#cloud strife angst

[ninibeingdelulu]

How he react when you…

ft. leon kennedy, cloud strife, zack fair, simon “ghost” riley

How he react when you kiss/lick/nibble his earlobe/neck/jaw.

Leon Kennedy -

The hardened former rookie cop would freeze completely still at the first intimate swipe of your tongue along the wiry tendon of his neck. Eyes fluttering shut, Leon would fight back a full-body shudder, teeth gritting as that rugged jaw twitches with mounting restraint.

As your nibbles and caresses increased against the sensitive flesh behind his ear, his calloused palms would clench into white-knuckled fists. Battling the ingrained instinct to defensively seize and subdue like with any other threat. Until, at last, Leon can resist no longer.

A strangled rumble erupts from his broad chest as he twists with feline grace to back you against the nearest solid surface. Pupils blown wide with smoldering hunger, he braces one strong forearm by your head as the other hand cups your nape with surprising tenderness despite the desperation ravening behind each fevered caress of his lips along your jawline. The first of many tremors to rack your entire frame that night.

Cloud Strife -

The stalwart AVALANCHE mercenary lurches as if jolted by a live current when the first pass of your tongue grazes that sensitive spot below his jaw. Spiky blond brows knit sharply over those blazing mako-tinged eyes squeezing shut on a guttural groan torn straight from his diaphragm.

Though his initial fists clench at his sides instinctively, Cloud permits no further retaliation - whether physical or to extract himself from your wandering affections. Quite the opposite, in fact. His head lolls aside, granting you ample access to continue feathering scorching kisses and teasing flicks of your tongue along the sensitive column of his throat.

Only once your relentless sensual torment threatens to buckle those powerful thighs entirely does Cloud shudder and haul you flush against him with dizzying abruptness. Equal parts possessive and reverent, he claims your parted lips in a soul-searing kiss, broad palms framing your face like a precious treasure as he savors every ardent swirl of your twined tongues.

Zack Fair -

That blinding, boyish smile wouldn't dim one iota as your teasing ministrations first make contact. At least, not outwardly. Inside, however, Zack's breath would leave him in a harsh gust as electricity lances up his spine from the languid glide of your mouth torturing that sensitive zone.

Far from the fierce, untamed passion of some of his counterparts, Zack would be endearingly awestruck and bashful at the outpouring of tenderness behind such a simple act. His fingers would splay tenderly through your hair, those sparkling blue eyes crinkling at the corners with unbridled adoration as you eagerly bestow your affections over every inch of accessible flesh.

Inevitably, he'd succumb to the smoldering fog of arousal steadily consuming every rational thought. Zack's doting caresses would roam freely along the sculpted planes of your body, lavishing you in turn with a breathless reverence and earnestness reserved for only you until the lines blurred completely between worshiper and revered.

Ghost -

One glimpse of that icy blue glare, and you'd know the elite marksman's mind was already whirring through a dozen calculated scenarios and counterattacks as soon as your lips made contact. Every toned muscle would go rigid, coiled like a cobra ready to strike or retreat at the first suspicious provocation.

Until, of course, realization trickles through that predatory hyper-alertness - this tantalizing torment stems from no external threat whatsoever, only the exquisite onslaught of pleasure steadily unravelling his razor-sharp restraint. As your roving mouth brands a searing path along Ghost's neck and jaw, his broad shoulders would slump minutely, permitting the faintest hitch of an indrawn breath to escape those chapped lips.

No vocalized encouragement or returned passion yet; such overt displays would likely always be suppressed lest they expose potential weaknesses to be exploited in the field. But like a silent storm front rolling in, Ghost's heated stare would spark with a new, tangible intensity wholly untamed and promising of the inevitable downpour still to come at your unhurried pace.

[cephei-ea]

Cloud Strife - Interlinked

Genre: angst, drabble

Disclaimers: ib yt interlinked, symphocat, long whale song ;(

Synopsis: to be interlinked

A/N: I wrote this with a person in mind, so my apologies if it doesn’t make sense or suit Cloud.

I feel this will make more sense to those who have experienced the loss of someone they thought was their person.

What is it like to hold the hand of someone you love?

Interlinked

Your own fingers interlinked as he stared blankly at the food you made him.

Interlinked

Your legs interlinked as you lay on his chest, feeling his heart beating beneath your own.

Interlinked

Your minds had become one— a direct result of the amount of time you’d spent with each other.

Interlinked

When did he change?

When did he stop seeing you when he looked at you?

You’d watched as his gaze slowly morphed overtime. When Cloud began looking through you, instead of at you.

Interlinked

Do you long for having your heart interlinked?

Interlinked

When? When when when had you become so desperately attached? When had the love you felt looking at him become tension? Searing pain blistering at your chest, walking on the sharpest of needles while in his presence?

Interlinked

In the most intimate, skin to skin moments, when he whispered against your skin that there was something about you. That there was something between you that was different.

That no one could ever recreate what you’d built together.

Interlinked

How did you feel when he opened his heart to you and in the moment that your hearts

Interlinked?

What ran through your mind when one day, his kisses became scant. The next, his eyes stopped meeting yours and the time you spent with him became but a weekly occurrence.

Cloud had changed.

It was clear how his skin became a cold touch against yours, it was obvious how it pained him to even hear your voice.

Cloud had changed. His eyes dimmed in vibrance, his hair rarely indulged in his care, his lips dried and his routine consisted of work, fighting and little to nothing more.

Cloud had changed.

He no longer loved you.

INTERLINKED

Did they teach you how to feel, finger to finger?

Interlinked

Despite how he hoped it would, despite how he screamed and yelled and fought and rampaged, not even time could not erase what once was. Time could not erase the tattooed feeling of your fingers pressing against his fingertips.

Interlinked

Cloud tried, hands pressed finger to finger against each other and digging into his forehead, to forget you.

Interlinked

Cloud did everything in his power to act like you never existed, to hate you, to do anything to move on.

Cloud would have done anything to forget you. Still, despite all of his efforts, he found himself weak in the face of your existence.

Cloud was incapable of forgetting you.

Interlinked

What he did not know, was that the feeling of your fingertips against his would never, ever fade. Regardless of the time or method he used to fix himself.

Interlinked

Do you long to have your heart interlinked?

Interlinked

“We’re interlinked…” a giggle, a heart beat, a breath, a touch, a kiss. Cloud eternally longed to be interlinked with you once more. If only once more.

Cloud hadn’t changed.

Interlinked

His hair was still jagged and soft, his hands were still calloused and lithe, his eyes were still the same hue of blue and adorned with long lashes, his voice was still gravely and deep, his body was still the same shape, though a bit bulkier.

And when he looked at you, the look in his irises was the same. Cloud hadn’t changed, he still loved you.

Interlinked

The moment that Cloud saw you, it was as though a ribbon was tied around the muscle in his chest.

Interlinked

When he met your eyes for the first time in over a year, the tie pulled ever tighter with each passing second.

Interlinked

Cloud swore to all above that the planet had stopped spinning, if only for a few moments.

Interlinked

Cloud felt his heart wrench and his gut twist when he saw you again, all the air in his lungs seemed to claw its way out of his chest, inevitably escaping him. He felt every drop of sweat like a tsunami, every memory like torture, every recollection and every sprout of a tear being ripped from the tight shackles he’d hoisted down on himself after you left.

Interlinked

When Cloud saw you again, he was forced to relive the moment you were ripped away from him.

Interlinked

Do you feel that there’s a part of you that’s missing?

Interlinked

The hole created by Cloud in your stomach the day that you separated grew larger with every second that you stared into his eyes.

The pain returned with a vengeance, as though the wound had been inflicted yesterday.

Interlinked

Do you recall the feeling of meeting the eye of the person you love again?

Interlinked

When his bright blue eyes, deeper than any ocean could ever hope to be, became the center of your eyesight again, everything and everyone around you ceased to exist.

“We’re interlinked…”

His voice had been deep, muffled against your chest as his warm lips kissed past your sternum and down your bellybutton.

Interlinked

There wasn’t a day that you didn’t think of Cloud. There wasn’t a single hour of any day for the past year and a half that you were not tortured by the memories you made together.

Interlinked

“I will do anything-“ a husk of a memory. It was the first and last time you had heard Cloud beg. Beg you to stay. Beg you to forgive him. Beg you to rethink leaving him. Beg you not to walk away from him. “You can’t. You can’t do this.”

Interlinked

Tears stabbed at your eyes, the memories of your time with Cloud, and the months of agony you’d gone through before and after your separation were all enough to wrench your stomach like a vice and urge bile to rise in your throat.

Interlinked

You swore to every living being, to every god, to every rose, to every diety and every star that graced your vision that you would never allow another person to become your missing puzzle piece. Because the dry heaving, head spinning experience you had when you left to empty your stomach a moment after seeing cloud again, and then turned to see him breathing heavily behind you and desperation splitting his face gave you the visceral urge to curl into a ball.

You’d never truly wanted to die before.

You didn’t know what it was like to relive your world cracking and shattering to pieces, every fragment of your soul being spread far and thin until picking up the pieces became all but a feeble wish.

Interlinked

Your emotions had been run so raw by the mercenary in front of you that laying eyes on him, the missing piece of your soul, after a year and a half, was another trauma in and of itself.

Interlinked

Love could not,

never had been, nor ever would be

A word strong enough to depict the magnitude of the torrent of emotions that Clouds existence gave you.

You cursed him for it

Interlinked

“DO YOU FEEL THERE IS A PART OF YOU THATS MISSING?”

He was silent because he knew he didn’t need to say anything for millions of words to fill the air between you.

Interlinked

When you touched again, another rise of bile threatened you; you pushed it down.

Still, not a word managed to leave him.

Interlinked

You couldn’t recall a single moment when you and Cloud hadn’t been interlinked. There hadn’t been one moment when your minds were not one or when your bodies were not in sync.

Interlinked

You were interlinked when you were in love, you were interlinked before you separated and you were interlinked during your separation.

Interlinked

And you were interlinked then again, in the moment that your arms snaked around his neck and his around your waist, your arms a bond taut and unbreakable. Whether from the trembling strength of his arms pressured around you or the painful depth of your shared emotions in the moment, Cloud had managed to steal your breath once again.

Interlinked

Do you feel

there’s a part of you

that’s missing?

___

Hope you enjoyed, this was self indulgent

[meiluu]

omg omg omg I've got an idea!! So... mean and demanding Cloud when he was controlled by Sephiroth?? Like you know how he's usually so nice and soft during that time... well now he's the opposite? I mean only if you're comfortable with it of course

I love this idea and, so here's a little something that came to mind after reading this...

CW: SMUT 18+, a bit dark, Angst, Cloud isn't fully there and his actions are being influenced by Sephiroth. smut below the cut. *NOT EDITED*

Cloud your sweet boyfriend, who could be a bit icy on the outside but when he's with you that icy nature melts and underneath that layer is a young man who craves your love like he needs air. Wholly devoted to you, his heart handed to you for safe keeping forevermore.

But with the threat of the planet and the loaming shadow of sephiroth, cloud has been...different to say the least. Quick to give into his anger and frustration, especially on the battlefield. Acting strangely towards some of the other members in your merry little group. You had thought that maybe it would lessen over time, but it only seem to do the opposite. But even with all of this you made it clear to cloud that you were there for him, yet he seemed to brush you off nodding absentmindedly.

It hurt you to say the least, but you held strong and continued to remain by his side. And your efforts seemed to be paying off, slowly cloud had begun to seek you out after battles and when he needed your comforting.

Although this time seemed different from others, his mako infused eyes held an emotion that had your hair standing up on end.

A muffled cry of pleasure leaves you as Cloud continues his near brutal thrusts. On your knees with your head partially buried into your pillow, you can feel Clouds strong and unyielding grip on your hips as he ruts into you like he was a starved animal. When he had come to you after another day of fighting monsters as they followed the trial towards Sephiroth, you had expected a typical cuddle session or made some soft sex to come down from the stressful day. Not this.

Its not that you didn't like this, it was just something Cloud had never really done. He always took his time with you, relishing in your shared time together. And even when he did get a bit carried away you could always feel the love with his actions or with his pleasure filled words.

"Cloud- too much I-" your words are hard to get out with your moans breaking them up. Hands gripping into the sheets as you lift your head turning it to the side to see Cloud. Eyes focusing in on his gorgeous face, his eyes are locked onto where his cock is thrusting in and out of your cunt. His eyes rise to meet yours, pupils blown wide at the view in front of him. A smirk crawls onto his face, then he is moving his hands from your hips to beside yours that are still gripping onto the sheets. "You can take it, you were made for this- For me." His near patronizing words are barely registered with the new angle he has you in. Cock going so deep hitting the spots within you that had the breath leaving your lungs in a moaned cry. One calloused hand of Cloud clasps onto one of yours while the other goes underneath your chin. Acting as a makeshift collar, turning your head towards his. Mako gazing piercing yours.

"You're mine, this-" a thrust accentuates his words cock bullying itself deeper into your orgasming cunt, "is only for me. So perfect just for me."

[demialwrites]

FF7 x Reader

Annoying things about being in a relationship with them

Rufus Shinra

He knows how to clean surprisingly decently because of his time confined to Turk HQ in Before Crisis but stubbornly refuses to do certain things. It's 'beneath him'

Even if you're on birth control or otherwise can't get pregnant, it doesn't matter. He's wearing a condom and how dare you suggest otherwise

He takes up all the space in the closet because of all the layers he insists on wearing

He insists on taking his dog everywhere, even if you explain it terrifies some people. For example: your poor parents

Rude

There's a third wheel in this relationship and his name starts with a Re and ends with a No

Rude is very romantic. However, he only barely has time so his gestures happen spontaneously and it's hard to plan around his schedule

Often comes home with injuries and you're the one who has to patch him up and worry about him. He doesn't worry about himself

He prefers to show not tell. You have to learn how to read him with a glance

Reno

There's a third wheel in this relationship and his name is Rude

His insecurity randomly spikes and he gets mega jealous, sometimes with threats at the offending party

Very loud. All the time

Gets broody about things he has to do at work and sometimes nothing you do will help

Gets whiney when you don't have the stamina to have sex all damned night

Cloud

Cannot communicate his needs. Does not know what his needs are. WHAT ARE NEEDS?

Everyone flirts with him but if you try to talk to him about it, he never noticed the flirting in the first place

Sometimes cute animals follow him home and oops, one day you have seven cats, fifteen chickens, four dogs, several chocobos, and one of those giant elephant fiends because it was injured and alone. You didn't sign up to live at a zoo but here you are, shoveling elephant shit every day

Occasionally, one of his hair spikes stab you straight in the eye when he's being the little spoon

Barret

Thinks he can fix everything himself when sometimes you just need him to listen

Like Reno, Barret can be quite loud. If you like peace, sometimes you have to take some space. It makes the big guy sad

Not very detail-oriented. Leaves little things like ammo all over the garage/shed floor and small bits of trash all over the house. He meant to pick it up, honest!

Occasionally breaks the bed

Tseng

You can't be spontaneous for shit because he anticipates everything

He has certain cleaning standards but he doesn't always tell you. He just redoes it himself

Must be the one to clean and iron his suit himself or he will get annoyed

His handwriting is annoyingly perfect and it makes you feel bad about your chicken scratch

Elena

Puts herself in danger way too often. She doesn't understand your horrified reaction to her story of how she jumped out of a helicopter onto a moving dune buggy in the middle of the Corel desert

It can be hard to tell if she's actually angry or just venting

You know more about her work than is probably safe for you

Too spontaneous. She sometimes makes important decisions without consulting you first

Reeve

Main bad habit: he is a workaholic

Sometimes puts others needs before yours. He's just trying to help

Doesn't take good care of his health

Uses the sad puppy eyes to get out of arguments more often than he should

Sometimes leaves spare cait siths and his parts all over the living room

[frickingnerd]

tell me you love me, even if it's a lie

pairing: cloud strife x gn!reader

summary: cloud wants to hear you say you love him just this once, even if he knows it's just a lie...

tags: angst, implied yandere!cloud, unrequited feelings (cloud for reader), zack & reader relationship, lovesick cloud

“tell me you love! even if it's just a lie…”

cloud had taken your hands into his own. he knew that you were dating zack. he knew that he'd never be him and that he'd be never be with you. but at least once, he wanted to know what it would be like if you'd say his name with the same fondness you said zack's and told him that you loved him.

“cloud…” you sighed softly, trying to let him down gently. but there was no way you could convince him to drop this.

“please, just once. i know you could never love me, but just for a moment, let me pretend like you could truly love me.”

you silently considered it. yet if you said it once, what if he wanted more. what if he'd want a kiss next? what if it was more than a kiss that he wanted?

“i'll say it, just once.” you finally gave in. cloud's eyes widened and brimmed with excitement, but you quickly shut him down. “but after i say it, you have to move on. no more requests like these!”

cloud hasty nodded. he'd do anything, just to hear you say those words to him once. anything.

“i love you…”

the words you whispered weren't as sincere and affectionate as cloud had always imagined them as. but he shouldn't have expected so much. hearing you say them, he could pretend for a second that he'd be the one you truly loved. but just for a second, as afterwards, despair filled him.

“t-thank you…” his voice was quiet and shaky. you had just broken his heart with those words, yet he thanked you. but at the very least, he could pretend for just a moment that this wasn't a lie…

[priceofreedom]

FF7 replay 74/?

[salternateunreality2]

Zakkura fluff please? 🥺

Henlo Pumpkin! ❤️🍊❤️ Zakkura fluff (and some angst at the end):

Literally:

Genesis, vigorously using a lint roller on his person: I don't know how I can stand to be around you two!

Cloud, leaning back into Zack's chest, hugging Zack's arms: You're jealous of our relationship?

Zack: You wish you had a hot Nibel boyfriend? *Smooches*

Cloud, mumbling around the kiss: You can't stand the sight of healthy displays of affection and warm honesty?

Zack, nuzzling Cloud's hair: You're worried about how to finally confess your feelings to Sephiroth?

Genesis: IT'S YOUR FUCKING SHEDDING, YOU INSUFFERABLE HOUNDS! I CAN WEAR NEITHER DARK NOR LIGHT COLORS, AS EACH OF YOUR VAPID HEADS INVARIABLY SHEDS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT I CHOOSE! *Sets fire to the lint roller, throws it at them, and storms off*

Cloud: *casually freezes it before it hits Zack* Jealousy. Wanna make out?

Zack: YES!

-----------

Figuratively:

Zack waking up at fuck off in the morning, but being so, so careful not to move and disturb his exhausted Cloudy. Until he really really REALLY has to pee, then playing the mission impossible theme song in his head while slowly and carefully extracting himself.

Cloud being too shy to say he's fallen for Zack, but leaving him weird little presents everywhere: a grocery bag with two of his precious cookies from Claudia tied to Zack's apartment door handle, a wolf-shaped rock on his desk, a little woven charm smuggled into his pocket, a rose ring made from a twisty tie on his sword, Nibel leather shoelaces threaded through his boots...

Zack pretending not to notice Cloud limping and forcing down every impulse to sweep him off his feet, because that's what Zack wants, not what Cloud needs.

Cloud noticing Zack limping, shoving him onto a bench, treating his leg, and ordering him to lean on him until they get home.

Zack carrying Cloud when he's out of it, even as his arms ache and burn, his patience has long since worn thin, and he hasn't had a full meal in 4 years. He is still as gentle as the first time he kissed Cloud's hand in the dim stairwell, the faulty lighting masking both their blooming blushes.

Cloud charging past Zack's broken body, scared shitless, towards a foe neither of them could hope to match, fighting and winning anyway, because he HAS to, because it's ZACK back there, he HAS TO SAVE HIM.

Zack and Cloud stumbling up to a crumbling church, dripping blood and barely coherent, slamming the doors open with a bang and demanding she take care of him first, before passing out arm-in-arm.

Zack teaching her Cloud's PT exercises for the days Zack is too weak to help and Cloud is too addled to be present. Cloud showing her where every damn bullet went and holding Zack steady as she digs each remaining slug out.

Both of them sleeping with their hand over the other's heart.

[dilutedbeanibeans]

swans mate for life, and follow each other into death

[altocat]

As Sephgeal inevitably becomes a more popular ship around here I'm putting it out there right now that Sephiroth's thing for Cloud how has an extra layer of angst.

Cloud carries the Buster Sword. Cloud stands where a greater man once stood. Cloud lives on in the shadow of what was once beautiful and pure and true.

How dare he. How DARE he.

And yet Sephiroth can't pry himself away.

Though he can't remember, though the shadows of the past no longer tug at him from the hazy gloom of Jenova's caress, every clash of their blades is a revelation, a homecoming.

Because for a moment, he's safe again. Warm. Far away. Held. And someone else.

For a moment, they have come together again.

Reunion.

[ninibeingdelulu]

Seeing you comforting a child…

ft. leon kennedy, cloud strife

Leon Kennedy would never dare admit it openly, but the stoic, badass exterior melted away ever so slightly at the sight of you tenderly comforting a lost child.

That time in the ransacked village, when the haunting wails of a youngster pierced the air amidst the carnage - Leon instinctively tensed, jaw setting grimly as his grip tightened on his rifle.

But then he spotted you already racing ahead unhesitatingly. Dropping to one knee, arms outstretched in a gentle beckoning posture as the little one startled then sprinted straight into your protective embrace.

Your soothing tones murmured comforting assurances while cradling their trembling form close against you. Fingers carding soothingly through tangled hair with the utmost tender care.

And Leon couldn't tear his widened eyes away from the tenderhearted display. Throat constricting over the unexpected lump suddenly materializing there.

That million-watt smile radiating from your features as you rocked them patiently until whimpering quieted was like the first vibrant blossom peeking through the ash after a nuclear winter.

An oasis of affectionate nurturing shining through the oppressive bleakness suffocating them both for far too painfully long.

Leon found his calloused finger-pads unconsciously drifting up to caress his own chapped lips as if wishing to physically absorb the tranquil serenity you effortlessly exuded.

Eyelids momentarily fluttering closed while permitting himself to just bask in the warmth emanating from your very presence like a soothing balm against all the harrowing darkness poisoning them both.

A tremulous sigh escaped between those parted lips as the barest ghost of a smile tugged at their corners for the first time in...Christ, had it really been years since he last felt anything even remotely resembling that fleeting glimmer of unguarded optimism blossoming in his chest?

The peaceful tableau you presented with the now-placid child tucked securely in your arms struck Leon deeper than any physical combat wound ever could.

Worming past every steel-plated layer of defenses, countermeasures and failsafes, straight down into the most vulnerable core of his humanity he'd sworn died an agonizing death ages ago.

It terrified yet entranced him in equal measure just drinking in the serene display. Eventually those narrowed steel-blue irises regained some of their piercing guardedness while surreptitiously cataloging every nuance etched upon your expressions and ministrations.

As if desperately searing the moment into his consciousness to be revisited and clung onto later through whatever hell awaited them next.

Thank Christ for your influence and the inexplicable balm it provided against the miasma of torment clouding Leon's withered soul more with every passing abyss they navigated together...

The uncompromising mask remained solidly affixed in place by the time you finally lifted your eyes to meet his guarded gaze, the child nestled peacefully into the crook of your neck.

Not a single flicker of that momentary softness penetrated the hauntingly chiseled granite of his features now.

Yet behind that shuttered and fortified thousand-yard stare, the barest ember pulsed with renewed tenacity suffusing Leon's frigid disposition with almost undetectable glimmers of warmth.

All because of your natural radiance and selfless compassion reminding him why they fought on through each grueling gauntlet.

Sure he'd never verbalize sentiments that unbearably raw and guileless aloud. But that infinitesimal spark continuing to miraculously smolder despite all efforts to smother it was enough to propel them onward through any escalating onslaught yet to come.

This time with a renewed fervor steeling Leon's adamantine determination from the inside out.

The desolate, mako-tainted wastes proved no place for a child's cries. Yet the haunting echoes still pierced straight through Cloud's calloused defenses when tiny lungs unleashed their heartrending wails upon the barren landscape.

His gloved grip instinctively clenched tighter around the battered Buster Sword's hilt, jaw tensing as those predatory ice-blue irises immediately snapped towards the source of the disturbance.

Fully prepared for whatever fresh horror emerged after the merc caught fleeting movement through his peripherals.

But the cautious sweep revealed only your slender form already hastening ahead. Moving with fluid grace directly towards the sobbing bundle tucked against a crumbling wall.

His firm chapped lips tightened into a grim line witnessing you unhesitatingly drop to one knee before the distressed child without any apparent armaments at the ready.

From this distance, Cloud glimpsed your gentle features soften with bottomless compassion wholly separate from the usual battlefield ferocity.

Small hands unfurled in placating gestures exuding profound warmth and sincerity instantly easing some of the fractures riddling his own battered soul simply by proximity.

While you deftly coaxed the tiny thing into your embrace with susurrant tones and infinitely patient ministrations, Cloud suddenly found himself robbed of breath altogether.

Those glacial spheres wide and stunned at the exquisitely tender vision you presented cradling their fragility so reverently. A profound ache lodged behind his breastbone at the maternal aura emanating from your whole being.

He swallowed convulsively over the sandpaper abrasions rasping along his windpipe.

Gloved fingers betraying the slightest tremor disturbing his usual uncompromising stoicism while still drinking in every indelible detail of the intimate scene unraveling.

From the tender flickering caresses smoothed across tangled russet locks to your honeyed vocals humming soothing melodies of consolation.

All suffusing the stale, mako-saturated atmosphere with vibrant healing essences Cloud found himself instinctively gravitating closer towards.

Feather-light brushes scritched lovingly along the whimpering child's back forming hypnotic ellipses mirroring your unguarded smile radiating all-encompassing warmth across those cherubic cheeks now drenched in tear tracks.

Until finally after an eternity, the miniature form stilled in your arms. Body unlocking from its terrified rigor mortis into the very picture of youthful tranquility tucked securely against your heartbeat.

Cloud hadn't even realized he'd been holding his own respiration captive until the soft sigh expelled in a shuddering rush between lax lips.

A full-bodied flinch rattled his broad shoulders at its sudden harsh volume intruding upon the sacred tableau before him.

But thankfully, your features remained beautifully serene, wholly undisturbed while continuing to rock the now-quieted bundle in gentle rhythms.

Only then did molten sapphire pools drift up to lock with his widened stare burning with intensity across the slender lacuna separating you. A tremor not wholly attributable to anxiety skittered down his whip-cord musculature watching your radiant smile intensify directed solely towards Cloud.

As if silently communicating your infinite gratitude for him bearing witness to such an intimate and precious moment blossoming in this scorched hellscape...

Whatever parched recesses comprising the haunted mercenary's core still retained the capacity for absorbing nurturing warmth - it suddenly flooded within the confines of his barrel chest when those infinitely compassionate irises shone their benediction upon him.

Unknotting every rigid sinew and ligament hardened into a battle-tempered carapace purely through the power of your tender, life-affirming essence.

Almost imperceptibly, Cloud's chapped lips softened around the faintest half-curved suggestions budding there.

Posture unconsciously opening to welcome your pure light into his long-shadowed world while holding your loving gaze in mesmerized thrall.

As if determined to thoroughly archive this oasis of serenity and unconditional love in his consciousness so it may fortify whatever grueling battles destiny demanded they wage next.

Then in a single blink and a slight dip of your chin, the spell abruptly dissolved back into hyper-vigilance.

Yet even with the mercenary's legendary ice reformed across those exquisite Nordic features, perpetually braced for the next onslaught - a spark continued flickering in the hooded caverns of his stare.

A faint ember of something intangible yet transcendent now eternally kindled behind his armored exterior.

All because you'd reminded Cloud one of his most precious intangible dreams had been manifested into cherished reality...even under the most desolate conditions.

[c0smoshit]

Do you want me or do you not?

⋆ ࣪. ℙ𝕒𝕚𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘 ≫ Cloud Strife/Reader

⋆ ࣪. ℙ𝕝𝕠𝕥 ≫ Cloud saw a letter with his name written on it, inside your diary

⋆ ࣪. 𝕎𝕒𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 ≫ angst!, reader not being present, guilt, not proofread!!

⋆ ࣪. 𝔸/ℕ ≫ I'm back again!! I don't like this drabble really much but I've spent sm time writing it that I thought I'd post it lol. Sorry if it's a bit shitty 🤧

⋆ ࣪. 𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕕𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕥 ≫ 1718

"Do you want me or do you not?"

His hands held the once hated paper as if it was worth millions of gils.

Cold fairies travelled up his spine, reminding him of the future he will never have with you.

A part of him was still attached to the past, a great part. That was his way to cope with everything that had happened in his life, swimming in a deep, deep pool of sorrow and unreached dreams.

Maybe he shouldn't have taken that path a long time ago.

Maybe he shouldn't have fallen deeply from your silk hands, following people he knew didn't speak to him like you did.

Or maybe his destiny was to end up like this, alone again.

His steps were curiously more careful, his inner voice telling him ( shouting at him ) that he should've been more careful.

But who could really blame him?

. . .

"Hey there"

Sometimes you would greet him with a smile, which he didn't return. Or some whispered out "hi", but this wasn't your usual greeting.

Your arms enveloped him for an instant, your cheek against his chest as you pressed further into him.

He could smell you and he liked it, he always liked clean ambiences. Something weird as he constantly had to smell Midgar's dirty air, but he didn't mind smelling sweet, fruity shampoos.

You parted from him as his hands stayed still against his sides, afraid of moving them too much.

As soon as he sat on a stool in the bar, you had a drink already waiting for him.

And he hated it.

He knew that he was being such a dick, but his mind couldn't help but feel somewhat uncomfortable by your warm and so pleasant touches.

He wanted to be happy just for once, god you were giving him his favourite drink!

But weighs and weighs of stress and unsolved problems occupied more volume than his own welfare.

"Do you not like it?"

His gaze then looked at your confused eyes.

"I'm sorry I thought you did, I can always ch-"

"It's alright"

That's it?

You got nothing more to say than that?

His eyes looked at your ... he wasn't going to lie, he really did not know how to read the emotions you had hiding between those gorgerous orbs.

And he wished he did

So as your hands quickly retrieved themselves from changing the liquid, you were back to the chores Tifa probably told you to please do.

He wanted to go, not because you were there but because he was suddenly so nervous he needed "fresh" air.

So that's what he did, not before muttering a low "thanks" and wishing you a good night before stepping outside the bar once again.

He surely didn't want to go home, he didn't want the sun to come up, but on top of all of those wishes, he didn't know what he wanted to truly do.

So his feet, followed by a loud metallic "clank!" that quieted down the louder rumble of the city, dragged him through alleys.

His eyes looked everywhere, dimly lighted appartaments, people that were still returning home from work.

Would they visit their kids?

Their cats? Dogs?

Their partnerts?

He wouldn't wish anyone to be him.

And he ceirtanly day-dreamed about becoming some stranger on the streets.

He often recieved comments from some boys about how handsome he was, that he surely had a long pile of women on his palm.

But was it really worth it?

He didn't need women to love him, he didn't need nobody to love him.

Nobody but someone to hold at night, someone to lull him back to sleep after a rough night.

( he needed you )

. . .

And yet he was here, waiting for you to walk back into your room as he stared into the blank wall.

He remembers the day he moved in next door to you in Midgar, both of your rooms were so different you made him self-concious about his own decisions of decoration.

The way you would lit up the darkness of his empty room the moment you placed your feet inside of it.

But now they all remained just as memories

Memories that soon would dissapear into the void of his enigmatic mind.

He knew there was going to be a time that his brain, naturally, would forget how your face looked like.

How your voice sounded like.

The warmth of your shy touches against his skin.

And he didn't want that time to come, not ever.

But he was far, far away from where it all had started. The nostalgia of your steps as you guided him through Midgar, Nibelheim ( although he knew it like the back of his hand ) Gold saucer. . .

And finally, your room

Which was the place he was standing on right now, trying to read a note you wrote who knows when.

He knows he shouldn't be doing this, rumaging through your personal belongings. But once he had opened your diary and saw his name written on it, he had to take a look.

. . .

" He feels like a ray of sun after a storm, warm and welcoming you back to the sweet and beautiful world you once knew "

" Today I walked with him all through sector 5, he was so cute waiting for me while I asked him which clothes he liked most "

" I don't want to lose him ever again, not after what happened today "

" Maybe he likes Aerith, I see the way his eyes linger on her smile for quite a while "

" Maybe I'm being annoying but I don't get why he doesn't want me to take him home! We live right next to eachother >:( "

" Yesterday I laughed a lot when Tifa called him an angry chocobo, he sure looks like one of those big birds "

" I wonder what he thinks of me. .

. . .

And then he saw it, a ruffled up small paper smashed against the last two pages of the little book. But when he grabbed it, he wished he didn't.

At first he found it quite hard to read as he got used to how you would normally write, but it was clear that you were upset in this one.

There were also some harsh drawn lines on top of your words, a mess of your thoughts and anger. All of the slurred out words came to the same conclusion.

Did he want you or did he not?!?

It is all so confusing, first he speaks to me kindly, he even cracks a few jokes! But then he comes back to this... cold and closed personality. Maybe I'm being dumb about this, maybe he just sees me as a friend just like he would with Barret or Tifa. Well, Tifa... Why am I being jealous of her? I don't want to feel like this, she has all the rights to be close to him. Hell, she was her bestfriend ever since they were little kids. But then again, why does he speak to me like he isn't interested in me??

Why does he talk to me like that if so?

He turned his eyes out of those last words, now understanding why you acted like that whenever he was around you.

Why you were gone now.

The first feeling that flooded his entire organism was guilt, that familiar clench inside his lower stomach. Then he went over 10 different ways he could have had you with him right now.

And they all ended up talking

Just that simple, right?

But the way his mind would automatically go blank whenever you spoke to him about something serious, the innability to express his real feelings without letting out lies instead.

And to add up to how deeply dumb he felt, it was a surprise for him to have just discovered that you actually felt the same for him ever since.

. . .

Going inside a cave wasn't really a good idea thanks to all the cons it has, confusing as a maze, bad lighting and of course, how cold they usually are.

So he wasn't really surprised that after the group had divided itself, you all ended up kind of lost. Next to Barret, he tried to stay calm as he tried to search Tifa, Red and, of course, you.

"Where the hell are we?"

Barret's loud voice echoed through the hard walls, making Cloud flinch as he tried to guide themselves into the exit.

After walking for quite a while, he found a strange section inside the cave that was way colder than the other ones. And when he was about to step into the other section next to it, he heard you.

But he didn't hear the chatting he had thought he would have listened, instead he heard a loud gasp, followed by some shoes ruffling.

And by the time his eyes were searching for you, he looked up to see you almost crushing him down into the ground. But of course, he was fast enough to catch you.

A blur of voices surrounded his mind, but the only thing that it was paying attetion to was the way your cool body fit in between his arms.

Your arms curled up against his chest as your mouth moved, probably surprised to had fallen into his arms instead of hard rocks.

. . .

He never will forget how you felt on his arms.

Reminiscing about past events had became his usual routine whenever he thought about you, he couldn't do anything more either way.

But it was pointless now, no matter how hard he tried to imagine yourself again, you weren't there.

And it was now when he finally had figured out why his words seemed not to seep out of his mouth as smoothly as usual with you.

Right after the group had started to live normal lifes again after the meteor, you were gone, far away from his reach. Or maybe you were right beside him, who knows.

He often wondered if you still dreamt about what happened in Midgar, Nibelheim, Junon...

He needed to find you.

But where shall he start?

[writingsoftarnishedsilver]

Breaking Rules | Cloud Strife x Reader

Part One

Next Chapter →

Summary: Cloud Strife doesn't usually pay for sex, but then he meets you.

Words: ~9,500

Tags: Explicit Smut, Angst, Cloud Strife is Bad At Feelings, Strangers to Lovers, Slow Burn, Reader Insert, Female Reader, Plus/Midsize Reader, No Y/N

Cloud wasn’t new to this.

Women noticed him; they always did. His cold exterior, the quiet confidence, the strong shoulders—it all drew attention, even when he wasn’t looking for it. Tonight was no different. He could feel the weight of eyes on him from across the room, the subtle shifts of interest, and the flirtatious smiles that seemed to follow him everywhere. Normally, it wouldn’t take long to find someone to take home. It never did. But tonight… tonight was different.

He lifted his glass, taking a slow sip, the liquor burning a familiar path down his throat. His eyes flicked toward the two women seated a few stools down, their hushed whispers and quick glances anything but subtle. One leaned closer to her friend, saying something that made them both smile before casting another appraising look in his direction. Her lips curved into a confident smile, one that lingered, an unspoken invitation hanging in the air.

For a moment, Cloud considered it. He could walk over, say a few words, let the routine unfold as it always did. It would be easy—effortless, even. But as his gaze lingered briefly on them, disinterest pulled him back.

In fact, nothing and no one in the bar seemed to catch his attention. No matter how many glances were thrown his way or how many smiles tried to pull him in, Cloud felt… uninterested.

Cloud sighed and tossed back the rest of his drink before setting his glass down on the counter. Maybe he was in a mood. Maybe the mission had messed with his head more than he thought. Either way, he was done here. He stood up and tossed some gil on the counter, not bothering to look back.

The air outside was heavy and humid, a thick blanket of smog and sweat hanging over Wall Market. Cloud walked a few steps from the bar, a dive called The Rusty Chocobo, a popular haunt for mercs, traders, and anyone looking to drown their worries in cheap liquor and dim lighting.

Cloud rolled his his shoulders, trying to shake off the lingering frustration he couldn’t quite name. He should’ve been able to find someone inside. That was what he came for, after all, a woman to distract himself with. But instead, here he was, alone, feeling more restless than he did before.

He shoved his hands into his pockets, his boots splashing through a puddle as he turned down the street. The usual crowd of women lingered near the corner, dressed in clothes that were meant to draw attention—short skirts, tight tops, bold makeup. They leaned against the light posts or stood in small groups, their eyes catching on anyone who passed by, offering fleeting smiles or suggestive glances.

They called out to passersby with sultry promises and whispered propositions, their voices honeyed with practiced allure. He didn’t fault them for their work; everyone did what they had to in order to survive, especially down here. But Cloud had never been tempted.

Cloud Strife didn’t pay for sex. There was no the point in it, not when he had seemingly endless other options. And more than that, it went against something… fundamental in him. The idea of exchanging money for something so intimate, so personal—it didn’t sit right.

So when a woman lounging in the shadows of an alley called out to him, her voice low and suggestive, Cloud didn’t even break stride. He kept walking, his boots scuffing against the uneven pavement, his mind preoccupied with the mission that had brought him to this part of town in the first place.

But then he saw her.

At first, she was just a silhouette, a figure leaning casually against the wall of a boarded-up shop, partially cloaked in shadow. But as Cloud drew closer, the weak flicker of a nearby streetlamp revealed more—a cascade of hair tumbling over her shoulders, delicate facial features and a steady gaze. She didn’t angle for attention like the others, no coy smiles or practiced gestures to lure someone in. She simply existed in the space, quiet and unobtrusive, yet inexplicably magnetic, as though the shadows themselves had shaped her, making her a seamless part of the night.

Cloud didn’t know why he was moving toward her. Sure, she was hot. Hotter than anyone he’d seen in recent memory, honestly. But that wasn’t enough to explain the pull he felt, the strange compulsion that kept his feet moving in her direction even as a small voice in the back of his mind told him to turn around.

Her eyes, sharp and steady, took him in without a hint of surprise or hesitation. There was no coyness in her expression, no attempt to charm him with a smile or a flutter of lashes. She simply regarded him.

“You looking for something?”

Cloud didn’t answer right away. His gaze flicked over her, unbidden, lingering on the way her dress clung to her body like a second skin, accommodating her wide hips and thick thighs, accentuating their fullness with unapologetic boldness before narrowing sharply at her waist. The neckline dipped low across her chest, teasing just enough cleavage to hold his eye without crossing the line into overt display.

“How much?” he asked, his voice rougher than he intended, the words scraping awkwardly out of his throat.

“That depends,” she said, crossing her arms loosely over her chest. The motion only drew more attention to her figure, but she didn’t seem to care. “What do you want?”

It wasn’t the response he’d expected. She was taking her time, watching him, as though she were the one sizing him up, not the other way around.

Cloud shifted slightly, the tension in his shoulders refusing to ease. “Sex,” he said, bluntly, his tone flat as though stating it plainly would make this entire interaction easier.

Her smirk softened into something more unreadable—calm, steady, almost like understanding. “Sure,” she said, her voice carrying no hint of hesitation. She tilted her head slightly, giving him a once-over that felt more analytical than seductive.

Cloud’s hand twitched at his side, caught in the indecision that was quickly tying knots in his gut. Part of him wanted to walk away, to leave this moment behind and pretend it had never happened. The other part—the part that had propelled him toward her in the first place—kept him rooted to the spot, his mind racing even as his expression remained stony.

She didn’t rush him. She didn’t bat her lashes or try to fill the silence with coaxing words. She just stood there, calm and steady, watching him as though she had all the time in the world—like she knew he’d make up his mind eventually and didn’t particularly care which way he leaned.

Cloud exhaled slowly, forcing himself to push past the tightness in his chest. “Fine,” he muttered, the word falling from his lips more as an admission than a decision. His gloved fingers slipped into his pocket, retrieving the cash. He extended them toward her, his hand steady even as something twisted uncomfortably in his chest.

She accepted the gil without hesitation then nodded, her voice as cool and detached as it had been all along. “Lead the way."

For a moment, Cloud hesitated, but then his boots scraped lightly against the pavement as he turned, the motion stiff, almost mechanical as he started walking, his steps purposeful but his mind a blur.

He could feel her eyes on his back, steady and unwavering, accompanied by the rhythmic click of her heels against the pavement.

When they reached his door to his apartment, Cloud fished the key out of his pocket and pushed it into the lock. The door groaned slightly as he opened it, stepping inside first before pausing to hold it open for her. She moved past him without hesitation, her dark hair catching the faint glow of the hallway light before she stepped fully into the dim space.

The room was simple—sparse furniture, bare walls, and little else. No decoration, no personal touches. It was functional, nothing more. But if she cared, she gave no indication. There was no flicker of surprise in her expression, no awkward pause as she took in her surroundings. Instead, she carried herself with the same calm confidence she’d had from the moment he first saw her. It was like she’d done this a thousand times before—and maybe she had.

“Nice place,” she said after a moment, her voice even and detached, like a polite observation rather than a genuine compliment, the kind of thing people said out of habit rather than meaning.

Cloud shrugged, closing the door behind him with a quiet click. The familiar stillness of his apartment enveloped them, but for the first time, it felt suffocating, almost oppressive. He walked past her, his movements measured, tugging off his gloves and setting them on the small table beside the sofa. His sword, always a looming presence, found its place leaning in the corner.

Her eyes tracked his movements, calm and appraising, like she was cataloging each small detail. When he finally turned back to her, she tilted her head slightly.

“Silent type, huh?” she asked, her tone light but probing. Her gaze swept over him, lingering briefly on the lines of his shoulders before meeting his eyes again. “That’s fine. I’m not much of a talker either.” Her lips twitched into a smirk, her voice dipping lower, softer. “At least, not when it comes to this.”

Cloud didn’t respond, his lips pressing into a thin line. Words felt too heavy, too complicated, and he wasn’t sure he trusted himself to say the right thing—not when her voice, her presence, was unraveling something inside him he hadn’t even realized was there.

Whatever it was she’d unearthed in him, Cloud couldn’t seem to tamp it back down. Hell, he couldn’t even remember the last time he’d felt this drawn to someone, let alone acted on it. The realization unsettled him, but not enough to stop him. Not enough to keep him from taking a step forward.

He reached for her, brushing lightly against her bare arms, her skin warm under his fingertips before he slid down slowly, finding her waist and settling there. Her body shifted subtly under his touch, leaning into it just enough to let him know she wasn’t going to pull away.

He needed to focus on the physical, on the mechanics of this—the way her curves fit against his hands, the subtle rise and fall of her breathing. That was the whole point, wasn’t it? Bringing her here, to this quiet, bare space where he could lose himself in the motion, in the heat of it. No strings, no thoughts, no feelings. Just sex.

That was the whole idea.

But as he stood there, her steady gaze holding his, that usual feeling of detachment refused to take him. And for the first time in longer than he could remember, Cloud felt completely untethered.

He couldn’t explain it. He’d always been the one in control in these moments—he dictated the terms, made sure things stayed simple and impersonal, but with her, the roles felt reversed. He might have been the one paying for her company, but it didn’t feel like he was in charge.

She tilted her head slightly, the movement graceful. “Bedroom?” she asked, her voice low but even, devoid of any edge or inflection. It was the kind of tone someone might use to ask for directions or the time.

Cloud nodded stiffly, the muscles in his shoulders tightening, coiling like springs that refused to release. “This way,” he said, his voice rougher than intended, the two words scraping their way out of his throat as he jerked his head toward the back of the apartment.

He turned and started walking, not bothering to glance back and see if she followed—he didn’t need to. He could hear the quiet click of her heels behind him, steady and unhurried.

His room was as bare and utilitarian as the rest of the space—just a bed, a dresser, and a lamp on the nightstand that cast a faint, yellow glow.

She gave it a quick, uninterested glance. “Let me guess,” she said dryly. “Interior design by 'I don’t give a damn?'”

Cloud shrugged. “Something like that.”

She gave a soft, sardonic chuckle as she walked toward the bed, her eyes flicking over the pillows and sheets. “Well, at least you’re consistent.”

Normally, for Cloud, this was where things got particularly easy. The bedroom was where routine took over, where the mechanics of sex replaced the need for thought or conversation. But this time, it felt different, like he was walking a tightrope stretched over uncertain terrain, each step weighted with something he couldn’t quite name.

His eyes flicked to her mouth.

A quiet but insistent part of him wanted to close the distance between them, to act on the impulse that stirred in his chest. It was reckless, something he never allowed himself to indulge in, and was completely irresponsible. Cloud clenched his jaw, forcing his gaze elsewhere, shoving the thought aside with a sharp breath.

He needed control. And control meant boundaries.

"I don’t kiss on the mouth," Cloud said abruptly, his voice low and rough, the words falling between them like a barricade.

She didn’t flinch or falter, didn’t react with the surprise or disappointment he might’ve expected. Instead, she tilted her head slightly, studying him with the same neutral expression that had intrigued him from the start.

“No problem,” she said, her voice steady, carrying a note of dry humor. “Me neither.”

Cloud blinked, caught off guard by her easy reply. He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting—maybe a protest, or some kind of coy remark to test his resolve. But she didn’t. She wasn’t rattled. She didn’t challenge him. She simply matched his energy, her detachment mirroring his own.

Why did her simple agreement feel like a challenge? Why did it feel like she’d just leveled the playing field?

But Cloud didn’t say any of that aloud—didn’t ask the questions circling in his mind or address the way her calm composure seemed to cut through him. Instead, he just nodded, sharp and terse, and then, without giving himself another moment to hesitate, he stepped toward her.

The space between them evaporated, and Cloud swallowed hard. This was it. He just needed to follow through. A body in motion stays in motion, right? Once he started, once he let the physical take over, all these odd, intrusive thoughts and feelings would burn away in the heat of it.

He reached for her hand. Her fingers were warm and soft against his calloused palms as he guided her to the hem of his shirt.

“Here,” he muttered.

Her brows lifted slightly, but she didn’t question him. She gripped the fabric and tugged upwards. The shirt slid over the hard lines of his torso, brushing against his skin as it went. She tossed the shirt aside without ceremony, the soft sound of it landing on the floor barely registering over the rush of blood in his ears.

Her gaze flicked over him once, a brief sweep that felt more clinical than curious. She wasn’t ogling him, wasn’t admiring him like others might have. Instead, it was almost as though she were checking him over, confirming something.

Before Cloud could think too hard about what that meant, or how he felt about it, he pressed closer, his hands finding her waist. The fabric of her dress was smooth beneath his fingers, her body warm and grounding in a way that only made his pulse hammer harder. He didn’t look at her face, couldn’t bring himself to meet those steady, unflinching eyes again. Instead, he focused on movement—his hands sliding along her sides and the heat of her skin bleeding through the thin material.

“Turn around,” he murmured, the words more of a command than a request.

She obeyed, turning smoothly under his hands without hesitation. With her back now to him, Cloud’s gaze was drawn to the dip at the back of her dress and the curve of her spine.

He worked the zipper loose, the faint sound of it sliding down breaking the silence between them. The fabric gave way slowly, revealing inch after inch of smooth skin. Cloud swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry, as the material pooled at her waist.

His eyes lingered on her shoulders, on the delicate curve where they sloped into her arms, and the subtle hollow beneath her shoulder blades. Below that, where her ribs tapered into her waist, he noticed the subtle creases of flesh, the way her body folded naturally at the curve.

She looked nothing like the women he’d been with before.

Their beauty had been sharp, lean, precise, and deliberately wielded, like a weapon designed to attract and disarm. But she was something entirely different.

She looked like she belonged in one of those old Renaissance paintings—the kind he’d glimpsed in museums or art books he didn't have the patience to read, the ones of women draped in loose silks, their bodies soft and full, immortalized in strokes of paint on canvas. It was the kind of beauty that felt timeless, enduring, everlasting.

And now, standing here, looking at her, Cloud felt like he was seeing something just as profound. Something he couldn’t turn away from, even if he tried.

He didn’t understand it—didn’t understand how she’d unraveled him so thoroughly, how she’d stripped away the detachment he clung to with just her unwavering gaze and the feel of her beneath his hands. But he couldn’t fight it, couldn’t stop the way his body leaned into hers, drawn by something deeper than want.

His hands moved again, sliding to where the fabric of her dress clung stubbornly to the curve of her hips. His fingers brushed against her skin as he eased the material downward. It resisted for just a moment, caught against the fullness of her frame, before giving way with a quiet sigh, pooling around her feet in a crumpled heap.

He stepped back half a pace, his hands falling to his sides as his gaze dropped to take in the sight before him.

The ripped tights clung to her legs, the jagged holes revealing teasing glimpses of smooth, creamy skin beneath. The fabric stretched taut over her thighs, accentuating their with a kind of quiet audacity. Cloud’s gaze lingered, unbidden, tracing the curve of her ass. A black lace thong sat snugly against her skin, emphasizing the roundness of her hips and the tapering lines of her waist.

Cloud’s breath hitched. He hadn’t even really touched her yet, and already he felt like he was losing himself.

She turned her head slightly, glancing at him over her shoulder. “Something wrong?” she asked softly, her tone carrying just the faintest hint of curiosity.

Cloud exhaled shakily, his breath uneven as he tried to steady himself. His hands twitched at his sides before balling into fists, the tension in his body coiling tighter with every passing second. “No,” he lied, his voice quiet, almost as if trying to convince himself. “Turn back around,” he instructed, the words scraping out like they’d been dragged from deep within him.

Her head tilted slightly, almost like she was considering his request, before she acquiesced, pivoting to face him fully.

Cloud's gaze dragged over her, slow and unrelenting, taking in every detail with a reverence that startled him.

Her breasts were perfectly shaped and sized, the kind that would fit just right in the palm of his hand. Her pink nipples, taut from the cool air, stood out against her creamy skin, drawing his gaze and holding it for a moment longer than he intended before his eyes drifted downward, tracing the gentle slope of her torso. The dip of her waist flowed into the soft curve of her belly, which rested just above the lace of her thong. Each breath she took made it rise and fall subtly, the movement so natural and unguarded it felt like he was intruding by watching. The faint shimmer of silvery stretch marks caught his attention along her lower stomach and the flare of her hips.

Cloud swallowed hard, his throat dry as his eyes traveled back up, retracing the path they’d just taken as if trying to commit every detail to memory.

Then the distance between them dissolved as she moved, her hands settling lightly on his shoulders. Her touch was confident, her movements deliberate as she began guiding him backward. Cloud resisted instinctively, his muscles tensing beneath her fingers, a quiet warning to himself to stay in control. But her quiet strength—smooth, practiced—left little room for protest.

He let her push him gently toward the bed, his knees brushing the edge before he finally gave in and sat down. His body obeyed her unspoken command, but his mind raced, tangled in a web of emotions he didn’t know how to untangle.

She stood between his knees, her hands still resting on his shoulders, grounding him in place. Her eyes met his, calm and unflinching, the faintest smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “Relax,” she murmured.

Cloud’s jaw tightened as he tried to obey, but the tension in his body refused to dissipate. His hands rested awkwardly at his sides, his breathing uneven as he looked up at her, caught between the undeniable pull of arousal and something darker—something that churned low in his chest.

Moving with fluid precision, she dropped gracefully to her knees in front of him, her hands sliding down his arms before trailing back up to his chest. Her touch was deliberate and measured in a way that could only come from experience. Too much experience.

The realization struck Cloud like a blow. She’d done this before—many times, enough to move with such unshaken certainty. Her touch wasn’t just sensual; it was practiced. And that practice came from other men, other moments just like this. The thought clawed at him, unwelcome and irrational, a flicker of jealousy he had no right to feel.

Her lips brushed against the side of his neck, her breath warm against his skin, sending an involuntary shiver down his spine. Cloud exhaled shakily, tilting his head slightly to grant her better access even as his mind warred with itself. It wasn’t fair—this jealousy, this knot of something bitter tightening in his chest—but it was there, refusing to be ignored.

Her hands moved across his chest, tracing the hard lines of his him, her touch firm but unhurried as her mouth continued its path along his neck, soft and teasing, each press of dismantling another piece of his restraint. Cloud’s hands rose tentatively, his fingers brushing against her neck before settling on her shoulders, holding her gently, almost unsure.

But the flicker of jealousy burned hotter, cutting through his haze of restraint. He didn’t just want her physically—he wanted her to think she was his, even if only for this moment. The thought was irrational, selfish, but it consumed him nonetheless.

Without giving himself time to think, he reached under her arms and lifted her forward, pulling her into his lap in one swift motion. The sudden shift drew a soft gasp from her lips, her composure faltering ever so slightly as her hands braced against his shoulders. Her thighs straddled him now, pressing down on him in a way that sent his pulse racing.

Cloud’s hand slid downward to grip her ass, his fingers digging and kneading into the soft flesh with a possessive urgency. His other hand anchored at her waist, holding her firmly in place as his lips descended to her neck, rough and unrelenting, leaving faint marks with every press of his mouth. The tension in his chest burned hotter, jealousy and arousal blending into a single, insistent need. He didn’t just want her—he needed her to feel the same urgency coursing through him.

Her hand moved to his chest, her fingers dragging downward with deliberate purpose. Cloud’s breath hitched, his movements faltering for just a moment as her touch trailed lower, sliding across his stomach until it rested over the hard bulge in his pants. Her fingers pressed firmly, a slow, measured touch that made his hips jerk involuntarily against her hand.

A low, rough sound escaped him, somewhere between a groan and a growl, his forehead dropping briefly to her shoulder as he tried to steady himself. Her lips brushed against his ear, a soft hum of approval escaping her as her hand pressed more firmly against him, her fingers teasing along his length through the fabric.

Cloud’s restraint snapped.

He stood, his arms wrapping around her as he lifted her effortlessly, her thighs tightening instinctively around his waist. She gasped softly, her breath warm against his ear as he held her aloft, their bodies flush. Cloud took a step forward, his strength steady and unyielding, before setting her back on her feet, keeping her close.

“Off,” he muttered, his voice low and rough as he tilted his head toward the waistband of his pants. It wasn’t a request—it was a command.

Her hands moved immediately, deft fingers working at the waistband. Cloud’s chest heaved, his eyes roaming over her body as she worked to free him, devouring the soft curve of her breasts, the way her nipples stood taut against the air; the dip of her waist, the subtle crease below her belly. He couldn’t stop himself from reaching out, his hand sliding up her side and over her ribs before cupping one breast in his palm.

She paused for a moment, her gaze flicking up to his, and the faintest smile curved her lips as his thumb brushed lightly over her nipple. Her reaction—a soft inhale, her chest arching subtly into his touch—only fueled the possessiveness burning in his chest. His hand flexed slightly, kneading her breast as she tugged his pants down, the fabric pooling at his feet.

Cloud kicked his pants away, the motion sharp and deliberate, before he turned them around. His hands were firm on her waist as he guided her backward, pushing until the backs of her knees hit the edge of the bed. Gently but insistently, he pushed her down, her body sinking onto the mattress as he loomed over her.

“Keep going,” he insisted, his hand brushing down to gesture at the waistband of his briefs.

She tilted her head slightly, a flicker of amusement crossing her face as her eyes held his for a moment longer than necessary. But she didn't hesitate. Her hands moved to the elastic, her fingers brushing lightly against his hips as she began to tug the fabric downward. 

He watched her closely, his attention sharp, catching the moment her practiced calm faltered. It was subtle, the barest widening of her eyes, her lips parting slightly, but it was enough. Enough for Cloud to feel a swell of pride surge in his chest, an almost primal satisfaction that made his cock twitch and harden further under her gaze.

She didn't say anything, didn't react beyond that initial flicker of surprise, but Cloud didn't need words. The way her composure wavered, the nearly imperceptible pause as her eyes traced his length, said more than she ever could.

She'd seen others before him, he knew that, but something about the way she looked at him now, like she hadn't expected this, had his chest filling with something possessive and raw.

Cloud's lips curved into the faintest smirk, his confidence only bolstered by her reaction. "Not what you were expecting?" he asked, his tone low, laced with just enough edge to make it teasing but not cruel.

She glanced up at him, her gaze steadying as her practiced calm returned. "Bigger," she said simply, her voice smooth, but he caught the slight rasp in her tone, the faint hitch in her breath that betrayed her. Her fingers tightened slightly on the waistband before she slid the fabric down completely, freeing him fully.

Cloud exhaled sharply, his smirk deepening as he stepped closer, his cock heavy and throbbing. "Good," he murmured, his voice thick with pride and arousal. “Open your mouth.”

She didn't respond verbally, her eyes flicking up to meet his briefly before dropping back down, the faintest flicker of something… anticipation? Crossing her face.

Then slowly, deliberately, she parted her lips, her mouth opening as her hands settled lightly on his thighs for balance. The sight sent a pulse of heat straight to his core, and Cloud's cock twitched in response, the throbbing ache intensifying. He reached down, his fingers brushing against her jaw as he tilted her face up slightly, his touch firm but not rough, guiding her into position.

"That's it," he muttered, his voice dropping even lower, the edges rough with arousal.

For a moment, he simply let himself take in the sight of her before him, her lips parted and her composure shaken just enough to satisfy the possessive part of him that craved this moment.

Her eyes flicked up to meet his again, her hands tightening slightly on his thighs as her lips brushed against the head of his cock, soft and warm. Cloud exhaled sharply, the tension in his body coiling tighter as the faintest groan escaped him, low and guttural. Slowly, her mouth closed around him, her tongue brushing against his skin with a deliberate slowness that left him reeling.

He let his fingers thread through her hair, guiding her gently as his hips rolled forward.

She worked him with a skill that was undeniable, her movements smooth and deliberate, but there was something more behind them now—a subtle shift in her rhythm that told Cloud she wasn't just going through the motions anymore. She was responding to him, to the way his body moved, to the rough, uneven breaths that escaped him with every flick of her tongue, and he let himself sink into the sensation, the push and pull of control that left that left him on the edge of unraveling.

Cloud's breath came in uneven gasps, his chest rising and falling heavily as he watched her. The sight of her-kneeling before him, her lips wrapped around him, her composure cracking just enough to betray the heat beneath her practiced calm-was more intoxicating than he could have imagined. She felt better than anyone ever had, her warmth and the deliberate pressure of her tongue driving him to the edge with every careful movement.

Her rhythm changed subtly, her body adjusting instinctively to him as she took him deeper. Cloud's jaw clenched, his head tilting back slightly as a low groan rumbled in his chest. The feeling was nothing short of euphoric, her skill undeniable, but it was the way she surrendered to him in those moments, her hands gripping his thighs, her eyes flicking up to meet his, her movements no longer entirely measured, hthat made his chest tighten with satisfaction.

"Fuck," he muttered under his breath, his fingers tightening in her hair as she took all of him, her lips brushing against the base of his cock. The sensation made his knees threaten to buckle, his hips rolling forward instinctively as his breath hitched. She was perfect, too perfect, and the way she handled him-like she could take everything he had to give—left him dangerously close to the edge.

Cloud's free hand gripped her shoulder, grounding himself against the rising tide of his arousal. He couldn't lose control, not yet. As good as she felt, as much as the possessive part of him wanted to let her keep going, he wasn't about to come before he got to be inside her. He needed to feel her completely, to make her his.

"Enough," he said roughly, his voice strained as he pulled her back, his fingers still tangled in her hair.

Her lips left him with a faint, wet sound, and her gaze flicked up to meet his again. She didn't speak, but the faint smirk that tugged at the corner of her mouth told him she knew exactly what she was doing to him.

Cloud’s hands moved to her shoulders, gripping her firmly as he guided her backward onto the bed. Her body yielded easily under his touch, her legs spreading instinctively as she let him push her down against the mattress. The flicker of amusement in her eyes shifted into something darker, something hungrier, as she looked up at him.

He leaned over her, bracing himself on one arm as his other hand trailed down her side, tracing the curve of her waist before settling on her hip. "My turn.”

His gaze dropped to her legs, the tattered remnants of her tights clinging stubbornly to her thighs. With a firm grip, he tore into the fabric, the sound of it ripping through the room with satisfying finality. He pulled the shredded material away, discarding it without a second thought. All that remained was the delicate lace of her thong. It was teasing, maddening, and without hesitation, Cloud hooked his finger into the waistband. Slowly, deliberately, he tugged it downward, the lace sliding over her skin like it was reluctant to leave her.

When she was finally bare, Cloud froze, his breath catching in his throat. She was soft everywhere. The fullness of her thighs, the gentle curve of her belly, the swell of her chest—all of it held him captive. But it was the V between her legs that truly undid him. She was soft there, too—cushioned and inviting, looking like the embodiment of warmth and pleasure—and it made something raw and primal twist inside him.

As if compelled by something he didn’t understand, he spoke again. His voice was quiet this time, hesitant but laced with intensity. “How do you like it?” The question was so unlike him—he never asked, never gave up control, never made this personal. And yet, here he was, the words hanging in the air between them like a challenge and an offering all at once.

Her eyes flicked up to meet his, dark and steady, her lips curving into a faint smile at his question. “You can do whatever you like with me,” she said simply, the words rolling off her tongue with practiced ease, free of hesitation or uncertainty.

Cloud froze, his hand stilling where it rested against the curve of her hip. Her answer wasn’t flirtatious or teasing—it was matter-of-fact, delivered with the quiet confidence of someone who had said it many times before. Too many times before. The weight of it hit him like a punch to the gut, a stark reminder of what this was, of who she was and why she was here.

The heat that had burned through him moments ago, so all-encompassing and unrelenting, faltered under the weight of her words. His chest tightened, a knot of emotions he didn’t want to name tangling in his stomach. Desire was still there, humming low and insistent, but it was joined now by something colder, sharper—an ache he hadn’t expected.

“...You’re okay with that?” he asked, his voice quieter, rougher.

“It’s what I’m here for,” she replied, her tone carrying no edge, no judgment—just quiet certainty.

The words landed heavily between them, and Cloud felt the tension in his body coil tighter. He knew she was right. This was the arrangement. This was what he’d paid for. She was giving him permission, laying herself out for him to take however he wanted. But instead of freeing him, the thought weighed him down, the possessiveness from before twisting into something else entirely.

He looked at her then, really looked at her, taking in the calm neutrality of her expression, the faint smirk that seemed more like armor than anything genuine. Her body was warm and soft beneath his hands, undeniably perfect, but now it felt distant, like he was holding onto something he couldn’t truly touch.

Cloud exhaled sharply, his gaze dropping to the space between them as he forced himself to focus. This wasn’t the time for introspection, for letting feelings he didn’t understand cloud his thoughts. He was in control, always in control. And yet, as he straightened, his hands sliding from her hips to brace himself on either side of her, he couldn’t ignore the gnawing ache in his chest.

“Alright,” he said finally, his voice steadying, though it felt like a mask he was forcing into place. “Then let’s see what you can take. Turn around and bend over.”

She met his gaze, her lips curling into a faint smirk as she hummed in agreement. “Grab a condom,” she said smoothly, her tone light and teasing, though there was a flicker of seriousness in her eyes. “Safety first.”

Cloud huffed and moved to the nightstand, fumbling slightly as he retrieved the small foil packet. Meanwhile, she moved without hesitation, her practiced grace still intact as she positioned herself on the bed, her hands braced against the mattress and her knees spread just enough to drive him insane. Her hips curved perfectly, soft and full, her ass round and inviting as it rose to meet him. The sight was almost too much, a cruel test of Cloud's fraying composure as he rolled the condom on.

He swallowed hard, his throat dry as he let his gaze linger. He told himself it was better this way—better that he didn’t have to see her face, didn’t have to look into those steady eyes that had already peeled back too many of his defenses. But staring at her now, her hips and ass on full display, the curve of her waist leading his eyes downward, he realized it didn’t help at all. She was just as devastating from behind.

A low, rough sound escaped him as he climbed onto the bed, his knees sinking into the mattress behind her. His hands found her hips, gripping firmly, his fingers sinking into her soft flesh as he positioned himself. The warmth of her skin beneath his palms sent a shiver through him, the weight of her curves grounding him even as his pulse thundered in his ears.

Cloud leaned forward slightly, his stomach brushing against her ass as he positioned himself closer. The ache in his chest dulled as desire overtook him, forcing out everything else, drowning out the thoughts he didn’t want to acknowledge, leaving only the sharp, unrelenting need to claim her.

He let one hand drift downward, sliding between her legs. His fingers brushed against her, teasingly at first, before pressing more deliberately. She was warm and slick, and the realization that she was already so ready for him sent a surge of satisfaction through his chest. His hand lingered for a moment, exploring her softness, his fingers moving slowly as he gathered her wetness.

The faintest sound escaped her—quiet, but enough to make Cloud's chest tighten and his jaw clench. He pulled his hand back, his fingers glistening, and swiped himself with deliberate care, coating his length with her slickness.

The feeling of her warmth on him was almost enough to break what was left of his restraint, and he had to close his eyes for a moment, steadying his breath as he positioned himself behind her.

He leaned forward slightly as he guided himself to her entrance, his grip on her hips firm. The head of his cock pressed against her, the sensation almost too much, too perfect. Cloud groaned low in his throat, his hands tightening as he pushed forward slowly, the heat of her enveloping him inch by agonizing inch.

“Fuck,” he muttered under his breath. The way her body stretched around him, warm and tight, left him completely undone, and the faint sound she made—a quiet, breathy sigh—certainly didn't help.

Cloud paused for a moment, his forehead lowering briefly to rest between her shoulder blades as he fought to steady his breathing. The sensation of being inside her, the unrelenting pull of her body against his, was more than he’d prepared for. His hands flexed against her hips, his fingers digging into her soft flesh before he pulled back slowly, the drag of her heat against him almost unbearable, before pushing forward again.

“You feel…” he started, his voice rough and strained, but the words faltered, lost to the haze of sensation overwhelming him. He didn’t know how to describe what she felt like, how perfect she was,

His pace quickened, his hips snapping forward with a desperation that threatened to consume him. The room was filled with the sharp, rhythmic sounds of their bodies meeting—skin against skin, mingled with her soft, breathy moans that spurred him on. 

The sight of her was intoxicating: the arch of her back, the way her body seemed to mold to his movements, yielding so perfectly as if she had been made for this—made for him. Each thrust sent a ripple through her, the plush fullness of her ass bouncing against his hips, her softness pulling him deeper into the haze of need. 

Cloud’s breaths came in uneven gasps, his composure fraying further with every second. She looked devastating like this.

With a low growl, his hand slid from her hip to her lower back, his palm pressing firmly, urging her to tilt her hips just slightly. The subtle shift sent him deeper, the new angle drawing a groan from his chest as pleasure shot through him like lightning. His other hand roamed upward, brushing over the curve of her waist before finding her breast. He cupped it gently, his thumb brushing over her nipple as his fingers kneaded the soft flesh.

“You feel perfect,” he muttered breathed, the words spilling from his lips unbidden, his tone low and almost reverent. He wasn’t sure if he was speaking to her, to himself, or to the moment that had completely consumed him, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was her—the warmth of her body, the softness of her curves, and the way she seemed to pull him in, body and soul, leaving no part of him untouched.

Cloud clenched his jaw, the tension in his body mounting with every movement, every sound she made. He prided himself on control—on lasting, on making sure his partner felt every bit of pleasure they deserved. It was a point of pride, a skill he rarely let falter. But she had unraveled him completely, stripped him of every defense he clung to, leaving only raw need in her wake.

“Fuck,” he muttered under his breath, his voice strained, almost desperate. He squeezed his eyes shut, his forehead dipping momentarily to rest against the curve of her back as he tried to center himself, to pull himself back from the brink. He wanted to last, to draw this out, to savor every second of her—but his body wasn’t listening.

The way her body gripped him, the way she responded so perfectly to every thrust, had him spiraling faster than he could stop.

His rhythm faltered, his hips snapping forward with a roughness born of pure desperation. Cloud’s grip on her hips tightened, his fingers digging into her flesh as he drove himself deeper, his composure slipping further with every thrust.

“I can’t—shit,” he muttered, his voice strained and raw, but the words cut off in a guttural groan as the tension in his body finally snapped.

His hands slid up her back, one pressing firmly between her shoulder blades while the other steadied her hip. His hips stuttered as he buried himself fully, his body pressing flush against hers. Cloud let out a low, guttural sound, his breath coming in uneven gasps as the release tore through him. The pleasure was overwhelming, a tidal wave that left him trembling, his vision momentarily hazy as every muscle in his body tensed and then melted into her warmth.

Spent and unsteady, Cloud's breaths came in uneven gasps, his chest heaving as he fought to regain control of himself. He stayed still for a moment, his forehead dipping to rest against the curve of her back, the warmth of her skin grounding him as his hands slackened slightly against her hips.

The room was quiet now, save for the lingering echo of their shared breaths and the faint rustle of sheets beneath them. Cloud’s weight shifted forward unconsciously, his body leaning into hers, as if reluctant to let the connection between them break. The tension in his muscles melted away, replaced by a heaviness that felt equal parts exhaustion and something he couldn’t quite name.

He exhaled deeply, the sound rough and uneven, his chest rising and falling as he slid his hands upward. His fingers trailed over her sides and across her back, a touch that was almost apologetic.

Finally, Cloud pushed himself up, straightening with visible effort. His gaze flicked downward, lingering on the point where their bodies were still connected, and he swallowed hard. The moment felt heavier than it should, and he forced himself to move, to break the spell. With deliberate care, he eased himself out of her and shifted back, sitting on his heels. One hand ran through his sweat-dampened hair, the other braced on the bed as he tried to steady his breath.

Behind him, she shifted. The bed creaked softly as she rolled onto her back, the movement smooth but unhurried. Cloud glanced at her, his eyes trailing over her now-relaxed form. Her hair was tousled, framing her face like a halo against the rumpled sheets, her chest rising and falling steadily as she caught her breath. The glow of the dim light softened the lines of her body, highlighting the curve of her waist, the subtle sheen of sweat on her skin, and the utterly unguarded expression on her face.

Cloud let out another breath, his jaw tightening as his eyes darted away. He wasn’t sure what to do, what to say. Moments like this weren’t supposed to linger—they weren’t supposed to feel like they meant something. And yet...

“You okay?”

The words felt awkward leaving his mouth, but he couldn’t ignore the gnawing need to ask.

She turned her head to look at him. A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips, neither teasing nor dismissive, but genuine in a way that left him momentarily disarmed. “I’m fine,” she said.

Cloud studied her for a moment longer, her calm reassurance settling something in him, though not entirely. She seemed fine—relaxed, even—and yet the ache in his chest remained, a dull, nagging weight that refused to ease. He nodded, more to himself than to her, and pushed off the bed with deliberate movements.

Reaching down, he removed the condom, knotting it swiftly before tossing it across the room. The quiet thud of it landing in the trash seemed far too final, far too loud in the heavy silence that followed. Cloud exhaled and lowered himself back onto the bed, his body sinking into the mattress beside her.

He stared up at the ceiling for a moment, his chest rising and falling as he searched for the words that felt caught somewhere in the back of his throat.

“Sorry,” he said finally, his voice low.

She turned her head toward him, one eyebrow arching in faint surprise. “For what?”

Cloud’s gaze remained fixed on the ceiling, his jaw tightening as he forced himself to continue. “For not…” He hesitated, the admission catching on his pride, but he pushed through. “For not helping you finish. I swear I'm not usually like this,” he said, the words tumbling out faster than he intended. “I don’t… I don’t lose control like that. I always make sure it’s worth it for them. For you.”

She blinked, clearly caught off guard by the earnestness in his voice. For a moment, she said nothing, just watching him with an unreadable expression.

“You don’t owe me that,” she said softly after a pause. Her tone wasn’t dismissive, but it carried an honesty that unsettled him. “You’re the one who paid me."

Her words were gentle, but they landed heavily between them, and Cloud winced inwardly. He didn’t respond—couldn’t, really.

She studied him for a moment, her gaze unreadable. Cloud couldn’t bring himself to look at her directly, his eyes fixed on the ceiling, his hands resting awkwardly on his stomach. The silence stretched just long enough for him to wonder what she was thinking before she finally moved.

With a graceful motion, she sat up, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. “Where’s the bathroom?” she asked, her voice even, but there was a faint spark of amusement in her tone.

Cloud blinked, turning his head toward her. “Down the hall,” he said gruffly, jerking his chin in the direction of the door.

She nodded, taking a few steps before pausing to glance back over her shoulder. “Not to kill the mood, but I’d rather not get a UTI,” she said lightly, her lips quirking into a smirk.

Cloud stared at her for a beat, the unexpected comment catching him off guard. Then, to his own surprise, he laughed—a quiet, short burst of sound that felt strange and unfamiliar in the stillness of the room. He shook his head slightly, a corner of his mouth tugging upward despite himself. “You always this romantic?”

“Only for the special ones,” she shot back, her voice playful as she disappeared into the hallway.

Cloud let out a long breath, running a hand down his face as he tried to push away the traitorous feelings clawing at his chest.

It was the faint flush of the toilet that pulled him from his thoughts, followed by the sound of running water. He closed his eyes for a moment, willing himself to regain control, but the knot in his chest refused to untangle.

When he heard her footsteps returning, he turned his head toward the doorway—and froze.

She reentered the room with an unhurried grace that drew his gaze instantly. Her hips swayed with each step, the soft curve of her belly shifting subtly as her thighs brushed together. The gentle bounce of her breasts was impossible to ignore, and her hair, still tousled from their time together, tumbled over her shoulders in loose waves, framing her flushed skin.

Cloud's throat tightened, his breath catching as he watched her. He knew he should look away—should force himself to break the spell she seemed to cast without effort—but he couldn’t. His eyes followed her, tracing every curve, every movement, unable to stop himself from staring.

“You keep looking at me like that,” she said, her voice teasing as she approached the bed, “and I’m going to think you’ve never seen a naked woman before.”

“Not like you,” he muttered, the words slipping out before he could stop them. What the hell was wrong with him?

She laughed softly, the sound light and teasing as she bent to retrieve her dress from the floor. “Does that line usually work for you?” she asked, shaking the fabric out with an easy motion before glancing back at him, her smirk playful.

Cloud’s jaw tightened, his gaze flicking away. He wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved or frustrated that she didn’t seem to take him seriously, didn’t seem to believe the weight behind his words. Her lighthearted response was what he should’ve expected—what he wanted, even. So why did it sting?

She stepped into her dress, the soft material skimming over her curves as she reached back to zip it up. Cloud couldn’t stop himself from watching, couldn’t ignore the way her movements, even now, held a kind of quiet elegance, even as she was preparing to leave. Because this was a transaction, he reminded himself. Nothing more. She was just doing her job, and now the job was done.

“So,” she said, her voice breaking through his thoughts as she smoothed her hands over the fabric. “How’d I do? Worth the gil?” Her tone was light, playful, but there was an edge of detachment beneath it, a reminder of the roles they were playing.

Cloud’s lips pressed into a thin line. He should have responded with something casual, something to match her tone and end things cleanly. But instead, he found himself staring at her, the words catching in his throat as that gnawing ache in his chest twisted tighter.

“Yeah,” he said finally, his voice rough, almost gruff. “More than... You do this often?” he asked, surprising himself with the question.

She gave a small, sardonic smile and shrugged. “Does it matter?”

It wasn’t a challenge, but it wasn’t an answer either. Her gaze lingered on him for a moment longer before she turned away, reaching for her shoes. Cloud watched her move, deliberate way she pulled herself back together, as if she’d done this a thousand times before and would do it a thousand times again.

“I guess not,” he said, trying to push away the gnawing feeling in his chest. He wasn’t sure what he was after—why he was still talking, still watching her, still thinking about her when he should have been fine letting her leave.

She looked at him again, her lips quirking into a slight smirk, but her eyes were softer this time. “Don’t worry. You’re not my first.” Her voice was playful, but the words carried a quiet edge.

Cloud nodded, but the tightness in his chest didn’t ease. His gaze dropped to his hands, resting awkwardly on his thighs, as he struggled to find something to say, something to cut through the quiet weight that had settled between them. But nothing came.

The sound of her heel clicking against the floor pulled him from his thoughts. She was standing by the door now, clothed once more, save for her tights, the dress clinging perfectly to her curves. She gazed at him, her lips quirking into a faint smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Well,” she said lightly, the playful lilt returning to her voice, though it carried a subtle edge of finality. “You’ve been a pleasure…?”

“Cloud,” he supplied, his voice rough, almost gruff.

She hummed, the sound soft and noncommittal as her gaze lingered on him. “Fitting,” she said. “You’ve got that whole stormy, brooding thing down.”

Cloud’s lips twitched, the faintest ghost of a smile crossing his face despite himself. And then it hit him—he didn’t even know her name.

His gaze lifted to her again, catching the way her hand rested lightly on the doorknob, her posture relaxed but ready to leave. “What about you?”

She paused, the question hanging in the air between them. For a moment, she didn’t answer, her fingers tightening ever so slightly on the knob. Her gaze met his, her brow pinched as though she were weighing her options, considering what to say—or whether to say anything at all.

Finally, she exhaled softly, her name rolling off her tongue. Your name.

Cloud’s jaw tightened as he repeated it silently in his head, committing it to memory as if it were something important, something he might need to hold onto later. He nodded once, the gesture sharp and curt

Your smile widened slightly, softer now, and you turned back to the door, pulling it open. “Take care, Cloud,” you said, your voice quieter this time, almost kind.

And then you were gone.

The quiet click of the door shutting echoed in the room, cutting through the silence like a final note in a song that shouldn’t have ended. Cloud stayed where he was, his body still, but his mind churned. He replayed your words, the way she’d looked at him, the way her smirk softened into something quieter, more genuine, in those last moments.

Leaning forward, he braced his elbows on his knees, his hands dragging down his face as he exhaled a long, uneven breath.

He should have felt relieved—another encounter, another night over. But instead, he felt unsettled, as though something had shifted in his chest and he couldn’t put it back in place.

[ff7-has-taken-me-over]

Zack would be so stupidly possessive over Cloud when the blond woke up. He’d spent four years mildly aware of the shit Hojo was doing to the two of them and not being able to do a damn thing about it.

Then he’d spent another year hauling Cloud across continents, looking after the blond and protecting him from everyone and everything. Had done absolutely everything he could to get the two of them to safety together.

So like fuck was he going to let some random he either didn’t know or barely knew come between the two of them and try and take Cloud away from him now.

[prismaticpichu]

Tw for descriptions of Blood/Injury ❤️

Major angst- Nibelheim- what even is this?

~

The man's face contorted in what could only be described as unfathomable pain, mercifully sedated by the numbing haze of sleep yet still potent enough to cause the beaded visage of pale skin to shift and furrow against whatever it was that was plaguing him. Shallow and strained breaths scythed through his lips like invisible blades, each labored slice erratically laced with a faint but unmistakable groan or hiss that rode the tormented undercurrent of his respiration, mercury-pink bangs spilling like sweaty tendrils over the taut countenance and wetly brushing his cheeks as the man tossed and turned against the pillow. His hands clutched at the crinkled blankets, desperate yet feeble, as if a small child trapped in the throes of a nightmare—unable to awaken.

Zack had never felt so helpless in his life.

“Seph…” The First’s voice was failing him, his legs boneless and watery as he made his way across the bedroom, his breath slowly withering away to a rattled breath as he kneeled beside his friend. “Hey… can you hear me, pal? It’s me… it’s Zack. I’m right here now.”

Strained silence, filled only with the strained mumbles and groans

Zack swallowed thickly.

“What’s going on up there? What the heck happened…?” Blue eyes blinked back the encroaching mist, batting away the horrid memory. Batting away all of it—all of it was horrid, from the moment he and Seph stepped foot in that accursed Reactor to the grisly contours of the Makonoids to the vague migraine Seph suffered to the name arching above the chamber to the questions surfaced to the way his vague headache suddenly…

Zack’s eyes boiled with mist.

Raw, guttural—like a wounded animal letting out a blood-curdling shriek of pain. Never had Zack heard Seph scream like that before; never had he heard anyone scream like that before, so utterly agonized and vile, as if the man’s insides were being set ablaze from the inside, and spinning around in a tempest of terror to see Seph’s hands clawing into his skull. Crimson gushed and blossomed over the topmost silver strands, emerald eyes blazing and wide, his mouth pried agape as the agonized scream tore through his asunder and erupted like a shrill grenade around the Mako and machinery.

And he collapsed, crumpling.

“SEPH!”

He caught the man before he could make impact, a warm splash of blood spitting against his chest as the man crumbled into his lap—continuing to hiss and shriek, his eyes now clamped, convulsing and shaking, continuing to violently clasp his skull as if it were in danger of bursting.

“Oh my god… oh my god…” Zack’s body was torn between cradling his friend and pulling Seph’s bloodied nails away from his scalp, his heart palpitating at a painful frequency, his breath turning against him and constricting in his throat. “Seph… Seph! What’s wrong?! What the hell is going on?! Gen—GENESIS! Do SOMETHING.”

Desperate, his gaze shot up to the crimson SOLDIER, whose once vulpine eyes had now been completely eclipsed and subdued into an inexplicable terror of his own. Mouth ajar, he took several shaky steps back—wing quivering, color leeched from his face.

“I… I don’t… This wasn’t supposed to—“

“No… NO.” Seph hissed through his caged jaws, vaguely kicking against the metal, writhing and tensing in Zack’s trembling arms. “NO.”

“Hey, hey…!” Zack was trying his best to soothe his friend, holding him against his chest with fierce, unbridled intensity. “Hey, hey…—Oh my god… holy shit… Your scalp—CLOUD!”

Sephiroth kicked again, quaking and wriggling, his lungs never stopping to inflate again.

“CLOUDDDD!” he shrieked at the top of his lungs, shrieking to be heard over the man’s hellish screams. “I NEED HELP!”

He swept bloody ribbons away from his friend’s forehead, leaving damp streaks, revealing a ten-fingered gash raked beneath the mercury nest.

“Shit shit shit shit shit…! Genesis! Get the trooper outside! PLE—“

The words caught in his throat as Zack looked up and saw the winged man backing away with trembling, boneless legs, his expression bloodless and petrified, a faint ghost of tears casted on his sickly visage as he hobbled backwards and his breath hitched and he tried to mouth words too thick and too real to break through the clog of cotton.

“I’m… I’m sorry—“ was all he could manage, and that was the last Zack saw of him before Sephiroth’s agonizing cries broke Zack’s world into splinters.

“CLOOOUUDDDD!”

Kicking.

“Oh my god…. SIR!”

Trembling.

“What the heck is going on with him…?!”

“I… I don’t know…!”

Hissing.

“We gotta get him back…”

“Oh my god… SHIT. I don’t have any Cures on me.”

Screaming.

“Is it a seizure…?!”

“… I don’t… maybe?! Oh gods… his head—“

“Here! My scarf! Make a tourniquet!”

And screaming.

“You and Tifa know the way back…?”

“Yeah—though it’s gonna take longer without the bridge.”

“Shit… Alright, let’s go.”

And screaming.

“Hey… hey…! Ow—it’s ME, Seph. We got you. We’re getting you help.”

And screaming.

“Don’t worry… shhh… I’m not letting you go, bud. Just hang in there.”

And hissing.

“Just a little bit longer, pal… We’re almost there.”

And panting.

“Hey… hey! He needs help! Where’s the doctor…?!”

And mumbling.

“Alright, bud… alright. I’m handing you to the medics now.”

And breathing.

“I’ll be right there, Seph…”

And further away from the Name.

Jenova…

The catalyst that had been spoken.

Jenova.

Awakened.

Jenova.

Jenova.

Jenova.

~

To be continued? :3c

[strayheartless]

Cloud wakes up one morning in Edge, and everything is normal...but he feels like someone something is missing. He's used to it, his memory is shit these days, whatever.

Squall wakes up one morning, in his queen sized bed, all alone. Huh, that's unusual totally normal, like he gives a shit.

Neither of them realize time and space warped them into the same world for 10 years, where they got together, then warped them out and erased them from each other's memories and worlds.

😈

I know I asked for this but HECKIN’ OWWWWWWWWWWWW.

***

Denzel is pretty used to Cloud taking a second to recognise him in the morning. Tifa and Marlene say it happens sometimes, and he’s lived with them long enough now to know that it’s not personal. Still, this morning seems particularly bad.

Cloud is staring at him perplexed across the breakfast table, ignoring his own toast. He blinks hard a couple of times, then shakes his head and squeezes his eyes shut tighter. He looks upset by something, maybe even a little confused.

“Cloud, is everything okay?” Tifa asks from the sink and Cloud opens his eyes breathing deeply.

“Yeah,” he mutters, reaching out to push Denzel’s bangs out of his eyes.

“Has your hair gotten lighter?” He asks and Denzel makes a confused sound.

“I don’t think so,” he says.

Cloud pulls his hand back, letting the hair flop back into place and Scrubs at his face, frustrated.

“Hey,” Tifa rounds the table and kneels next to his chair. “You sure your okay? You look spooked,”

Cloud let his head hang for a second, gripping at his own neck so hard that Tifa reaches out to extract his nails from his nape.

“I- I feel like I’m missing something. Like someone should be here and they’re not. But I can’t tell who,”

“Marlene?” Zel guesses but Cloud shakes his head.

“Were you dreaming about Zack and Aerith again?” Was Tifa’s guess.

“Not that I can remember,” Cloud shakes his head again and lets Tifa take over massaging his neck.

They were all familiar with Clouds spotty memory. Sometimes he forgot Aerith was dead. Sometimes he would wake up and insist that he had to go meet Zack at some hole in the wall pizza joint that hadn’t existed since Meteor fall. On really bad days he didn’t talk, just stared at everyone like he didn’t know who they were. Like he was completely vacant.

“Do you want me to call your Clients for today and postpone deliveries?”

“No,” Cloudbutted his head against Tifa’s shoulder, something he’d taken to doing as a sign of affection when his words were failing him.

She ruffled the back of his hair and let him get on his way.

There weren’t many deliveries that day anyway. His first was Cid and as he walked into the shop he almost dropped the box at the sight of Shera. He doesn’t know why, but he hadn’t expected her to be there. The Workshop looked wrong too. Had Cid painted the hill of the Gum- airship? Cloud tsked. He liked the red better.

“Hey kid, Y’alright?” Cloud jumps again. He swings round to see Cid squinting at him from behind his shouldering goggles.

“Yeah,” he not-quite-lies. “Just having an off day… feel like I’ve lost something. Don’t know what,”

Cid snorts.

“That’s called getting old son,”

“That’s called almost drowning in Mako twice chief,” Cloud bites back, but there’s no real heat to it.

“Yeah yeah, you’re a walk-in’ talking’ miracle. I got it,” he hands Cloud the cash for delivery and Cloud pockets it without checking. Even if it wasn’t all there, he knew Cid was good for it. Even if he wasn’t Cloud would let him off. He always did for friends.

“You got many more o’these?” Cid asked, sucking on the end of his cigarette. Cloud thought it was a tooth pick… weird.

“Couple. Headed out to Kalm next.”

“Well you be careful, it’s gettin’ Squally out there,”

Cloud freezes. The image of a face burns itself into the forefront of his mind. A hand holding his that just a touch bigger. A body in his bed that he knows is going to start out on the other side of the bed, but will inevitably Koala itself to his back. A dumb jacket with an even dumber white fur collar. A slim set of hips adorned with far too many belts to be practical. A Gunblade. A scar across the bridge of a wonderfully sloped nose. A set of warm Hazelnut eyes.

Squall.

Clouds knees give out, hitting the tiled floor with a horrific crack.

He Screams at the sky.

****

“Can I help you Quistis?” Squall grumbles as he flips through the mornings reports. She’s been stood in his office too long and if she keeps staring at him like that he’s going to end up growsing something he regrets.

Fuck, his head is pounding.

“You seem off today.” She says like it’s an off hand comment. Squall resists the urge to roll his eyes.

“Didn’t sleep well.” He mutters, scribbling his signature at the bottom of a page. The next set of papers is about refurbishments to the western corridors. He massages between his eyes with the knuckle of his pointer finger.

Hadn’t they done that at the beginning of last year? Sora had talked his ear off about it being too much of a rabbit warr-

Who?

Squall blinks. Who the hell was Sora?

“Are you sure that’s all it is? Rinoa says you’ve been pretty in and out all day,”

“And I suppose Rinoa is the foremost authority on my moods,” it’s a unnecessary bite, one that he doesn’t even know the reason for. His wife is absolutely the authority on his mood swings. She’s generally the only one that can handle them.

No she isn’t.

Squall puts his pen down and places his head in his hands. His headache felt like someone was drilling into his eyes and temple. He just wants today to be over. He wants to go back home to C-

To Rinoa.

Quistis looks at him for a second, before seemingly deciding it’s not worth arguing with him. Instead she waits for him to finish signing papers while she looks out of his office window.

“Sure is Cloudy today,”

There’s a crash from behind her and as she spins around she finds Squall on his hands and knees on the carpet heaving up the pasty and Coffee she’d brought him. He’s sobbing hysterically as his mind faces a million miles a second and his head feels like it’s going to explode with the pressure of the memories.

A hand a little smaller than his, that was calloused and almost always covered in motor oil. A tiny waist that was just right for wrapping his arms around in the early mornings and late nights. Broad shoulders clad in paldrons. A wold at his heart. A wolf in his ear. The most dazzlingly blue eyes Squall has event seen. Bright blond hair. A stupidly large sword wrapped in bandages so he “didn’t hurt the kid”. A scarred sternum and torso under his hand.

Cloud.

Squall passed out from the pain.

[salternateunreality2]

Time Travel AGSZC AU (AKA 2-for-1 whump hammer on Sefikura) - Opening

from the @strayheartless archives <3

Sephiroth and Cloud are fighting and jump into the past, but doing so knocks Jenova’s hold loose on both of them, and reduces Cloud's enhancements, so now they're in the middle of the desert outside of Midgar, Cloud is dying of injuries because his healing factor is gone, and Sephiroth is a mess of guilt and horror at what he's done.

Their sudden appearance is noticed by the Turks, who fly out with Genesis and Zack to see what's up. They see their lovers, Cloud a bloody heap, surrounded by Tsurugi's pieces, Sephiroth on his knees casting healing spell after healing spell, completely disheveled and unresponsive.

Zack: SEPH?! What- CLOUD?!?! GENESIS!!! 

Genesis dives in immediately, shoving Sephiroth aside when he realizes he's just casting wildly. Sephiroth slumps, his arms barely supporting his torso, hair a wild mess around him as he stares at the ground with unfocused eyes, heedless of his own (albeit minor) wounds. Zack runs up with Genesis and tries to get Sephiroth to make eye contact. Nothing's getting through to him though, so Zack just works on healing Sephiroth's wounds. 

Genesis is concentrating hard. Eventually, he gets Cloud close enough to stable and starts yelling at the Turks to help. Under his direction, Reno, Rude, and Zack finish what they can on Cloud, wrap him up, and strap him to a stretcher.

Genesis: Sephiroth. I don't know what's going on, but you are going to listen to me and you are going to get up and get in that helicopter. Now. 

Sephiroth drags himself up, Zack supporting him, and they get on while Reno and Rude secure Cloud. He can't look at any of them. He can't think. He can barely breathe. He feels their questions, but he can't make sense of the words. Following orders is the best he can do. 

—--

Hojo is at the landing pad when they touch down, hearing that Sephiroth might be injured and unresponsive. Cloud is removed first, Zack and Reno running alongside his stretcher, giving the medical team an update. 

Genesis: Sephir- 

Hojo: Sephiroth! Come ou- GURK! 

Sephiroth is securely strapped into a helicopter seat one second, and the next, his hand is crushing Hojo's throat, lifting him off the ground, Masamune through his gut. Then in the next second, before even Genesis can do anything, Hojo is on fire and hurtling over the edge of the building, his screams only croaks through his crushed windpipe. Everyone stands in silence, mouths agape, when suddenly, Sephiroth jumps after him. 

Genesis: SHIT. Call Hewley and a lockdown! 

Rude nods and calls it in, and Genesis starts making his way down the side of the building only a little more safely than Sephiroth did.

What he finds at the bottom is horrifying; a smoldering mess of deformed humanoid sludge with a sword through it, and Sephiroth with broken legs from his landing, leaning on the sword, glaring at the mutated sludge. No civilians are hurt, and fortunately, everyone is standing back. 

Genesis: Sephiroth? 

No response. 

Genesis: Sephiroth, you're hurt. 

Nothing. 

Genesis: Sephiroth, I'm walking to you now. I'm going to put my arm around you, and you will come with me calmly. Mission complete. Do you understand? 

Nothing. Then, a slight nod and grunt. 

Genesis carefully grabs him around the waist, forcing Sephiroth to lean on him while lifting his entire body with one arm. Genesis barks at the onlooking SOLDIERs, Turks, and infantrymen to "clean that up" and "get that door open" as he takes Sephiroth in through a side entrance, then to a service elevator. Angeal runs up as they're waiting for the elevator. 

Genesis: Angeal, take his other side, we're going to the SOLDIER clinic. 

Angeal: *nods and obeys, trusting Genesis implicitly*

They reset Sephiroth's bones so they heal correctly, and he doesn't make a sound. That's normal for him, sure, but not even a huff or a hitch of breath comes out during the whole process, which would have a normal man screaming.

He can't look at them. It hurts too much. The betrayal is too much. How he hurt them is too much. What he did to Cloud and Zack... Sephiroth stays in his shell.

Meanwhile, Zack is pacing as the medics work on Cloud. He's ready to jump in at any second if they ask; his magic power is strong as a SOLDIER, though he's not as talented of a mage as Cloud, Genesis, or Sephiroth. Then Cloud starts seizing.

There's not much they can do, just keep him on the gurney, protect his IVs, and tilt him on his side to prevent choking. But it calms down eventually, and they get back to work.

Finally, Cloud is wrapped like a mummy, blood in one IV, medicine in another. They try a mako drip since his file says he is enhanced, but it makes the seizures start up again, so they turn it off. Zack is left alone with Cloud, watching his breath fog up his oxygen mask, holding his hand, shaking and crying quietly.

Then Zack gets a call. From Cloud.