Cloud was in the middle of a very carefully planned out dream, one of the most pleasant ones he could remember in ages, when he was rudely awakened. There was a low tapping noise which was getting louder and louder with each passing second. Being a light sleeper out of a force of habit, he found it difficult to ignore. It went on for a few more seconds, this time closer to his right ear. What the hell was that sound?
He rolled over sleepily, groggy from not getting enough quality rest. His eyes narrowed when he came into direct contact with Sephiroth’s bemused grin. The sound which he had heard was the strumming of the man’s fingers on the floorboards. "Idiot!" Cloud yanked a pillow out from under him and whacked Sephiroth over his glorified head. "Do you know what people do at night? They sleep! Why can’t you leave me alone for a couple of hours?"
"Because, you forgave me. That is something which I can’t take lightly. I did allow you to get the required eight hours so you are hardly justified at hitting me with things." He picked out a stray feather from his mouth. "Especially with distasteful objects." Flinging the feather aside, Sephiroth went back to pestering his love interest. "Should we talk before or after?"
"Before what?"
Sephiroth’s eyes narrowed into devious slits of a promised seduction. "Now, now…we aren’t going to start this again, are we?" He sighed, half bored, half content to just lay there with Cloud snuggled up against him. Struggling, but close to him all the same. "Quit squirming. You’ll loosen the sheets and then I can’t be blamed for you catching a cold."
"Aren’t we going to ‘understand’ each other first? That doesn’t happen overnight, you know." Cloud turned back onto his side, dead set on going back to sleep and saving the good stuff for later. It could wait. Sephiroth could wait. The whole damn world could wait until he got some decent rest. Getting haunted by visions of the past and old enemies reborn as potential lovers was not a usual occurrence for Cloud. He needed some time to mull it over and get back to Sephiroth. His brain was not in any condition to… *Now what?*
Cloud flinched when a strange coldness touched the small of his back, traveling around his waist to clench the waistband of his pajama bottoms. That hand instantly heated up, making his stomach swim with the threat of sea sickness. But, it was a different kind of dizziness, more like a desperate need that he had not been aware of. Sephiroth’s other hand was playing with Cloud’s hair, flattening the spikiness against his head.
"Shouldn’t we discuss this?" A small level of nervousness was inside of him but more anticipation than anything else. This was the moment he had been waiting for, the person he had never stopped loving. And, it was no longer wrong or evil for him to want to be with a man who had changed. Sephiroth was there for him, spiritually, emotionally and now definitely physically.
"Hmm…" He pondered over it. "No." Sephiroth began to kiss down the back of Cloud’s neck, turning his head to the side so he could reach his throat. At the same time, Sephiroth’s hand was stroking up and down Cloud’s stomach, teasing him. "Are you awake yet?"
"Of course I’m awake!" Cloud shifted over to face Sephiroth, meeting his lips to kiss him as passionately as he dared. He was willing to give himself totally to this man, but it would be as an equal lover. That was a concept which Sephiroth was most likely not accustomed with. The psychotic part of Sephiroth would never have deemed it necessary for Cloud to participate at all. But, it involved both of them and that was something which they would both have to accept.
*This is really going to happen.* It was undeniably amazing to Sephiroth that he had finally won over his Cloud. However, the certainty of that fact was starting to drill itself into his head. They were together at last. A tiny prick of pain brought Sephiroth back to his senses. He had been in the middle of an erotic daydream, skipping ahead to the good parts. His lip stung a bit, making him realize that Cloud had purposely bit him.
"Why did you do that?"
"To make you pay some attention to me. You know me. I’ll do anything to get your attention." Cloud waited until he was certain that the enchanting Mako eyes of Sephiroth had become attuned to only him. "And maybe I’m tired of all this fighting and making up. It was difficult to be your enemy…to hunt you down like a ferocious bear, but it has always been good to be your friend."
"Ah, now I’m your friend. This chat of ours is progressing nicely, wouldn’t you say, boy?" He grinned.
"If you keep teasing me, you aren’t going to get any."
There was that playful, annoying tone again which caused Sephiroth to react. He could be manipulated just as easily as Cloud. Making sure that Cloud had nowhere to run, Sephiroth edged his knee between the younger man’s legs. He spread them apart, pressing his upper body down onto Cloud’s to occupy him. Then, his hand crept down Cloud’s torso, underneath his pants, eliciting a moan from the man. He smiled evilly, grasping Cloud’s erection, softly stroking it.
"I’ve become tired of our never ending battle of wits, Cloud dearest." Sephiroth smirked coyly when Cloud gasped with every stroke. "Should we behave like the lustful creatures that we are and leave our bantering for later on in the day? I promise you that this will be much more fulfilling than your sharp tongue."
"Only if you stop calling me ‘boy’. And…all those other things." With one quick pull, Cloud had torn Sephiroth’s shirt in two pieces, popping off each button. "I’ve grown up a lot since you last saw me." He fastened his lips to the older man’s, reaching downwards at the same time. Then, he smiled. "This shouldn’t take too long."
"On the contrary, I intend to make it a memory that will last forever." That was the last cohesive sentence which was spoken between the two men. The only sounds which could be heard were low moans, a quiet movement of skin against skin. Their kisses burned brightly on bared flesh, sweat glistening under the candle lights. Touching, exploring and marveling at the other’s body where before they were only permitted to look. They fought as always although now as lovers trying to gain the upper hand. Occasionally, the lone joke would escape from Sephiroth’s lips, making Cloud punish him with more resistance. It created a long, drawn out lovemaking which went on until late in the afternoon.
Hours later, Sephiroth roused from his dreams to feel Cloud shifting under his arm. They had since relocated to the bed seeing as how it was more comfortable. He was never going to hear the end of how he had gotten a splinter in his thigh from the floorboards.
"Cloud…have I exhausted you?"
"Hardly." Cloud rolled over to grin at Sephiroth. He was feeling pretty smug about himself. Here was the great and powerful Sephiroth, sharing the same bed as him. Not as a temporary arrangement either. The man was bound by love and would leave him only if he wanted to have the wrath of Cloud hanging over his head. How wonderful it had been to join with Sephiroth as intimately as he had. He knew every part of Sephiroth’s body. What made the man laugh, cringe or give a strangled moan of pleasure. There was the matter of Sephiroth not knowing how to be completely free with his own enjoyment but that could easily be rectified.
"Then, why not speak with me instead of thinking all by yourself up there." He tapped Cloud’s pointy hair and gave a short laugh. "Unless your brains extend to your hair."
"For your information, they do!" Cloud poked Sephiroth in the ribs only to have two fierce hands grab him by his hips.
"I’m ready to go again if you are."
"Is that all you think about?" But he gave no indication that he didn’t want Sephiroth to continue his caresses. So, the man went on, moving up and down his legs while watching his reaction. "What are we going to do now?"
"What do you mean?"
"You’ve said on more than one occasion that you want to stay with me, eternally. That’s a lot of commitment. And, if you are serious, which you’d better be, then we have to plan for our future."
"That would suit you, Cloud. Being my little housewife, ranting and raving over commitment and the fence which I promised to build months ago."
"What fence?"
"It was an example. Of course I’m serious about being with you. I know how much you’ve been willing to give up for me. And after all the ruckus that I stirred up all those years ago, there’s the chance that someone may try to kill me. Needless to say that I will kill them first, having more experience with swords and no conscience."
"Sephiroth!"
"I’m only joking. How would you like to move away from it all? To live free in the wilderness without a care in the world." He spoke as if he truly believed in it but Sephiroth despised living like a simpleton. Those had been great times, when he had sought out to rule the world. Not for his insanity but for the awesome attention and riches he had showered himself in. Good food, delicious wine, attentive servants, what more could a man ask for?
Cloud sighed and started to braid Sephiroth’s hair underneath the blankets. He loved the way that it accentuated the man’s eyes, how it felt so soft to touch. "Don’t lie to me, idiot! I know that you’d rather sleep in the middle of the street than in the forest."
"Is that the manner which you are going to use on your lover? I’m offended." He withdrew but playfully pulled Cloud up against him, kissing him passionately. "How about Nanaki? He has that cozy little village and no one should recognize me."
"We can try. However, if anyone remembers you, then we’ll have to keep moving. Is that what you want?"
"To be with you, I’d live in the desert."
"Quit lying! Without a television set, we’d both be dead. We can continue to discuss this later, right now I’m going back to sleep." Cloud’s eyelids fluttered shut then lifted open a little to peek out at Sephiroth. He wanted to make sure that there would be no surprises from his lover during the night. Once he lost the battle against rest, Cloud would be vulnerable for Sephiroth to commence any number of attacks. If the older man did commence any sneak advances on his body, would it be totally unpleasant? *Not one bit,* Cloud decided. So he snuggled up in Sephiroth’s arms and dreamt of an existence where they had always been together.
"I won’t fail you this time, Cloud," Sephiroth vowed silently, kissing his lover’s brow. *Our life together will be different than the one we spent apart. I can’t allow any room for mistakes.*
It became nearly impossible for Sephiroth to just lie still with Cloud pressed to him tighter than crazy glue. But he managed somehow, calming his inner cravings and the voice inside that told him to see just how resilient his new love was. There was much to be done but it didn’t involve or include Cloud. Maybe later… "Cloud…" Could he be sleeping or was it a ruse like the past two times Cloud had fooled him? "Are you asleep?" One poke to the pointy blond hair revealed no movement. A tap on the nose still resisted any awareness. Sephiroth smiled before sliding the tip of his finger along Cloud’s throat where he was ticklish. Nothing. "It’s about time." Being extra cautious not to shift his weight too much, Sephiroth inched his way off of the bed. At the corner table beneath the windowsill, he located a pad and paper. Within seconds, the scroll of his fancy handwriting filled the paper. He pasted it above Cloud’s head on the bed frame using the adhesive stickiness to hold it there.
"I’m afraid that you’ve been left alone for too long, my darling Cloud. You haven’t had a worthy adventure since my earlier departure. Let’s see just how much of your former experience you attained in tracking me. I promise you an adventure never to be forgotten." Sephiroth smirked and crept out the door, carrying a very long masamune blade over his shoulder.
**
Daybreak. *Mmm…it’s so warm in here.* The sun shone past the open curtains to bask Cloud in its warmth. *Sephiroth…* Cloud rolled over, a big grin on his face…which abruptly vanished. "Sephiroth?" An empty space occupied the other side of the bed, crushed sheets and a lopsided pillow. He had probably woken up early to hunt down breakfast. Or trouble. Either one never escaped Sephiroth’s carefully engineered plans of mischief. Perhaps the man had grown and mellowed out after his ordeal but Sephiroth could not have the playfulness removed from his heart. Not even if it meant beating it out of him. *And he says I’m childish?!!* "Sephiroth, where are you?"
When Cloud swung his legs over the edge of the bed, his toes brushed against something sharp. "Yeow!" He peered down to find his buster sword standing upright, pointy edge facing him. Now Sephiroth was going to have to pay and in large amounts. "I get it. Instead of having sex you want to have duels now, is that it?" This was not how he pictured waking up in the morning. Cloud reached up to scratch his mussed hair and withdrew his hand with a sticky note attached to it. "Don’t tell me this was a one night stand." It came out as a joke but rang hollow with him. If that happened to be true, Cloud would just as soon impale himself on his sword than deal with being used. But Sephiroth wouldn’t do that. He just couldn’t!
" My Dearest Cloud," he laughed out loud. "Since when was I your dearest?" He read on:
The time has come for us to begin the ultimate battle.
One so creative and outrageous that even you might not be able to figure it out.
If that is the case, then you are in desperate need of practice.
Although the path will be treacherous and the obstacles difficult,
I’m sure that you will find my prize to be most rewarding.
Are you curious yet?
Then pick up that rusty old sword of yours, pack your bags and come find me.
It is in your best interests that you do so immediately.
Consider your future to be held for ransom until you complete this task.
Your final journey.
Love always,
Sephiroth
"Aren’t we melodramatic?" The sarcasm was met with a pinch of curiosity. What did Sephiroth have in mind and why did it include weapons? Could it be a threat of some sort? A hidden mental instability within Sephiroth’s clever mind? No. This was something far more complicated and complex. If the past could be used as any indication, then the future would be loaded with danger. And it was that uncertainty which prompted Cloud to quickly dress, gather up his belongings and hurry down Sephiroth’s chilling path. It didn’t matter how fast he found his lover, the game would only be over when Sephiroth deemed it to be so. Cloud was ready to play a game of a unique tune with the intuition that only good things could come of it.
