#maybe sephiroth will last more than a handful of minutes

[saanphoenix]

Sometimes I imagine my WoL replacing my self-insert OC from my FFVII fic verse and like.

Cloud and gang describing that the enemy is Sephiroth, the greatest SOLDIER that ever was who wields despair as a weapon and--

And then a voice interrupts all, "Oh, despair? Eh. I took out the manifestation of that at the edge of the universe. I can handle despair."

And then the camera cuts to this:

...

Sephiroth won't know what hit him.

Nor will he be expecting her to say this:

[reallyromealone]

Hey rome I was wondering if you could do alpha sephiroth x omega reader were the reader is cloud's older brother but cloud Is protective If not maybe a little overprotective of the reader who is pregnant and due at any time

Sorry if the request is hard to understand this is my first request and I was nervous to ask

Modern au

Omegaverse, male reader, fluff, mpreg, mentions of birth

Sephiroth x male reader

🩷☁️🩷☁️🩷☁️🩷☁️🩷☁️🩷☁️🩷☁️🩷☁️🩷☁️🩷

It was a surprise that sephiroth managed to court and mate (name) Strife, the Omega being the older brother of Cloud.

Sephiroth proved to be a very capable alpha to the Omega, being the Son of Shinra Sephiroth could provide (name) with a perfect life.

"Time to wake up" sephiroth deep voice whispered in his mates ear, gently caressing his large belly that carried their sons, Sephiroth managing to knock (name) up with triplet sons that they were already working on (name)s for.

Sephiroth gently peppered kisses across his neck and smirked at the cute sounds the other was making "ten more minutes..." (Name) grumbled but the silver haired man wasn't having it, getting up and lifting his very pregnant mate in his arms.

Sephiroth was a serious man, a ruthless business man in the best of days but in his home he was a loving mate and husband.

"(Name)!" Little marline ran to the Omega who hugged her the best he could while being pregnant with three pups "hello pup" he said as sephiroth kept a hand on the omegas lower back.

"Cloud!" (Name) smiled at his baby brother, the blond alpha letting his brother check him over and fret as his instincts went haywire.

Cloud and sephiroth always had a....rocky relationship.

It started in university where they were on opposing teams for their respective university martial arts teams and have been sworn enemies since.

Cloud glared at the silver haired alpha and Sephiroth glared back.

Cloud didn't think Sephiroth was good enough for (name) and sephiroth just thought cloud was annoying.

The visit was a constant war between the two, finding anything to nitpick at each other much to (name)s annoyance.

Cloud barely let Sephiroth get five feet within (name)s vicinity.

"Oh" (name) looked down to see wet liquid down his leg "I'm so sorry Barrett" (name) whispered as a contraction rolled through "I'll drive you to the hospital!" Cloud said but Sephiroth halted him "on a motorcycle? Absolutely not"

"He's right Cloud, he needs a secure vehicle" Tifa spoke up and the blond alpha glared at the smug Sephiroth "and don't you worry (name)" Barrett said waving off the omegas worry.

(Name) ended up having surgery to deliver the pups, three beautiful little boys that all looked identical to their Sire.

"My babies..." (Name) mumbled as he reached to the three babes.

"I'm an uncle..." Cloud mumbled as they all went in the room to see (name) and the babies "you're an uncle" (name) mumbled very drugged and loopy "baby... Tell em the names!" He said giggly "they are named Kadaj, Loz and Yazoo" sephiroth said holding two out of three "wash your hands and you may hold them"

"Tell cloud the thing..." (Name) mumbled to his alpha as the babes were passed around and Sephiroth sighed "(name) would like to know if you're willing to be their god father" he grumbled, the blond looking at his tiny nephews in awe "absolutely..." He said pulling little Loz closer, the baby a bit more of a Cryer than his brothers.

Little kadaj didn't want to leave his Dam at all, practically sobbing when someone tried to hold him and Yazoo just didn't care.

"Now let's let the new parents spend time with their babies" Aerith said calmly, everyone bidding goodbye "you did good kid" Barrett kissed (name)s forehead lovingly, being his and Clouds defacto dad and the omega smiled at the affection.

When everyone left (name) fed his pups, two at a time then took the last to feed "they're going to be so loved..." (Name) whispered as Sephiroth put them in their little bassinets "they will never be without" sephiroth whispered as (name) passed out from exhaustion.

(Name) was going to be an excellent parent... Sephiroth could feel it.

[icycoldninja]

Hi! Can I ask dante, vergil and maybe nero and v with a female reader who i like aerith in ff7. Like they suddenly fall from sky in the reader flower shop and then the more time they spend they fall in love with the reader and their lives change? And then they nearly get attacked by demons and they think that they lost her but find out she is fine and alive... thank you💙

Aw yeah, as an avid ff7 fan, I find this an absolute WIIIIN! (Sephiroth is best girl and I will die on that hill)

Sparda boys + V x Aerith-like!Reader headcannons

¤ Dante ¤

-While fighting demons, Dante was dealt a nasty blow to the head and was subsequently knocked out.

-He fell a very long distance and ended up crashing through the ceiling of flower shop, thankfully landing right on a soft bush.

-You were absolutely terrified by this startling, sudden occurrence, but something compelled you to watch over this stranger, like he was important or something.

-You waited till he woke up, which didn't take long, and shakily introduced yourself. The moment you told him your name was the moment your lives changed.

-Dante fell in love with you the moment he saw you, and from that point on, you guys were inseparable.

-Or so you thought until demons showed up and carried you off. Rest assured, Dante did not sleep a wink until he found you running for your life in the streets, a bit scratched and with dirty clothes, but otherwise healthy and alive.

■ Vergil ■

-He must have cut a hole into the wrong dimension, because the next thing Vergil knew after making a badass descent from a tall precipice, he found himself falling right through some flower shop's ceiling.

-You, the owner, were understandably rattled by this encounter, but were still friendly and cheerful enough to introduce yourself to the tall and imposing man that just broke your ceiling.

-You guys actually got along very well, growing into friends, then quickly into mad lovers.

-Vergil was determined to protect this sweet, innocent, ray of sunshine that was you, so when the demons showed up and took you away, he was beside himself with rage.

-He chased after those fiends for several straight days, not daring to rest for fear something might happen to you if he stopped for even a second.

-Thankfully, he found you perfectly fine, unharmed and alive. After smothering you in a hug, he killed all the demons that had taken you and dragged you back to your flower shop for further "examination".

□ Nero □

-Nero's grappling hook broke unexpectedly mid-swing and he quickly found himself tumbling through the air, only to crash right into the ceiling of a flower shop.

-He thought he'd died and gone to heaven, the fact that you were looking over him worriedly made him wonder if he was seeing an angel. reference for ya

-He asked you a bunch of questions, eventually confirming that he was not dead and simply sprawled out on the floor of your flower shop, broken bits of ceiling all around him. How he had not died of fall damage was beyond him, but it didn't really matter because there was this cutie pie over here who wanted to talk--and Nero likes cutie pies who like to talk.

-The next few months were the best months of Nero's life. He got to bond with you, help you out in your flower ship, turning your chance encounter into a lasting relationship.

-Imagine his panic and anger when demons attacked you guys on the way home, dragging you off with them while you kicked and screamed. Nero fought harder in those next 5 minutes than he'd ever fought in his life, soon freeing you from those awful things.

-His hands were shaky as he held you close to him, repeatedly asking if you were alright. To his relief, you were fine--didn't even have a scratch on you.

● V ●

-Griffon was flying V away from some particularly powerful demons that he wasn't physically fit to deal with, when suddenly, he ran out of juice.

-One minute, V was casually drifting through the air, the next, falling through the roof of some building below.

-He awoke to find himself lying on an oddly fluffy bush, a very pretty florist hovering over him.

-The next few months were pure bliss as your relationship blossomed from curious strangers to passionate lovers.

-When the demons attacked, V suddenly found himself next to useless as they carted you off, thankfully, he had the sense to summon Nightmare to blast them all back to hell with a laser beam before they could retreat to wherever their hideout was.

-While you were perfectly fine, just a little shaken, V was determined to never allow that to happen again. To make this idea a reality, he simply never left your side.

[thinkaboutmeff7au]

flash time 110

1997.

I go into the kitchen for a drink. Seph turns down the music a little bit now that we’re not actively fucking. I still feel hazy and loose. It’s comfortable. It’s like I’m living in a warm sock.

I’m shirtless with just my dog-tags and boxer briefs on. I get distracted with the carton of apple juice in my hand and drag my fingertips down my chest. Fuck. I gotta set a timer so I can go at it again. Or maybe Seph will pass out and I’ll just jerk off...

I take a long drink. I can feel it go down my throat into my stomach. Right now, the feeling is delightful. I was so thirsty. Fuck. I go to put the juice down and nearly miss the counter. Back out...

Out in the living room, Seph is sprawled out on the couch with a towel over his crotch. His eyes are half open, slits that reveal the glow of his turquoise eyes.

It’s electric.

Ten minutes ago, he was fucking me like that in an old company shirt, cut off like a croptop. The crease in his brow from concentration, the glow in his eyes as he pushed

into

me

over

and over.

“Mmm.” I shudder.

I can just see his gaze flick over to me. “What?”

“Nothin’,” I reply with a smirk. “You’re hot.”

He makes a noise that would have probably been taken like a snort, but he barely moves. “I know,” he says.

I pace around. I’m starting to get hungry. On the couch, Seph and I share a brainwave and his hand falls on his stomach. “I’m hungry,” he voices.

I’m going to tease him. “You mean you didn’t eat before you came over?” I say. I strut over and cross my arms, shaking my head. “Rookie mistake.”

The room spins a bit, but I stay on my feet. When I open my eyes, he’s got that “fuck you” look on his face that I relish. He’s too lost in it to make any moves, but I can imagine him giving me the bird.

I bend over and grab the bowl from beside my storage chest and sacred beanbag throne. If I focus, I can get the bag of weed too. “Tell you what,” I say. “Smoke this with me, and we’ll get delivery.”

“Gen,” he groans. “Why...”

“I don’t have any fuckin’ food here, you know that.” I pack the bowl clumsily, but well. This isn’t my first time around. “So, what do you want?”

He stares up at the ceiling. “Anything...at this point.”

“Pizza?”

“Not pizza.”

“That’s not anything, then.”

“Pedantic son of a bitch.”

I grin. I light the bowl and take the first hit, smoke clouding my face. “How about Mexican? I know a good spot.”

“They...deliver?”

“No.” I pass him the bowl. He stares at me, then begrudgingly takes it. “But I can bribe a Turk who will.”

Seph cocks his head. “Huh?”

“Smoke.” I wave my hand at him and stumble back toward the kitchen. “I got this.”

My phone sits on the edge of the counter, and I pick up the whole thing and lean against the door frame. I cradle the receiver on my shoulder and dial. I’ve got a sticky note taped to it with numbers I need to remember. Angeal, Sephiroth, HQ, Gillian (scratched out, now defunct), Seph’s mom...and one last number, the one I’m dialing.

Ring, ring.

He picks up pretty readily. “Y’ello?” he answers.

“Yo, Reno,” I say. “Alone on a Friday night?”

“Dude, c’mon,” he whines. “I got stood up last week, I’m taking it easy.”

I was half expecting him to say he was dying his hair this week. I’ve seen him more than once in Wall Market trying to pick up women of the night. If he’s down there, there’s no way that he’s straight. Not sure if he knows it or not.

“Cool, then you can do me a favor,” I say.

“I ain’t doing shit for you.”

“I’ll pay you $200 to go over to The Taqueria and get me two take out bags full of whatever they’ve got.”

“Jesus Christ...” He’s thinking about it, though. His voice drops to a murmur. “...only if you throw me a joint.”

“Get your own fuckin’ dealer!” The thought of melted cheese over ground beef and spices is making me salivate though. “Fine, I’ll roll you something.”

“Done. I’m coming over now.”

“No, no, no, you get paid when you have the goods.”

“And make me pay for it? Fuck off.”

Shit, forgot about that. “Right. Fine, come over.”

He hangs up on me. I kick our strewn clothes over behind the couch, out of sight of the door. I toss Seph a shirt. “Put something on, our delivery boy’s coming over.”

He took another hit while I wasn’t looking, so he’s in very slow motion. I don’t know if he was even listening. I grab my jeans and yank them on, just as he starts knocking on my door.

“One sec,” I say. “Did you run over?”

“Dude, I’m just down the hall.”

My wallet’s still in there, and I dig it out and position myself in the doorway so I can hide Seph. He will not want to be reminded of this on Monday.

I open the door. It should be a week where he does his hair, his roots are showing. He grins. “Yo,” he says, then coughs. “Man, you really...know how to party, huh?”

I roll my eyes and shove some bills in his hand. “Get some of everything, that should be enough,” I say. “If you’re quick, you can keep the change.”

“Sure. Sector 3 right?”

“Yup.”

He attempts to peer around me. “Oh, hey--”

I block his view. I don’t want to imagine Seph’s fury if Reno saw his ass out in my apartment. “Don’t even think about it,” I say.

“Ooookay, later!”

I slam the door in his face as he leaves. As I spin and lean against it, Seph does have a shirt on, but as predicted, his dick is out. His eyes are sewed shut and head back toward the ceiling.

“Fuck...” he whispers.

Yeah, he’s not on this planet.

“Food’ll be here soon,” I say.

“Mmmm....”

I stare at his now flaccid dick. Wonder if he’s ready to get it up again...

(G.)

[txnichtgut-archive]

@nerdynanny•*⁀➷ UNPROMPTED | AVAILABLE

╰┈➤ ❝ [  Cloud let out a soft huff of indignation. Ever since he finally woke up he was distant to most-- save Zack. His last clear memories were of Nibelheim. The fires. His mother. He needed to learn how to FIGHT. "I've used your sword before-- it's not THAT heavy. Why do I need to practice with one so-- small?"

He hefted the blade in his hand-- one resembling the type Zack had once used. Now he'd find himself in the position of a mentor and trainer-- while also being one of the few to see he blond's soft side. ]  ❞

he had barely even awoken from his... slumber? experimentations? being half a corpse? and now he was truly energetic and all that seemed to fill him was the feeling that he needed to become a better soldier than sephiroth in the next 5 minutes. was it revenge? zack wasn't happy either, but he had fought the soldier and he lost. simple as that. he had accepted his loss and hoped that he also would be stronger in time but maybe that man was not even alive anymore. who knew what cloud did to him in his... rage filled state of mind?

"you swung it around like a club, cloud. you didn't push him into the mako because you knew how to use a sword properly... besides..." he looked at the buster sword for a long moment. "this is a little more important, we should stick to simple well build swords for now." avalanche provided them with that and tifa managed to score them a room. one room for two. not extremely comfortable and sometimes... plain awkward. he was undeniably attracted, but cloud didn't seem to be so keenly aware and zack... he wasn't so good at voicing his raw emotions.

he was also not over aerith. didn't dare to visit her though.

"besides it doesn't say the bigger the better unless you mean bedtime activities---" mako infused eyes looked at cloud for a moment before chuckling. "w-what i mean is, size isn't important."

[up-sideand-down]

Genesis and Sephiroth for number 24?

"Gods Damn it all!" Sephiroth swore. He nearly fell trying to let go of Genesis. Genesis winced as Sephiroth stepped on his foot again.

"You were close," Genesis said.

"No I wasn't," Sephiroth snapped, "and...sorry."

"My foot is fine," Genesis replied, "doing better than your pride it seems. We should take a break." Genesis sat on the steps up to the band stage, patting the spot next to him. Sephiroth said, still fuming.

"I can't do this," he said, "I'm sorry the dancing lessons were moot, but I'm done."

"You have to do this," Genesis reminded him, "it's the president's gala."

"I can't," Sephiroth said, "I can't be someone I'm not." His eyes looked faraway.

"It was one thing to pretend to be the person in the posters," Sephiroth said, "I can stand tall, stare, hold a sword at a right angle. I can actually be a commander...but I'm not him."

"You can pretend to be," Genesis said.

"No," Sephiroth said, "I don't want to pretend. It was hard enough for the hour photo shoot. I don't want to spend party after party pretending I'm some confident, commanding man." His voice broke at the last word. Sephiroth swallowed thickly.

"I want to be alone," Sephiroth said, "or with you. I want out of the spotlight. I want to be me for once. I just want to be me." The last of it came out as a whisper.

Genesis's heart broke. He remembered Sephiroth was more than a year younger than himself. He'd never once had a change to be himself...unless it was around him or Angeal.

Genesis couldn't let himself be another person to force Sephiroth into someone he wasn't.

"Then you don't," Genesis said. He stood. He held out his hands and Sephiroth took them. He rose when Genesis pulled him.

"You deny each potential dance as they come," Genesis said, "you smile and shake your head and direct them to some other dashing gentleman just dying to dance with them." They were walking on the dance floor.

"But what if I can't say no?" Sephiroth said. He didn't seem to notice when Genesis started leading them in the dance they had been practicing. Sephiroth knew the steps, just not the full rhythm.

Sephiroth followed though.

"There's always a no," Genesis said, "Or at least a maybe. A drink, a chat. They're not always dances."

"I'm not good at talking either," Sephiroth said. He completed the turn they'd been trying for the past 20 minutes perfectly under Genesis's guidance.

"Then listen," Genesis said, "the world needs more listeners. Nod or shake your head, make small noises if you can't think of words. Mmm-hmm, hmmm, oh, humph."

"That's all it takes?" Sephiroth asked.

"For some people," Genesis said, "you fake it until you make it." They got through the second turn without a hitch. One more and then it was just repeat the whole thing until the song was over.

"What if I fail?" Sephiroth said, "what if...what if I can't even do that."

"You tango on," Genesis said, "just keep going, pretend it didn't happen. It goes further than it should, acting like everything is fine." They stopped at the third turn.

"You just danced with me," Genesis said, "I think you can handle this." Sephiroth blinked. Genesis started leading them again. Sephiroth followed again.

"And if everything else fails you find me," Genesis said, "because you're really not half bad as a dance partner." He paused and leaned up to press a kiss on Sephiroth's lips. Sephiroth just stared, looking shocked.

"And we tango on," Genesis said.

"I thought this was a waltz?" Sephiroth said much more softly.

"Does it matter?"

"Not really."

"Then tango-waltz on," Genesis said.

And Sephiroth did.

[razberryyum]

Scumbag System (SVSSS donghua) Episode 10 Thoughts (spoilers)

(covers SVSSS chaps 24 - 26, BC Novels Translations)

And thus the first season of the SVSSS donghua comes to an end...rather weirdly abruptly to be honest, but more on that later. Obviously I love the donghua. It was not perfect, but it still exceeded my expectations. I truly appreciate what they were able to do within their budget constraints and I think they captured the spirit of the source material perfectly, which is really all I hope for when it comes to adaptations.  The writing was strong, the humor hit the spot always (for example, when poor Shizun got motion sickness from sword riding, I guffawed), and they also gave us some of the most beautiful characters I’ve ever seen on screen, especially with Shen Qingqiu, Luo Binghe and Liu Qingge. I really, really hope they release official figurines for them. I’m going to start saving my money now just for that possibility.

Even though their time together in this episode was short, the BingQiu love was definitely strong. They gave them a combo move that was not in the source material: for someone like me who grew up watching Cantonese dramas, two characters who have a combo sword move (”雙劍合璧”!) are usually a couple so I was especially tickled by this addition. I am always thankful to the donghua team for the little Easter Eggs they give us for BingQiu, like the way Binghe's eyes lit up when he sees SQQ... 

or when SQQ touches him...

Once again, for those not in the know, it can easily be interpreted as a disciple just being devoted and filial to his Shizun. But for those of us who have read the novel, of course we know it’s indication of Bingmei falling in love with SQQ. I love how subtle yet significant these little expressions of Binghe’s are, and I hope they continue on with these little touches even in the next season. 

Of course then there are the more obvious gestures, like that HUG:

It lasted for a good 15 seconds and oh my God look at the Binghe’s hand placement!  There was totally nipple groppage happening there! This wasn’t in the book by the way...SQQ didn’t get woozy and Binghe most definitely didn’t have to catch him like some fainting damsel, so we have the donghua team to thank for this wonderful moment of (sexy) physical contact between the two of them. 

The donghua team was also especially generous in this episode since not only did we get some BingQiu love, but we got a pinch of LiuShen and QiJiu love too.

LQG’s eyes were on SQQ the entire time! And then Yue Qingyuan as usual took any opportunity he got to touch his Qingqiu.  So all shippers were fed. Hell, they even threw in some more straight-baiting again so peeps who are watching the show for the “straight” romance between Luo Binghe and his never-to-be-future-wife Qin Wanyue were fed too since the scene where Binghe gives her the handkerchief to wipe away her tears were not in the chapters of the book for this episode, and racking my brain I don’t even think it was in the book, period. I’m trying to remember if that handkerchief even holds any significance but even if it does, it’s all for naught since we know Qin Wanyue is at most just a minor side character. She does pop up again later on but then is mostly forgotten, so...not quite sure what that moment was all about other than to, I don’t know, throw off the censors?

I’m also not sure why we spent so much time with Liu Mingyan and Gongyi Xiao in this episode. Nothing against them personally, I like both characters very much (despite my previous complaints about GYX’s character design), and it’s not that they don’t deserve more screen time, but this was the season finale! Even though the next season has been announced, God knows when we’ll see it next year and how many episodes it would be, so every minute of screen time matters! That’s why I was a bit puzzled that they used up half of the episode showing LMY basically facing the same perils with her group of fellow disciples as before and GYX just running from that huge serpent. Even if that thing DOES turn out to be Zhuzhi-lang, it was still a bit much. They weren’t exactly character building scenes either so...why? Budget reasons? Didn’t have enough money to pay SQQ’s voice actor (Wu Lei-laoshi) so they had to stick in miscellaneous scenes to lessen his screen time? 

I’m kidding of course. God I hope that wasn’t the reason because that would just be sad.

Speaking of miscellaneous scenes though, what was going on with these two dudes?

I gotta admit, I’m a bit salty that these two mob characters got to do what our main couple can’t. What’s their story? Why do they get special privileges? Damn these nobodies. XD

All kidding aside, I have to say, of all the episodes this season, this might be the weakest one, not only because of the “filler” scenes, but also, the way the episode ended was so odd, especially for a season finale. The season basically ended on a scene transition. Not a cliffhanger, just a scene transition, and then cut to credits. What?? Why??? It’s almost as if they just ran out of time so had to stop the show all of a sudden. And then as if to make up for it, they added post-credit scenes which, honestly blew me away because it was so unexpected. It was indeed almost enough to make me completely forgive the weakness of the episode as a whole and that weird-ass ending.

I teared up!  The scene was kind of chopped up, didn’t even flow that smoothly, but I still got emotional! I’m sure when I see this scene in its entirety next season I am just going to be destroyed. I think they made it even more gut-wrenching than it was in the novel. Looks like the donghua team really aren’t gonna hold back when it comes to delivering the BingQiu knives. 

We also got to see Mobei-jun appear in the post-credits scene; I guess they had to stick him in there since he was featured in the poster for this season, so it would have been weird if he didn’t at least make an appearance.

I immediately thought of him as Sephiroth’s younger cousin when I first saw him on the poster and I still feel that way. Anyone related to Sephiroth, I will approve and instantly have affection for. For the MoShang shippers’ sake, I hope the Shang Qinghua they create for him will be just as pretty. I think I can now safely discard my guess from last time and also that moon-faced bearded ojisan others have guessed. We actually got a glimpse of the real deal in this sequence:

They strategically made him blurry so you can’t really make out his features, but what we still can tell from there is that he does not have facial hair (hence, he cannot be the ojisan) and the hair crown he’s wearing is silver and different from the twinky sect leader. So I guess we’ll be getting a fresh out of the microwave Airplane Bro instead of any of the no-name potential cannon fodder we’ve already seen. 

We’ll probably get the abyss opening up in maybe even the first episode of next season but that’ll still leave a lot of ground to be covered in just 10 episodes (rumored). There haven’t been any talk about a third season, but I really hope it’ll happen, even though it might take them a while to make it. I know it’s premature to even think of a third season when we haven’t even gotten an actual release date for the second, but I’m greedy because I already miss the donghua. This season was over so quickly, I’m already mourning the lack of new episodes. I hope we get the second season in the first quarter of next year and then by some miracle, a third or even fourth to properly finish out the story. I know we will never get the FULL story, but as long as they keep the spirit of BingQiu’s love and continue to hint at it like they’ve been doing this season, I will be more than satisfied. 

And while I’m wishful thinking for new seasons, I hope we also get a BingQiu duet and character songs. I love the opening and ending theme this season, if they want to save money I totally don’t mind if they just use the same OP/ED themes in the next season as well, but I hope they throw in a good BingQiu insert song and then release some individual character songs as well. I’m still not a fan of Binghe’s voice, but maybe they can have someone else do his vocals for the songs. SVSSS is the older son of MXTX’s works, I feel like it already got short-shrifted in terms of adaptation since it got the lesser budget compared to MDZS and TGCF. Hopefully with how popular the donghua is this season, it will be given a bigger budget next season so they can bring to life all the subsequent proceedings from the book properly. And whatever they’re paying Wu Lei-laoshi, SQQ’s voice actor, they should double it because that man is just amazing. I worship his voice and performance. I wish he would read the audiobook version of the the novel. I would listen to the hell out of that.  I have always loved SQQ, but if I’m going to be honest, I came into the show just a little more excited about seeing Bingge being brought to life. I still love Binghe of course, in all his phases, however, now,  because of Wu Lei-laoshi’s stellar voice performance (and of course SQQ’s beautiful looks), I’m leaving this season absolutely head over heels about SQQ/Shen Yuan. Also thanks to the show, I’m completely obsessed with Liu Qingge as well.  So for those two reasons, I will eternally be grateful to the donghua team.  

[michaelmyersmalewife]

the unsettling awareness of your own heartbeat 1/?

- sephiroth/reader

- sfw

“The hell, man?”

With a sharp jerk of your wrists, you flipped the headset above your eyes, roughly shoving your hair up at the crown that gave you the vague appearance of a hastily arranged bird’s nest. Seconds ago, you were cutting down Shinra grunts on the Midgar highway like they were nothing but flowers. And now you were standing in a dome, adrenaline still buzzing through your veins. As the sim around you dissolved in a shower of 1’s and 0’s, the source of the interruption blotted out the light from the training room’s exit. Standing across from you - draped in black and wearing a grave face that would’ve made a skeleton shiver - was your mentor.

Sephiroth was an obelisk of a man, tall and lean and not unlike one of the statues you’d see guarding the churches in Sector 5’s slums.

“Least you could do is give me a warning before you pull me out like that.” you whined as you rolled your shoulders with a satisfying pop. “I was doing just fine before you rudely interrupted.”

“‘Just fine’ won’t cut it when you’re face-to-face with Wutai soldiers.” he said, crossing his arms. “You can do better. I’ve seen you do better.”

Sephiroth always spoke in a calm manner (as if he wasn’t already a pain in the ass to read), but since taking you under his wing you had come to recognize the many different flavors in which that calm manifested itself. And this was specially reserved for when he was very, very tired.

Feeling your palms prickle, you shoved your pair of shortswords back in their scabbards.

“Right.” you nodded curtly, setting the headset back in its charging port and already meaning to leave before he could cite some vaguely-worded and slightly cryptic advice. “There’s always tomorrow, right?”

Sidestepping in front of you in one fluid motion, Sephiroth peered down at you with an icy gaze. Craning your neck upward at an uncomfortable angle so that you weren’t eye-to-chest, you ground your foot into the floor.

“So we’re good tomorrow?”

He was as rigid as a glacier, and just as vocal. You sighed.

“Permission to return to quarters, sir?” you grumbled.

“Denied.”

You wheezed out a bitter laugh. Sometimes you wondered if he got off on bossing you around, but the notion of Sephiroth getting off to anything was enough to send you reeling.

“I thought you wanted to make 1st.”

A pithy breeze flashed in front of you, and it took you a second too long to realize there was a sword directed at your sternum. You stumbled backward, only barely finding your balance.

“What-“

“Don’t worry, this won’t be a fight.” he said, slowly inching Masamune forward until you had no choice but to walk backwards. “Think of it as a dialogue.”

You steadied the heavy thump of your heart as you straightened yourself, lifting your chin maybe just a little too high in a feeble attempt at hiding your nerves. The only time you had ever faced your mentor in a fight was the day he chose to train you out of a flock of other SOLDIERs. It was a punishing session, and in the end he had disarmed you in three moves. You had heard later from the other recruits that that was the longest anyone had lasted.

“Isn’t that the opposite of what you should be teaching me?”

“A SOLDIER isn’t just their kill count.”

Unsheathing your swords, you let slip a snort. “Easy for you to say.”

“I mean it.” he said, fortifying his stance as the room melted back into the sim.

“You’re getting sloppy. Good form, but no tact. When you accept those as parts of you,” he said, nodding toward your swords. “And not just a tool, everything else becomes an afterthought.”

He was awfully serious today - and he had practically cornered the market on being serious - but you’d be lying if you said it didn’t make you just a little nervous. You were used to aloof Sephiroth - succinct nods of approval and pointed glares of disapproval, both marked by a signature silence that could fill a room. Talking someone’s ear off wasn’t something Sephiroth was known for (or particularly good at, if you were being honest), but when he did, man was it weird.

In that time, you were back in the sim, now finding yourself standing outside a Shinra facility - a mako refinery, if the acrid odor drifting beneath the thick, briny scent of seawater gave you any indication. The two of you were standing on just one of the massive metal-plated pipes that fed into the factory. Jutting out the side of a cliff like a blossoming giant, a mess of pipes and valves, it faced a sea.

The environment around the facility was in a perpetual state of dusk, the sun sitting just above the water’s horizon, with clouds in shades of pink and gold that hovered wistfully in the sky. The last of the day’s blue disappearing into a day that would never come. The sea itself was dark, lazily churning against the face of the cliff, the sun’s light refracting into thousands of tiny gems on its surface.

Sephiroth took no time to admire the sim’s flawlessly randomized recreation - raising the hilt of his sword up to his eye level while keeping his right hand close to his body, shifting his weight on one foot while the other stayed back, ready to spring him forward at a moment’s notice. Taking his cue, you balanced yourself, holding your swords out in front of you in an x-shape.

The corner of his mouth quirked up in a tiny, self assured smirk (though, to the untrained eye, resembled more an involuntary twitch of muscle than anything), blinking long and slow. Your teeth worried at the inside of your cheek. Had he made you wait any longer and you think you would’ve broken skin.

But before you could worry a hole through your cheek, 7 feet of sinewy muscle charged at you like a bullet shot from a gun. His sword clashed against yours with an ear-splitting clang, the ringing of metal running down the tips of your fingers. Grunting at the force pushing back at you, you slid one sword out from under Masamune, slashing the air between you and effectively getting him to step the fuck off.

He bounced back, landing gracefully on the tips of his toes like a dancer coming down from a leap. His eyes narrowed, but there was a twinkling in his pupils. Normally, a beaming Sephiroth would’ve been a sight to commemorate, preferably behind a neat little frame set on a desk somewhere. But it only gave you one thought: Shit.

In a very short space of time, you were standing face to face with your superior once again, his sword slamming into the broad, flat side of your right hand’s blade. You had barely raised it in time, and he had only given you a moment to prepare yourself against a barrage of attacks, somehow managing to parry each one.

“You block too much. You’re a sword, not a shield.” he said, almost sounding bored.

You would’ve responded with any number of pieces of crude backchat that you’d accumulated since training under him, but the man hardly gave you time to breathe let alone think.

Each twitch of his sword was a masterpiece of technique. He fought like a well-oiled machine, inevitable, bloodless, with absolute awareness of the power he held. It was beautiful, or, it would be if you weren’t on the receiving end of his advances. He was fast, inhumanly, unfairly fast. And with his equally unfair reach, it was a miracle if you ever came close to landing a hit on him. The man had some cruel agreement with gravity.

After your nth parry and a last minute pass back, you held Masamune in place, running your left blade down its length. His eyebrows briefly twitched upward before flicking his sword up, sending your blades down and away. But in a flash, you lunged forward, cutting just beneath his chin and hacking away thin slivers of his bangs. You were about to allow yourself a smirk, maybe even a ‘hmph’ born from pride and amusement.

What happened instead was something so irritating it didn’t register with you until you were slammed to the floor. Pivoting away from an overhead slash, he - very gently - tucked his blade underneath yours, sending another bone-ringing clang through you like a bell. And (incredibly obnoxiously) he used your weight against you, forcing you backward. But, in a last-ditch effort to not look like a fool, you stuck one leg out - effectively killing any chance of recovery but by Gaia were you gonna take him down with you.

You staggered backward like a flimsy piece of rubber, hitting the ground with a thump as your swords clattered on either side of you. Of course, Sephiroth landed with grace - hardly falling at all so much as shifting himself in tune with your otherwise graceless tumble. And yet - despite being perfectly fine, actually - he wore an uncharacteristically poleaxed expression, his lips hanging slightly open like a man caught mid-practical joke.

The sim had already disappeared, the panel next to your head flickering off and on before completely shuttering off a few seconds behind the rest.

That was when the sound of cracks splitting across the floor met your ears. His sword had pierced the tile mere centimeters away from where your forehead was, drowning out the sound of blood rushing to your ears. Sephiroth stood hunched over you like a gargoyle, one knee drawn up to his abdomen while the other pressed hard into the floor, effectively caging you in black leather and silver hair. Tucked between cold tile and an even colder man, you couldn’t get back up if you wanted to.

“Was that good enough for you?” you wheezed, feeling like a pair of bricks had been shoved in your rib cage.

He studied you with close scrutiny and a blank expression, hardly winded but breathing quietly, evenly. You could never tell what he was thinking, even this close. You had resigned yourself with the thought that you never will.

“Dismissed.” he ordered, finally.

Pulling himself up, he tugged Masamune out from where it had wedged itself, stepping over you without so much as a look back.

You tried to sit up, only managing to lift your head before a singular phlegm-raddled cough sent you thudding back to the floor, dazed and hot - uncomfortably so, like you had been tossed in a furnace. Feeling the muscles in your arms and legs cry for mercy, you decided to lay there. Just for a few minutes more.

[aimeelouart]

The Calamity’s Cursed Child, Part 2 - 1672 words, ASGZC, Cursed to Strife continuity

[Part 1] [Read it on Ao3]

--

It turned out that Cloud had showed up in the middle of nowhere, because Zack’s house just so happened to be in the middle of nowhere. Cloud wasn’t too surprised⁠—whatever the details of his curse, it tended to spit him out in the unluckiest possible position. Such as right on top of Strife’s empty grave.

It really was uncanny.

Zack explained, in their brief hike back to the house, that they all preferred the privacy and security of living in the middle of nowhere. They made trips back to civilization occasionally, to see their AVALANCHE friends or get supplies, but for the most part they were self-sufficient. It sounded...nice. Idyllic, almost. Cloud tried not to dwell on that for too long.

They paused at the front door and Zack looked at him nervously. He raised an eyebrow in response. They’re your boyfriends to wrangle, he conveyed with that eyebrow. Zack deflated a little. “Okay,” he said. “Uh. Just...be ready to dodge if you have to.”

Sephiroth moved from standing at his side to standing in front of him protectively, which was...a little trippy, but he rolled with it.

Zack took a deep breath and promptly slammed the door open, hollering “DON’T FREAK OUT!”

Cloud wasn’t entirely sure how that was supposed to help, but it was such a Zack move that he couldn’t help but grin and stifle a snort. Sephiroth was also suppressing a smile.

“What?” came a call from further in the house, laced with alarm.

“Zack what did you do!” someone else called, footsteps pounding down the stairs from the second floor.

“Nothing, just don’t freak out!” Zack said, stopping a few feet in the entryway. Cloud peered curiously out from behind Sephiroth’s towering frame. That was a mistake, maybe. Two sets of eyes from two alarmed former commanders locked on him as they came rushing into the front room.

“You!” they said, nearly as one.

“Seph, look out!” Angeal cried, pulling a broadsword from a nearby rack and blurring forward as Genesis cast a reflexive spell. 

Cloud sighed. Sephiroth raised a Barrier. Zack quickly got between Angeal and the door, parrying with his own broadsword. “What did I literally just say about freaking out!” he scolded.

“Strife is⁠—!”

“He is not Strife,” Sephiroth said firmly, projecting his voice. He held one arm up in a very clearly protective gesture. “Calm down. I know how this looks, but he is not Strife.”

Cloud stepped out from behind Sephiroth so that the other two could see him, keeping his hands loose at his side. If they got a good look at him, they might calm down quicker. Assuming Strife was anything like Sephiroth, his battered clothing and timeworn face would be a very stark difference. He glanced between them and waited patiently.

Angeal’s hostility eased almost immediately, confusion furrowing between his brows. He lowered his broadsword. Genesis took a few seconds longer, eyes sweeping up and down Cloud several times before they settled on his face. Slowly, he frowned.

“I’m not your Strife,” Cloud said simply.

“Yeah!” Zack agreed, bounding over to sling an arm around his shoulders. “Can’t you tell by the cute face? And, you know, the lack of raging insanity and murderous intent?”

“Zack,” Cloud said reprovingly, elbowing his side. “That’s not helpful.”

Angeal huffed a laugh, then looked startled with himself for it. Zack pumped a fist victoriously. “Yes!” He cheered. “Okay, now that no one is trying to kill anyone else, this is Cloud but he’s from a different dimension and he’s going to sleep on the couch until he leaves.”

Cloud sighed and put his face in his hands. Even four hours of sleep was not enough to deal with Zack when he was like this. “Zack, please stop tormenting your boyfriends.”

“Aww, don’t worry Cloudy. They’re used to it!” He leaned in and added, sotto voce, “they’d be way more alarmed if I wasn’t acting like this.”

“Alright, Zack, you’ve made your point,” Genesis said, eyeing Cloud. “Enough with the theatrics. If he is not Strife, he deserves better hospitality than being left to linger on our doorstep.”

Both Commanders looked cautious but not hostile as Cloud was herded inside and Sephiroth shut the door behind them. Angeal was the first to step forward, after laying his broadsword on the coffee table. “Cloud?” he asked hesitantly, reaching a hand out toward his face but pausing half way.

“It’s fine,” Cloud told him. It was hardly the first time the grieving and the lonely had seen echoes of their lost lover, parent, or child in him. It seemed a theme, to be given what belonged to others⁠—both gentle touches and hateful wounds. “But you should know I never had a romantic relationship with any of your counterparts in my home world.”

“No?” Angeal asked, daring to close the distance and lay his palm along Cloud’s jaw. Like Zack, his thumb swept across the delicate, bruise-dark skin beneath his eye. “Why not?”

“Never met you. Never knew any of you, really, though Zack got the closest.”

The corner of Angeal’s lip twitched upward, just a little. “All things considered, I don’t know if I should be sad or happy for you.”

“Funny. I was thinking the same thing about you.”

Angeal stepped back, drawing his hand away. Everyone looked to Genesis, but the redhead just stood and watched with an unreadable expression. “You’re not our Cloud.”

Cloud couldn’t help but grin tiredly at that. “No, I’m not. I have to admit, it’s very refreshing to hear someone else say that for once”

Genesis looked away, closing his eyes, then huffed. A weary smirk crossed his face. “Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess. You could have fooled me. You talk like he used to. Act like it too.” Only then did he step forward, putting his hands on Cloud’s shoulders. “It’s the eyes that give you away. He never looked quite so…”

“Tired?” Cloud suggested archly.

“Worn. Zack mentioned you borrowing the couch?”

“That was part of the deal, yeah. I’ll be gone in about three and a half hours and I intend to sleep while I can.”

Genesis’s expression softened fully at that. “Of course.” He used the hands on Cloud’s shoulders to steer him over to a chair. Cloud sat willingly enough, after taking Tsurugi off and leaning it against the chair’s arm. “Just wait a moment and you can sleep.”

Like a well-oiled machine, the four men broke off to gather pillows and blankets, dim the lights, and generally make their living room habitable for sleeping. They worked fast. Before Cloud quite knew what was happening, he was laying down⁠—Tsurugi pressed against his side and boots on, as he insisted⁠—swathed in warm blankets and resting on a veritable mountain of pillows. He threw an arm over his eyes, mumbling something that might have been thanks, and dropped right off.

Of course, Cloud had long since developed the habit of sleeping without truly losing touch with his surroundings. How it worked, he didn’t know, but if he hadn’t he would have died quite a bit more often than he already did. So he heard, and retained the gist of, the conversation that the four men had around him.

“He looks half dead.”

“I know. Why do you think I insisted he come back here to sleep? He never said anything outright but I swear he was going to bunk down in a tree as soon as we left.”

“What happened to him?”

“I don’t know. He only said that he’d come from another dimension and that he was going to vanish.”

“He also said that he was not the one who Zack “usually” greeted with hostility. I believe he has been traversing dimensions involuntarily for some time.”

“He certainly looks it, poor boy.”

A hand brushed tentatively through his hair. He murmured nonsensically, shifting for a moment before settling back down. The hand resumed its motions as soon as he’d stilled.

“Is this what he could have been, do you think? Strong and selfless? Patient with us?”

A different hand traced the edge of his jaw. His mind whispered not a threat, and so he stayed asleep.

“He would have been a good man. The best, really. If only we could have…”

“Hush. We made mistakes, but our Cloud made his own decisions. And at the end...he was already dead and gone. We put a shell to rest, nothing more.”

“I know. I know that. But it still⁠—”

“—hurts?”

“Yeah.”

“I know, love.”

“...I wonder if he would have been better off like this. If he’d never met us.”

The conversation died after that. Cloud drifted along in silence until the burning sensation that warned of an impending jump became too intense to ignore. He sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, then stood and slung Tsurugi across his back.

“What is it?” Zack asked from where he was sitting in an armchair. All four of them were in the living room, pretending they hadn’t just been watching him while he slept. Watching over him, if he was feeling generous, though he understood the impulse either way.

“Two minutes,” he murmured, rubbing at the old scar on his hip. It always burned a little more intensely than the surrounding unscarred flesh. “This is goodbye.”

Zack, of course, got up and hugged him so tight his ribs creaked. “Go get ‘em, tiger,” he joked, but there were tears in his eyes. Angeal’s parting embrace was wordless, as was Genesis’s, though the latter also pressed a chaste kiss against his temple. Sephiroth was the last, as the burning licked up into Cloud’s neck.

“Be safe,” the silver-haired man whispered, releasing him.

Cloud huffed a laugh, though it lacked all but the faintest trace of humor. “Yessir, General,” he drawled, snapping off a perfect salute.

The very last thing he saw was Sephiroth’s small, amused smile, eyes glistening wetly, before the world turned to white static and he vanished.

[final-fantasy-imagines]

hiya ! can i request a drabble of reader and rufus both dealing with geostigma during the events of advent children, and maybe the recovery? thank you !

Hey there! Thank you for your request! I really enjoyed working on this piece, so I hope you will like it too. Have a nice day/night and stay safe.

Redemption – Rufus Shinra x reader

You had never wondered about the way you’d die one day. To you, it had always been more important to live your life to the fullest, to enjoy every moment and cherish the small things that never failed to put a smile on your face. But things were different now. It almost seemed like nothing could put a smile on your face anymore, and you still remembered the day that had changed your whole life in the blink of an eye.

Geostigma. Even though your fiancé and countless others had tried their best to explain what it was doing to your body and why it existed in the first place, the disease was still a mystery to you. You didn’t understand how you got infected with Jenova’s cells in the first place or why your body continued to destroy itself to eliminate the incurable contamination. It had been hard to accept the fact that you suffered from a disease that would kill you sooner or later but what made it even harder was to see how Geostigma affected the people you loved. Your best friend had it. Your fiancé had it. And watching them suffer from an illness that would take their life at some point broke your heart every time you thought about it.

When a sharp pain shot through your entire body, you suddenly snapped out of your thoughts. It almost felt like you couldn’t breathe anymore, like something was squeezing your lungs. Tears were welling up in your eyes, and you clasped your arm as you felt the unbearable heat crawling up from your wrist, slowly burning you from inside.

Even a few moments after the pain had subsided, you still felt slightly dizzy. Your vision was blurry and you had to grip the side of the dinner table to steady yourself. You were already used to the seizures becoming worse as the time progressed but you never had felt a pain like that before.

With trembling knees, you slowly sat down on a chair, burying your face in your hands as you tried to steady your breath. Geostigma, no, the effects it had on your body scared you, no matter how hard you tried to suppress feelings like that. It was so hard to live with a disease like that, especially since there was no hope for a cure.

But what terrified you even more was the fact that you would lose Rufus. The odds were against him; he suffered from Geostigma longer than you did, and his condition wasn’t good. Lately, he had to use a wheelchair whenever he wanted to leave the house because he could barely stand on his feet for longer than fifteen minutes without breaking down. It pained you to see him like that but that there was no way you could help him made the whole situation even harder, and you felt tears welling up in your eyes. He probably wouldn’t even live long enough to marry you later that year.

Angrily, you whipped the tears from your face. Crying wouldn’t make anything better. If anything, it would make you feel even worse, and you were already discouraged enough.

“Love? Are you alright?”

When you looked up, you saw Rufus standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame to support his weakening body. His eyes were full of concern, his brows slightly furrowed. “Are you crying?”

You shook your head, carefully avoiding his gaze as you set a chair in place for him. “I’m okay,” you said, even though you knew that it was pointless to lie. Rufus could read you like an open book; he always figured out when you weren’t telling the truth just by looking at your face.

When he sat down across from you and reached out to take your hands in his, you knew that he already realized that you weren’t okay. “Tell me what’s wrong,” he suggested softly. “I’m here for you.”

“It’s just…” You sighed and shook your head again. There was no way you could put the chaos in your mind into words. “I’m – worried. I – I don’t know what to do,” you said, and suddenly, the words kept bubbling out of your mouth as if your brain had just waited for an opportunity to ramble. “It terrifies me that there’s no cure, and I don’t want to lose you. I don’t want to lose anybody. I – I know I probably sound selfish but I just want to be happy. I want us to be happy.”

Tears were welling up in your eyes again, and just a moment later, you were already sobbing. Rufus leaned forward and wrapped his arms around you in a tight and comforting hug. “I know. It’s alright,” he whispered into your ear. “Everything will be okay. I promise.”

But deep down, he knew that nothing would ever be okay again. Not if they didn’t find a cure.

*

About four weeks later, you were standing on your apartment’s balcony, staring into the distance with an absent-minded smile tugging at the corners of your lips. You couldn’t remember the last time you had felt so lighthearted and happy but you had to admit that you had missed these feelings. The last few months had been tough, both for you and Rufus but now, things finally seemed to take a turn for the better, even though you still found it hard to believe.

People always had told you that there was no cure for Geostigma. But then, all of a sudden, after Cloud had beaten Sephiroth again… you had been out on the streets when it had started to rain afterwards. You could still recall the feeling of the rain on your skin. It had almost felt like someone touched you gently, taking the pain from you, and when you had examined your wrist, you had discovered that your Geostigma was no longer there. After these events, you had convinced Rufus to join you outside, watching as the rain drenched him and praying that it would cure his Geostigma too. You still didn’t fully understand what had happened or why the rain had the ability to cure an allegedly deadly disease but in the end, the only thing that mattered was that the both of you had survived the worst now.

“You really should put on a jacket, love. It’s cold out here,” a voice from behind said, and just a moment later, Rufus wrapped his arms around you. Over the past few weeks, his body had gotten stronger and stronger again. You still remembered the expression of utter happiness in his eyes when he didn’t have to use the wheelchair any longer.

“I’m fine,” you replied. Rufus laughed quietly and kissed the top of your head. “I know. We’re both fine.”

Your gaze wandered to your wrist. Four weeks had passed and you didn’t experience a single seizure since then. Rufus was right. Everything was fine now.

[yyxy-seph]

Post Insane! Sephiroth X Black girl! Reader

𝒪𝓃𝑒 𝓌𝒾𝓃𝑔, 𝓈𝒾𝓁𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝓁𝑜𝒸𝓀𝓈 pt.3

Part 2

Part 1

Warning: SUPER fucking cheesy! And I’m a relatively new FFVII fan so some of my wordings might be kind of weird. But if you want more content like this from me, just hit the heart!

Also, I’ve changed some of the events in the storyline. Avalanche hasn’t attacked Shinra just yet! But Sephiroth has already had his insane streak.

Context: Zack & Cloud set Y/N up on a blind date w/ Seph! Here, we will discover an interesting history between Seph and the reader as well as witness their adorable date!

———

We continued on, running like kids to the closest battle destination. We chuckled while running, letting the wind breeze through our hair. And must I say, he is so gorgeous when the wind blows pushes his hair from his face.

We finally reached a point in the woods near a camping site. For a minute, I caught my breath while he just stood there, unbuttoning his shirt.

“Are..you not tired?”

“Not at all. My vitality is no joke.” By the end of his sentence, he was shirtless.

My eyes couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Is this a fucking ten pack?? He was unbelievably ripped.

“You’re not about to go all sexy beast on me, are you?”

He frowned. “No, no, no. Hey I’m a modest man. I would never do this on the first date to a beautiful, deserving woman like you.”

He lifted his suspenders over his shoulders and pulled over his coat with their astonishing, silver pauldrons.

I smirked. “In that case..”

I unbuttoned my dress, teasing him. The man who is always comfortable with a straight, unchanged face began blushing, nervously.

Next, I started sliding it down my slim and fit figure.

He turned around immediately, being respectful.

“No need, honey.”

He turned around again slowly.

Under the black & silver dress were my fighting clothes. My leather shorts were exposed while I slid on my black gloves.

The transformation made him speechless.

“I-I... ah”

“Sephiroth??”

“Your outfit is different from the last time we spoke.”

“Yeah, a girls gotta grow up right?”

“But, an outfit this sexy?”

“And just as affective!”

“Marry me now.”

“Now, hold your Chocobos, Simperoth! Like you said to me that night, “If we were to have a relationship, I need to have a good fighter and a good kisser. If you fail at one thing, you must perfect the other. Otherwise, we never know what could be.”

He made a determined smile with challenged eyes.

“You better prove yourself, right here, right now.”

He got into position, and so did I. The time was now for him to really earn my heart.

He ran swiftly toward me, clashing his sword against mine. I blocked it instantly and ducked, as I saw his next swing coming right before me. I kicked him off his feet and got right back up and over him, aiming my masamune over his face.

I retrieved it back to my shoulder and helped him get up.

“Hmm, I see you’ve gotten much better.” He said.

“Yup. Round two?”

“That wasn’t even a round.”

“Technically, it was.”

We went at it again. I ran his way while he came toward me. I hit his sword in and undercut motion, making him have more force on top. Trying to get from under his grip, I leaned to the right.

His blade almost caught my feet but I jumped up in time, and slid mine under his chin.

“You’re good. Very, very good.” He informed. His eyes had narrowed, indicating a bit of arousal.

“Are you... turned on?” I asked, giggly.

“Quite likely.”

We continued once more. He extended his blade to the ground to catch me off guard. Instead, I ran on his thin blade and jumped over his head, landing perfectly to aim at his back.

With quick movements, he turned around and pressed his masamune over mine again. The pressure was quite strong as his was longer than mine.

I fell to my knees with a little pout of failure.

He extended his hand in front of me. I grabbed his and he kissed mine.

“Round 3?”

“Yeah, yeah.” I rolled my eyes.

It started with me lunging at him. He blocked it by pushing me away with his blade. I ran back and clashed my sword with his at different angles. This went on for a while until I jumped high, hitting his blade with an over head attack.

He hit mine back at a lower angle, pushing my blade up too high for me to reach. It eventually slipped out of my hands and fell tip forward into the soft grass and dirt. Panicking, I ran to retrieve it while he ran after me.

I wanted him to win but I also wanted to prove myself.

I gripped the sword quickly and securely with Sephiroth not too far behind. Our swords clashed some more. The battle was getting more intense. Suddenly, he lifted his foot and did a roundhouse kick. I ducked, eyeing his every move. While getting back up, I met his shiny masamune in my face while my purple one also clashed with his perfectly.

It was one of those moments where both of our forces were strong so our swords stayed in place as we held cocky, love driven stares.

In no time, I was unexpectedly being lifted off the ground and up in the air. He was flying with his wing, tightly holding my waist.

“S-seph, you’re cheating.”

He just ignored me, while still flying until he reached a spot in the clouds that he felt was perfect.

“It’s not cheating if I already have your heart.”

“That’s-“

I got cut off by the feeling of his tender lips, melting into mine and fitting perfectly. He tightened both arms around my waist, making sure I wasn’t scared and ensuring comfort.

He tucked my hair behind my ear and bit my lip, asking for tongue access. I agreed and we were making out just like that night seven years ago. Except this time, there is more passion and desire. More hunger to be together. I felt the connection.

Our lips parted at once. We were still in the sunset with clouds surrounding.

We stared in each other’s eyes, lost in our minds. Until I finally spoke.

“Wow...”

He instantly laid his head on my shoulder, hugging me tighter. I could feel all his pain from the past few years up to this moment.

He lifted his head up and then started kissing my neck. Then that led to sucking and biting. I couldn’t keep my mouth shut from his actions. It all felt too good. I was moaning like crazy.

He finally ceased.

And I was honestly amazed at his work.

“You really are the full package.” I stroked his ego.

He chuckled and smirked. “For the record, back then, you were a really good kisser. I just had to get my kissing together.”

I blushed at his words. “Well, you certainly did. I wanted more.”

“I heard. Can’t wait to hear how you sound when you’re under me-“

“Seph!” I giggled shyly as he flew us back down.

“But that’s for another day. I just wanna take my time with you and treat you right.”

“I love you.” I said right out.

“I love you more. Gaia, you don’t know hold long I’ve been wanting to say that!” He stressed.

He took me on home, as this was the final destination wrapping up our date.

“I had a lot of fun with you, tonight. I’m glad we did this.” I told him.

He nodded. “Me too. What should our next date be?”

We strolled through the small crowd of people in the SOLDIER dorm territory.

I could hear in the background that some people were freaking out and gossiping because it was Sephiroth. But I guess they figured not to interrupt since he was being normal and minding his business.

Until one guy interrupted...

“Hey! Sephiroth! You’re not supposed to be out here if you’re not a SOLDIER! Why don’t you just leave and go be an evil bastard somewhere else!”

I stood there, waiting for something to pop off immediately afterward. Thus, Seph just stood there, brushing it off. His only reply was, “You see me minding my business, so mind your damn own.”

The man was taken aback. With one more threatening glare from him, the man ran off.

“I suppose you keep training. Your combat is shit from what I remember!” He yelled jokingly.

We laughed up until we reached my dorm with Zack. Cloud hung out here sometimes even though he’s an ex- SOLDIER.

With three knocks from me, blond, spiky streaks of hair fell above me.

“Hey, Cloud!”

“Hey, how was your date?” He questioned, glaring at Sephiroth a bit.

“It was divine! I loved every second.” I explained while Seph tightened his grip around my waist.

“And you?” Cloud asked again, hinting a Sephiroth’s quietness.

“I loved it just as much, if not more. She has charms and a personality that I can’t resist.”

I turned around hugging him fully before going inside. He said goodnight to us all after small-talk with Cloud.

The night ended quite pleasantly. I didn’t expect this but I’m so not mad at it. I can’t wait to be enveloped in his warmth as each day goes by.

Once I settled in, Zack couldn’t stop asking questions. He wanted to know everything we did and said. Cloud wanted to know as well even though he pretended he didn’t care.

After all of that, we watched movies and headed for Midgar in the morning. The next day, I’d be an ex-SOLDIER and Sephiroth’s woman.

“Umm...Y/N??”

“What?”

“Is that a hickey???”

“Maybe???” I smirked.

Oops.

[ego-driven-one-wing-angel]

FF VII - Sephiroth Headcanons | #10

I am an awful HuMaN and did a NSFW alphabet for Sephiroth. If you want other characters you can always request some!! (I can also do the fluff version if you want as well!!)

WARNING: NSFW

A = Aftercare (What they are like after sex)

After a long night of sweat-filled passion, he will leave the bed shortly after to take a shower, leave you to recover from your shaking and trembling limbs. To catch your breath, let the small bruises on your hips ease from pain while he’s absent. When he returns he’ll let his fingers wander aimlessly on your skin, curl in your hair as you drift to sleep.

B = Body part (Their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

His favorite body part on himself are his hands. He loves being able to grab you in the dead of night, his fingers dragging themselves on your skin, letting the knuckles linger between your thighs a little longer than necessary. They also allow him to savor how you quiver underneath him.

His favorite body part on you happen to be your neck/shoulders. How his lips graze your collarbone, leaving little bruises from his bites and the wet trails of his tongue. The salty sweat that coats and shimmers in the night. Perfection in his eyes.

C = Cum (Anything to do with cum basically… I am a disgusting person)

He doesn’t cum inside, mainly to keep himself from starting a family, but he does love to live a little dangerously, and sometimes that means riding you until he’s on the brink of completion. Only then will he cum, right alongside your dripping inner thigh, leaving a thick white trail against your skin.

D = Dirty Secret (Pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

Doesn’t like to cuddle but won’t mind having you underneath his arms. The sweet scent of your shampoo or the lingering of your perfume reminds him of something familiar, and he loves the idea that you’re close enough to smell it.

E = Experience (How experienced are they? Do they know what they are doing?)

With places like the Honeybee Inn open, any man with enough gil can build up experience. Sephiroth was never a fan of those types of clubs, but mixed with his array of fans and groupies, he’s had a load of time and an arsenal of tricks. From orgasm denial, the perfect flick of his tongue against you clit, the kissing, the touch, how he teases you in the night, you can thank his years of being an upper rank of SOLDIER for those incredible skills.

F = Favorite Position (This goes without saying. Will probably include a visual)

(No visual). Any position where he is the dominant member, where he can see how your face contorts and reacts towards his movements. How when his tongue trails down your folds, the gasps you let out, the way you squirm as your mouth parts for a quiet moan. But sometimes, he’ll bend you over a counter, watching your back flex and your shoulders heave as he inserts himself inside you.

G = Goofy (Are they more serious in the moment, or are they humorous, etc.)

Sephiroth has a sense of humor, dry and uninteresting, but humor none the less. When he makes you cum a senseless amount of times, he’ll leave the room with the corner of his lips barely upright in a smirk.

H = Hair (How well groomed are they, does the carpet match the drapes, etc.).

Much like his eyelashes, Sephiroth’s most intimate areas are decorated in dark hair. So, in his case, the carpets do not match the drapes. But he likes to be polished, well-kept, and clean throughout his body, and that includes down there.

I = Intimacy (How are they during the moment, romantic aspect…) 

Sephiroth well get lost in the moment sometimes. The shot of adrenaline, the dopamine and serotonin coaxing his brain, he’ll take a few minutes before he’s back to reality. But the small moments, like leaving a soft kiss upon your shoulder, or how you sometimes whisper in his skin. The most mundane moments tend to be his favorite.

J = Jack Off (Masturbation headcanon)

Sephiroth isn’t much for touching himself. If he’s ever desperate he can go outside and have a hoard of people to choose from, and he wouldn’t ever need to resort to imagining. But he will get hard once in a while over the wildest things. Mainly because they remind him of you, and then it drastically changes to you, naked, lying in bed waiting for him.

K = Kink (One or more of their kinks)

Orgasm denial. Loves hearing you beg. But sometimes he’ll let his fingers curl around your neck, suppressing the blood as you moan underneath his fingers. Especially when you’re sprawled on top a counter, him behind, his lips running across your shoulder blade, leaving whispers in your ear as you struggle to breath.

L = Location (Favorite places to do the do)

The bedroom. Cliché, but he’s most comfortable inside the walls of his bedroom. But sometimes, if it is an emergency, he’ll go as far as touching you throughout the house. Especially over the kitchen counter, where he can push you into the cold granite as he grinds you from behind.

M = Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going)

Sometimes it can be the most random of things. You wear a too large shirt, underwear showing? He’ll imagine your clothes on the floor. The taps of your shoes, heels or not, he can’t help but think how’d you look with nothing but those pairs of shoes on. How you apply your lipstick? The curve of your fingers, better believe he’ll think of something. The boy is just entranced with everything you do and he can make anything sexual if he so wanted to.

N = NO (Something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Anything outside his usual kinks. So blood, bathroom play, not his style, He’ll also hate it if you try to force yourself on him when he’s not in the mood. Usually you can coax him into touching you, or even teasing you, but when he’s back from a particularly awful mission don’t expect much from him. He wouldn’t even let you touch him in platonic ways.

O = Oral (Preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

As I said before, Sephiroth loves giving you oral simply because it’s the best way to tease you. Slow and carefully, making sure you know he’s waiting until you come underneath his tongue. But receiving? Boy cannot catch a break. Sharp intakes of breath, his fingers curling in your hair as you go down on him. When finished, he’ll wrap his fingers around your jaw, pulling you up towards him to continue the fun.

P = Pace (Are they fast and rough? Slow and sensual? etc.)

Sephiroth is the type who will do the exact opposite of what you’re asking for. Want something rough and hard, something that will prevent you from walking the next morning? Sephiroth will go as slow as fucking possible. Simply to bring you on the edge of begging and tears as you try to tell him what you really want. But when you want something passionate and slow, he’ll finger you until you explode. Whimper and beg all you want, but he just wants to get on your nerves.

Q = Quickie (Their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc.)

Sephiroth doesn’t mind the idea of having a quick trip in the bathroom. Especially if you’re the one brave enough to tease him. But be warned, these don’t usually end well for you. He’ll tease you until you can’t walk, barely getting you to the edge before he stops completely.   

R = Risk (Are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.)

Sephiroth is a planner, most of the time, so if he does take risks, it’s been plotted in his brain for weeks at that point. Some of the biggest risks he’ll take is grabbing you and fucking you in a closet in Shinra headquarters. The adrenaline of someone coming in any time is exhilarating. Also, don’t forget Sephiroth is a 1st class SOLDIER with his own personal office. He’ll toss you over his desk and make you whine if he so wanted to.

S = Stamina (How many rounds can they go for, how long do they last…)

Maybe it’s the Jenova cells, maybe it’s the mako, but all SOLDIER have stamina built up for days. Sephiroth included, more so than any of his fellow workers. He can last for hours simply because that’s how well he’s in control, and even after everything is said and done, he can go for round two if you’re willing.

T = Toy (Do they own toys? Do they use them? On a partner or themselves?)

Probably not interested in the toys personally, but he found out you had some stashed somewhere, he’ll take the time to watch how you react to them touching your body. The vibrator coaxing you clit, how you flinch and quiver.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Sephiroth is teasing master. He’ll ride you until your core is just about to unwind before he’ll stop touching you completely. Finger you until your legs go numb, whispering the most vile things he wants to do to you right before you have a call or leave for work. 

V = Volume (How loud they are, what sounds they make)

Sephiroth is quiet. But don’t be mistaken, if his mouth is close to your ear, you’ll hear the deep utter growls coming from the back of his throat. 

W = Wild Card (Get a random headcanon for the character of your choice)

Sephiroth will go as far as making you wait days until you can released. Simply because he wants to make sure you’re always waiting for him. But oh boy, when he’ finally in the mood to let you go, it’s going to be better than the last. Sometimes he’ll go as far as calling in for “personal” days in Shinra just to have some fun with you.

X = X-Ray (Let’s see what’s going on in those pants, picture or words)

Again, whether this is because of his superior genetic makeup, or Jenova cells, or the combination of all of it, Sephiroth proudly sports a six-inch, circumcised penis. While erected, between 7-8 inches of raw girth that fits nicely between your walls.

Y = Yearning (How high is their sex drive?)

Not as high as you think. He’s not constantly in the mood. Mixed with Shinra duties and SOLDIER, his schedule is constantly busy. So when he’s in the mood, take the chance, because it might not happen again for awhile. 

Z = ZZZ (… how quickly they fall asleep afterwards) 

Sephiroth takes a while to fall asleep. Mainly because with the ongoing brain functions mixed with dopamine and adrenaline running through his system, he’s a little more energized. So he’ll take the time to go take a relaxing shower, which you’re welcome to join. But in the end, he’ll settle right back beside you.

[mauserfrau]

International Fanworks Day - Untitled FF Fic

This thing’s totally gotten away from me O_O;.  So umm.  More later!  Sorry @wataredis !!

The mountain took all kinds of people: photographers, thrill-seekers, barefoot spiritualists who wanted a word with the planet itself and all sorts from Shin-ra, researchers and infantrymen and simple mechanics who spent the hike up murmuring about ways to build a lift system, how to land an aircraft.

She always told them: “Well, if you figure it out, that’ll put me out of the job.” And she’d smile like she wanted them to do it.

It was actually because she knew they couldn’t.  The only way up Mount Nibel was on two feet and two hands and maybe a walking stick for city-sorts who didn’t want to place their fingers on the cool, rough stone.

Tifa knew that better than anybody.

~*~

She had bummed a cigarette off of one of the drivers from the latest Shinra visitors, not because she particularly enjoyed smoking, but smoking was a good excuse to spend time with visitors who didn’t want anything from her, quiet people who actually knew what was going on across the rest of the world.

This one still didn’t know anything about Cloud.

“If I did, I’d tell you,” he said.  “Not even sure the big guy could stop me,” he jerked his head towards the upper floor of the inn as he said ‘big guy’.  A single lit window cut through the autumn evening dim from up there.  “A person’s a person and sometimes they get away from you.” Behind the window and the remark, Mount Nibel glistened in the darkness, copper black stone and mako green and the red lights blinking on the Shinra facilities scattered along the paths.

Tifa nodded.

“So aren’t you scared of that thing?”

“Aren’t you scared of the ‘big guy’?”

“I was more afraid of my manager when I worked in customer service.  You?” he grinned around his smoke.

“Well, the truth is, maybe I should be, but the mountain already tried to kill me and it didn’t do a very good job.” She lets that hang between them, heavier than the hot ash they’re each leaking into the grass.

“Huh,” said the driver.  “You don’t say.  Well, if that’s your attitude? You want to know about your friend, you ask the big guy alone.  He doesn’t like groups, but he knows more than the loud guy.”

I was a lot more than she expected to hear from him and the cigarettes weren’t even half over.  She could have pushed her luck, tried for even more.

But the evening was pleasantly cold and she had something else to consider.  She ended up talking to the driver about bartending until the light on the second floor of the inn went out and then neither of them said goodnight.

~*~

It wasn’t like she was going to lie to him or manipulate him.  She was going to do what she always did: guide him.

Just into an answer besides up the mountain.  It wouldn’t be too difficult to separate him from the others just for a minute or two.  Then she would ask and she might not get an answer.  But if there was no Cloud at the end of the conversation, she’d still get to tell people she’d showed the Sephiroth himself the very best secret mako pool on mount Nibel.

One not even Shinra had found because neither she nor her mother had ever showed it off.  It had been theirs, a shimmering secret.

Which might now end up ruined if Sephiroth remembered the way, told the company, but the place was already a little bit ruined for Tifa.

It was the last place she’d seen her mother alive.

~*~

They set out early in the morning, the dew along the path still smelling of iron against the old equipment researchers before Shinra had junked rather than drag home.

She made sure to tell the party: “It looks more intimidating than it is.  It’s just grown out with the mako power, kind of like some of you.

Zack laughed.  He started making rude jokes with a few of the guards about just what parts of them had grown and what hadn’t.  

Tifa glanced over her shoulder, watched them pretend to punch each other in the shoulders and actually did it a few times.  Sephiroth among them looked into the spines of the mountaintop and said nothing himself.  He walked on.

[greensaplinggrace]

Hey! If you're still taking prompts for FF7R, I was wondering if you could write something where Cloud gets hurt when he jumps off the train with Tifa. But it's a Secret Injury that he keeps to himself, because they've got a job to do and he doesn't want to appear weak. It becomes a problem at a really inconvenient moment and Tifa and Barret have to take care of him.

Hey! Sorry it took so long to fill this prompt XD. This is kind of the shorter, slightly different version of a longer fic I’m thinking of working on centering around this premise, but I hope you like it anyways! Thanks so much for the prompt :)

*TW for self esteem issues, self hatred, head trauma, and injury

- If you want to send in a prompt, the guidelines are HERE and HERE!

The walls echo with the sound of Barret’s distant fight as Cloud follows Tifa down the railways, and every step brings with it a jarring, agonizing pain. He’d known as soon as he hit the ground that something had broken on impact. Tifa’s weight and the momentum of the train had only exacerbated the issue of colliding shoulder first with the stone cold ground - bouncing off of the concrete and rolling end over end on battered ribs. 

He doesn’t regret it, of course. Landing with Tifa had been the only option. Helping her - protecting her - had been worth the injury. Yet now his ribs ache and his chest stutters and his shoulder feels like it’s on fire. Breathing hurts almost as much as moving his arm does, and walking makes something shift in his side that has him desperately wishing he could break composure even for a second to shudder through the pain.

They’re on a mission, though. Already one woman down and waiting on a deadline. Tifa trusts him to do this and Barret would be more than angry at the inconvenience. Cloud isn’t weak, either. He’s a SOLDIER and a damn good one. No small, insignificant injury should be able to stop him from doing his job. Any fighter worth their salt should be able to power through something like this. Tifa probably could and Cloud knows Barret could, and Cloud’s not going to be the one holding the party back when anybody else would just keep going. 

So he ignores the pain, grits his teeth through the worst of it and runs down the railways behind Tifa like he means it. Every step makes his stomach turn as he fights back the crawl of bile up his throat, and when Tifa turns to him from the gate between her and Barret. Worried and rushed and saying “we’d better hurry.” All he can do is let out a breathless, pained “yeah,” and power through in the hopes that she won’t notice.

Dashing up the stairs is dizzying. Worryingly so, if Cloud were to truly focus on the extent of his injuries, but he doesn’t. Instead, he pushes it all from his mind, blank and soundless in a void of calming white as the world rushes by around him. Crossing over to Barret and pulling his sword from his back when even so much as lifting his arm makes his chest flare and his shoulder burn.

But he doesn’t think about it. Doesn’t think about anything as he fights, movements that much more reserved, and it’s only by the sheer skin of his teeth that he doesn’t end up getting torn to shreds right then and there when he falters on an offensive strike and overreaches. Saved by Tifa’s furious blows and a ring of gunfire from Barret. They’re both still focused on their own battles, intent and unaware of his current state, and he’s more than grateful that they didn’t see his fuck up - that they didn’t witness his pathetic show of weakness like he’s some sideshow attraction and not a fucking SOLDIER.

Shame wells in him when the battle ends. A confusing mixture of wishing he’d told them and being grateful he hadn’t. At risking their lives by allowing them to rely on him when he’s so weak and at being so damn weak in the first place. For letting it get to him and for even being hurt at all when he’s not supposed to be.

He’s supposed to be better than this.

Cloud’s fingers twitch with the need to wrap around his shoulder and hold it steady, but he swallows the urge and puts away his sword, blinking away tears as he walks over to Barret and Tifa. They’re standing together, happy and pleased as Barret sings a victory song, and Cloud is overwhelmed with another surge of burning self hatred as he realizes that he’d been the one to almost take that away from them.

He clenches his jaw and pulls inward, arms crossed and muscles shaking from the tension as he listens to Barret and Tifa explain their plans. He tries to act natural through the haze of pain, but standing still doesn’t settle it down nearly as much as he’d hoped it would, and when they start moving again he can barely remember where the hell they are, let alone anything Barret had said in the past few minutes.

Fool. He’s a fucking fool. He’s going to get them all killed because he can’t keep his head through a few bruised bones. Telling them about the injury would help them, but if he speaks now then they’re definitely going to know what a failure he is. That he’d tried to be strong and he still couldn’t do it. That he’s as worthless and as selfish and incompetent as Barret had thought he was the very first time they met. That he isn’t even worth the time of day.

Cloud thins his lips against a whimper when they come to a halt in front of a set of stairs, trying to hide the shaking in his arm as Tifa and Barret go up ahead of him. Gathering the courage to follow after them is a quick endeavor, because he can’t let them know and because if he waits too long then he won’t ever end up doing it, but every step up has him biting his tongue to stop from screaming.

When he reaches the top alongside Tifa and Barret and sees another set of robots waiting to hold them off, the nausea that pools in his gut feels a lot like dread.

“Well, come on! These bots ain’t gonna fight themselves.”

“Y-yeah.”

“Little set of stairs got you winded, SOLDIER boy? Maybe we should have brought Jessie along. after all.”

The sting of the words has nothing on the pain he’s feeling right now, but for some reason they hurt so much more. His heart drops, throat tightening, and Tifa’s sigh isn’t enough of a defense when Cloud knows Barret’s right - knows he’d been a poor substitute when a simple fall has him out for the count.

He doesn’t say anything in response, raising his hand with forced speed to grab the hilt of his sword. Lifting it has his entire torso protesting, but he steadies the shake of his hand and brings his other around to help prop it up, charging in right alongside Tifa and Barret. Just as he had the last battle and the battle before that. Just as he should be doing for every battle afterward.

Cutting through the first bot is no trouble. Lighting arcs through the air and fire explodes around it, and within seconds he’s turning to another and swinging his blade in a wide arc. Only this time his arm explodes, acid burning him from his shoulder to his fingertips as he cries out in pain, buster sword clattering to the floor. He staggers, clutching his arm to his throbbing chest and curling inward as he tries to push through it. He just needs to-

“Cloud!”

“The hell is going on, merc?!”

“It’s fine,” he forces out, diving for his sword as a deadly flash of steel cuts through the air where his head had once been, “I just-” He’s cut off with a gasp when he tries to lift his sword again, choking back another cry as he’s forced to abandon it, dodging beneath another blow. Scrambling to put some distance between himself and the bot attacking him, he looks around wildly for the others, relieved to see that they’re both safe and holding their own.

Then there’s a glint and a hiss as a bot’s blade snaps down for a killing blow and his arm gives out completely as he falls to the floor. His heart hits the back of his throat in fear, and when Tifa’s hair whips in front of his eyes, gauntlet catching against the blow to deflect it aside, the flood of relief is indescribable. 

“Cloud, are you alright?” Tifa sounds worried and stressed, already fretting over whatever she thinks might have happened, and Cloud can’t even speak through the shame. Can’t do a thing as Barret shoots down the last bots in front of him and Tifa puts hers into the ground with such ferocity Cloud thinks she might’ve sent it straight into the underworld. 

As soon as it’s dead she turns to him in a panic, eyes wide as she falls to her knees beside him and looks him over. He pushes himself to a sitting position on one arm and wavers as his vision spots.

“Is he okay? Shit, kid, you had my heart nearly jumping out of my chest with that stunt! Think I lost ten years of my life…”

“I’m fine-” his voice breaks unconvincingly on the word and he scowls, “really, I- I only…”

“You only got injured,” Barret huffs, “shit happens. We’ll look it over and see if we can’t heal it up.”

Tifa nods with a smile, relaxing ever so slightly when he doesn’t appear to be on death’s door. “No need to push it, Cloud.”

He blinks, not quite processing, and has to swallow against the gathering of tears in his eyes. “I’m not- It’ll hold up for the mission.”

“Mission ain’t goin’ anywhere until everybody is ready to go!” It’s Barret who says it. Barret, of all people, who Cloud knows hates him. It’s Barret who wants to hold up his own mission to take care of someone like Cloud.

“I’m already ready to go,” Cloud pushes, because he’s not fucking weak like he knows they think he is, now. Like he knows he is every second of every day that he has to live with himself and with Sephiroth- “I can take care of myself.”

“Cloud.” Tifa’s voice is gentle and soothing as she puts her hand on his knee, and he has to look away from the compassion in her eyes before he drowns in it, “we just want to help. Let us take a look?”

“It won’t fix anything.”

“It’ll fix plenty,” Barret huffs, and the next thing Cloud knows there’s a hand grabbing his good arm and hauling him up. Pulling until Cloud is gasping, nearly collapsing from the surge of pain that sears through his body as Barret moves him. “Sorry, kid. Shit, I’m so sorry.”

Cloud’s seated on a box of some kind, heaving with each strangled breath as he teeters on the edge of consciousness. Fingers prod at him, a large hand in his hair to keep him steady as someone pulls up his shirt and draws lines of agony across his skin.

“Shit, that looks bad.”

“This didn’t happen a couple of minutes ago, Barret.” Tifa’s whispering but Cloud still hears her anyway, and the tears are harder to keep at bay when he can hardly think from the pain.

“What the hell?! Have you been hiding this from us? For how long?!”

“Barret, dont-”

“I’m sorry,” Cloud finally breaks, squeezing his eyes shut as Tifa keeps prodding, “I’m sorry. I- I fucked up.”

“Damnit. Look, I didn’t mean it like that, okay? You can’t keep things like this from us, though. This could'a killed you, do you understand?”

“I’m not weak. I can still...I can still do the mission. I didn’t fail you. Please don't abandon me, I swear I didn't fail you.”

"Hey!" Cloud jumps. "Nobody's abandoning anybody. Is that really what you think of us?"

"No...no. 'm sr..." he slurs and fades, world spinning sickeningly.

“Is his head okay?” 

“No, I- Shit, I think he hit it.” 

There’s more prodding, this time with thick fingers running over his forehead and through his hair, carding at the strands in a way that would usually make him want to purr in satisfaction. Except this time the fingers brush against something swollen and hot and his head splits in two at the feel of it. He whines and jolts, attempting to twist away from his attacker. Yet not two seconds later there’s a small apology, fingers smoothing away the pain in a bid for forgiveness, and he submits again to the touch.

“That one’s recent. It has to be from the fall.” There’s a sigh, irritated and frustrated and lengthy enough to make guilt swarm in Cloud’s chest, another apology falling from his lips before he can stop it.

“It’s okay,” Tifa whispers, patting comfortingly at his knee. Cloud reluctantly opens his eyes, expecting to see any number of accusations or deceptions, fearful of her inevitable fury. Yet all he sees is her peering up at him with a furrowed brow, expression one of complete concern. It isn't enough, though. Because he knows he failed - he knows he fucked up - and now they know it, too.

“I’m not weak,” he repeats desperately, “I can still go on. I won’t fail again, I swear.”

“Nobody here thinks you’re weak, merc. Hell, don’t tell anybody I said this, but you might be the strongest damn person I’ve ever met.”

Affection makes Cloud dizzy for a moment, high on the feeling of caring for someone - of knowing they care back. Then Tifa speaks as well, and his heart bursts.

“You didn’t fail us, Cloud. We failed you. We should have noticed and we should have done something. I could never think you’re weak.”

“I’m not...I’m not like I promised I would be.”

“Oh, Cloud," she sighs, and it sounds like grief and understanding and something he could never name, strung together by a heart of gold. His chest pangs even with the sound of her voice. "Everyone needs help every once in a while. Would you blame me for needing it. Would you call me weak?”

“Of course not.” Cloud would never. He riles just at the thought of it, head aching with the sudden rise of emotion. Barret’s chuckle is a low rumble above him, accompanied by Tifa's hum of amusement as she rummages through her bag for something. After a time she brings out a glowing green materia, giving it a triumphant look before turning her beautiful red eyes back to Cloud.

“Then you shouldn’t do so to yourself, either. You aren’t held to a different standard here. Nobody in the group is expected to hurt themselves and punish their bodies just to get a mission done. We care about our own.”

“I'm not…”

“You are,” Barret states, firm and unrelenting, "you're one of ours and you're one of mine, and we care. All of us."

"...oh." It's small and pitiful, but Barret doesn't seem to take it for a sign of weakness, either. Instead, he turns joking as he ruffles his hand through Cloud's hair.

“Uh-huh. So I think you owe Wedge an apology or twelve.”

“And you owe him several as well, Barret, now hush and let me work.”

Cloud fades after that, lulled by the gentle cradle of Barret’s hand on his head and the wash of energy through his veins, light and healing as it wipes the pain away. Until his eyelids are heavy and his limbs limp, exhaustion tugging at his bones until he's falling into a warmth, wrapped in a tender embrace. There's breath across his cheek when he rests his head against a steady shoulder, thumbs rubbing soothing circles into his hands as Tifa speaks.

“Sleep, Cloud."

"What about..."

"Sh..." She presses a kiss to his forehead, soft and loving. "Sleep. Trust us. Don't worry about a thing."

[sahbibabe]

Golden Ribbons

Golden Ribbons

Soulmate AU

Sephiroth/Reader

Part One | Part Two | Part Three

The continuation of 'A Little String'.You meet Cloud and Tifa. An assassin enters your shop. Sephiroth appears. Nothing is what it seems.

YOU KEPT THE FEATHER, for no other reason than pure sentimentality. It wasn't often that people left such an impression on you, much less one so strongly and embedded in your mind. Most of the reason was that that man, Sephiroth, had allowed you for a very brief, minuscule moment, to see through your own eyes again instead of seeing the vast expanse of black you had been experiencing for the past decade or more.

You strung it up on pretty beads that Aerith had sorted for you and attached it to a small leather cord that you kept at your waist to hold your small pouch of potions and money, a sort of good luck charm. It felt like a primary flight feather, judging by the length and thickness of it, but you couldn't be too sure without consulting a textbook, which was a rare find even in normal text, much less braille.

The odd thing you noticed as you went on about your life, a few weeks after that odd meeting with Sephiroth the SOLDIER, was that you could see again--only a little bit, in flashes or small glances out of your peripheral vision that grew more vivid by the day. Your rational mind told you that Sephiroth had done something to you, had fixed something while he meddled with your sight; the more hopeful side of you, the one that wasn't necessarily logical and fueled by the heart, wanted you to believe that maybe your disease was getting better, becoming less aggressive.

But it was only a fool's hope and an idiot's dream. Your disease, or, perhaps, you should refer to it as an accident more often, was not something that went away by itself, if at all. It was aggressive, tearing through the neural pathways in your eyes faster than your body could even attempt to replace it, forcing your body to wall off the connections of your brain and eyes. At least, that was the scientific explanation of what was going on with you; Aerith thought of it more as a blockage of the spirit, a dam holding in negative thoughts.

Whatever it was that had made you this way, by the hand of the scientist or sheer dumb luck, you were stuck with it. Other than the small glimpses of sight that you cherished whenever they popped up, even if it was when you were sitting on a toilet, you would never see completely ever again. You had made peace with that fact, had known for a long time that it was an inevitability.

It still never stung less when people regarded you as inferior or weaker the moment they realized you were blind. You could knock a man flat out just as well as the next guy, but no one would ever think that; all they saw was a girl without muscle, running a tea shop in the nicer part of the slums, and bumbling her way through life.

So when Aerith finally caved and decided to introduce you to Cloud and Tifa, you were excited. She had told you that Cloud was a bit closed off and reserved, Tifa somewhat guarded but friendly, however she assured you that she told them you were nothing but a nice woman who needed friends.

In no simple terms, Aerith was insinuating you were a lonely, single woman who needed more contacts in her life in case she needed help.

Even if it was true, you had no time for dilly dallying. The three of them would be visiting the shop after it had closed and you had little over an hour to get it presentable and somewhat clean before then. It was already halfway there, but it needed a little sprucing up in some areas, so you attempted to dust everything to the best of your capabilities.

You heard the door open behind you and instinctively turned around, mouth open to greet the person walking through the doorway, but all you saw was white. Flashes of blonde hair. Mako green eyes. A sword longer than you were tall. A stern grimace to his mouth, as if permanent. SOLDIER.

"Uh, [Name]? Is that right? Aerith sent me ahead to help you pack up the tables for the evening."

Your brain stuttered unhelpfully for a moment, immediately drawing parallels to who you knew now was Cloud, and Sephiroth. He was a SOLDIER. What in Gaia's name was Aerith doing, being friends with a SOLDIER, knowing that it attracted scrutiny that she didn't need?

"Thank you," you said instead, holding back the floodwaters of incredulity brimming within your head. "Can you start with the corner tables and work outwards, please? I need to sweep up the crumbs and dust from today."

"Sure."

As the male moved past you to get to the corner tables, you subtly sussed out his aura, shuddering at the icy feel of it. While the resemblances were there, the Mako just barely brushing the surface, it ended at just that, the surface. Cloud's aura was rife with turmoil and indecision, almost to the point where you would have preferred Sephiroth's stifling presence to his any day.

You continued sweeping, mumbling a thank you every time he moved out of your way to allow you to sweep under his feet.

This dance continued until Tifa and Aerith arrived some thirty minutes later, relieving you of the stress of Cloud's aura somewhat. You could have cried; theirs were so soft and pliant that you could have just lied on the floor and fell asleep even with Cloud looming over you like a thunderstorm.

You spoke with them well into the night, far longer than you should have, and by the time Aerith was forcing them to leave and let you sleep, it was nearly two in the morning. And yet, for some reason, you were energized, completely awake even as you yawned yourself to tears and felt your body respond sluggishly to your commands.

As a last resort, you headed downstairs, intent on making chamomile tea to ease your energetic mind, when you felt it; the barest sensation of an aura brushing against yours, so close that you could taste the malice radiating off of them.

Of all the people you could have been expecting, Sephiroth jumped to the forefront of your mind; but this aura, this malice, was not his. It wasn't even remotely familiar to you. Not even the voice, when it spoke, had the same cadence to it.

"[Name] [Surname]." You recognized the voice as that of an assassin, cleverly disguised as that of a man's. "By the order of--"

There was a hard grunt, the sound of metal sliding through flesh and bone, and the assassin falling to the floor. You were frozen to the spot, unable to move, eyes trained on your feet where you felt blood starting to pool and stick between your toes. You had felt their dying breath against your hair, ruffling it slightly.

While you had caused death many times, this, for some reason, made you feel sick to your stomach.

When your legs have out and your feet slipped in slick, warm blood, hands reached out and caught you, devoid of a weapon. They wrapped around your shoulders tightly, propping you up against a body coated in leather and what felt like hard metal or plastic. But you knew the aura, felt it as keenly as night or day.

Sephiroth.

"Are you alright?" His tone was surprisingly concerned, laced with a heavy dose of irritation. None of the neutrality from weeks before was there.

"I'm… fine." You swallowed the gasp of fear that might have made its way out. "Just… I need to sit… sit down."

Sephiroth carefully guided you to one of the chairs Cloud hadn't put up, lifting you over what you assumed was the body in your way. He stayed quiet for several moments, allowing you to regain your bearings, and for the entirety of that time, lingered just outside your sensing field, never quite touching you.

When you recovered enough to manage complete sentences, you slumped back in your chair and tried to will away that uncomfortable twist in your gut that something wasn't right.

"It's almost two in the morning," you said tiredly, that burst of energy and adrenaline fading as quickly as nightfall. "How did you even know?"

"I was almost certain I didn't make it in time." Sephiroth made no move towards her. "I didn't know. It was a hunch. I'm glad I was correct."

You rubbed your forehead, bringing your face down into your palms. "This doesn't make any sense."

"Not much does, these days."

The blood between your toes felt sticky under the socks. You wiggled them slightly to dislodge the coagulated material, sighing when that ill feeling finally receded and you could breathe again.

"So." You looked in his general direction, hoping you at least were looking at his face. It was hard to tell. "I'm not going to ask about this hunch of yours. I won't. I don't think I could stomach it."

"Perhaps not."

"And… I… Why are you here? There's no reason for you to have saved me. None at all."

The tea shop fell silent. All you heard outside was the faint tinkling of windchimes and the occasional dog barking down the road.

"There are plenty of reasons," Sephiroth said, his tone impossibly gentle,"but only one truly matters."

You were growing drowsy, but pushed forward. "What do you mean? Tell me."

"A piece of knowledge for another day, I think." Sephiroth watched as your eyes fluttered shut, watched as the red threads tangled around your fingers and heart began turning a steady golden orange. Just a little bit more. "Sweet dreams."

When you woke up in your own bed, forehead tingling as if someone had kissed it, another feather in your palm and the light of dawn filtering through the window, you realized: you could see.

Your sight was back.

[la-regina-scrive]

The Truce

Length: 3.4k words

Summary: Sephiroth and Cloud agree to a truce. Feldspar and Obsidian return. Enemies-to-frenemies antics.

“You are out of milk.”

Cloud jumped about two feet in the air as he startled. He fixed his wild glare in the direction of the refrigerator, and sure enough, he was there. That asshole. With the carton in his hand. 

To punctuate his point, the asshole lifted the carton to his mouth and took a swig, then rattled it to illustrate that it was empty. 

This was not the first time Sephiroth had appeared inside his home. But it happened just rarely enough that it always caught Cloud by surprise. 

“How do you keep getting in here?” he demanded. 

“Your threshold is not barred to the likes of me, Cloud.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Without waiting for an answer, he stormed up to Sephiroth and snatched the empty milk carton. 

“It means that I can walk through that door as easily as I can walk through you.” With no further warning, Sephiroth strode forward and passed through Cloud like he was nothing, leaving Cloud with the sickening feeling of his cells shifting and then resettling. Any anger dissolved in the unease and thrill of terror it sent through him, and he dropped the empty milk carton as he brought his hands to his face and chest to make sure everything was still in the right place. Satisfied that he seemed to be intact and not deformed in any way he could detect, he caught his breath and tried to calm down. 

Sephiroth was seated on the couch, waiting lazily for Cloud. The anger returned as he beelined for Sephiroth, but it didn’t burn with the same heat. At least with Sephiroth seated, Cloud could glare downward at him, and didn’t have to worry about another cellular shuffle right away. 

“What are you even doing here?” Cloud asked. 

“Getting something to drink, or at least trying to,” Sephiroth replied with a wolfish grin. The flame of anger intensified. 

“I mean why are you getting something to drink here. With me. Instead of anywhere else.”

“Am I not an old acquaintance? We’ve known each other so long. Had so many shared experiences. Would you turn me out of your home?”

Gods, he was such a smug little shit. Such an asshole. Cloud gritted his teeth. “I would. You aren’t welcome here. I hate you and wish you stayed dead for good. Now get out.”

“Well that won’t do, perpetually linked as we are. Perhaps, Cloud, this is an opportunity to mend fences. Bury hatchets.” Sephiroth gestured his fingers in a tight loop, adding, “That sort of thing.”

“You want to make up. You. Want to make up. With me.” Cloud tried to sound as deeply cynical as possible.

“Yes,” Sephiroth answered, but the arrogant way he spread his arms across the back of the couch undercut any attempt at sincerity. “I’m willing to let bygones be bygones, if you will.”

“Oh, you, you are willing. So gracious of you! You haven’t even apologized to me, or to Tifa, or, or, or to anybody else in Avalanche!” Cloud’s voice increased in volume as he continued. 

“Is that what it would take?” Sephiroth asked. He still looked far too comfortable but the question sounded legitimate. Cloud was ready to break his face in with his fists if this turned out to be some kind of joke, so he took the bait.

“Not just that, but it’s a start. You’d have to say you’re sorry. To everybody. And you’d have to mean it. You’d have to sound contrite, not do any of your smug asshole routine,” Cloud said, gesturing up and down over Sephiroth’s general appearance. He raised an eyebrow, but Cloud ignored him. “Maybe, maybe if you expressed some genuine regret we could start the healing process. And no more, you know, coming in here and bugging me and raiding my fridge and phasing through me like some kind of goddamn ghost!” Cloud’s voice was hitting the highest pitch of his register by the end of his speech.

Sephiroth brought his hands together, tented his fingers, and looked thoughtful. 

“These would be acceptable truce terms,” he said after a long moment. “Is a kowtow necessary or is vocal contrition sufficient?”

“You could bow.”

Sephiroth’s mouth twitched. “That would be pushing it.”

“Oh? Oh would that be too much? Well nuts to your pride. I want a ninety-degree bow. For everybody.”

Sephiroth’s eyes narrowed. “Tifa and the others will receive one bow. You’ve killed me enough times that I consider us even.”

Cloud knew they were nowhere near close to even, not by a long shot, especially because the so-called killing never seemed to take. But if it meant the end of these unwelcome visits to his home he was willing to take it. 

“Fine. Okay? Fine. It’s a deal.”

“Then we have a truce. Does that mean I can stay?”

“No it doesn’t. I still hate you and want you out of my house. Did you really come here just to drink my milk and bug me? Really though, I have to know, now that I’ve agreed to this shit. Are you even sorry, at all? Do you have any actual regrets?”

To Cloud’s surprise, Sephiroth looked thoughtful and clasped his hands together. He looked up and seemed to give some real, genuine consideration to the question. 

“I do have a regret, in fact,” Sephiroth answered.

Perhaps, Cloud thought, Sephiroth was serious about this whole mending fences and burying hatchets business. He was still going about it in the most obnoxious way possible, but maybe Sephiroth really meant it. 

Sephiroth continued with complete sincerity, “I had two cats. I abandoned them. I haven’t seen them in eight years.” His eyes were unfocused, staring into the distance. 

“I hope they’re okay,” he added.

Sephiroth had barely finished the word “okay” before Cloud’s fist connected with his jaw, and there was an audible crack as the bone fractured. 

“You asshole, don’t fuck with me!” Cloud yelled, throwing a second punch. Sephiroth caught this one, and followed up with a tackle since he was already at the perfect height. The coffee table collapsed under their combined weight as they scuffled, getting in a few stray punches. Cloud was mostly able to hit him in the back, while Sephiroth had the easiest time going for Cloud’s stomach. Sephiroth yowled as Cloud gave a fistful of silver hair a good yank. He attempted to follow the hair pull with a hit to Sephiroth’s jaw in the same place, but Sephiroth leaned forward out of the way and shoved Cloud aside. 

They got to their feet, standing apart, catching their breath and glaring daggers at each other.

“You broke the truce in a pitifully short time. That counts as your apology,” Sephiroth said, bringing a hand up to his jaw.

“Hurts, doesn’t it?”

“Tch,” Sephiroth hissed and dropped his hand. “It’s nothing.”

“Yeah I bet.” Cloud noticed a visible bruise, but not much more. He knew Sephiroth could soak a few broken bones but it still felt good. He knew even for a SOLDIER they still hurt like hell. Sephiroth was visibly restraining himself from working his jaw, showing that at the very least his pride had been wounded.

Still, Cloud was a little interested in finding out what the story was behind Sephiroth apparently having cats.

“So what, are there a couple of starving cat skeletons in the ruins of your house?” he asked.

“Hardly. I left them in the care of a woman who looked after them from time to time. I had planned to be gone for several weeks, I was not going to leave them without supervision.”

“So what? Do you think she threw them out?”

Once again it looked like Sephiroth was giving the question serious thought.

“I doubt it,” he answered. “She might have found them a new home but she wouldn’t just get rid of them. As cross as she might be with me, she would never take it out on the cats.” Sephiroth looked up at Cloud. 

“Cloud, I require the use of your telephone.”

Cloud glared, wanting to refuse, but curiosity and sympathy for the animals got the better of him.

“Fine, yes. You can use the phone. It’s in there,” he said, motioning to the room upstairs. “I’ll show you.”

---

It was a long shot but then again, Ms. Dimakos had never changed her number. At the very least, she could tell him what had happened to Obsidian and Feldspar. He picked up the receiver, dialed the number, and slouched into the chair. He brought one leg up to rest it on his opposite knee, making deliberate eye contact with Cloud as the phone toned into his ear. A feminine mechanical voice reported that this number was no longer in service but that the call would be forwarded to the latest contact on file.

Cloud glared like he was trying to bore holes into Sephiroth’s skull. The bruise on the corner of his chin still smarted, but like hell he was going to acknowledge it. Cloud could glare all he liked. Puny, insignificant--

“Hello?” A young woman’s voice asked through the phone.

He switched seamlessly into business mode. Automated. From another life.

“Hello, I’m calling to reach Ms. Dimakos. Is she available?”

“Oh, uh, yeah, sure. Hold on a minute.” There was a rustle as the phone handset was set down, and then faintly he could hear the girl’s voice call, “Grandma! There’s a man on the phone for you.”

It would probably take a few minutes for her to reach the phone. He tapped his gloved fingers against the desk. 

Cloud was still keeping a close eye on him, but clearly it had given Cloud some pause to see him using the phone like a perfectly normal person, as if basic competency in social graces put him on the same level as an average, mundane human. 

Besides, this was for Spar and Sidi. He would endure indignity for their sake.

With another rustle of the handset, a new voice came on the line. “Hello? This is Ruth Dimakos speaking.”

“Ms. Dimakos, it has been a long time since we last spoke. I’m calling to ask,” and he paused, wondering how exactly he wanted to phrase it. Behavior that was a little more average and mundane than he would like. “I’m calling to ask if you can tell me what you did with an orange cat and a black cat that were left in your care eight years ago.”

“Oh my, you can’t possibly… you can’t possibly be the owner? Where have you been all this time?” She sounded incensed. “Of course I kept taking care of them but by this time they’ve lived longer with me than they did with you. Where on Gaea have you been all this time? I would hope you have a good explanation!”

It would not do to mention most of those eight years were spent being dead, on and off again. 

“You have every right to be upset with me but I assure you that I would have come earlier if I could. I was in the hospital convalescing with a terrible illness. But, you say, you still have them? In your care now?”

It would do. He didn’t particularly want to see the look on Cloud’s face right at that moment. The man could give him some privacy on the phone while he attempted to piece his family back together.

The tone that Ms. Dimakos was using changed immediately. “Oh, oh I see. That is a shame. Still, I wish somebody might have given me a call! But, yes, well, that can’t be helped. They’re both here, a little bigger than the day I took them home but just as healthy. Are you still sick?”

“No ma’am, I believe that my time convalescing has come to an end. I do apologize that nobody was able to contact you on my behalf.” He wondered what, exactly, would be a believable disease that would have left him unable to communicate for eight years but could also be firmly behind him. A coma perhaps? What was normal for an average human body?

“Well. I suppose since I’m hearing from you now, you’ll be wanting them back? I’m sure they’ve missed you.”

It was terribly common for humans to anthropomorphize animals in inappropriate ways. He doubted that Spar and Sidi had much awareness of who exactly was caring for them as long as their needs were adequately met. And yet, the idea that his kitties had missed him tugged at his heart like a stuck fast fishing hook. 

“If that is alright with you. I understand this has been an imposition. I would gladly compensate-” 

“Wouldn’t think of it! You won’t find me taking advantage of a man’s illness. Just come get your kitties, alright?”

“I will. Thank you Madam. Where do you reside now?”

“I moved out to Kalm a few years ago to live with my granddaughter, what with the whole kerfuffle going on. I’ll give you the address. Do you have something to write with?”

He didn’t, but he said yes, knowing he would remember. He committed her information to memory and gave a brief farewell before hanging up.

“Well,” Sephiroth began, looking back up at Cloud. “This has been a lovely visit. A pleasure as always but I will be on my way.”

“I’m going with you,” Cloud declared.

“...You are going with me? For what purpose?”

“I don’t trust you. Not with that woman and not with those cats.”

“Oh come now. Why would I do anything to hurt Spa- to hurt my own cats? If I didn’t care for them I would have just consigned them to whatever Fate they would meet on their own.”

“I still don’t trust you. I’m coming, and that’s final.”

“Very well,” Sephiroth said, getting to his feet. “Then we’re on our way to Kalm. After a stop to purchase a cat carrier.”

---

Cloud had had no idea what his afternoon would look like. His schedule was open for naps, tinkering, television, reading, spending time with people, or any other possible pleasant thing he could have been doing. 

What he would never, ever have guessed was standing outside an old woman’s idyllic Kalm cottage, next to Sephiroth, who was holding an empty cat carrier in each hand. Not the cheap plastic kind either, the canvas kind with mesh and a clear plastic window.

“You’re sure this is the place?” Cloud asked. He knew Sephiroth probably remembered the right house number, but it pissed him off that Sephiroth insisted on not writing it down. Who was he trying to prove something to?

Without answering, Sephiroth strode up to the door, set down one of the carriers, and knocked. 

A few moments passed before an old woman with white hair and thick glasses opened the door. “Yes?” she asked. 

“Ms. Dimakos, we spoke on the phone earlier. I am here to pick up my cats.”

“Oh, yes, come in.” The old woman turned toward Cloud and squinted. Now that she was looking straight at him, Cloud could see the cloudy eyes behind those glasses. “Is there someone with you?” she asked. 

“Yes. He can wait outside,” Sephiroth answered, but Cloud quickly closed the gap and said, “Actually I’d like to come in please.”

“Of course,” Ms. Dimakos said. “Both of you, come in. Please excuse me, my eyesight hasn’t gotten any better. Can I offer you something to drink?”

“No thank you,” Sephiroth answered. 

“Not thirsty anymore?” Cloud asked with a pointed look. Sephiroth returned it.

“...Actually a glass of water would be quite nice, Ms. Dimakos,” he amended.

It was a minor victory, but Cloud regretted it almost immediately. Now he and Sephiroth were alone in the living room. He had never seen an explosion of color like this woman’s couches. Every inch was covered in tiny printed flowers. 

He decided to stand, while Sephiroth took a seat. He wasn’t sure quite what to expect, but a moment later there was a small trilling “qrr?” noise and a black cat appeared. Sephiroth did not move. The black cat trotted over to Sephiroth and sniffed at his boot extensively. After what felt like ten minutes of careful examination, Sephiroth withdrew his left hand from his glove and extended the hand toward the cat. 

This the cat sniffed for only a moment before headbutting into Sephiroth’s palm. Not only that, the black cat purred. It weaved between Sephiroth’s calves as he continued to pet it. The creature did seem unambiguously pleased at the reunion.

Cloud glanced up. Sephiroth was smiling, the kind of soft genuine smile that would look like sunshine on a good person but instead looked like it should curdle milk on the face of an asshole responsible for so much death. 

Cloud heard a “myow” chirped from his left as an orange tabby entered through the doorway and beelined for Sephiroth and the black cat. 

“Feldspar, there you are,” Sephiroth said, still wearing that smile. Both of his gloves were off and the black cat was on the couch next to him. Feldspar came up to sniff Sephiroth’s hand, then headbutted much in the same way the other had. 

That was a terrible name for a cat, and Sephiroth was still an asshole. But the cats seemed happy. 

“What’s the black one’s name?” Cloud asked. 

“Obsidian,” Sephiroth answered, his eyes still on the cat. 

“Both of those names are awful.”

“What’s wrong with them? Are they any worse than ‘Cloud’?”

Cloud was going to retort but the little old lady shuffled in just then, with a glass of water that had a single ice cube in it, so he held his tongue. She came over to Sephiroth and handed him the glass. 

“Oh, my, they seem so happy to see you!” she said. “I knew they had missed you.”

Sephiroth gave each cat a glance and a headscratch before standing up and taking the glass from her. He downed it in one smooth gulp and then set the empty glass on the side table on top of a coaster.

“Thank you very much, madam. I truly appreciate you caring for Feldspar and Obsidian all of these years, and for all of the times you cared for them in the past as well.” He took a step to the side so he could give her a proper bow, fully bent at the waist. Cloud kept his teeth gritted. 

“Before you take them and go, I would like to ask you something,” Ms. Dimakos said. 

“Of course.” 

“What is your name? I never knew what to call you, all this time.”

“Oh,” Sephiroth said. He hesitated. “It’s really not important,” he said. 

“Please, indulge an old woman. It feels silly just referring to you as a client.”

“My name is-” Sephiroth began, and Cloud could tell he was about to lie. He was pretty sure the fake name Sephiroth was about to give started with an “M.”

“His name is Sephiroth,” Cloud interrupted. 

The look Sephiroth gave him was worth the whole trip.

“Oh, like the war hero!” Ms. Dimakos said. 

His eyes still locked with Cloud’s, Sephiroth said, “Yes. Just like the war hero.”

She chuckled. “To be honest, I’ve had my suspicions. I thought you were just a shy SOLDIER.”

“You knew I was a SOLDIER?” 

“Even with my eyes I can see yours glowing. You’re a large man, too, I can tell. It wasn’t too hard to figure out. But you’re famous! No wonder you keep tight lipped.” She smiled and gave Sephiroth’s hand a pat, which caused him to flinch. “To think, they said you were missing when you were sick in the hospital. Our secret then, eh?”

“Yes, our secret,” he agreed. He pulled his gloves back on, apparently wary of the old lady offering further hand pats.

She made some polite conversation with Cloud and got his name for good measure, then sent them both along on their way with two full cat carriers and well wishes. 

---

Back at home, Cloud reclined on the couch, the wreckage of the coffee table cleared away. He would handle that later. He deserved a nap after the afternoon he’d had. 

A dark brush in his peripheral vision and a twinge at the back of his mind told him that Sephiroth had already returned to bother him some more. Cloud hauled himself up to a standing position and readied his fists to knock his old adversary into next week. So much for the truce.

As he entered the kitchen, though, there was no sign of Sephiroth. All that had changed was the addition of a fresh carton of milk on the counter. 

“At least put it in the fridge, asshole,” Cloud said to the empty kitchen as he picked up the carton and put it away.

-

Special thanks to @nautilusopus​ for the beta and @fury-brand​ for the original idea as well as the prompt that inspired this sequel.