A Multitude Of Sins

This is just leading into he heart of the story. Taste my smut later! >.> Work in progress here... but it should be pretty lengthy.

Final Fantasy is owned by Square. (Squaresoft, SquareEnix..... you know....)
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It was all stolen from him. In his obvious oversight of the details, he had failed to draw upon the memories of just what the other man was capable of. But God, it had been so hard just to stray them as far off the trail as he had... and when all the chips had fallen and the hands had been dealt, he had come up wanting. Lying there as he was now, blood pooling around his fading body, Sephiroth cut emerald eyes to the man that approached, coughing up the same liquid and feeling it dribble down his chin. His lids grew heavy and then lowered, and he favored the blond above him with only the faintest notion of a threat dancing. His firm chest was displayed through the torn fabric Cloud's sword had swathed, and the pale flesh was drenched in red, tendrils spreading into his dark fabric and making it even more so. Sephiroth's lips trembled, and Cloud stopped, the pounding of his boots swelling until they were all the noise in the world, and then trundling down to faint whispers.

"I have f... failed," Sephiroth panted, and his pale hair clung to his face with his heavy sweat, leaking down his face like tears, "You have... won."

Cloud's stony face morphed slightly into a look of wanton pity; something that stirred the fading heart in Sephiroth's chest, and made his breath - what little he had left - catch in his throat. Everything within him; pride, dignity, honor, demanded he shout out his hatred, both to Cloud and the world he had saved. They all demanded he go out with some kind of fire in his eyes; but all Sephiroth could do was melt beneath those oddly gentle blue eyes. Eyes which shimmered not in tears, but the strange mako energy his strong body had been filled with. Such an insignificant boy, and this was all it really came down to. Lying here beneath a boy he had taunted and goaded; beneath a boy who had never really known him at all. Somewhere in those dancing eyes, he found another, and Sephiroth gave a shaking sigh that hitched his bloody chest.

"Zack," he said in this sigh, and then his eyes slid closed, "Hello." There was tenderness heard here, and the corners of his lips lifted into a smile.


Heavy footsteps, and then a gusted breeze as Cloud's body moved to its knees and rested beside the dying man. The metallic clang that followed was the sound of his sword being tossed aside, and the blond leaned close to Sephiroth's face, and painted his smiling lips in warm breath. Sephiroth reached up with a shaking, fading hand, and laid his cold fingers to the back of Cloud's neck. So cold, and Cloud shivered - death's touch, he couldn't help but think in the back of his mind - and Sephiroth pulled him closer, dull nails pressing into his scalp as he was guided closer.

"D-do you... do you think there is... a place for me...?," Sephiroth asked, his tone dry and rattling, his lips brushing across Cloud's as he spoke, breath hot and panted.

"I think there's a place where you belong," Cloud said softly, not at all ready to let what Sephiroth had done - what he had planned on doing - go so easily. But for now, he would soothe the man, and make whatever moments he had left somewhat bearable. "I... I loved him, y-you know," Sephiroth said suddenly, and a crease formed on his brow as he conjured up an image of who he spoke of, "He... understood me. Admired m-me. I... I didn't mean to h-hurt..." Sephiroth's words fell off, and he let out a sob that all the pride in the world could not choke. Cloud thought little as he covered the dying man's mouth with his own, kissing him strongly and firmly, one hand laying on Sephiroth's stomach, which too was soaked with blood. Sephiroth at first stiffened, and then relaxed, melting into the kiss, sighing into Cloud's mouth. His last breath, obviously, for soon Cloud could feel his immobile body settling, his now strengthless hand falling away.

Cloud pulled back, blue eyes combing over Sephiroth's face; tears building unexpectedly at the gratitude and peace he found there. Cloud laid a shaking hand over his face and closed the pale haired man's eyes, shutting off some of the misery. Some, but he was eaten alive still by what remained.

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"He's dead then?"

The utter tonelessness heard there made Cloud snap his eyes to the man's face. When he found only introspective puzzlement there, he sighed and raked a hand through his blond hair. Arms were crossed over his chest, and he rested his back and rear on the wall behind him, kicking randomly forward with one foot, his boot swinging, settling, and then repeating. The caped man watched this with red, uninterested eyes. He knew not what was upsetting his friend, but it was better for them all if he just let out whatever was eating at him. If not to Vincent, then who? Vincent Valentine was the only one aboard who would not shout his anger or discontent. The only one who Cloud could screech at about anything under the sun and stir no emotion.

"Yeah," Cloud responded, and blue eyes raised to lock with Vincent's, "I killed him. He won't be bothering anyone or anything ever again." Vincent nodded his black head, and watched as Cloud pushed himself from the wall, stretched, and began to move away.

"Does it trouble you?," Vincent asked with mild curiosity, "His death?"

Cloud began to lie to the vampire, and then reconsidered; he heaved a heavy sigh, hung his head, and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not sure," he said dubiously, a half-lie in itself; for he knew what was bothering him exactly, "I just... I'm not sure." Vincent reached out with his flesh and bone hand and gripped Cloud's shoulder, who tensed from the unexpected touch, but let it be.

"If you hadn't..."

"I know," Cloud returned, and pulled away from Vincent, "I know what would have happened. And besides all of that, we lost so much. Aeris..."

"She knew the consequences. She knew what had to be done. Unlike you, she did so without any hesitance. That girl was all bravery; and you should learn from her."

Cloud smiled bitterly, his hanging head raising slightly, his eyes moving back to the undead man behind him. "Well, you're right about that, I guess. Regardless, it's over. Sephiroth is dead, Meteor is stopped, the world is saved. People should be singing our praises right about now. But I don't guess you'll want to accept any of that, hm? It's probably up to Cid or Yuffie to soak up the limelight."

There was an uncommon chuckle, dry and small, from Vincent at this, and he nodded once more. "Yes. I do not want such attention. I'll fade away now. I feel I have done my duty here." There was a section of his heart, perhaps even his soul, that was satisfied with this. In sme corner he hid in shadow, Vincent saw pretty eyes, warm and bright only towards him. In her presence he had been truly alive, and in her eyes, he had been born and held. No one saw this however, and his stony, half enshrouded face depicted nothing.

Cloud caught some look and let it go. It was not his place to remark on what he found here. It reminded him of Sephiroth however, in that one moment where his eyes had settled and he had given his last smile.

' "Zack. Hello." '

Cloud's heart shivered, and he left Vincent alone.
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