would never squeak, claw or tremble from prostate stimulation the way that Cloud did. Their bodies were just built differently. But it was fun though, and the General seemed to enjoy it in his own way.

Regardless of Sephiroth insisting that he liked it, the lack of intense reaction made Cloud worry that he was bad at giving this sort of pleasure … But if he was bad, Sephiroth surely put up with it well. So Cloud curled his fingers and moved them knowingly. Sephiroth's breathing quickened just a little. He wasn't jumping around the mattress like it was on fire, but he clearly wasn't bored.

In a continued effort to not be boring, Cloud pulled his middle finger out and replaced it with three.

That got a slightly larger reaction. Sephiroth's breathing hitched and he let out a quiet, "Fuck."

Cloud spread out his fingers and noticed an almost inaudible hitch on Sephiroth's breath.

Cloud bent his neck and put his open mouth against the underside of Sephiroth's cock. He sucked at the thick vein, teasing blood to the surface of the skin and leaving a wet, reddened path up to the head. He worked his fingers inside Sephiroth while suckling gently.

Sephiroth's hips began to move slightly, pushing up into Cloud's touch in a slow, relaxed rhythm. He liked when lovemaking was like this; No need to rush, no need to worry about time, place or obligations. It wasn't so much about the end result. Sephiroth was letting him play, and it was nice.

The only pressure lied in Cloud's desire to make Sephiroth feel every level of heaven and hell all at once. Sephiroth could do it to him, and he could do it even if he didn't even try that hard. Cloud needed to know that he could return the favor. He wanted to be good, too. He wanted Sephiroth to want him.

And there was the selfish curiosity of not knowing what it was like on the other end of that spectrum of feeling. He couldn't imagine what it must have felt like to sink into another person's body. He hungered to know, and to be welcomed and craved in that regard.

It seemed to Cloud, that the act of topping Sephiroth was going to be a very big test. If he was … Bad … Would they no longer be equals? If this one chance was blown, would this option of lovemaking be forbidden, or worse, seen as a dreaded chore by Sephiroth? Maybe it would lead Sephiroth to question whether he could really be with someone who wasn't versatile enough to please him both ways. Maybe he needed someone else … Maybe Cloud wasn't man enough …

No way! Cloud Strife was not a one-trick pony! He focused on his task, varying between feather light touches and heavier presses of his fingers. Even if he managed to fuck this up, he'd go down in flames knowing he'd done everything he could do to make Sephiroth feel good.

Cloud didn't realize it yet, but when it came to pleasure, Sephiroth was a very simple creature. He'd lived two-thirds of his life with almost no warm human contact. It took him time to even become comfortable with touching, but his friends had helped him conquer that difficulty, and Cloud had pushed him the rest of the way into a total contact addict. He loved the way Cloud touched him, whether it was a well-placed caress, or just a fleeting brush of his skin. On their first date, those brief, fleeting touches would forever rank high on the most erotic moments of his life.

From Sephiroth's perspective, his lover's fingers were up his ass and it felt good. His hot mouth was on his cock, and that felt good, too. All was right with the world, there were no politics associated with lovemaking. He was going to get fucked by Cloud, and it was probably going to be fun.

With that thought, he got a little antsy. He gave Cloud a tiny tug on his hair, "You gonna make me wait all day?"

Cloud blushed, knowing full well that he was beating around the bush. With every passing second, his gusto seemed to be waning. "… I'm not sure, anymore."

"C'mon," Sephiroth urged kindly, not wanting his teasing to shatter Cloud's confidence.

Cloud shook his head, "If you don't want to, we don't have to do this."

"If I don't want to?" Sephiroth wondered up at him. "When did I say I didn't want to?"

"You didn't," Cloud admitted. "But I could understand if you wouldn't want to."

"Is there a reason why I wouldn't want you?"

"Lots of reasons. I don't know what I'm doing, for one."

Sephiroth laughed, and pulled Cloud down into a hug. "Will you relax? I didn't know what I was doin' the first time, either."

"Yes you did," Cloud mumbled against his chest. "You were perfect."

"And I'm sure you'll be perfect at it, too," Sephiroth assured him. "… I wanna do this."

"Really?" Cloud asked, lifting his head.

"… Are you tryin' to make me beg?" Sephiroth asked with a suspicious grin.

Cloud blushed brightly. "No! It's not that – "

"Please, Cloud!" Sephiroth wailed, throwing his arms over his head and tossing his head back dramatically. He spoke in a withering, girlish falsetto, "Take me, please! I need you, you big sexy stud!"

Cloud laughed, "You're so stupid!"

"You're stupid. You're buildin' it up like it's a big deal. It's not hard, just … Stick it in and move around."

"You won't laugh if I'm bad, will you?" Cloud fretted. "I mean … I'm gonna look like a Chihuahua humping a Great Dane."

"I like Chihuahuas, though," Sephiroth smiled. "They're hot."

"So … Should I …?" Cloud just needed one last bit of encouragement, and looked into Sephiroth's eyes to implore him for it.

"Do me, already."

Cloud giggled, and moved up to his knees. He gently began to arrange Sephiroth's legs, trying to get the long, never ending limbs out of the way. He had no idea where to put them, and so settled for around his hips, feeling ridiculous. Those legs could have snapped him in half.

He didn't think about that, and instead put his hands under Sephiroth's ass and lifted him slightly. He was way too heavy to hold up, and Cloud seemed to be at a loss for what to do.

He already wanted to give up.

"My legs are too long, I'm like a horse or somethin'," Sephiroth admitted, trying to lighten the mood. He pulled back his knees to his chest, easily bending himself nearly in half without any effort, "Is that better?"

Cloud slowly nodded, marveling at the sight of Sephiroth … Presenting. For him. Before he could censor his mouth, he blurted, "I love your legs. I love your whole body."

"It loves you back," Sephiroth replied without skipping a beat.

"I just mean to say that it's amazing. So like, flexible. And just … Perfect – "

Sephiroth finally lost patience, "I don't want to hear another word until your cock is in me, awright?"

Cloud opened his mouth to confirm, but then closed it and nodded mutely. He knew he was stalling but he couldn't shake off his nerves. Sephiroth was spread open for him like a gorgeously presented buffet of sexiness. Not a single centimeter of his body wasn't beautiful, powerful, and completely up for grabs.

Cloud leaned down over him, positioning himself carefully. The head of his cock was pressed against Sephiroth's …

He suddenly reached out and seized the lube, and yanked off the cap.

"Not too much," Sephiroth told him. "Feels better with less, than more."

"Oh," Cloud gulped. He only used a small drop, and it spread easily over the head of his cock. He realigned their bodies, poised to enter.

He wanted to watch it go in, but he also wanted to watch Sephiroth's face for any sign of discomfort … Or any other lovely expression that might cross it. He decided he could watch himself go in anytime, and kept his eyes trained on Sephiroth's.

They were brightly lit and amused, peering up at him under dark lashes. Cloud smiled shyly down at him and began to carefully move his hips forward. When he felt himself actually begin to sink into tight heat, he couldn't help but glance down to where his cock was boldly going where no man had gone before.

It was jarring how hot it was inside of Sephiroth. Not just warm, but hot.

It was nothing like his fist, or even a mouth … And secretly, Cloud never fully understood what Sephiroth meant when he referred to him as tight. Sure, he figured it meant that he was small and Sephiroth was big, so it was a tight fit in a harsh sort of sense. Sephiroth would grit the observation out with grinding teeth, and Cloud almost wondered if 'tight' was an inconvenience.

But 'tight' was the opposite of harsh. It was soft, almost silky, and contracted with Sephiroth's breathing, squeezing a little bit before relaxing and letting Cloud push in deeper.

He felt so close to Sephiroth. To be inside someone he loved more than anything was … It was emotional. It was amazing.

Sephiroth made a small sound, and Cloud looked back up. His plump lips were parted, the edge of one of his razor sharp teeth had the bottom one trapped. Cloud swallowed and moved closer, inching farther inside.

He tried to imagine what Sephiroth was feeling, but couldn't get past what he himself was feeling. He didn't want to be the sort of man who'd cry during sex, but he couldn't help but sniff a bit as his vision wavered. "Shit," Sephiroth muttered when he saw a tear streak down Cloud's cheek. "What?"

Cloud shook his head. "Nothing. I just love you."

Sephiroth's expression softened. He was quiet for a moment before he replied, "I love you, too."

Cloud pushed in until he met Sephiroth's hips. He put his hands on the mattress and leaned down. He had to stretch his neck out to reach Sephiroth's lips, but he was determined to kiss him. They met with their mouths already open, tongues ready to taste and feel one another.

With his hands on the bed and his mouth against Sephiroth's, Cloud began to thrust gently between Sephiroth's legs.

Then he realized he hadn't even asked if Sephiroth was ready, yet! "Oh God, I'm sorry, are you – "

"You're all good, baby," Sephiroth told him between kisses. He made deep, rhythmic sounds in his throat in time with the gentle pushing. He stroked Cloud's hair, taking two handfuls of it. "You can gimme more."

Cloud gasped a little as Sephiroth's legs moved. One stayed between them while the other moved down to pull at his hips, urging him in deeper. He shivered slightly as he began to move with purpose, and rolled his hips in search of the perfect angle to make Sephiroth fully enjoy their first time in this way.

"Sit up on your knees," Sephiroth guided him. "You're long, you gotta work to angle it up."

Cloud obeyed his lover's suggestion, trying to focus on bringing him pleasure and not reveling in his own … But his blue eyes rolled a little bit as he sat up and saw what exactly was going on. Sephiroth was so beautiful, the most flawless man he'd ever laid eyes on, everything Cloud ever wanted to be ... And he was moving his hips, squeezing him, taking in as much of Cloud's cock as he could get.

Cloud surged against him, and it cause the General to gasp in shock. "Mn! …Yeah."

Encouraged, Cloud took Sephiroth's leg and used it to urge him onto his side. Sephiroth nodded and followed, allowing Cloud to drape one leg over his shoulder and straddle the other. This was he was able to get deeper, to put more power behind it. He hugged Sephiroth's leg, pressed a kiss against his knee as he began to rock his hips.

Cloud looked down, and groaned at the sight of Sephiroth's perfect body below him. Sephiroth's cock was rock hard and twitching slightly. Cloud wondered if it felt left out, and resolved to pay plenty of attention to it … But at the moment he was a bit too consumed with the rest of Sephiroth.

Cloud panted, "You … like it?"

Sephiroth licked the side of his mouth. "Don't sound surprised."

"I just …" Cloud continued rocking his hips, despite his verbal hesitance. "Just need … I wanna hear you say it."

"I fuckin' love it," Sephiroth growled with a smile. "I couldn't wait for you to shove that fuckin' cock in me."

Cloud gasped. "Why didn't you tell me sooner!"

"I wanted it to be your idea."

Cloud could accept that. He let one of his hands wander down Sephiroth's thigh, enjoying the soft skin that stretched over taut muscle. His thighs were the fleshiest part of Sephiroth's body, and Cloud squeezed, causing the General to lurch in ticklishness beneath him.

It also caused him to tighten extraordinarily, so much that Cloud squeaked loudly in a mixture of pleasure and pain.

Sephiroth laughed, and that just added to the tightness in toe-curling waves. "Don't tickle if you can't take the consequences."

Cloud winced, "I won't."

He left Sephiroth's thigh alone and moved his hand down to his main goal. Sephiroth was hard, and his balls bounced just slightly as Cloud began to move again. He ran his fingers over them, lifting them to let them drop again. Then he wrapped his fingers around Sephiroth's thick cock, pulling firmly at it.

"Are you close?" Cloud whispered, not wanting to spoil the mood with rushing, but he also didn't want to overdo it their first time.

"… It's been like five minutes."

Oh no! Cloud's eyes widened and he gawked at the digital clock next to the bed. Cloud could already feel his balls tightening and his lower stomach lurching with the aching need for release. He closed his eyes resolutely. Very carefully, he let go of Sephiroth's hardness and focusing on anything but him.

The slick heat squeezing his cock was impossible to ignore, however. With closed eyes, he was only left to fantasize about all the different ways he could fuck Sephiroth. Like on his hands and knees, for instance …

Cloud could feel his cock weeping precome. He didn't blame it one bit.

He opened his eyes and looked at Sephiroth, who was up on his elbows and watching Cloud move between his legs. His teeth were chewing his bottom lip again, almost sneering as he moved his hips with Cloud's. He looked up, and his dark eyelashes fluttered.

"Baby … You look fuckin' sexy right now," He purred. "Your body's gettin' so tight."

Cloud yanked himself out of Sephiroth and squeezed it, manhandling his package to stave off an abrupt orgasm. "Ugh! … Oh shit … Don't say 'tight'…"

Sephiroth chuckled and let his head fall back on the mattress. "This is fun!"

Cloud leaned down to kiss his stomach, letting himself cool off a bit. "Mm … It is fun."

Sephiroth propped up on an elbow. "Ya know, there's somethin' I never told you before …"

Cloud continued to kiss and lick at his lover's abs. "Hm?"

"I have a secret weapon against comin' too early. I use it sometimes when I think I'm gonna blow. Usually I hafta use it when you get on top … Watchin' you ride fuckin' kills me every time," Sephiroth trailed off fondly. "You might like my trick."

Cloud looked up, "What is it? Thinking about baseball scores or girls?"

Sephiroth shook his head, "Nah. I don't even think that'd work, anyways. The trick is … Slow."

"Slow?" Cloud tilted his head. "Like, move slowly?"

"Slow," Sephiroth repeated. "I cast it on myself just a little bit, center it on my lower body. Works like a charm, I still feel everythin' but my body works, well, slower."

Cloud laughed merrily, "Are you telling me you actually injure yourself in order to not come too soon?"

"Sure, it's worth it!" Sephiroth nodded happily. "Angeal told me about it."

Cloud laughed, "Okay, it's worth a try. Cast it on me."

"'Kay," Sephiroth said.

"It doesn't hurt, does it?" Cloud asked quickly, biting his lip.

"Nope," Sephiroth assured him. He wiggled his fingers slightly and Cloud waited for some sort of flash of light or any internal signal that his body was suffering a magic attack. Sephiroth smiled, "Try to move."

"… I am trying," Cloud blurted. He was trying to move up to his knees, but couldn't. His arms and hands were fine, and he could speak … But from the waist down, he wasn't exactly immobile, but very close to it. It was somewhat frightening, but also a little amusing.

Sephiroth helped him, and gently lowered him onto his back.

Cloud's eyes were wide as he watched the statuesque figure of General Sephiroth looming over him. Straddling him. Seeing the tightly wound muscles in his thighs alone from this angle alone made Cloud want to come. But everything else … The view was spectacular. His abs, his chest, his burning eyes. His hair, his perfect, fat cock pulsing between his legs.

Then, this other worldly creature reached behind himself, took Cloud's meager, mortal cock, and began to lower himself onto it.

Cloud squeaked, "Wh-what are you doing?"

Sephiroth laughed, "You can't move with Slow, someone's gotta do the work … Since you did last night, I don't mind at all."

"You're fucking amazing," Cloud blurted, glad that he could at least use his hands. He moved them to Sephiroth's thighs while perfect heat plunged down around him.

Sephiroth didn't seem bothered by their difference in size. He navigated Cloud's body easily enough, graceful in his placement of his limbs, utterly in control on his maiden voyage.

Since Cloud was no longer in danger of blowing his load, he smiled up at him. He liked to engage his lover in dirty talk, if only to see what the man would say. There was no telling what would come out of Sephiroth's mouth, especially during sex.

Cloud reached up to run his hands over Sephiroth's chest, admiring his physique while the man began to steadily lift and lower himself. It didn't qualify as a bounce, but it was close. Cloud smiled, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Whhhat?" Sephiroth gritted out, putting his hands on either side of Cloud's head. He pressed his weight on them and used his hips to work himself.

Cloud almost forgot what he wanted to ask. Once he'd regained his ability to speak, he asked, "I was wondering. You have the Boyfriend here … Do you ever … Use him?"

"Sure," Sephiroth told him, only slightly distracted as his ass met Cloud's thighs. He gently rocked his hips, bouncing in slow, smooth motions. "All the time."

"Do I feel as good?" Cloud asked, using his fingertips to ghost up and down Sephiroth's thighs.

"You feel so damn cute," Sephiroth sighed, his words slightly elongated.

That wasn't what he was expecting at all! Cloud frowned slightly, "Cute?"

Sephiroth nodded, apparently a little distracted. After a moment of positioning his hips, he continued to rock on top of Cloud. "It's like I … Can feel every little vein on it. I can feel all the little ridges on your head. I can feel your blood pumpin', too. It's really fuckin' cute."

Cloud licked his lips, knowing exactly what Sephiroth meant. Cute wasn't the word he'd use to describe it, but he could live with Sephiroth's description. His hands cupped Sephiroth's neck, and pulled him down. He followed, spreading his legs wider as he bent over Cloud's smaller form.

With his lips and tongue engaged, Cloud's hands brushed along hot skin around and back, to run down to Sephiroth's ass. He followed its movements, not wanting to disrupt whatever rhythm Sephiroth had discovered. He was hovering right over the edge of his own orgasm, and there was a definite freedom in not having to worry about holding it.

But he longed to be able to pump his hips up into Sephiroth. He sighed, "Can you take the Slow off me? I think I'm alright for a little bit."

"Lemme know if you want it again," Sephiroth said, nipping Cloud's lips. "Don't come … I'm not done."

Cloud nodded, and suddenly he was able to move. Before he even knew what he was doing, his hips were bucking wildly up off the mattress and into Sephiroth. He couldn't even stop himself, and he didn't particularly want to. Sephiroth reacted instantly, he'd been almost ginger in his riding of Cloud, not wanting to somehow hurt the more delicate body. But this pushed Sephiroth hard, and made him growl.

It felt so good. Cloud was crying out, his fingers digging into Sephiroth's hips as he made the General bounce with every upwards thrust. Cloud looked up, and noticed how prettily Sephiroth's hair was moving and catching the light.

"Oh shit! Seph, help!" Cloud groaned, and instantly he was immobile again. Blood gushed through his system, his balls clenched, but thankfully it abated just enough to allow him to stave off a premature ejaculation. His chest was heaving, and he collapsed back. "God damn it, I wish you didn't feel so fucking good."

Sephiroth laughed, "You don't even know how many times I've thought the same thing about you."

Cloud blushed even harder, "… How long are you … I mean …"

With a sigh, Sephiroth straightened up and began to almost lazily pump his cock. "I'll hurry."

"No!" Cloud moaned, and gently pushed Sephiroth's hands away. "I don't mean that! I don't want it to be over … I just need a … Time guesstimate. I need to … Organize myself or something! I need to ration my … My – Ung! – Ration my balls or something, I dunno – "

"Cloud?" Sephiroth called, interrupting his absurd line of thought.

"What?"

"We're gonna do this again. Plenty," Sephiroth smiled, rolling his hips to emphasize. "Don't stress 'bout this time, it's new. Next time … I'll make damn sure you're better organized. Hopefully we won't even need Slow. Sound good?"

Cloud nodded solemnly, knowing there was no other solution. "You don't … Think I'm a bad fucker, do you?"

Sephiroth laughed hard. "No, baby! You're an excellent fucker."

Cloud giggled with Sephiroth until he was nearly in tears, and then took Sephiroth's cock in both hands. He knew how to make squirm, but that squirming only added to the tightness around him. Cloud's eyes rolled shut, and he almost wanted to call mercy and accept the bottom for the remainder of their lovemaking. Being the top sure was a lot of physical responsibility! He was used to being able to come whenever he pleased – usually Sephiroth egged him on and chuckled when he popped too soon.

Now though, he had to resort to magical interference to hold it off. It was beyond frustrating! The combination of wanting more of that smooth heat and needing to get away from it before he went insane drove Cloud to pump Sephiroth hard.

The General move deliberately on top of him, working in whatever secret motions felt most pleasing to himself. He paid no attention to Cloud's needs because all he needed to do was breathe to make Cloud tense with need. So he just took in the sight of Cloud so worked up and ready; Sephiroth always thought the flush he would get across his chest was sexy. Now the little blondie was practically breaking out in hives.

Sephiroth liked having that effect on him, Cloud was always so responsive and giving in every way. He let his mind drift a bit while looking down at Cloud, thinking towards the future and perhaps a time when they would be well acquainted with every part of each other's bodies. A time when they would be able to work each other to perfection.

Not that these baby steps didn't have their charm. Sephiroth smiled down as Cloud began to work through the Slow status effect, his hips slowly rolling up. Those tiny motions from an oversexed, overeager teenager were filed away, and would probably be sexier than any pounding an older Cloud would eventually deliver.

Sephiroth licked his lips, watching as Cloud forced his body to move. He wanted to see more, and began to draw the Slow out of Cloud's system slowly.

Cloud didn't seem to notice the gradual regain of control of his lower body. He was busy working and twisting Sephiroth's length with one hand, the other wandering over his hip to his perfect ass. Cloud dug his fingers in slightly, lost in his own experience, completely unguarded and not even realizing that Sephiroth was watching him.

Cloud's eyelashes brush closed and he dug his head back. Sephiroth bent over and kissed his throat, unable to resist. Cloud leaned up quickly and nudged Sephiroth's forehead with his lips, until their mouths met. With both hands on Sephiroth's ass, Cloud pulled him forward in a steady, restrained rhythm, not even realizing that the Slow was completely gone.

Sephiroth ground himself against Cloud's lean stomach, loving the sound of Cloud's whining moans. He came to the realization that he was free from Slow, and shouted desperately into Sephiroth's mouth.

"C'mon," Sephiroth whispered, slipping a hand between them to wring himself. "Do it. I'm ready. I want it."

Spilling onto Cloud's stomach didn't feel like masturbation – it was just a means to a very pleasurable end. Cloud choked out a hoarse cry of Sephiroth's name, and then his teeth suck into his bottom lip. Sephiroth felt his lover come from the inside out with a shock of wet heat. It was so different, and so fucking cute, there was no other word that he could use to explain it.

An orgasm from the other end was slightly shocking for both parties. Cloud could feel the clenching in Sephiroth's body, and it felt like the General had had a hard one … It amazed Cloud to think that he could do that to him. He could do anything to him.

For several moments they laid there together, until Cloud began to whimper from over stimulation, and pushed up on Sephiroth's waist. He moved off of Cloud, who was paralyzed and looked positively wrecked, and went to the bathroom to assume his cleanup duties.

Sephiroth sat on the toilet and was bemused to find himself doing something that Cloud normally did after sex. He found a tiny bit of blood, no big deal. The bigger deal was the holy huge load that was slowly creeping out of his ass. He wondered if there was a way to speed up the process.

"What's the fuckin' deal, Cloud? There's like a gallon of your jizz in me," Sephiroth called loudly, hoping to get a reaction.

"There's another gallon of yours on the underside of my chin," Cloud complained with a smile, appearing in the doorway with a slow, relaxed trod. He stopped at the sink and looked at himself, sliding fingers absent-mindedly through the semen blotting his chest, chin and face. "It'd be easier if we were girls. Not so much mess."

"You don't know much about dykes, then," Sephiroth retorted, and wiped between his legs with a wad of toilet paper. "I've stayed with Rhonda and Julie overnight. There's a huge mess after they fuck. And it takes forever. And ya can smell it all day. It's pretty invasive to outside parties."

"How do you know this? They fucked with you in the room? When did this happen?"

Before Cloud could get worked up, Sephiroth clarified, "A while back, I stayed in the room their kids have now, next door to theirs. This place was gettin' the pipes fixed. And I only know about the mess because I offered to do the laundry and some other chores to help out. Big mistake all around. I found used tampons, too."

"Jesus," Cloud grimaced. "Living with Cam, I forgot all about periods. So gross."

"And babies," Sephiroth shook his head. "Even grosser."

"And douching."

"You douche," Sephiroth accused. "I guess I should too, at some point?"

"I don't wanna talk about that!" Cloud blushed, wiping himself down quickly with a towel.

"What? Why? It's just an enema, no big – "

"Sephiroth!" Cloud shrieked. "Let's have a little mystique, okay? Just a little!"

"Mystique? I eat your ass regularly. There's no mystique left, cutie."

Cloud threw the towel in the sink. "You don't need to know about anything I do to make myself … Cute. And I don't need to know about you. As far as we're concerned, we both were fucking born that way. Deal?"

Cloud held out a pinkie. Sephiroth smiled, and in the name of mystique, took the delicate little finger in his own and twisted it. "Deal. Although … You taste awesome either way."

Cloud was still red, but was smiling. "… You too."

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

It was over.

Cloud, along with every other boy in the entire Shin-Ra Military Academy was stripping their clothes off.

It was one of the greatest moments of his life. Every single boy in the entire school was crawling all over campus in their underwear. It was tradition to strip down after the last class of the school year, and everyone had donned colorful, patriotic, or downright ridiculous underwear.

You don't fuck with tradition.

Cloud and Cameron had gone brief shopping just for that specific occasion the weekend before. Cloud had bought a pair of briefs that had a donkey on the crotch, and declared 'Smart Ass' on the back. Cameron's boxer briefs were black and pink with Hello Kitty print, which they were certain every boy in the whole fucking school would also have, but they were the only ones that were big enough for him.

He didn't know where Cam was, and he couldn't be bothered with looking for him. Mostly naked and with the sun shining on his hair, Cloud fell back into the grass and looked up at the polluted Midgar sky, then at the sea of hot boys in their underwear as they pranced by.

He waved happily to several naked boys he knew. A friend named Andrew who he always paired up with in sword training, buff Gary from the gym who was straight as an arrow but made it his habit to kiss Cloud on the cheek or forehead almost daily, a harmless stoner named Ben who used to be fat, and was always apt to share a cigarette.

Skylar stopped to talk in his purple boxers with polka dots, "We made it."

"I can't believe the year's over," Cloud grinned. "It felt like three."

"It was long, but at least we're not so scrawny anymore," Skylar pointed out.

And it was true. Overnight, Cloud had broken out with a terrible case of ABS! It had startled him in the mirror, and he was so excited he'd begun going shirtless whenever he could manage it. Meanwhile, Skylar had obtained a growth spurt that Cloud envied … He was turning into quite the hunk.

But he was still a little boy at heart, and bounced on his knees, "Next year we get magic!"

Cloud grinned, "I don't wanna think about next year, yet. I wanna enjoy the break and let my mind fucking rot for a minute."

Skylar laughed, "Same here, oh my God. I've gotta go grab my stuff and get the hell out of here."

And then, an odd moment. Skylar leaned forward, and then stopped. Cloud watched him curiously, and then reached out to touch his arm.

They met in the middle with a quick hug. Skylar tried not to focus on how smooth Cloud's skin was, or the warmth of his bare, tan shoulders in the summer sun, or gentle smell of his shampoo. And he didn't even dare glance at the bulge in Cloud's briefs. These were nice things, the kind of things that made a young man's heart race, but he knew they were not right for each other in that way.

So Skylar released him after a friendly and respectful hug length. "Have a good vacation, Cloud. And happy birthday."

"… See ya," Cloud murmured. But Skylar didn't move away immediately, and it sent a shock of chill fear down Cloud's spine. 'Not another Reno incident, please! I'm in underwear this time!'

The spell was broken by Cameron, who nearly crushed the both of them with his sudden weight. After a full year of training, the young man was becoming a wall of muscle likened General Angeal Hewley. Cam was becoming physically formidable, but still a complete moron.

He was screaming unintelligibly, and Cloud only made out the word 'FINALLY!' somewhere in the Midgar drawling banshee wail.

"Get off me you fat fuck!" Cloud shouted, nearly breathless.

Skylar was wiggling helplessly, his recent muscle tone didn't exempt him from Cameron's ability to crush anything he landed on to pieces. Cameron finally moved off of them, only to sit up and grab them both into a manic hug, "WE'S FUCKIN' ROOMMATES AGAIN NEXT YEAR, CLOUD! AN' IN DA SAME ROOM AS WE IS NOW!"

This was the only string Cloud ever brought to Sephiroth's attention, which the General was happy to pull. He got to stay with Cameron in the same room, meaning they struck the Academy lottery of not having to move their stuff over break, and didn't have to get used to a brand new person the following year. Or the year after that, for that matter.

But he accepted Cam's fierce hug and pretended to be surprised with him, "Holy shit, that's terrible news! I wanted to get the hell away from you!"

"YOU CAN'T GO ANYWHERE'S, PSYCHO NEEDS YOU! I NEED YOU! YOU'S MY LITTLE FUCKIN' NORDIC BITCH FOREVER!"

"Says WHO?" Cloud shouted, punching at Cam's shoulders.

"SAYS ME!" Cameron gave Cloud a rough kiss squarely on his lips, then yanked Skylar's head in for a kiss as well, "WE ARE FUCKIN' OUT OF SCHOOL YOU STUPID GAY SONS A BITCHES! WHY DA FUCK ARE WE LAYIN' AROUND MAKIN' OUT FOR! WE GOTTA GO GETTA DRINK BEFORE'S WE ALL SPLIT UP!"

There was no attempting to stop Cameron when he was like this, he was an absolute tornado of a man. Cloud accepted his fate and let the bigger boy pull him to his feet, and Skylar was quick to follow, especially after a kiss from Cameron. The bleach blonde would take what he could get.

By the time they'd reached the dorm, Cameron finally calmed down a little bit. He pulled Cloud, Skylar, Skylar's friend Mark, a funny kid named Cory, some kid with a vagina printed on the front of his briefs, and his other close friend Mikey into their dorm room and slammed the door conspiratorially. "Now don't gimme no shit for not tellin' you's guys, especially you Cloud … but lookie what I got …"

Cam opened his closet, and from the mess of clothes, he produced the largest bottle of Jack Daniels that Cloud had ever seen in his life. It was the size of a small child. Then, he pulled out another one. And a case of Coke. And a large bottle of Vodka. And a case of orange juice sippy bottles. And Cherry Brandy. And Wild Turkey. And Vanilla Schnapps. And three six packs of beer.

Cloud balked, "When did you get all this? And how did you get it in here?"

"Shh," Cam said softly, and handed him the vodka.

Around five that evening, Sephiroth answered a call from Cloud, expecting to hear a load of whining because he was working until nine that evening. Instead of Cloud's voice, he was greeted by the sounds of loud music, boisterous schoolboys, and then a drunken Nibelheim slur, "Hallllo Sephhh…"

Sephiroth took off his glasses and leaned back in his chair, "You're drunk. Where are you?"

"My room," Cloud made a noise of affirmation, then went on to say, "Did you know – and I'm jussst guesssing, but I think – did you know that I lovvve you more than I love myssself? I love you ssso mush I could jussst KILL YOU!"

"Makes sense," Sephiroth chuckled. "Well, I love you, too."

"God that's fuckinnng hot when yooou saaay that," Cloud commented heatedly. "Will you commme to this party? We're alll in our underwear annn' I'd love it if you were in youuur underwear, too! Gosh there's a lot leffft to drink. Come help us drink it!"

"I'm a General, remember?" Sephiroth grinned, fondly remembering the days when he would attend those parties himself. "I'm s'posed to break up these kinds of things and sternly punish all Cadets involved for drinkin' on school grounds."

"PFFFFT!" Cloud didn't seem bothered by this. "Sephhh I love you ssso mush. Can I come over tomorrrow instead of tonnnight though? There'sss so much booze left annn' you wanna talllk to Madonnna? Asksksa quessstion 'bout Guyyy?"

Sephiroth wasn't even listening anymore, "That's exactly right, Cloud."

"Oh good. I'll call yooou because I love you so mush. I'll call you. Handsome ass mooother fucccker. I'll call you around sixxx in tha morning because I cannn't be without you for morrre than an hour!"

"You are so not gonna call me at six," Sephiroth laughed heartily. "You're gonna be on the fuckin' throne, if you're conscious at all."

"Donnn't tell me what I'm gonna do!" Cloud disagreed angrily. Someone in the background complained about Cloud apparently spilling something on them. "I'mmm gonna DO what I wanna DO!"

"Alright tough guy, you enjoy your party awright? Call me tomorrow."

"Sixxx hunnndred hours, General Sssitonmyface."

Sephiroth barked laughter, "Okay SOLDIER, be safe. And sleep on your side for me, okay?"

"Any way you wannnt me," Cloud said before hanging up.

Sephiroth did not receive a call at six the next morning. He received a call at one in the afternoon, in the middle of a run through Midgar Park. He smirked when he saw who was finally calling, and ran in place while he picked up with a cheerful pant, "Good afternoon!"

"… Sephiroth …" Was the dark, ominous reply.

"Yes, dear?"

"… Please … Please … I need you so bad …"

"Whatever for?"

"… Peel me off the bathroom floor … Been here for hours … Days …" Cloud sounded like he was crying.

"Can you wait a little while longer, babe? I need to run home and take a quick shower."

"Don't care … How dirty you are … I need to know that … You're coming right now. Please …" The begging ended with an unidentifiable whine. Suddenly there was nothing but pitiful moans of upheaval, and the unmistakable sound of vomit hitting toilet water.

Sephiroth was tempted to hang up, but managed to make it through the sickening sound effects of his lover in peril. He sighed. "On my way. Did you have fun last night?"

Cloud gasped for air, sniffed hard and then answered the question. "Ung … Hell yeah I had fun."

"Didn't fuck anyone did you?" Sephiroth asked, half joking, half serious.

"What? Not even," Cloud muttered. "We were having a séance all night. We were talking to Madonna, it was creepy."

"She's ain't dead!"

"How do you know?"

Sephiroth didn't believe this far fetched alibi one bit, that is until he found the evidence strewn all over Cloud's room. Four passed out boys and three barely conscious ones, all in their underwear and t-shirts and not the faintest odor of sex. Instead, they were accompanied by dozens of empty bottles, a vomit soaked quija board, destroyed Madonna CDs, and puddles of candle wax all over the carpet.

"You guys are so fuckin' dumb," Sephiroth declared.

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

Sephiroth heaved a heavy sigh of frustration for the thousandth time. Cloud was getting tired of the grunty sounds of his boyfriend's aggravation, and the constant stop and go of the tank was making him severely carsick.

"Why don't you just let me drive?" Cloud cried, tightening his arms around his mid section to stave off another wave of putrid nausea. It wasn't from an epic hangover, but dreaded motion sickness, which was twice as bad since his stomach was still sensitive.

"Bein' on this road is nerve wrackin' enough without not havin' control," Sephiroth gritted through his teeth, squeezing the wheel of the tank between his fingers tight enough to cause his arms to tremble. He slammed on the breaks again, and then carefully touched the gas.

Stop, go. Stop, go. Cloud pressed his forehead to the window and looked out at the dry, mountainous landscape.

They were currently one thousand, four hundred and seventy feet off the ground on the small dirt road that curled along the side of Mt. Nibelheim. The hefty tank just barely fit on the slim channel. But while it was frightening for Sephiroth, Cloud had learned to drive on this road and knew it well. It never stopped being scary, but with the way Sephiroth was hesitantly driving, it made it far worse than it had to be.

Cloud howled, "This is going to take hours at this rate, and I'm about to throw up! I'll have us up and off this road in twenty minutes, I promise."

"No," Sephiroth growled, pushing his foot into the break and tapping the gas, causing them to lurch and for rocks to tumble over the edge and down to the ground far, far below.

Cloud unbuckled his seat belt, "I'm sure we'll be fine if we fall, but your truck will be toast."

Sephiroth slammed on the breaks again and frowned. "Is fallin' a real possibility?"

"The road narrows up ahead," Cloud then squeezed Sephiroth's hand, and cleverly slid his fingers beneath to separate it from its' rigor mortis grip on the wheel. "Trust me. I'll have us up in no time. I need to go to the bathroom. Please?"

Sephiroth hesitated for a few moments before he unbuckled himself, "Awright."

He slid across the stick shift while Cloud crossed his lap. Cloud was tempted to flirt, but Sephiroth seemed in no mood for grabass. When they settled in their respective seats, they buckled themselves back in. Cloud wiggled on the heavily warmed seat, and began to reacquaint himself with the controls for the massive tank. Sephiroth couldn't help but close his eyes after taking in the ridiculous sight of delicate Cloud behind the wheel of his precious monster. He sighed again as Cloud clumsily gunned the engine, and opened his mouth to lay down some ground rules for proper care and handling of his other baby.

Cloud cut him off before he could utter a single syllable, "Don't tell me how to drive."

The tank lurched and nearly tore them off the side of the mountain, but instead of stomping the breaks, Cloud held his foot down on the gas and the wheel sharply to the side, and had them spiraling up the mountain at an alarming rate.

Sephiroth was determined not to appear as freaked out as he was, and settled against the headrest. It was true that he could and would have himself and Cloud out of the tank in moments if the unthinkable happened and they slipped off the criminally thin road ... But it was his tank! His metal, mechanical pride and joy! It would break his heart to see it as a crumpled pile of scrap metal, a poor casualty at the base of this stupid mountain.

Cloud's tongue was stuck out in concentration as he moved the wheel with the curve of the steep road, while keeping the pressure on the gas steady. That was the trick: no hesitation.

Cloud laughed a little, "Coming down is a lot more fun."

"Can't wait," Sephiroth frowned, crossing his leg over his knee nervously.

Within fifteen minutes, the road very suddenly widened and leveled out. That was record time for Cloud, and he celebrated with a couple of loud, joyous honks of the horn, "See? Piece of cake!"

Sephiroth blew a puff of air in bemusement. Then he winced when he saw a semi-truck waiting to descend the road, the only thing stopping it from rolling right on down the skinny path and killing them all was a crude, old fashioned stop light system. That was a disaster waiting to happen if he ever saw one. Sephiroth was tempted to ask if that light ever failed, but decided to keep his mouth shut: they'd have to make the descent themselves, in a few days and he didn't feel like worrying about it.

"Just a second," Cloud murmured, and pulled over on the side of the road. He literally leapt from the tank, eager to stand on solid ground. He inhaled and exhaled deeply for several moments before he unzipped his pants and began to shamelessly piss into the patchy grass beside the tank. Sephiroth smiled at the little hop Cloud performed before he zipped back up and climbed into the driver's seat.

"Feel better?"

"Tons. Want me to drive the rest of the way?" Cloud asked sweetly, reaching over to caress Sephiroth's knee.

"Sure. You know where we're goin', anyways," he agreed. Cloud's skills had proven respectable, and he was sick of driving anyways.

Cloud was delighted, and took the chance to rev the engine and put some of the tank's formidable power to use with boyish enthusiasm. He knowingly took turns and passes on the graveled roads, some of them quite steep, some of them winding, all of them the last place on the planet Sephiroth wanted to be.

He felt his stomach tighten again, this time with nerves of a different variety. He'd gladly put off meeting Cloud's family indefinitely if he could possibly help it. But with April Strife's decision to relocate to Junon, Sephiroth's tank had been volunteered to assist with the move.

In only two more days, Cloud was turning seventeen. Not only was it his birthday, it was his summer vacation. And the only thing he wanted for his birthday weekend was to help his mother pack up their old home, put it up for sale, and help her get to Junon comfortably.

How could he say no without looking like a complete asshole? He couldn't.

It didn't stop him from wanting to, though.

It had been nearly a full year since Cloud had been home, and while he knew he'd never live in Nibelheim again during his life, it didn't stop him from missing it. He wanted to see his mom, his aunts, his cousins, his grandma, his great grandma, his house, his old junk ... His records. Sephiroth had accepting the responsibility of adopting his record player and collection, and that was reason enough to make a cross-continental trip as far as Cloud was concerned.

"I could shit my pants!" Cloud cried out of nowhere with a bounce in the driver's seat. "We're like ten minutes away from home!"

Sephiroth smiled, but it was more of an awkward showing of his teeth. Cloud was far too happy to notice the lack of genuine enthusiasm. Another short, winding road, and they could see the Nibelheim town gates. It was quaint enough, as was the old style of architecture that the town had employed. They drove through like visitors from outer space, slowly passing by the whimsical buildings and picturesque, run down water tower. The setting sun made the sky pink, purple and dusty, the small lit windows adding to the delicate charm.

Then Sephiroth became thunderstruck by a sudden realization: this was not some Hollywood recreation of an old, shitty town. This actually was, an old, shitty town.

Nothing was manufactured for aesthetic value ... This was how these people really lived. Sephiroth's inner decorator nearly passed out. He wanted to upgrade everything he saw with steel, pleasing red brick, mocha tones and termite-proof lacquer, floor to ceiling shop windows with back lighting, and manicured gardens as far as the eye could see.

Sephiroth knew in that moment, without a doubt, that he was a city boy. He needed to be surrounded by concrete to feel comfortable.

He kept his face perfectly neutral while inwardly gawking at the hideous buildings, the unsightly construction, the unappealing locals in their heavy flannel and overalls, peacoats and wool. When someone strolled out of the five and dime wearing a fucking bonnet, Sephiroth had to pipe up, "... Are you actually from here?"

Cloud just glanced at him with a smile. Cloud was stylish and young, but there was always something that made him different from most people Sephiroth had ever known. It wasn't just that Cloud had struggled to be different from the bass ackwards people that he'd grown up with ... Cloud was just different in general. He was two hundred years ahead of this town's time, and it had catapulted him into some other realm entirely. Sephiroth only thanked God that he wasn't burned at the stake as a young child.

To Sephiroth's mounting dismay, Cloud stopped the car in front of a modest home that fit right into the ridiculous scenery. It was rustic, old, and utterly hysterical to think that Cloud had dwelt there for the better part of his young life.

Cloud ejected himself from the driver's seat and ran up the steps, then stopped when he realized Sephiroth had not gotten out of the tank, yet. He laughed and rushed back to his door to retrieve him by force. He then pulled his slightly unwilling lover to his former childhood home.

Cloud began to feel in his pockets for his keys, but the door was torn open before he could pull them out. Sephiroth blinked at the extremely small, young blonde woman who yanked Cloud into a hug. It was hard to imagine that the fear mongering voice on the other end of the phone was this petite thing.

"How did you get so big?" She asked sternly, holding his face in her hands and shaking it. Her blue eyes moved with tears as she continued to squeeze her son's face. "And you are so cute! Were you always this cute!"

"Yes!" Cloud laughed, trying to shake himself free of her death grip. "Mom, let go!"

April most certainly did not, and kissed Cloud's forehead, his nose, and his cheeks before pulling him into a bear-like hug. There was a lit cigarette in one of her hands, but she kept it away from Cloud's skin and hair was practiced ease. She asked, "Was the drive okay?"

"Yeah," Cloud said, accepting the hugs and kisses with a red face, and rubbing her arms in an attempt to placate her strong desire for affection.

After another hug she finally relented, and Cloud gave Sephiroth a slightly embarrassed smile. April blatantly sized him up for several moments before putting out her hand.

Sephiroth leaned down to give it a quick kiss, "I'm glad to finally meet you."

"Be more glad you're a fucking giant, or else I'd kick your ass."

Cloud bellowed, "Oh, mom!"

Sephiroth bit back what he really wanted to say, and merely faked a handsome laugh with practiced political ease. "I'm sure you could, ma'am."

He'd choose politeness over cheekiness with Cloud's mother, at least until he knew her better. He actually gave a shit what she thought, especially since he was doomed to have the small woman in his life a lot more often with her relocation. His life was turning to shit.

April blew a puff of smoke in his direction. "You'd better believe it. Let's not fucking stand here all day. People will talk if I have two devilishly handsome men on my front porch," She gave a scathing glare to the surrounding neighborhood. "More than they usually do, anyways."

Sephiroth was pleased to see that the home was extremely clean, and not at all the dusty, kitschy, ceramic figured affair he'd had in mind when seeing the outside of the building. The only knick knacks appeared to be little clay animals that Cloud had made as a child, and a couple of framed childhood drawings done in crayon and splattered with glitter. There were also photos of Cloud that seemed to represent each year in school, and even his current Academy badge photo.

"I have dinner ready, sit for a minute and I'll set the table," April commanded, drawing his attention away from the mementos.

Cloud puffed out his chest, "Mom! I'm not a guest, I'll help you!"

"That's new," she remarked, but motioned for him to follow her into the kitchen.

Cloud leaned in close to Sephiroth, "You are a guest, though. Sit down."

He stole a kiss off Sephiroth's lips and didn't give him time to argue before flitting into the kitchen on his mother's heels. She began taking a cottage pie out of the oven, where it had been left to cool down. The sight was so familiar and missed, that he couldn't resist hugging her from behind. "It doesn't feel like I've been gone long at all."

"No, it doesn't," she answered, touching his face after she set the pie on the table. "This'll be our last couple days in the house. I'm glad you came back."

"Me too," He said, keeping close to her as she moved around the kitchen like a baby chick that needed guiding. He leaned in even closer and whispered, "So ... What do you think of him?"

"Sephiroth?" She shrugged, turning to get plates. "He's a guy."

"In a good way?" Cloud begged, taking the plates from her and putting them on the table.

"It's just funny to me, he's the complete opposite of what I would have pictured for you. Not saying he's bad, just different," She began to cut a head of lettuce into a mixing bowl.

Cloud's love for Sephiroth didn't hinge on his mother's approval, but he had to ask, "Why? He's beautiful! He's funny, he's passionate, he's successful, he's strong, he loves me ... What did you have in mind for me? Some local boy who won't even hold my hand in the street? Some soccer hooligan who cuts down trees and has back hair? Some guy who would take me to live in some cabin on the outskirts of town, sleeping with one eye open in case the villagers come to set the token faggots on fire?"

"Well that was certainly dramatic," April commented with a grimace. "It's not Midgar, but Nibelheim isn't that bad."

Cloud gave a heaving teenage sigh, "Well you didn't grow up here gay. You have no idea how it can be."

"Yeah, what do I know? I just grew up here with a baby," she said while lighting a cigarette. Once it was torched, she laughed, "A gay baby, at that."

Another sigh. "Whatever, it's not the same."

"It's our last weekend here. Let's not bullshit about things we can't change," April decided with a kiss to Cloud's forehead.

Cloud wasn't done yet, "So, if Seph isn't right for me, what should I be looking for that'll make me so much happier?"

"On paper, he couldn't be better," April agreed. "I just always pictured you with someone ... With dark hair. Someone a little closer to your age, some real smartass kind of goofball that you could chase around and take care of."

Cloud blushed slightly, thinking of someone who definitely fit that bill, "That guy's straight, mom."

"Sephiroth is too serious for you."

"No he's not! He's just nervous, you're not giving him a chance to open up and be himself yet."

"Well, what do I know, then?" She laughed.

"Mom! I love this man with all my heart!" Cloud cried, his voice echoing right into the living room – as if Sephiroth couldn't hear every word that was being said, anyways. "I want you to tell me he's perfect!"

She set the bowl of salad on the table and grabbed Cloud by the scruff of his hair. "He's a man, like you. And all you men are filthy, wild, disgusting animals. And no matter what happens, you could always do better. Don't forget that."

Cloud stared up at her for a few moments before smiling, "I missed you."

"Same to you," she let him go to open the window to let her cigarette smoke waft out. "He is perfect, Cloud. Until he doesn't make you happy anymore – he's perfect."

"I know!" Cloud grinned happily, and then swung the kitchen door open. "Seph, we're done talking about you now, come get some food!"

"Fantastic," Sephiroth called dryly. He entered the room looking almost as uncomfortable as he felt, but ventured for a joke. "You're not gonna be eatin' me, are you?"

"I probably will later," Cloud smiled cheekily, pulling him to the table. If April was offended by such a comment, she didn't show it. Sephiroth decided to kiss his forehead after being forced into a seat between the two of them, and she didn't react beyond lighting a new cigarette.

It hung from her mouth as she began to dish out gooey slices of the cottage pie and smaller bowls of salad. "So here's the situation, boys. I have most of the house packed up. What I need you two to do this weekend is your room, the attic, and help me with the kitchen."

"The attic?" Cloud moaned.

April ignored him, "We have the real estate agent coming to get the keys on Monday morning, so it has to be spotless by then."

Sephiroth didn't hear a word of it. He was too busy digging into his meal, which was ridiculously delicious. Cloud was also stuffing his face with the familiar dish, but still found the will to complain, "How are we supposed do all that in two days? That will take up most of my vacation!"

"Maybe if it was just your lazy ass working. But your giant is here to help you, right Seph?" She asked, smiling at him as he inhaled his food. "And the family will come over to take what we're not bringing with us. They'll help us out."

"Yeah, by getting in the way and giving orders," Cloud grumbled, picking at his food moodily. "... Is my dad coming by?"

"If you want him to," April said, finishing off her salad before moving onto the pie. "He doesn't know you're here, I didn't tell him."

Cloud hummed thoughtfully. "… I'm not ready, yet. And we'll be busy packing."

Sephiroth finally came up from his food for air, "We'll get started after dinner."

April smiled, "That eager to get the fuck out of here?"

"You have no idea," Sephiroth said before he could stop himself. April seemed delighted with her first glimpse of his true personality, and laughed her glorious smoker's laugh.

Cloud was still looking at her. "Will you be disappointed if I don't see him?"

"It's your choice, Clow," She told him. Privately, she was thrilled to have sole custody of her son, even though he was now a man. Of course, she did share custody with the silver-haired man before her. And he was such an … Odd looking creature. Pretty, and built well, but features that just didn't make sense.

Sephiroth noticed her staring, and nodded with a smile. She watched him take another big bite of food, and was a bit shocked at his mouth full of razor sharp canine teeth. How … Bizarre. She needed to get to the bottom of this.

"How old are you?" She suddenly asked.

Sephiroth shoved more pie into his mouth. "Cloud didn't tell you?"

"He did, but I'm asking you."

"Twenty-three," He answered.

"Twenty-three," she paused to tap the ash off her cigarette. "Forgive me for being rude or blunt … But what the fuck are you supposed to be, exactly?"

"Mom!" Cloud shouted.

Sephiroth swallowed his food slowly. "Well … I'm a General. That means that I have authority over – "

"No, I mean … Your eyes. I've never seen eyes like yours in my life."

"It's a rare birth defect," Sephiroth responded easily, and rattled off a medical term that Cloud knew for a fact was made up. He was giving April's mother a press response. "It's an elongation of the pupil, and only effects my vision for reading, which I have corrective lenses for."

"Show me your teeth."

"What is this, Little Red Riding Hood?" Cloud lamented. "Leave him alone, mom!"

Sephiroth ran his tongue over them inside his mouth, before pointedly baring them for her for a few seconds. "I had a few knocked out in the Academy and in war, these are temporary corrective denture replacements, so don't be alarmed."

April hummed. "… And your hair? Gray at twenty-three is awfully sad. Why don't you dye it?"

Sephiroth shrugged a shoulder. "No time in the field. Plus it earns me a little bit of respect from the older vets."

"Hair down to your knees earns your respect?" April prodded.

"Yes."

"I see," April said with an air of finality. Both Sephiroth and Cloud breathed a sigh of relief before she pulled her trump card. "So, a respected, twenty-three year old with corrective lenses, dentures and gray hair falls in love with a sixteen year old Cadet?"

"MOTHER."

"Cloud tells me you were quite the wonderful mother at the age of sixteen," Sephiroth commented smoothly.

"Don't try to call me a hypocrite."

"Then don't try to call me a pedophile."

There was a loaded silence as they both remained still, sizing each other up as contenders for the brawl that was brewing.

"How about this?" Cloud interrupted cheerfully. "Nobody's a hypocrite, and definitely nobody's a pedophile. Sixteen is perfectly legal, seventeen is even more legal, and I think we all need a drink!" He then quickly got up from the table and went to the cabinet that usually held the liquor.

"There's vodka in the freezer," April suggested, then turned her attention back to Sephiroth, "If I really thought you were a pedophile, I'd have done something about it a long time ago. I wanna hear it from you, face to face, why you're choosing to be with my son."

"Mom, what are you doing?" Cloud frowned.

"Grilling the fuck out of your boyfriend," April said, looking directly into Sephiroth's eyes.

"Awright. You wanna grill me? I'll spell it out for you," Sephiroth quickly accepted and swallowed a shot of Jack Daniels that Cloud placed in front of him. "Cloud's the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"Jesus," Cloud muttered, and took a long drink straight from the bottle before refilling Sephiroth's shot glass.

Sephiroth didn't drink it, and continued, "He calls me every single day of his life to tell me about what's happened, and it always sounds like an adventure. I could listen to this kid talk for the rest of my life. He makes me laugh like nobody ever has, the way he reacts to things and his point of view just cracks me up. He's very smart though, and he's dedicated, and he's got the kindest fuckin' heart out of anyone I've ever met. And April, that is not some regurgitated bullshit people in relationships say, but don't understand the meanin' of. This man … your son is so beautiful inside.

"Best of all, he gets me. Not many people do. Why wouldn't I wanna be with him?"

"You forgot to mention how cute he is, "April smiled, and somehow managed to cancel out every ounce of negativity in the room. She was more than pleased with Sephiroth's answer because it was truly from the heart, and a pleased Strife woman made a happy house indeed.

Sephiroth appraised Cloud with a raised eyebrow. "Eh, it kind of goes without sayin'. He knows he's adorable."

Adorable indeed, and Cloud felt like his face was on fire. "Can we please change the subject?"

"No we cannot," April decided, taking another drink. "I've had to listen to you talk about Sephiroth all year. It's about time I heard about you."

"I could tell you plenty," Sephiroth said, then turned to Cloud. "What else is there to drink?"

"Half a bottle of everything on Earth," Cloud shrugged, clinking bottles and perfectly happy to be talking about something else. "Want some Nibelheim whiskey? It's good."

"We should probably drink it all, less to pack," April reasoned. "Save some for your aunts tomorrow, though."

"Just gimme the whiskey bottle," Sephiroth nodded.

"Cloud honey, will you make me another drink, too? This one's going fast," April said, scooting her chair to lean closer to Sephiroth. "You gotta forgive me for the grilling."

"It's cool, I get it."

"So, give me the dirt!"

He was swallowing liquor like it was water, "What kind of dirt, exactly?"

April disagreed, "I want dirty dirt on Cloud."

"Clean dirt!" Cloud cried.

"Dirty dirt, huh?" Sephiroth scratched his head. "Well ... on occasion, Cloud's a screamer."

"Sephiroth!" Cloud shrieked, nearly dropping a bottle.

"Just like that," Sephiroth nodded.

April laughed heartily, "More!"

"NO!"

"Oh, I have a story!" Sephiroth suddenly declared, and took another long drink before settling closer to April to dish. "It happened about a month ago, the last time we went out to the club."

Cloud's face was already blood red, "Please don't tell this story ..."

Sephiroth ignored him, "It was a good night, we did the dancin' thing and the drinkin' thing."

"Do you actually dance?" April inquired.

"Not well."

"Liar!" Cloud interrupted, setting more drinks in front of them. "You dance like a stripper!"

Sephiroth shrugged, not at all embarrassed. "I guess. Well, we danced and stuff, and I kinda let him drink a little too much. It was his night to unwind though, I just wanted to give him everything he wanted. I shoulda cut him off, but ... I can't say no to Cloud. Ever."

"It's easy, I'll teach you how," April told him.

"But that face …" Sephiroth smiled, reaching out to press Cloud's nose. "He's an angel."

"He's a monster," April disagreed.

"Fuck you," Cloud drawled dryly and took another mouthful of Schnapps.

"Little bastard!" April's fist shot out and she knocked her son right in the chest, causing him to hiccup half his drink back into the bottle. "You gonna talk to your mother like that?"

"No, ma'am," Cloud sang, hiding his smile as he drank some more. His mother's abuse didn't actually hurt, anymore.

"Go on," April urged Sephiroth.

"Well anyways. On the way home from the club on the train, Cloud wanted to ..." Sephiroth stared at her for a moment, unsure of how to phrase it.

"Crochet?" April asked sarcastically, sipping at a new drink.

"Become intimate," Sephiroth decided.

"It wasn't like that!" Cloud argued. He attempted to give his mother a pleading, angelic look.

Get blind drunk? Try to convince his boyfriend to fuck him on a train in public? Her innocent son? Never!

"Yeah it was. You kept feelin' me up and shit. And the whole train car was full of people, and finally I had enough - "

"Sephiroth, she doesn't want to hear about this!" Cloud tried to interrupt, throwing himself around his shoulders as if to buffer his voice.

Sephiroth kept right on talking, " - so I said, 'If you can clear everyone out of this train car, we'll make somethin' happen. If not, hands off 'til we get home.'"

April quickly lit a new cigarette, "Then what?"

Cloud was trying to cover Sephiroth's mouth with his hands, "End of story! Nothing happened after that!"

Sephiroth yanked Cloud into his lap and cocooned him with his vice-like arms, "So, there's this couple sittin' a few rows ahead. He walks up to them - "

"LA LA LA!" Cloud tried to drown him out desperately, wiggling around in an attempt to break free.

" - and he unzips his pants, and starts pissin' on them. Then he yells, 'Get off my train!'"

"What?" April cried.

Sephiroth was laughing against Cloud's shoulder, "He pissed on them. The woman bolted up and went to the door, but the dude was totally mad and he acted like he was gonna hit Cloud or somethin'. I was too fuckin' shocked to even do anythin' but laugh, and the dude's just a fat civvie anyways, so Cloud jerked him by the collar and tossed him towards the door, tellin' him to get off the fuckin' train car or he's gonna kick his ass. Keep in mind Cloud's zipper is still wide open and he's hangin' out of his pants - "

Cloud had given up trying to silence his boyfriend, since the damage had been done. He was now hanging his head and keening in embarrassment.

" - and so the couple went to a different car, and everyone else got outta there real fast. So Cloud comes back to where I'm sittin' and is like, 'I did it, so do me!' or somethin', I don't remember what he said exactly. But there was piss all over the front of his jeans, and honestly, I needed a fuckin' oxygen tank. I have never laughed so hard in my life."

April needed oxygen as well. "Oh my God!"

Cloud deflated against Sephiroth's shoulder, and looked up at him and caught his green eyes watering with bright mirth. "That's not even the end of it. I tried to get him back into his pants, but ..." Sephiroth didn't want to come out and say that Cloud had been suffering from a violent, raging erection at the time and couldn't physically fit back into his jeans, so he just let the point trail off, "Well, I was wearin' a jacket so I put it around his waist so he was at least somewhat decent. Then he stops, and he looks at me ... He opened his mouth ..." Sephiroth trailed off romantically. "... And puked right in my face."

"Eww!" April screamed, and it was a shrill, girlish sound.

"I turned my head away at the last second, so it didn't get in my mouth or anything. But like, my hair, my shirt, my pants - I was covered in this watery, projectile slime ... And he'd been drinkin' somethin' red all night long."

"Redheaded Sluts," Cloud supplied weakly.

Sephiroth continued, "So at this point I'm just worried that we're gonna be thrown off the train and have to fuckin' scam a taxi to get home. But thank fuckin' God we were only a couple stops away at that point. Cloud was bawlin', totally sick, couldn't even see straight. I carried him all the way inside, and we got into the shower with our clothes on.

"He was just totally beyond wasted, even threw up a little in the shower. I got our clothes off and got us both cleaned up, and I dried his hair a little and took him to bed. Made him drink some water and eat a piece of toast, and he kept it down, so I figured he didn't need to go to the hospital or anything. And we're layin' there and he lifts his head up, and he says to me in the sweetest little voice, '...

Do you still wanna fuck me?'"

Both April and Sephiroth succumbed to a new fit of laughter, and even Cloud had to join in at that point.

Once the General had enough air, he finished the tale, "And I of course, said 'Not a chance,' and he looked at me for a second – and I swear to Christ I thought he was gonna throw up again in my bed – but he just said, 'But you still love me?'"

Sephiroth then pressed his chin into Cloud's shoulder and smiled. "I don't think I ever loved him more."

Cloud huffed, "But what you actually said was, 'Don't talk anymore, your breath smells like an open coffin.'"

"It doesn't matter what I said, I felt love for you."

"Or rather you feel it now, telling the story," April smiled, lighting a new cigarette. "And since he's brushed his teeth."

"Precisely," Sephiroth nodded.

Cloud wiped his face of embarrassed tears and sat up, "Are we done, now?"

"Absolutely not," April decided. "Why don't you get started on packing your room?"

Cloud scowled, especially when Sephiroth agreed, "Yeah, I'll come up and help in a little while."

How the tables did turn! Cloud was unceremoniously exorcised from the kitchen as Sephiroth began to talk about Cloud's school performance and his personal affinity for knee-high sock wear. He decided that they could gab at his expense if that was what was needed for them to become close. It was good to see Sephiroth open up instead of being proper and polite – that persona always made Cloud a little nervous to be around.

And so he took Sephiroth's keys and went to the tank to retrieve their small amount of luggage, and carried it upstairs to his old bedroom. Walking through the door, he couldn't help but notice how the room felt bigger than he remembered, and slightly unfamiliar as he took in details that had previously been taken for granted. He opened his closet and saw bland, lifeless garments, and a few pieces of his "secret" wardrobe stuffed behind that. He remembered when he began to order clothes from the internet, and how he never wore them outside the house until the day he was briefed by Zack for the Academy.

How silly. He could have turned his entire high school career around in a matter of hours.

Cloud didn't think about that, and instead began to pull the old clothes off of hangers and fold them to be given away, when his old record box caught his attention. He went to it and smiled, flipping through his collection. He kept his favorites downstairs in the bathroom with the record player. He hadn't really kept any toys from his childhood - he tended to destroy anything in his path, anyways. When he'd happened upon his mother's records as an adolescent, she chalked it up to yet another casualty of little boy terrorism.

But he didn't tear apart her records. They were worth more to him intact. And soon, she began to buy him records of his very own, and that was when he'd learned to value material possessions.

"Keepers," Cloud said to them all. He gave them a pat and slowly strolled across the room and sat on his bed, feeling fresh sheets and blankets that his mother must have put out for them. The mattress' level of comfort was somewhere right between his springy dorm mattress at the school, and Sephiroth's far more luxurious, puffy mess of blankets, pillows and memory foam. His old bed was just right, though, just enough. He curled on his side and smiled, seeing tape marks from where Sephiroth's in famous Timeweek cover previously hung. It currently resided inside a folder in Midgar.

The real thing was currently guffawing downstairs, getting drunk with his mother.

Cloud closed his eyes until he heard heavy steps coming up the stairs. Sephiroth peeked into his room. "Your mom's goin' to the store, you want anything?"

Cloud shook his head. "Not really."

Sephiroth yelled the answer down the stairs. "He says no."

"Good!" April yelled back up. "I'll be back in about half an hour ... Which is not enough time to do anything fun, you got me?"

"Yes ma'am," Sephiroth answered, then reappeared in Cloud's doorway. "She's cool."

Cloud couldn't help but crack a smile. "I'm just glad you left out the worst parts of the story."

It was true, Cloud had remained completely erect during all of his troubles and sickness, and had tried several times to become intimate in the shower while Sephiroth was gently undressing and cleaning him.

"Don't worry about the story, she thought it was cute," Sephiroth dismissed, giving Cloud's room a few long sweeps of his bright green eyes. "Man, you've got a lot of shit."

Cloud nodded, and finally sat up on his bed. "I don't really want any of it, anymore."

"Are you sure? There's more than enough room at my place to store as much as you want," Sephiroth pushed himself off the door and lazily walked towards Cloud's closet. It was open and he peeked inside.

"It just feels like baggage at this point," Cloud said the words but didn't quite mean them. He knew what he had to do: grow up. He had to let go of these things, this house, and the idea that his childhood was going to be preserved for him. Not many people had that luxury, and he wasn't going to be one of them.

"We'll get rid of it all, then," Sephiroth suggested, then chewed the inside of his mouth when Cloud's face fell. "... Or we'll keep it all. It's up to you."

"I just don't know where to begin," Cloud muttered, and ran his hands through his hair, unintentionally fluffing it up almost completely vertical, like a well styled troll doll.

Sephiroth smiled, "I could just set it all on fire so we don't have to deal with it."

"That would be very helpful," Cloud sighed. "Are you too drunk to deal with this? We could just go drink some more and worry about it tomorrow."

"I'm buzzed, that's all. Let's get started now."

It took a while for April to return from the store, with food to feed the entire family the following day and limes for more drinking, and she found the boys half buried in Cloud's room, dividing clothes, books, magazines, pictures and general accumulated bullshit to be either kept, thrown away, or given away.

"It's interesting to see Cloud actually cleaning his own room," April commented, and threw a familiar box of his favorite cookies towards him.

Cloud caught it ravenously. "Mmm, thank you!"

"I thought you deserved some fuel if you're gonna start working tonight," April then told him sternly as he began to rip into the box. "Share some with Sephiroth."

Cloud sighed and twirled the box in his fingers. "Why should I?"

Sephiroth was thumbing through an old baseball card collection, looking for anything valuable – or any hot players to ogle with Cloud, "Because I'm bigger than you."

"Sad but true," Cloud decided, and allowed him to take a handful of the tiny cookies. They were shaped like various monsters native to the Nibelheim mountain range, and were filled with rich hazelnut cream.

Sephiroth hadn't swallowed them yet, and was already eyeing the box for more. He crawled closer, and Cloud scooted towards his mother, holding the box against his chest.

April smiled, and pet Cloud's chaotic hair. "Since you two are making a racket up here, I'm gonna sleep downstairs tonight. I put fresh sheets out for you two. If you need anything else just yell."

"Night mom!" Cloud chirped, greedily digging into more cookies with his elbow protruded to keep Sephiroth at bay.

Sephiroth stopped in his pursuit of treats and looked up at her. "April ... Are you sure you're okay with me sleepin' in here? I could take the couch if you'd prefer."

"No, be comfortable. We're all adults here," She reasoned. She then closed the door on her son and his boyfriend as they began to giggle and wrestle each other for the box of cookies. She could have just given them one of the other boxes she'd bought, but she knew that that was hardly the point.

Sounds of rowdiness and Cloud's relentless giggles followed her downstairs and into the living room, plainly heard through the ceiling. She just smiled and turned up the volume on the television.

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

"Cloud?" Sephiroth whispered. Then with a little more force, "Cloud?"

He purred into Sephiroth's ear, "Mm ...?"

It felt damn good to wake up next to Sephiroth in Nibelheim. The summer in Midgar wasn't kind to Cloud, who loved to cuddle with his lover, a veritable heating pad of a human being. Waking up drenched in sweat wasn't pleasant, and Sephiroth's air conditioner didn't serve the arctic chill required to be close to him without burning up. Many times Cloud had had to forego his desire to sleep with Sephiroth in his arms, simply in order to be comfortable. It had him counting the days until fall.

But in Nibelheim, it was crisp enough in the late summer mornings to cuddle with Sephiroth under a light blanket to his heart's content. Both of Cloud's legs and arms were wound around his shirtless, muscular form from behind. His forehead was a bit damp, but it was worth it.

"Cloud?" Sephiroth repeated.

"Morning ..." Cloud smiled, and shifted against him. The friction to his morning wood against Sephiroth's warm thigh had his mind blooming with possibility. Sephiroth had been valiantly abstinent against fooling around in April's home the night before, but perhaps Cloud could convince him that they could get away with a little something before she realized they were awake.

"Cloud, please wake up." Sephiroth implored quietly.

Cloud nuzzled his beloved's neck and whispered the first romantic words that popped into his blonde head, "Waking up next to you makes me so fucking hard."

"I think there's a ghost in your room, Cloud." Sephiroth whispered back.

Cloud's eyes shot open and he clung to Sephiroth in fear. But then he realized that the small figure in the room was only Simon, Cloud's blonde, six-year-old cousin. He was standing at the entrance of Cloud's room with his finger up his nose, watching them like a silent, motionless phantom.

When Cloud finally acknowledged him with eye contact, he spoke, "Hi Cloud, you got any legos?"

Cloud let out a whoosh of air, "Jesus Christ, brat! You scared the shit out of us!"

Simon ignored the scolding in favor of more questions. "Is that guy really General Sephiroth?"

"Yes! Get out! I'll find you something to play with in a minute!" Cloud shouted.

"Promise?" Simon asked shrewdly.

"OUT."

Simon vacated the room. Almost immediately, Cloud's Aunt Judy entered, a little older than Cloud's mother, but compensated for her age by being a total slut. She paused and stared at Cloud – and more importantly, General Sephiroth.

Sephiroth was not used to civilians barging into his room uninvited, and he sat up on his elbows to scowl at the latest intrusion. The blanket slipped off of his chest to reveal the kind of smooth, chiseled male perfection that Nibelheim women convince themselves doesn't exist.

Judy smiled, "Well aren't you two a pretty picture ..."

Cloud bellowed at the top of his lungs, "Get OUT!"

Sephiroth was frozen on the bed next to him, powerless to do anything to protect his privacy or his virtue. "Who are these people?"

Cloud groaned. "The kid was my cousin, Simon. This is my Aunt Judy, his mom."

She sat herself on the corner of the bed. "And you must be General Sephiroth ..."

"Yes," Sephiroth admitted, trying to keep a respectable composure despite his annoyance, which was simmering closer to anger by the second. "I would love to get to know you, ma'am ... But maybe after I've put some clothes on?"

"They're entirely optional," She openly leered at Sephiroth's bare chest and muscular arms.

Cloud yanked the blanket up to Sephiroth's chin. Most people would have killed to see Sephiroth's nipples, and his aunt thought she was getting a free peepshow? Forget about it! "Get the hell out, and I mean it! We'll be downstairs in five minutes – with clothes on!"

"Aunt Geraldine's making egg pudding for brunch. Better hurry or you'll miss out ..." She said breezily, and then closed the door behind her.

Sephiroth sat up and rubbed his eyes in pure angst. "Baby, that little kid almost made me piss the bed, I swear to God. He was just standin' there when I woke up. I said 'Hey', and he just ... Kept standin' there ... He didn't move …"

"It could have been worse. He could have tried getting into bed with us," Cloud giggled wildly, "And I'm sure my aunt would have just loved to have gotten into bed with you!"

"Shut tha fuck up. Your family ... They're weird, you've established that. But you didn't tell me they have no boundaries."

"You didn't notice that about my mom?"

"That's your mom, though. Isn't that different?"

"Well ... I pretty much grew up with several moms, and they were all ... Awful, awful women," Cloud winced a little.

"Glad mine's dead," Sephiroth kissed Cloud's lips before kicking his legs over the side of the bed and standing up. He adjusted the waistband of his boxer briefs and stepped carefully over the large piles of childhood debris. He then quickly shoved his legs into jeans.

"Don't say that about your mom, Seph," Cloud yawned and stretched before lazily getting out of bed, too. "I promise though, they're only half serious. They love me. They'll love you."

Sephiroth was zipping an unseasonably modest black track jacket up to his throat. "Clearly."

They walked downstairs into a plume of smoke. Sitting there in the living room, each with an alcoholic beverage in one hand and a cigarette in the other, were the six blonde women that had ruled Cloud's childhood.

"Hi girls," Cloud gulped. The women all chattered sweet greetings, and smiled at the two of them expectantly. Cloud sighed and began with the polite introductions. "As you know, this is my boyfriend, Sephiroth. Sephiroth, this is my aunt Judy, who you ... Already met."

"Charmed," She commented, her eyes seeing right through Sephiroth's clothes as she took a sip of her morning martini.

Cloud ignored her, and skipped over his mother to the next blonde woman on the couch, "This is my Aunt Geraldine ..."

Geraldine was his youngest aunt, two years older than Sephiroth and with a great sense of entitlement to him, her nephew dating him and all. She took the word trampy to new heights, every inch of her screamed 'I'm going to use you before you use me', and it was all crowned with a messy blonde bob.

She narrowed her eyes and leaned forward to give Sephiroth a view of her modest, yet readily displayed rack, "Will you sign my pussy?"

"No," Sephiroth replied without changing his facial expression a centimeter.

"Why not? You're queer, what do you care?"

Cloud moved on swiftly, "Uhhh, this is my cousin Stella."

"Bella. My name's Bella, now," Stella corrected with a red-lipsticked pout. She'd left smears on her cigarette, and brought it to her lips again to smoke it angstily. She was apparently going for a goth aesthetic; her eyes were caked with black crud while her sun-kissed forearms made a mockery of the pure white foundation she'd spackled onto her face. "Hi, Mr. Sephiroth or whatever."

Stella was Cloud. From her meager height, to her slim build, to her long, slightly awkward limbs, to her flat chest, to her pretty doll face – Stella was Cloud. Cloud, plus a purposely messy blonde wig placed on top of his head. Sephiroth could barely look the teenage girl in the eye, it made him want to burst into laughter.

When Sephiroth finally got over the resemblance to his lover, he managed a friendly nod. "Hello."

Her pretty little face crumpled in a deep scowl, "Sorry you have to be here, we all know this family sucks. And my Aunt Geraldine's a complete whore."

"So are you, you skinny bitch," Geraldine shot back with a deep belch, throwing her empty beer can at the coffee table.

Judy shushed her with a coquettish giggle. "Manners, ladies."

Cloud leveled them all a glare before moving on with introductions. "This is my grandma Angela. My young grandma - " he amended to placate her.

"Grandma" was what could be considered a GILF. She wore her platinum hair carelessly tousled, and she displayed any part of her body that wasn't showing signs of age – today it was her legs. She crossed them flirtatiously, "I've heard so much about you, Sephiroth! Such an important ... Powerful man. Welcome to the family ..."

Sephiroth gave her a lifeless smile. Cloud then pulled him closer to the oldest lady in the room. "And last but not least, this is my great-grandma, Elsie."

Great-grandma was the only one in the room that actually looked her age. She was wrinkled and ancient, and clasped her little hands in joy. "I'm so glad that Cloud found such a pretty girl to bring home to us! Sephiroth's gonna make me a great-great grandma, I know she will!"

Everyone in the room froze. Sephiroth's lips parted as he attempted to wrap his mind around what had just been said.

Great-grandma nodded happily and continued, blissfully ignorant to the sudden tension in the room. "I always pictured Cloud with a beautiful, tall, sturdy woman! You have good genes, sweetheart! It's exactly what our bloodline needs!"

Grandma Angela patted her mother's hand. "Mom, I told you. Sephiroth's a man. He's practically the leader of the free world! He's Cloud's boyfriend! Cloud's gay!"

"I'm not the leader of the fre – " Sephiroth began futilely.

"Cloud's what?" Great-Great grandma Elsie cooed.

"GAY!" The other five women shouted.

Cloud felt sick.

"Oh, wonderful! Sephiroth, Cloud's great-granddaddy Strife and I were the gayest lovers this town had ever seen – before he left with that cunt from Bone City for four months. She gave him the clap, you know. Things weren't the same after that."

"Grandma!" April laughed wildly, barely able to take a drag from her cigarette. "That is not a tall girl! That's a man!"

"A what?" She asked in confusion.

"A hot slab of beef!" Geraldine shouted, cupping her hands to make her already booming voice even louder.

Great-grandma squinted at Sephiroth. "Oh, don't be silly."

Sephiroth was dumbfounded. In later years he would think to himself that that was probably the most miserable moment of his adult life. Medical torture? War? Surprise diseases from the lab? Not sleeping for days? Those trials were nothing compared to how difficult it was to not walk out of that house, get in his tank, and run it off the nearest cliff.

He was stuck with these people for life.

He looked down at Cloud, who was peering back up at him with a mixture of supreme amusement and utter remorse. Cloud's small hand found its way into his, while his gorgeous blue eyes promised that this would be laughed about later, from a safe distance – both physically and emotionally.

Before someone else could try to convince great-grandma of his masculinity, Sephiroth muttered. "It's ... okay. At least I'm a sturdy woman."

"Such a gentleman. I apologize for grandma ... She's old," Judy did her best at attempting to be pragmatic, waving her martini as though it were a geisha's fan and spilling a little on the carpet.

"Would you two like a drink? It's almost ten," April asked, getting up from the couch to take both their elbows and steer them into the kitchen. Once out of earshot, she shoved them both towards the back door. "Run while you can."

Cloud and Sephiroth both squawked, "What?"

"This is unbearable," April laughed, "I'll handle the packing, I'll hire a van or something. Consider this is your get out of jail free card."

Cloud and Sephiroth looked at each other, nerves trembling. Sephiroth's brain screamed for him to throw Cloud over his shoulder and make a hasty exit. But he knew that his exodus would have been forgiven – but never, ever forgotten. He loved Cloud. He wanted to make an effort to ... Deal with his family. If he had to be lusted over, intruded upon, and referred to as a sturdy woman, he could do that.

It was only two days.

"Well," Sephiroth finally managed to say. "... You said somethin' about the attic needin' cleanin' ... Right?"

April looked at him for a long moment, before patting his arm and smiling. "The attic's really, really filthy. It'll probably take you two most of the day."

"Oh, thank God," Cloud whispered. He then gave his mother a pleading look. "Please, please ... Can't you try to reign them in, just a little bit?"

"Couldn't even try," April told him flat out. She wasn't diluted enough to think that she didn't belong right in with them. Her mother had raised three outspoken and wild women, and nothing was ever going to change that. "Take some cereal bars and go hide in the attic."

"Guys?" Came a tiny voice.

All three jumped into the air, then turned to find little Simon standing near them, waiting to be noticed.

"Wanna play?" He asked, his little finger in his nose.

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

Both of their faces were caked with sweat, dirt, dust, and swatted gnats. Cloud had opened both windows in the attic, but the meager breeze did very little to distract from the heat. There were boxes upon boxes to be looked through, sorted, and discarded.

Sephiroth was certain there were spiders in his hair. He'd tied it back, but couldn't shake away the tingly feeling of bugs from his neck. He'd discarded his shirt long ago, choosing survival over modesty. The attic was wretchedly hot.

Speaking of hot, Cloud currently had a baseball cap smashed down over his hair to protect it from curious insects. With golden, damp skin, thin soccer shorts and no shirt, Sephiroth wouldn't blame any bug for wanting to crawl all over him.

They'd found treasures in the attic that afternoon. Simon had been helping them at the very start, but abandoned them when he'd discovered a box full of Cloud's old baby toys. They were a bit beneath Simon's age, but at least he could tear them apart without guilt. Then, Sephiroth came across an ancient video game system that still functioned, and a few game cartridges that Cloud had managed not to destroy. They intended to clean it up and see how it fared on eBay.

Cloud came across a few boxes of old clothes, and couldn't resist playing dress up in the horrible fashions. That is, until he found a dead rat in one of the pockets. He also found another box of records, nothing he was familiar with but was eager to try out. A fairly new box contained his school career: Yearbooks, a few papers graded B minus – the pinnacle of Cloud's academic triumph before the Academy and learning to study with Cameron – a few tiny uniforms, and several drawings and messy art projects from his early youth.

The rest of the stuff was hauled periodically down to the town dump. Most of the boxes contained holiday decorations, forgotten mementos, and stuff that the Strife packrat nature wouldn't allow them to toss until it was decayed enough to be excusable. None of it was wanted, or needed anymore.

Each member of the family took it upon themselves to intrude upon their attic haven. April brought up some chilled egg pudding when it was ready, and stood around to bark orders before she got too hot in the stuffy attic and left.

Judy brought up lemonade, her shirt tied around her bosom due to the extreme heat, of course. She spent a little time watching them go through boxes, biding her time until Sephiroth was hot enough to finally take his jacket off. Once she'd seen his sweaty, naked torso one more time, she was satisfied and left.

Geraldine came up later to collect the egg pudding dishes, and to further antagonize Sephiroth into autographing various parts of her body. Finally he caved, and with Cloud's permission, gave a very flowery signature onto her left ass cheek. She didn't want to sweat it off, so she bid them farewell.

Stella came up because she said she couldn't tolerate the company of the other women any longer, but quickly left when she realized her white face makeup was beginning to run and reveal that she wasn't in fact, a vampire.

Grandma Angela came up to offer them a couple of ice cold beers, chuckling as they both drained them in moments, then returned later with cold washcloths for their foreheads. She was far from a saint however, and demonstrated this by giving Sephiroth's butt a pinch before she finally left.

"I'm know I'm not this attractive, Cloud!" Sephiroth cried when they were alone once more. "I bet there's somethin' deficient in the Strife gene pool that translates to this animalistic attraction to me. Maybe I have like, some sort of chemical that you guys lack, and you can smell it on me because I'm sweating a lot. Ya think? Baby?"

Cloud didn't answer. He was too busy studying a trail of sweat as it slowly worked it's way down Sephiroth's chest, his ribs, stomach, and finally trailed below the edge of his pants and was blotted out of existence. Cloud dreamily reached out and ran his finger down the salty line it had left behind on his lover's skin.

Then he blinked, coming back to reality, "… Huh? What'd you say? I blanked out for a second."

Sephiroth just shook his head with a bemused smile. "Forget it."

Great-grandma couldn't make it up the latter, but yelled up into the attic, wanting verification that Cloud wasn't taking advantage of Sephiroth. Two young sweethearts all alone in a private space with raging hormones was a major temptation.

"I don't want Sephiroth ending up like all the unwed sluts in this family!" Great-grandma declared.

They were a little buzzed from the beers at that point, and Sephiroth called down in the most girlish falsetto that he could possibly muster: "Ohh, Cloud! Fuck my pussy harder!"

Thankfully, Great-grandma was oblivious due to her poor hearing, but left happily when Cloud popped his head down to ensure that his big, bad penis was steering clear of Sephiroth's flowery womanhood.

The sun began to set, and they were losing light. Any other forgotten treasures were simply discarded at that point. After giving the space a quick once over with a broom, the attic was as clean as it was ever going to get. Cloud didn't bother with putting on any of his discarded clothes, but before descending the ladder, Sephiroth shook any possible spiders out of his jacket and threw it on without zipping it.

When they got downstairs, the girls were waiting, wanting to bring them along for a dinner out. A "dinner out" in Nibelheim consisted of beer and possibly a grilled cheese sandwich and fries if the pub keeper felt like cooking that night. It was less than desirable at that point.

"We're tired and hungry!" Cloud wailed. "We've been working all day!"

"We've been doing stuff, too!" Geraldine shouted, stumbling a bit. Apparently their idea of working was to finish off the liquor supply in the house, and perhaps pack a few boxes in between cocktails.

"If they don't have to go, I don't wanna go!" Stella was complaining.

Sephiroth cleared his throat pointedly. The ladies, Cloud, and even Simon looked up at his looming figure.

"We'll be happy to go."

Cloud balked while his aunts rejoiced. "What?"

In the pub, under the influence of a little bit of beer and peanuts, Sephiroth draped himself over Cloud. He was loathe to leave his side, and kissed him any chance he could. He flaunted their relationship to the entire bar – hell, the entire town. He flaunted how much he adored Cloud to his aunts, his mother, and anyone else he cared to look.

It had a surprising effect on Cloud's family. Face to face with the stunning General's unavoidable homosexuality, they were forced to look past his sexuality altogether. The bonus was seeing how happy he was making Cloud. And so, Cloud's family got to know him. Even Geraldine put her pussy away and talked to him as a human being.

They all got drunk.

April wanted Sephiroth to marry her son. Judy wanted to know when she could visit them all on the other continent. Grandma Angela said they reminded her of her first dead husband. Great-grandma Strife couldn't stop admiring the happy lovebirds. Simon thought it was pretty weird that two boys were kissing. Stella said that the attention they attracted was embarrassing, but admitted after a few cocktails that Sephiroth would make a good vampire lover.

In the wee hours of the morning, they crawled back into bed and snuggled close. Cloud's heart came undone, and he whispered in the dark, "You're so perfect. I don't even know how you do these things. Just … Thanks so much for showing my family everything I love about you. Thank you."

Sephiroth kissed his lover on the forehead, and whispered, "… Didn't I tell you those bitches would be eatin' my shit?"

Cloud was quiet for several moments. Then, he whispered back, "… You're evil."

"Are you just figurin' this out?"

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

The next morning, Sephiroth was the one to wake Cloud up with soft kisses across his side of face.

"Happy Birthday Cloud," He murmured. "I love you."

"I love you too … Evil man …" Cloud smiled dreamily, rolling in Sephiroth's arm to face him.

They certainly didn't plan to have sex in April's home, but sometimes it was a force of nature that could not be denied. They were as quiet as they could possibly manage, but Sephiroth didn't care if April heard or not. Cloud just prayed in the back of his mind, and managed to stay utterly silent as he writhed underneath Sephiroth's body, holding him close with both legs.

Somehow, the taboo location only made it all the better. Cloud couldn't deny how utterly surreal and wonderful it was to have Sephiroth make love to him in his own bed. It made the fact that he was dating the General all the more real. And Sephiroth knew for a fact he was making Cloud's childhood dreams come true, which only fueled his desire to do so.

After a brief shower, they descended the stairs to find April frosting a homemade chocolate cake. The kitchen was the last room in the house to be boxed up, and she had managed to dirty up most of the items in there to construct the delicious creation.

Cloud swiped at it with his fingertip to taste. "OH!"

"Don't fucking touch it, it's for your party," April nearly whispered as she artfully put on the finishing touches of tiny flowery swirls in the cocoa frosting. She then neatly moved more frosting over the bald spot Cloud had created.

Cloud's nose continued to delicately sniff the air like a tempted kitten, "But it's mine, and it's for my birthday party ... And I say let's have a piece right now!"

"You're not a baby anymore, you can wait until later!" April barked sternly, before she softened and craned her neck to place a sweet kiss on her son's cheek. "… My handsome seventeen-year-old man."

Cloud blushed despite himself and turned away. "So what's for breakfast?"

"The sky's the limit," April said grandiosely, which was Cloud's cue to get off his ass and make something for himself.

He shrugged at Sephiroth and began to rummage through the fridge. "What are you in the mood for?"

"Scrambled eggs? Toast?" Sephiroth suggested.

"No thanks grandpa," Cloud disagreed. "How about some cinnamon rolls?"

"Sure thing grandma," Sephiroth replied.

Cloud's mother snorted. "You two are a couple of hams."

When they were done cooking breakfast, April did the dishes while the boys packed the kitchen. By mid afternoon, the task was complete. They moved what April was taking to her new apartment to Sephiroth's tank, which was really only a few boxes. Cloud was also bringing his record player and collection, plus another box of mementos and clothes.

Various neighbors and family members then collected the furniture and remaining items. Sephiroth and Cloud hauled the last of the trash to the town dump, and dropped off the donatable items at the church that they never went to.

The house was empty.

Cloud's seventeenth birthday party was small, simple, and consisted of his family members sitting in the vacant living room with takeout boxes and cake on Styrofoam plates. Cloud received small gifts, a little bit of money and a bottle of his favorite Nibelheim whiskey. They sat by the fireplace and enjoyed each other's company if for the last time.

Cloud's family eventually filed out, and one by one, all the vivacious and odd women he was related to kissed his cheeks and forehead, and wished him safety in the army. April's mother, grandmother and sisters all hugged her next, wishing her the best in Junon. Then, they all insisted on hugging and kissing Sephiroth. Only Geraldine's hand slipping down to feel his ass, and he forgave her.

Once they were out the door, April was already going up to her room, where she was going to cruise on a sleeping bag, "I'm fucking exhausted, and that guy's gonna be here around seven to pick up the keys to the house. Then we've got a hell of a long drive. Get some sleep."

Cloud called up the stairs, "It's only nine!"

She was grumpy enough to call down, "If you're gonna be up all night, go outside! Otherwise shut up and be quiet!"

"We're not noisy!" Cloud prodded.

"I know what you did this morning!" She declared before slamming her door shut.

"…We'll be quiet, ma'am!" Cloud called back sheepishly.

"I noticed your porch swing," Sephiroth told him quietly. "Wanna go outside?"

"If you want."

Cloud had never noticed how... romantic the mountain sky looked at night from his front porch. At least not without Sephiroth nearby, who always made stars shine brighter and music sound better. There was so much wonder in the universe, and that evening it was all on blatant display.

Sephiroth was already staring up, and took a seat on the swing with a half cooled coffee cup in hand. Cloud pushed the swing chair with his knee, eliciting a small chuckle from Sephiroth before he sat down beside him.

Once they'd fully appreciated night sky in silence, Sephiroth spoke. "Sorry it wasn't a better birthday."

"Are you insane?" Cloud smiled. "This was the best one, yet."

"You worked for most of it," Sephiroth pointed out. "Next week, you won't lift a fuckin' finger. You don't even have to walk if you don't wanna, I'll carry you everywhere."

Cloud grinned in silence, and draped his legs over Sephiroth's lap. They cuddled close, enjoying the mild night and each other's warmth. Cloud was very nearly asleep when Sephiroth shifted, "Hey baby, lemme get up for a minute."

"Why? We're comfortable," Cloud whined.

"I have presents for you."

"What? No!" Cloud cried, coming awake. He'd clearly stated that Sephiroth not give him any tangible gifts on his birthday, since he was paying for the entire second part of their beach vacation the following week. It was more than enough, and all he wanted.

"Shut it," Sephiroth said, and went to his tank with the veil of mountain darkness on his side. Cloud couldn't make out what he'd retrieved, but he returned with both hands behind his back.

"Seph, what'd you get me?" Cloud moaned.

Slowly, one of Sephiroth's arms appeared, and produced a long, thin tube that was wrapped in red paper. He swung it teasingly. "You sure you don't want it?"

"Is that …" Cloud's eyes went wide. "Is that your recruitment poster?"

"Maybe."

"GIMME!" Cloud cried.

Sephiroth easily held it above Cloud's reach, especially since he was too lazy to get off the swing. Finally, Sephiroth leaned down and puckered his lips. "Kiss me first."

Cloud pressed a sweet kiss onto his lips, but Sephiroth did not relinquish the poster. "Please gimme! Will I the first one to get one of these?"

"Yup."

Cloud laughed, still trying to reach it. "Ya know, it's pretty pathetic. People usually gift pictures of themselves to other people as a gag in sitcoms."

Sephiroth gave him a cheeky grin, "Well, this one's gonna be sold in stores …"

"Sold?" Cloud paused.

"I have news," Sephiroth announced. "The boss thought recruitment numbers would go up if we did somethin' a little more modern than just recruitment posters at post offices. Ya know?"

"Yeah," Cloud nodded. "What are you doing instead?"

"… Me, Genesis and Angeal … We each got our own cover of Rollin' Stone. It's goin' on stands next month."

"… What?" Cloud was numb with shock.

"Yeah … They interviewed us over the phone last week."

"… You didn't tell me this?" Cloud leapt out of the swing and attacked Sephiroth with a bear hug, forgetting all about the gift. "This is such a huge deal! Tell me everything!"

"I will, I will. One thing I wanted to say first, is that they asked a few questions about you," Sephiroth smiled uneasily. "I'm almost positive there's gonna be a picture of you in there. Are you okay with this?"

"Sweet Jesus!" Cloud nearly fainted. "I'm gonna have a mention in Rolling Stone?"

"And …" Sephiroth took a breath, and showed Cloud his other hand, which was holding a thin gift that was clearly a wrapped magazine. "As a favor for doin' the article … I was able to get you this. Open it first."

Cloud unwrapped it in a frenzy, expecting to find Sephiroth's new issue of Rolling Stone hot off the press before it went on stands.

It was not Sephiroth's issue. Cloud was unable to believe his eyes. It was the extremely rare and prized, impossible to find, shit your pants issue of Rolling Stone from '74.

The coveted Anal Orgasm issue. Signed. By the entire band. With the original drummer that overdosed, not the bald guy they got to tour with them in the '80's.

Cloud began to sob, and held it against his chest, unable to even look at it. It was too much. "… I'm … I need to sit down."

He fell back onto the swing with a heavy creak, and swung for a moment. Sephiroth leaned against the porch railing, watching him with a patient smile. "Happy tears?"

"Shocked, crazy, disbelieving tears," Cloud managed to say, blinking rapidly. "How the fuck … Did you get this?"

"They had an old issue signed by the drummer back in the day in their vault. The people at the magazine got the rest of the band to sign it for you. Did you read it?"

Cloud looked at it again, almost afraid a sudden fire would sweep by and destroy it. He realized the original drummer's signature was much more faded and old than the rest. Benny and the rest of the band's signatures were much more dark and crisp, new. They had signed it, 'To Cloud Strife, our biggest fan, may the next seventeen years bring you many more anal orgasms! XOXOXO'

For most of his life, Cloud couldn't even afford Rolling Stone, and begged his mother to buy them for him so he might catch a glimpse of either Anal Orgasm news, or even Sephiroth. Now Sephiroth, his boyfriend was going to be on the cover, and he was in possession of possibly the most badass issue, signed by the most badass band in the entire history of creation.

Cloud began to cry anew, trying to speak but unable to articulate any sort of words. All he could do was squeak through hot, stinging tears of ultimate ecstasy.

Sephiroth stood up and spread his arms wide, "… And the band's all here, right now! Come on out, guys!"

"WHAT THE FUCK?" Cloud clutched his chest.

"Just kidding!" Sephiroth guffawed. "Holy shit, please don't pass out baby, I'm just kiddin'!"

That managed to break the heavy atmosphere of receiving such a life changing gift, and Cloud laughed until his sides hurt. Sephiroth got on his knees and hugged him, "I didn't think givin' you this stupid magazine was gonna almost kill you, I'm sorry!"

"Oh God Sephiroth … It's just amazing, that's all."

Sephiroth then handed over the poster. Cloud held his already cherished magazine in his lap, and opened it with a smile.

Sephiroth was going to be on the cover of Rolling Stone in black and white, which was fitting. 'The Generals Of The Shin-Ra Army Speak Out' was the issue's headline in bold red font, underscored by, 'Sephiroth, Angeal and Genesis tell us why YOU should be joining up this year'. The other big news of the issue concerned Rihanna and Lady Gaga.

Cloud finally let his eyes feast on the image they'd chosen of Sephiroth. The light was hitting his cheekbones perfectly, and his skin looked flawless. His eyes were narrow, and piercing in the black and white image. He was also shirtless, tattoo was on display … And he had both gloved middle fingers raised in defiance.

The very last photo of the entire shoot, the fun one. The one the entire crew burst out into laughter at. The fluke. It was more honest than any other shot of the day. Sephiroth looked confident, and his mouth was almost smirking, but not quite.

Cloud didn't say anything for several moments. He finally looked at Sephiroth.

The glimmer of mischief had left his bright green eyes, and he stared up at Cloud with a mixture of trepidation and fear.

He began talking, "I tried to get 'em to use a different picture. I even talked to one of my buddies in legal to fight it, but Shin-Ra, my boss, hand picked this one. Says it's got edge. Isn't just pretty. Shows who I really am, not who I pretend to be. I dunno about that bullshit, Cloud. I dunno about anything. I wanted – needed to show you first. Not even Gen or Angeal know about this. I needed to show you first because I know you're gonna give it to me straight. Don't tell me it's a cool picture, or that it's gonna bring in numbers because I already know it's cool and I already know it's gonna bring in numbers.

"What I care more about is … Is this gonna ruin my career?"

"No Seph," Cloud shook his head, and carefully began to reroll his new favorite poster. "… You're gonna be a fucking legend."

- END PART ONE -

A/N

Chapter image here! http : / / owmyhearteries dot deviantart dot com / # / d33k797

NEW! Seph's poster is now here http : / / owmyhearteries dot deviantart dot com / gallery / # / d33x1xj

Finished chapter 12 doujinshi here! h t t p : / / owmyhearteries dot deviantart dot com / # / d336ist

1 – WARNING : SEPH ON BOTTOM! Oops, this warning might have come too late. Well, get over it because there's gonna be more. And don't say 'uke' or 'seme' to me, ever. There's nothing 'weak' or 'girlish' about taking a peepee up your butt. Have you tried it lately? You gotta be pretty tough to handle that garbage. Hats off to bottoms, switches, and even occasional switches because they do the Lord's work. R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

2 – I've gotten tons of messages wondering if I've died, given up on this story, or have withheld it in a bunker somewhere because I'm mean and hateful. You silly bitches, I've been abroad for five months! I went to Ireland to live for the summer, then to explore the British Isles, and then to Scandinavia to find myself. Instead, I found catty roommates and new thresholds of my personal levels of disgust i.e. walking for days on three times over popped blisters on the bottom of my feet, scavenging Tesco reductions sections for food, and pretending that Ireland and the UK's problem with males having hairy backs doesn't bother me that much (it does, ugh, that's not right). I'm an evolved human now dudes and dudettes, and in exchange for crazy times, Blonde Ambition had to wait for a little while. Follow me on Deviant Art if you want the scoop on my life, otherwise wait patiently little birdies! I'll not let you go hungry forever!

3 – With the help of a new beta, I'm in the process of remastering the story in celebration of the first part being completed! If you go back to reread, you might notice that things are a lot more polished. Don't waste time looking for differences in the story though; it's just been reedited for punctuation, grammar, formatting, and general dumbassery. Man, I'm italic-happy. Why didn't you guys ever tell me to chill out on that shit?

3 – I've said it before, but I really don't know how to respond to most of the messages I get. You humble me, and make me feel weird and socially awkward and look at my feet a lot. I dunno what to say guys, we're all having fun here and I'm SO glad you're still enjoying it so much. I can't thank you except to continue, forge on into new frontiers, and draw things for you. Remember Chapter 12 in the dressing room? I've made it into a doujinshi for you guys, you can check it out at the link above, as well as some other goodies and chapter images. Don't hesitate to message me or comment, because I read every one of them and always smile, and NEVER know just what to say. Don't ever feel like you can't message me for any reason, whether it's a suggestion, or a comment, or a complaint, or you just wanna talk.

4 – Knock on wood … But did you know that I have never, ever been flamed for this or any story I've written? Man, that's a rad feeling. And ya know what? Even if I was ever flamed, it would be one bad comment in a fucking sea of love. Thanks for making this into such a special, enjoyable project, as well as my other stories.

6 – It's been THREE YEARS, guys! Three years of squirrelly Cloud and nerdy Sephiroth. Here's to another three. I'll keep writing forever as long as you keep reading it.

7 – Love, Jennifer 3
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Blonde Ambition