kyouminaine

[kyouminaine]

Christophe Jacrot

[kyouminaine]

Foggy day

[kyouminaine]

Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth (2024) — developed by Square Enix.

[kyouminaine]

Sometimes your heart needs more time to accept what your head already knows.

Unknown

[kyouminaine]

Is it possible for a home to be a person and not a place?

Stephanie Perkins

[kyouminaine]

cloud gifs 1/∞

[kyouminaine]

Short-haired Besties! 🐬🎀

[kyouminaine]

say cheese!!!

[kyouminaine]

Nothing hurts more than being hurt by the person you never thought would hurt you.

Unknown

[kyouminaine]

Sephiroth nodded at Cloud's response, admiring how quick-witted the blond always was no matter the situation. However, he knew for a fact that the other man had yet to encounter this particular variant of command materia. Therefore, he was quite interested to see how Cloud would react to the madman's recent discovery.

"It so happens to be a unique variant of materia that is quite rare, but one that I believe will help with your disguise efforts."

He held out the materia for Cloud to take, curious to see the blond's reaction once it was in his hands. Sephiroth knew that the moment it was in Cloud's possession it would trigger the transformation property that would make it so that there would be no need to worry any longer about the blond's true identity being discovered.

@aonemanarmy

Unique variant. That didn’t always have a positive connotation. Shinra always prided itself on possessing and manufacturing pure forms of materia through their experimentation, which tended to hike the pricing when sold by approved markets. This left for less refined products to be more commonly found in lower-end stores across the globe. Even more-so, it gave rise to the possibility of encountering “unique” – otherwise defective – materia in places that were not so financially stable.

Cloud knew through his years in the field and experience which ones were worth their prices and which ones weren’t. More often than not, he saw inferiorities in the stores that were more accessible to the average traveler and any inexperienced fool hoping to test their fate and risk being poisoned from misuse.

However, simply looking at the one in Sephiroth’s possession didn’t seem to fall into that category. It seemed normal without impurities or cracks even though the man had called it a variant. Still frowning, Cloud remained skeptical of Sephiroth’s flippant response.

And true to his suspicions, as the orb settled in his palm, it was as if the other man had already triggered its magic before Cloud had the chance to pull his hand back. Cursing, Cloud recognized at the last second that it was transformation materia.

He was ready to feel his body morph into something absurd like a guard hound or bandersnatch or some other creature. To his surprise and confusion, none of those took form. In fact, he hardly felt anything had changed at all, except there was a strange and almost alien feeling in his body as his center of gravity and field of vision changed.

“What did—” Cloud immediately stopped. His voice. That wasn’t his voice. Or rather, it was him, but it was as though he drank a potion to alter its pitch.

He reached up to touch his throat to check if anything had been damaged, only to come into contact with something unexpected. Looking down, Cloud saw something else that made his brain stutter as it struggled to process what he was seeing.

Though his body was, for the most part, unchanged, what did change was significant enough to alarm him. The weight on his chest, the distinct lack of a certain something between his legs, and other details his mind had yet to assess...

Gaze whipping up to look at Sephiroth in a mix of incredulity and vexation, Cloud demanded, “What did you just give me? Dispel it!”

[kyouminaine]

"Do you know what this is?" The madman held up a pale yellow orb for the blond to see.

@aonemanarmy

Cloud's brows knitted slightly as his gaze landed on the sphere in Sephiroth's hand. It was clearly materia, but there was a slight problem with the posed question. Some materia couldn't always be fully determined without direct contact.

Offensive magic was easier to discern because elemental magic could be felt or "seen" in its composition, making it possible for those with higher attunement to magic to sense what they're utilizing without touching it.

Summon magic could, in a way, also be felt, though this was only if the user was familiar with what godly being they were calling forth. For example, a novice wouldn't know the difference between Hades and Odin since the two entities had similar auras.

Support materia was a mixed bag due to the very nature of its composition. Cloud studied the materia in Sephiroth's hand and held out his own in expectation for it to be passed over.

"It's obviously materia. I need to see it." He looked up as a sudden thought came to him. "...Why?"

Sephiroth wouldn't be asking him unless there was a reason.

[kyouminaine]

Vincent, Tifa and Cid in Advent Children 🌠

[kyouminaine]

A strange habit was forming in Cloud that he both acknowledged and yet ignored was happening. It stemmed from this maddening new lifestyle that he was adapting to with Sephiroth. A man who had every chance and ability to end his life settled down with him at night, sometimes in the same bed and sometimes not, yet increasingly the two of them ended the day’s long hours tangled in the sheets and the threat on Cloud’s life was only based on whether he had the stamina to keep up with Sephiroth’s ruthless pace.

If Cloud was being honest, some of it was by his own instigation, but he turned a blind eye to the truth of his involvement. What it came down to in the end was simply this: Sephiroth completely exhausted him by the time they were done with their “activities.”

Cloud could be considered passed out more than asleep, since he could easily crash after it was determined that Sephiroth would let him rest and recover. Nothing could be said about just how long that respite would last, but at least some relief was guaranteed, even if the state in which he would be in when he awoke was a gamble. Just within the last day, Cloud didn’t even wake up in a bed but on the back of Fenrir.

It was fortunate that this time, he was still in a bed and not unknowingly relocated somewhere unknown. However, the state in which he was roused was one he wasn’t prepared for. In fact, he hardly realized he was being drawn out of his slumber as it happened.

As though his body was responding before his mind could catch up, his hips slowly rolled in sync with Sephiroth’s movements. A faint groan was made as he shifted, his sleep-heavy mind aware that his body was currently stiff from having remained in a single position for too long.

Dragging his eyelids open a bit, Cloud couldn’t help but furrow his brows and squint against the light that tried to sneak through the window. The vulnerable state he displayed, brought on by the security Sephiroth silently promised him simply by being close, allowed the grogginess to persist as otherwise Cloud wouldn’t have permitted himself to take so much time to rouse as he did now.

His gaze shifted and landed on the small bottle of lube from the previous night. Without letting his thoughts linger on it too much, Cloud reached for it and fumbled slightly to press it against Sephiroth’s hand.

“At least put more,” he grumbled under his breath. He should’ve been more concerned about how Sephiroth was currently buried inside him, but it was the fact that the man hadn’t added a new coat of lube before starting to move his hips that caught Cloud’s attention first. Had his mind been more alert, he would’ve been more alarmed about multiple other issues surrounding this scene, but it was this small detail that stuck out.

Tilting his head, Cloud tried to hide his face from the sunlight as he slowly rolled his hips. He used the low friction of their movements as a catalyst to gradually drag himself out of a state of slumber in pursuit of the pleasure that always followed whenever he and Sephiroth were connected in this manner.

“I don’t want it to hurt if you’re going to wake me up this way,” he continued, his words half muffled as he turned towards Sephiroth’s chest. He was still incredibly tired, but his efforts to stop Sephiroth were practically nonexistent.

No matter how many times he might have sampled it the taste of Cloud’s lips was without a question intoxicating and absolutely addictive. The subtle undertone of copper on the blond’s tongue was an added treat, one that spoke of the sharp contrast of their actions and how each of them ran deeper than anyone else could possibly hope to understand. It was yet another sign that they were meant to be together, as they were two pieces of the same broken whole and Sephiroth wouldn’t have it any other way now that he’d tasted it for himself.

It appeared that Cloud had reached the same conclusion judging by the soft purr of enjoyment the blond made as he slowly rolled his hips sending a pleasurable jolt racing down Sephiroth’s spine in the process. The idea that he could enjoy their physical link as much as he did was something Sephiroth had never anticipated, and feeling Cloud’s warmth envelop him even without any further action was enough to lull him into a sense of contentment. It made him wish to maintain that connection as long as physically possible and he wondered if Cloud felt the same way. But Sephiroth didn’t bother to ask, instead choosing to enjoy the way the blond’s fingers trailed down his front tracing along each contour of muscle with a strange sense of delicacy and grace.

Only when Cloud’s fingers settled over the large scar did the madman notice the sudden pause in the blond’s movements. It made Sephiroth wonder what thoughts were running through Cloud’s mind at the sight of it, since Sephiroth had only allowed the old injury to visually appear on his flesh out of respect for his rival. Had it not been for that then the older man would’ve been content to leave the mark absent as it served no other purpose just like the countless other wounds he had taken throughout his life, all of which had healed leaving not even a single trace behind.

Cloud’s focus on the scar made Sephiroth take into account the matching scar he’d given the blond, which he diverted his fingers trailing down the smaller man’s spine to lightly trace over. It made him wonder what was going through Cloud’s mind when he studied the old injury, if after seeing it that he too could appreciate the depth of meaning behind it. Somehow Sephiroth doubted it as he didn’t believe that most people were capable of seeing things from his perspective, but nonetheless it would’ve been nice thinking that maybe, just maybe, that Cloud may have felt the same way.

After all, the scars they’d given one another were the most obvious sign that the two of them were bound together. The wounds might not have been exchanged in a true battle, but they had sealed their fate and ensured that the two of them were now a part of one another for better or worse. They were bound by blood, pain, and suffering in that moment and there was no escaping that truth no matter how hard anyone else might have tried to deny it. As such, only they were fully capable of understanding one another on a level that no one else could or ever would and while the option was never there for Sephiroth, that meant that even Cloud couldn’t try to find solace in another.

At that very moment their fates were entwined and death itself could never separate them, and after all that happened Cloud knew that better than anyone, because it was the blond that had brought him back.

Lightly brushing over the exit wound on Cloud’s back Sephiroth could feel Cloud nestle closer after a long pause, the smaller man seemingly content once more. However, what Sephiroth hadn’t expected to hear from the blond was the soft murmur of ownership which took him by surprise as he had thought the words had only been uttered during the heat of passion and weren’t true to what Cloud felt. This proclamation said otherwise though, and the madman wasn’t sure what to make of it. All he knew was that it felt oddly right and without really noticing it a smile touched Sephiroth’s lips as he held the blond close.

***

Sephiroth rarely slept. Before he had ‘died’ the first time he had slept relatively little compared to ordinary people as he could function with a lot less and it never seemed to affect him. After the Nibelheim incident he had no need for rest whatsoever as he’d transcended into something beyond mortal considerations, and any sort of action he took to fulfill a basic need was more out of habit than necessity. As such, it came as a surprise to him that he’d actually allowed himself to drift off to sleep while holding Cloud close.

A desire to return to sleep had strangely taken him when he’d first woke, which was highly unusual for him even when he’d been mortal much less after. So when he opened his eyes he was taken aback by the fact he could see dim rays of sunlight filtering into the room from small gaps behind the closed curtains.

It was morning already?

The madman had no idea how long he’d been asleep and whether it’d been minutes or hours since he had no idea what time it was when the two of them had decided to rest. It was a bit disconcerting to him to have lost any amount of time that he hadn’t purposely planned out, but finding Cloud still fast asleep curled up on top of him helped soothe that concern. Surely it hadn’t been that long if the blond was still there, still, he did mentally chide himself for the brief lapse in judgment that had left him potentially vulnerable.

No matter.

Without really thinking about it Sephiroth began to absently stroke Cloud’s back, noting how sound the blond slept. It made him wonder what the other man dreamt about in such a state, but he supposed it wasn’t really all that important so long as Cloud was able to properly recover. But, that didn’t stop him from wanting to keep his rival close and his tireless appetite for the blond was made all the more evident by the way he had subconsciously begun to lazily roll his hips to further savor their shared physical connection. Funny how after all that had happened he still hadn’t had enough of Cloud, but he really couldn’t be blamed for that since it was the blond’s fault for being so irresistible.

He was more than ready to remain that way for as long as possible, but he knew eventually they’d have to get up and continue on their journey. Still, it didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy the moment for a bit longer and brushing his lips against the top of Cloud’s head he thought that he wouldn’t mind if they put off their departure and stayed this way for another night.

[kyouminaine]

Sephiroth was relieved that he wasn't causing Cloud any real trouble and that the blond didn't seem to mind his desire to be close to him. If he were aware of Cloud's true feelings then he would've felt guilty for imposing on the man, but since he wasn't the boy remained blissfully unaware.

“You can do more?”

The boy blinked, immediately curious as to what Cloud meant about warning him if he planned to do more. He didn't think there was any way he could be closer to the blond without biting him and Cloud had already ruled out that option. So what did Cloud mean by that?

Reluctantly Sephiroth relinquished his hold on Cloud to allow the man do get back to what he was doing knowing that he shouldn't press things. As much as he wanted to remain close to Cloud he didn't want to be considered a nuisance, so he chose to focus on what the blond mentioned earlier. It also made him more determined to get an answer to his question.

“What other sorts of things can you do?”

@aonemanarmy

An unexpectedly loaded question, yet Cloud dismissed the warning that poked the corner of his mind. He was dealing with a kid who had no knowledge of any form of affection, and relied on Cloud to teach him even the simplest of things simply because he had been denied them all his life.

With a bit of thought, Cloud's gaze shifted upward. He and Sephiroth were about the same height, with an unknown timer counting down to when the teen would hit his growth spurt. By that point, he wouldn't be able to enjoy many of the basic joys that most kids his age and younger got to enjoy even for the briefest of moments.

While Cloud couldn't given a more complicated answer, he opted for one that he felt was easy to approach and still acceptable between them.

"Depends on what the nature of your relationship is with that person. For you," he trailed slightly, and lifted his hand, "something along this line is an option."

His hand gently laid on top of Sephiroth's head. With his gloves on, he couldn't feel the texture of his hair, but he imagined the silver-tinted strands must've been soft. Dipping his fingers through the teen's locks, Cloud petted him.

It was a gentle, stroking motion that was merely an imitation of what his mother had done to him a long time ago. It was comforting and made him feel warm, even when he complained about it when she did it at what felt like the most random of times. Maybe it was her silent way of reminding him that she cared about him, because even when his brows furrowed and he ducked his head, whenever his gaze would tilt up to see her face, she'd wear a smile.

If Sephiroth could experience something kind like this, maybe it would bring him one step closer to retaining his sanity when Nibelheim's mission took place. It's was a farfetched idea, but maybe these simple touches would at least give him pause before he dove headfirst into a spiral of madness and sentence the death of so many people.

It was Cloud's wishful thinking... he didn't know how long he would even stay in this world or if he could actually prevent the tragedy from happening...

[kyouminaine]

Happy Holidays and a happy new year!

[kyouminaine]

Sephiroth felt this was the happiest moment of his whole life. At long last he finally had something that he'd always wanted, that he'd always dreamed about but never thought he'd have. It was more than he could've ever hoped for and he silently vowed that he'd never let that feeling go.

“Yes, because you're the only person I've ever known whose touch doesn't hurt.” The boy readily admitted, finding nothing wrong with stating that fact. “It's nice.”

From an early age Sephiroth had learned that touch was pain and as such he tried to avoid it as much as physically possible. However, Cloud was different and he felt compelled to be close to him, to touch him, and it surprised him that the blond's touch was different. With Cloud there was no pain, no fear, and he actually felt safe whenever they were together.

“Does it bother you?”

@aonemanarmy

If Cloud was honest, he would've admitted that Sephiroth's desire to be in physical contact with him was uncomfortable. While he wasn't particularly adverse to another person touching him, it felt unnatural nonetheless be it as the recipient or initiator. He simply wasn't a "physical" person.

But the teen's persistence and his obvious desire to remain close was clear. Rather than be satisfied with simply talking to Cloud as any other would, the kid closed the distance between them as though Cloud was truly a source of comfort for him. If Cloud was to make an analogy, albeit an embarrassing one, he imagined that his presence was like a pillow or safety blanket.

Considering Sephiroth's current environment and all that he was lacking and robbed of, it helped settle Cloud's emotions and allow him to accept his role. Much like how he was now resigning himself as the teen's guardian.

With a small shake of his head, Cloud suppressed these thoughts and replied, "Not really."

Adding, partly in jest, he added, "Just warn me if you plan to do more."

He didn't actually believe the kid would want more than a hug; he seemed content to do this much. At best, he'd probably want to spar and find comfort that way, since currently Cloud was the only one who could come close to matching him and pushing him to his limits. While Sephiroth was still young and growing in experience, Cloud already that that knowledge and the scars to prove it.

"We'll set rules when that time comes. Now let me get back to what I was doing. I can't finish if you don't ease that grip."

[kyouminaine]

Presents a flower to Cloud.

flower crown anon (Aster)

Drowsy, Cloud opened his eyes as he felt a familiar presence nearby. Almost on instinct, he knew where to turn his gaze and looked over at Aster. A sleepy smile tugged slightly at the corner of his lips. "Hey. That one looks different, what is it?"