#reeve tuesti x cloud strife

[sephirthoughts]

Just Like Honey: Chapter 9

SOMEONE PHOTOSHOP GLASSES ONTO A PICTURE OF REEVE PLEASE I NEED IT FOR REASONS

AU: organized crime, cabaret, sex work

SHIPS: MULTIPLE! rufus/cloud, vincent/cloud, sephiroth/cloud, reeve/cloud, rufus/cloud/tseng, cloud/other characters as clients because that's his job, weiss/nero, background aerti

RATING: EXPLICIT, MINORS DNI, NO MINORS ALLOWED

WARNINGS: sex workers, prostitution

Chapter 9: Friends in High Places

Leslie and Cloud’s old tenement apartment and Reeve’s Shinra Tower penthouse represented the bookends of residential living situations in Midgar. Expansive didn’t begin to describe Reeve’s place, and the entirety of it had clearly been furnished by a professional decorator. 

Overworked, oblivious Reeve probably didn’t even notice how gorgeous the mahogany bookshelves were, or how supple the calfskin leather on the couches, or how thick and plushy the hand-woven Persian rugs. To him, this palatial residence was a box he went into, once in a while, to sleep and shower.

In all fairness, Cloud hardly noticed, either, because Reeve answered the door wearing a cable knit, v-neck sweater, grey slacks, and a pair of—

“Glasses!” Cloud gasped, pointing accusingly at Reeve’s face. “And you didn’t even warn me!���

“Uh…sorry. Do you not like them?” said the understandably confused Reeve, reaching up, to take them off. 

“Nuh-uh! Don’t you dare!” 

Cloud kicked the door shut behind him, dropped his bag, and grabbed Reeve, dragging him into a kiss. Reeve was too startled to react for a second, then he gave a soft groan and leaned into it, letting his hands roam hungrily over Cloud’s taut little body, as they fumbled their way to the sofa and fell onto it, without breaking the kiss.

“I guess—I guess you like the glasses, then,” Reeve said breathlessly, when Cloud released him. 

“No fucking way, they’re flat-out cheating!” Cloud complained. “You’re already that hot, and you really have the nerve to pull out the sexy-dad glasses and sweater look? Rules violation, unfair play!”

Reeve chuckled. “Wow. No one’s ever said I look like a dad before.”

“Maybe not to your face. I bet a lot of little Shinra employees call you daddy behind your back.”

“You’re making me sound a lot more attractive than I really am. Trust me, there’s no way anyone at work thinks of me that way.”

“Oh, no. It’s just as I feared,” Cloud lamented, cupping Reeve’s face in his hands. “Overwork has fried your brain, and you’re living in a delusion where you’re not one of the sexiest men alive.”

“W—what?” Reeve stammered. “I’m not even close to one of the sexiest men alive. Especially not when men like you exist.”

“We don’t count.”

“Oh?”

“Yep. In the interest of fairness, athletic twinks have our own separate category. Otherwise, all other men would always lose to us.”

Reeve laughed again. “Well, you’re not wrong about that.”

Cloud couldn’t help but smile, too. “You’re a lot happier when you’re not in that stuffy office. Speaking of which, I’m gonna go change into something a little more comfortable. That ok?”

“Yes, please. Make yourself at home. The bathroom is the third door, there. Can I get you something to drink?”

“Yeah, anything’s fine. Whatever you’re drinking.”

When Cloud returned from the bathroom, Reeve choked on his sip of wine, coughing and sputtering into a napkin. “Holy—holy shit! You can’t say I’m cheating, when you’re wearing that!”

“What, this old thing?” Cloud said innocently, while doing a little twirl, to demonstrate that the pink-lace short-shorts laced up in the back, with a pink ribbon. With the matching camisole and slippers, he was basically dressed like he was playing a teenaged girl in a naughty sleepover porn. 

“You said you wanted the girlfriend experience, so I dressed accordingly.”

“If I had a girlfriend who dressed like that, I’d never leave the house,” Reeve muttered. 

“So, what do you feel like doing tonight, honey-bunny?” Cloud crooned, accepting the glass of white wine Reeve was holding out to him. “Want to snuggle up on the couch and pretend to watch a movie?”

“I, uh…yeah. That sounds good,” Reeve said awkwardly.

“Or, how about I give you a neck rub, and you tell me about your day.”

“Sure.”

Cloud narrowed his eyes. “Don’t just agree to whatever I say. I’m here to make you happy. If there’s something you want, I want to hear it.”

“No, no I don’t—well, maybe. Ok, yes. But it’s kind of…embarrassing.” 

“Good news. If there’s anyone you don’t need to be embarrassed telling about it, it’s me. You’re the one who told me sex workers are like therapists. So, treat me like that. A safe space.”

“Hoo boy.” Reeve passed a hand across his forehead. “It’s just, I know it probably isn’t a cool fantasy to have, and I’d never want to do anything like that in real life, I just—”

“Hey,” Cloud interrupted, taking his hand to squeeze it. “Every kind of fantasy is ok. It doesn’t matter what you get turned on by. It doesn’t make you a bad person.”

Reeve looked unconvinced. “Are you…are you sure?”

“I’m sure. You could tell me you daydream about fucking cartoon hedgehogs, and I still wouldn’t judge you. As long as it’s just fantasy, or you express it as part of consensual play between adults, literally anything is ok.”

“Well…alright.” Reeve took a deep breath and let it out. “Here goes. I would like it if you could pretend to…to be asleep, while I touch you and…do things to you.”

Cloud blinked. “Is that really what you were worried about telling me? Then it’s no sweat, I’ve done plenty of somno play.”

“Somno?”

“Somnophilia. Wanting to fuck someone who’s unconscious.” 

“Oh. Wow. I didn’t know there was a real term, for it. But there’s more. I—I also want you to ‘wake up’ partway through, while I’m already inside you, and, uh…”

“You want me to struggle? Beg you to stop? I can cry, if you want.”

Reeve squinted an eye at him. “You’re not nearly as weirded out by this as I expected.”

“Reeve, my sweet, summer wolfman,” Cloud sighed, patting his shoulder. “This is one of the least weird things I’ve been asked to do.”

“Really? Wait, wolfman?”

“Yeah, really. I had a client once who wanted me to soak in a cold bath, first, and play dead while he fucked me. I got a married couple who wanted me to pretend to be their kid, and walk in on them fucking. One wanted to be a new stepmother, and I was the horny stepson who took advantage of her, while dad was out of town. I have multiple current clients who like to be put on leashes and treated like dogs. I even have these four brothers who make me cook food for the three younger ones, then the older one fucks me in another room, while they eat.”

Reeve looked appropriately astonished. “My thing probably sounds pretty tame, then.”

“Non-con fantasies like that are the most common ones, believe it or not. But I’ve done pretty much everything. Power exchange, age play, pet play, teacher-student, coach-athlete, voyeurism, incest…”

“Incest?”

“Yeah, mostly daddy and big brother stuff.”

Reeve swallowed hard. “Would you…would you call me daddy?”

“Try and stop me.”

A little while later, Cloud was ‘asleep’ in Reeve’s huge, ridiculously comfortable bed, with the lights out, and the only illumination coming from the windows. The door opened softly, letting a beam of warm light from the hallway fall across the bed.

He heard Reeve call out, “Sweetheart? You awake?”

Cloud didn’t reply, obviously.

Cautious footsteps padded across the carpet, to the bed. He was lying on his stomach, hugging a pillow, with his legs splayed out and one knee bent, so when the covers were drawn back, the first thing Reeve saw was the pink lace of the tiny shorts, barely concealing the bulge of his sack, between his thighs. 

A knee pressed down on the bed, then big, warm hands slid up under the shorts, to gently cup his ass. Reeve’s thumb hooked the crotch and pulled them to the side, and the other thumb and forefinger spread him apart.

Cloud heard him curse under his breath and grinned inwardly. Covering his asshole, was a sparkling, pink, heart-shaped gem, which was the base of the plug he was wearing, and hadn’t told Reeve about. 

There was a short pause, then Reeve’s warm weight pressed down on him, as he leaned over to whisper in his ear. “Playing with yourself in daddy’s bed. I’ll have to teach you a lesson.” 

The scent of wine on his breath, mingled with Reeve’s aftershave, really did lend to the atmosphere of a slightly drunk parental figure, about to do unspeakable things to a sleeping teenager. Cloud’s dick began to swell and thicken, with excitement.

Reeve slipped his pink shorts down, leaving them hanging around his ankle, and slid a palm under his abdomen, to pull his half-hard dick down between his thighs. There was another pause, in which Cloud could hear Reeve’s uneven breathing. Then the hands took hold of his ass again. 

It was only because of his extreme professionalism, at that point, that Cloud was able to remain still and unresponsive, breathing relatively evenly. Reeve’s beard tickled his inner thighs as he bent down and put his hot mouth on Cloud’s sack, sucking and licking, while his thumb rhythmically prodded the plug. Pretty soon, Cloud’s dick was rock-hard, despite being forced to point downward between his thighs.

Reeve drew away, then took hold of the jeweled base of the plug and began to pull. Cloud stirred slightly and made a drowsy murmur of protest, as it popped out, with an obscene squelch. A thin stream of clear lube trickled down over his balls. 

“Got yourself all ready for daddy, didn’t you,” Reeve said hoarsely. 

Cloud heard a belt and zipper, and the rustle of fabric. Reeve guided the head of his cock to Cloud’s taut, lube-slick entrance. 

“Fuck, baby. Your pussy’s so tight,” he breathed, as he pushed in. “Daddy can barely fit inside you.” 

Cloud was about ready to explode. His dick was throbbing and drooling, and it took all his self control not to moan from sheer relief, when Reeve finally bottomed out, filling him to the brim. Cloud waited for him to set a good rhythm, then he began to stir, and groggily lifted his head.

“What…what’s happening,” he mumbled. Then he froze and pretended to panic. “What are you doing! Stop! Help!” 

Reeve grabbed his wrists and pinned them, as he began to sob and thrash. “Sh, sh, sh. It’s just me, sweetheart.”

“D—daddy?” Cloud sniffled. “Why are you…why are you doing this to me?”

“Isn’t this what you wanted? You were playing with yourself, in my bed, weren’t you?”

“I didn’t! I wasn’t—!”

“Don’t lie to me,” Reeve cut him off sternly, punctuating the sentence with a savage thrust. The uncustomary aggressiveness in his voice amplified his sexiness by about ten-thousand, and sent chills up cloud’s spine. “Daddy came home and found you asleep in my bed, with a toy stuck up your slutty little hole. Weren’t you playing with yourself and thinking about daddy fucking you?”

“Hngh—ah! I was! I was!” Cloud ‘confessed.’ “I’m sorry, daddy! I won’t do it again!” 

Reeve slid almost all the way out. “It’s too late for that. You wanted daddy’s dick, so now you have to take it.” He slammed it back in, all the way to the base. 

“Noooo! Daddy, it’s too big!” Cloud whined, pretending to struggle under Reeve’s solid weight.

“Don’t fight, baby. Be good and take it,” Reeve panted, thrusting even harder, as Cloud bucked against him. His cock was getting hotter and harder. He was close. “You’re gonna make daddy come, if you keep tightening up like that.”

“Daddy, s—stop! It feels weird!” Cloud wailed (while gleefully tilting his ass up to take Reeve’s dick as deep as he could).

“Hngh…baby! Daddy’s coming! Fuck!” 

Reeve pulled out abruptly, and Cloud felt warm fluid spattering across his ass and thighs. As soon as he’d finished, he pushed back inside, to ride out the spasms, while Cloud wrung himself hard and fast, till he came in the tight space, between his stomach and the mattress.

“Oh, fuck,” Reeve said breathlessly, falling onto the bed next to him. “That was—that was amazing. You’re amazing.”

“Not so bad yourself, daddy,” Cloud said, with a wink. Then he pretended to pout. “You’re not tired already, are you?”

“Not yet. Thank the goddess for all that boxing. Just, uh…just give your old man a couple minutes.”

They rolled around for a while, flirting and laughing, and wound up fucking again, with Cloud on top, riding Reeve cowgirl style. After that, they took a long shower together, in Reeve’s enormous spa-style Swiss shower. Reeve wanted to walk him out, but Cloud waved him off, saying he was a big boy and could take care of himself. And so the two cheerfully said goodnight at Reeve’s door, promising to see each other again, soon.

When the elevator reached the lobby, Cloud peered around, half expecting to see Zack, or Reno and Rude, but no one was around except for a few security guards and holographic receptionists. The scene was less desolate, outside, since this part of Shinra Tower was a block from Loveless Avenue, and the nightlife was always lively.

Cloud was crossing the bustling fountain square, bound for the train station, when a hand fell heavily on his shoulder, giving him a jolt. “I see you’ve been making friends in…high places.” 

Cloud attempted to swallow in a suddenly dry throat. “Sephi? W—what are you doing here?”

“I might ask the same of you, if I didn’t know perfectly well, already.” Sephiroth leaned close, so Cloud could feel his breath on his ear. “There’s a man’s scent, all over you.”

His voice was hard and cold and crystal clear. Like knives made of ice. Which meant he was sober, and thus at his most dangerous. Cloud suppressed a shudder.

A gloved hand took hold of his arm, and Sephiroth deftly steered him around the corner, onto the intersecting street. He glanced anxiously about, but he wasn’t thinking of calling for help. His fear was less that Sephiroth would hurt him, and more that he’d hurt other people. He didn’t want anyone to get killed, so the only choice he had was to go along with the man, and hope he’d stay calm.  

They walked for about half a block, before Sephiroth pushed him into a dark, narrow space between buildings and shoved him up against the brick wall, pinning him with a hand on the back of his neck and a knee between his legs. 

“I don’t think you quite understand your situation, little puppet, so I will explain it.” Sephiroth lowered his voice to a menacing murmur. “You belong to me. The fact that you are able to run about and do as you please, is because I allow it.”

“It’s my job, Sephi. It’s not like I can just—”

“Hush. If I objected to your waywardness, I would put a stop to it, but I do not. It amuses me, the way you play these fools like perfectly tuned instruments. The way you make them line up to lay riches at your feet, in exchange for a taste of your body. You have given yourself to so many men, and yet none of them can truly possess you. They are your servants and playthings. You are free.” 

“B—but you just said I belong to you,” Cloud faltered.

“That does not mean I intend to cage you. You would wither in captivity, and you would hate me. I would rather…but that is not what I’ve come to talk about. I sought you out because you are in a position to be useful to me. You are going to be my eyes inside Shinra.”

Shit. Cloud’s stomach dropped. “What do you mean? Why me?”

“There is no chance you would travel regularly to Shinra Tower for an ordinary client, and even less chance an ordinary client could dispatch the Turks, to transport you, to and fro. That means your clearance must grant you upper-level access.” 

Cloud was stunned that Sephiroth knew all of that, but he didn’t dare ask how. He also didn’t think his usual tactic of playing dumb was going to do much good, so he just kept his mouth shut.

Sephiroth slapped something onto the wall, in front of his face. It was a creased and faded photo, of a pretty young woman, with brown eyes and light-brown hair. 

“Who’s she?” Cloud asked, confused.

“Irrelevant. All you need to know is that she is somewhere in Shinra Tower. Memorize her face. You will look for her, for me. Tell me, immediately, the moment you see her. That’s all. Simple enough, yes?”

“Seph, this…I can’t just go snooping around in there. What if I get caught?”

“I trust you can use your talents to talk your way out of any minor trouble you encounter. But if it truly came to life or death, you’ve no need to fear. I will come to your rescue.”

“Oh, you will? And how the hell are you gonna rescue me, inside Shinra Tower?” Cloud demanded, his blue eyes sparking defiantly.

Sephiroth answered with a cold chuckle. “There are few places in this world that can keep me out.”

“If it’s so easy for you to get in, then why don’t you look for this woman, yourself? What do you need me for?” 

“The time has not yet come, to move openly, against Shinra. For now, I must stay in the shadows.” His grip tightened on the back of Cloud’s neck. “I trust my little puppet will do his very best, for me.”

“I—I will,” Cloud gasped, as Sephiroth pressed him into the wall with his body, and his hard dick dug into his ass. “You know I’ll—ngh! You know I’ll do whatever you say.”

Sephiroth gave a pleased hum, then grabbed his hair and yanked his head back. Cloud’s mouth opened readily, to submit to the invasion, as the man’s tongue rolled forcefully over his.

He didn’t like being suddenly grabbed on the street and ordered around, but being near Sephiroth for any length of time had an intoxicating effect on him. No matter how insane and dangerous his rational mind knew Sephiroth was, Cloud’s body always wanted him so badly he could taste it.

That raw, animal desire was even more intense now, away from his workplace, and without the context of a professional transaction. He was already fumbling to undo his own trousers and yank them down around his thighs, as they kissed feverishly. He heard steel buttons jingle faintly behind him, then that huge, heavy dick slotted into the cleft of his ass. 

“My bag,” he panted, licking his kiss-bruised lips. “There’s lube.”

Keeping a hand on his hip, Sephiroth reached down and picked up the bag. Cloud dug out the bottle of lubricant, which he squeezed all over his hand, then reached back to slick the thick, hard, veiny shaft. That was all the preparation Sephiroth had the patience for. He pushed the big, blunt head against his hole, still pink and swollen from Reeve, and impaled him, in one long slide, clamping a gloved hand over Cloud’s mouth, to muffle his moans. 

Once he was all the way in, he set a ruthless pace, showing no tenderness, whatsoever; thrusting hard and deep, pounding Cloud into the cold bricks. The way Sephiroth fucked was always pretty rough, but this felt different. Possessive and domineering, with a hostile edge. Like he was trying to fuck Reeve out of him (despite the fact that Reeve was a gentleman and hadn’t come inside, and Cloud had already showered, anyway). 

Just then, a wave of Sephiroth’s aromatic, masculine scent, like leather and cedar smoke, washed over him, and made Cloud’s head spin like he was drunk. He let go and lost himself in the unhinged lust and brutal intensity, radiating like heat from this monstrously strong and preternaturally gorgeous man. 

That massive shaft was drilling into him, thrumming over his prostate, making his dick so hard it ached, and was leaking like a faucet. He wanted to come so badly, he didn’t care about anything else, let alone the fact that they were outdoors, in a public alleyway, only a few meters from a busy street.

Biting his bottom lip, he looked over his shoulder at Sephiroth, and grabbed hold of his leather coat, tugging him closer, urging him to fuck him harder. 

Sephiroth’s slit pupils dilated visibly in his pale, blue-green irises. He clamped his hand over Cloud’s mouth again, and with a low snarl, he bared his sharp teeth and bit into his neck, so deep it broke the skin. 

Cloud went rigid, screaming hoarsely into Sephiroth’s muffling glove, while he came hard, spurting against the wall, in hot, rapid pulses. Sephiroth came at the same time, with a strangled groan, hips stuttering, as his big, thick shaft pulsed, pumping a molten hot flood into Cloud’s convulsing hole. 

The gloved hand released his mouth. Cloud’s head lolled forward and he let his sweat-damp forehead rest on the cold brick, enjoying the soothing coolness, while he caught his breath. Sephiroth was breathing hard too, still holding him pinned, but more gently, now, pressing what felt like apologetic kisses to the badly bruised spot on his neck. 

When he pulled out, he held Cloud open with his thumbs, to watch the semen trickle down his thighs, which seemed to please him immensely. Cloud wrinkled his nose in annoyance, but he was facing the wall still, so Sephiroth didn’t see. 

It really was incredibly rude of him to come inside, considering Cloud still had to ride the train for an hour to get home. He was thinking irritably about that and zipping up his pants, when the roar of a motorcycle engine filled the air, amplified by echoing off all the walls in the small alleyway. 

“Come,” a much subdued and unusually lucid-looking Sephiroth said, holding out his gloved hand. “I’ll take you home.”

Kadaj was waiting on the street, astride one of the gang’s huge, black motorcycles. When he saw them step out of the alleyway together, he dismounted and stood there sullenly, looking at the ground. Sephiroth threw his long leg over the saddle and Cloud climbed on, behind him. Without so much as a glance at his younger brother, Sephiroth instructed Cloud to hang on tight, then gunned the engine and sped away, down the street.

Kadaj lifted his pale-blue eyes and glared venomously after them, his fists clenching and unclenching, at his sides, till they faded from sight. Then he turned and walked away, in the opposite direction. 

Atop the roof of one of the many brownstone residential buildings, that filled this area, another figure leaned out and peered down the street, in the direction Sephiroth and Cloud rode off, then the direction Kadaj went. Then it also vanished into the night.

When they pulled up in front of the Honeybee, Cloud clambered off the bike, and hung his arms around Sephiroth’s neck, while they shared a slow, lingering kiss. Even after they drew apart, Sephiroth gazed at him for a long time, tucking his hair behind his ear and stroking his face, like he was reluctant to let him go. 

Cloud’s cheeks got hot and his stomach fluttered. He’d never felt so much like Sephiroth was actually looking at him and seeing him, before. There was something lonely and longing in the man’s eerily beautiful eyes, that made made Cloud’s chest ache. 

His own eyes began to sting with impending tears. Then all at once, it was as if a wall of ice snapped up between them. The catlike eyes glittered and the line of that perfect mouth hardened.

“Go,” Sephiroth said, turning away. “Don’t forget to do what I told you.”

Cloud stood there looking dazed, as the motorcycle roared away, down the narrow street. Then he shook himself and hurried inside. He almost ran face-first into Nero, who was standing directly in the doorway, for some reason. 

“What the hell!” Cloud said crossly. “Why are you always blocking every door I go through!”

“Who was that man, on the chopper?” Nero asked. “It can’t be…does our little bimbo have a boyfriend?”

Cloud wanted to tell him to fuck off, but asshole or no, Nero worked here, now. He should know about the hazards he might encounter. “That was Sephiroth, the leader of the Remnants biker gang. He’s psychotic and dangerous as fuck and I don’t want to die, so I do whatever he says. If he comes here, we all do whatever he says, and don’t give him an excuse to kill anyone. You can ask Andrea, if you don’t believe me.”

“It didn’t look like you were scared for your life, just now. It looked like you were kissing your boyfriend goodbye.” Nero sniffed the air and smirked. “And you smell like you just fucked in an alley.” 

“How could you possibly smell an alley?” Cloud retorted. “You’re just saying any shit you can think of, to be insulting.”

Nero arched a black brow. “Am I wrong?” 

Cloud blushed guiltily and scowled to cover it up. “It’s none of your business! Why are you even talking to me?”

“Andrea wants you. He said to bring you to his office, when you got back.”

Cloud slumped. He was sticky and grouchy and exhausted, having spent the past several hours having sex with two men in a row, and then riding on a motorcycle all the way from the upper city, clinging to a madman for dear life, the entire time (which was still more than half an hour, despite Sephiroth’s kamikaze style of navigating traffic). But Andrea was the boss, so he dragged himself to the elevator, pointedly ignoring Nero, who followed him in, looking infuriatingly smug. 

“Cloud, you’re here,” Andrea said, beckoning them into his office. “Your client has confirmed that trip, he mentioned. You’ll be leaving Friday afternoon, and returning the following Friday.”

Cloud nodded, unable to suppress his smile, upon hearing that he really was going to Wutai with Vincent. And for a whole week! 

“That’s why I called you both in,” Andrea went on. “Nero, this means you’ll be filling in for Cloud, for the first time, Saturday night. It’s a big responsibility. The Honeybees will be counting on you to carry the show.” 

Nero’s crimson eyes flashed eagerly. “I won’t disappoint you, boss.” 

“Good! That’s what I like to hear,” Andrea said, looking pleased. “Cloud, you have a few days before your trip, so I want you to spend them helping Nero prepare for the headlining spot. That’s your top priority. Got it?”

“Yeah, I got it,” Cloud said glumly, his Wutai excitement severely dampened by the prospect of having Nero stuck to his side for three days.

When the two left the office, Nero’s hands were shaking with adrenaline. This was the moment he’d been waiting and preparing for. He was going to see Vincent Valentine, face to face. Finally, everything would be set in motion. Cloud noticed his agitated fidgeting, while they were riding the elevator, and misunderstood.

“Don’t be nervous,” he said. “It’s not much different from the Friday night shows.”

Nero didn’t correct his error. “I heard all the VIPs come to your Saturday shows, though. That’s a lot of pressure.” 

“They’re just bored, old, rich guys. They’re not scary,” Cloud assured him, as the two disembarked, on their floor. “The only one we absolutely must keep happy is Vincent Valentine, and he won’t be there, so there’s nothing to stress about.”

Nero’s heart stopped. “What…he won’t?”

“Of course not,” Cloud said, as if he should have known. “I’m going to Wutai with him. That’s why you’re covering for me, in the first place. See you tomorrow.”

Nero was still reeling from the emotional whiplash, as Cloud walked away, and their rooms were on opposite ends of the hall, so he had no excuse to follow and probe for more information. His initial disappointment quickly gave way anger, at the little blonde who was blithely ruining all his plans. Under a black cloud, he stalked to his room, slammed the door, and threw himself on the bed. Weiss flipped down from the headstand push-ups he’d been doing, and came to sit beside him. 

“I’m covering the bimbo’s show Saturday,” Nero said, before he had a chance to ask. 

“That’s exactly what we wanted,” Weiss pointed out. “What’s wrong?”

“Vincent Valentine won’t be there! He’s taking the bimbo out of town, and that’s why I’m covering for him! It’s like that little rat-faced eyesore exists just to get in my way!”

“There will be other opportunities. Don’t get upset, you’ll make yourself sick,” Weiss said, spreading his arms. “Come here. Let me hold you.”

Nero turned his back and curled into a sullen ball. Undeterred, Weiss dragged his stubborn little brother into his lap, to wrap him up in a tight embrace. Nero wriggled and kicked petulantly, but only for a moment. Then he surrendered and burrowed into his brother’s bare chest, taking deep breaths of his scent, to soothe himself. 

“I hate him, brother,” he pouted, peering up at Weiss from beneath his long, sooty eyelashes. “Kill him, for me.”

Weiss smiled adoringly, smoothing the silky, black hair back from his pallid face. “Soon, my love. We must first fulfill our purpose. Then we will have leisure, to bathe in the blood of our enemies.” 

“But who knows how long that’s going to take,” Nero huffed. “I want to kill him, now.”

Weiss chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that vibrated in his broad ribcage. “Have patience, little one. When all is done, I will bring him to you, and we will take our time with him. I wonder how long we can keep him alive.”

Nero pushed him onto his back and straddled him, sliding his hands up and down his ridiculously muscular torso, his crimson eyes kindled with a deranged light. “Tell me, brother. Tell me what you’ll do to him. I want to hear it, so I can imagine every single detail.”

THE AUTHOR HAS SOMETHING TO SAY

MY SAD MURDER-BABY SEPHIROTH SOMEONE BE NICE TO HIM

[demialwrites]

FF7 x Reader

Annoying things about being in a relationship with them

Rufus Shinra

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

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

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

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

Rude

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

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

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

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

Reno

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

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

Very loud. All the time

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

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

Cloud

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

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

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

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

Barret

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

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

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

Occasionally breaks the bed

Tseng

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

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

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

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

Elena

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

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

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

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

Reeve

Main bad habit: he is a workaholic

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

Doesn't take good care of his health

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

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

[mynameiskan]

My present for my bestie: Christmas 2024 with RudeReno in Highschool AU - The scarf. (read from right to left)

Masterpost for Christmas 2024.

I would love to read your comments about this doujinshi 😊 Use #Shinra Highschool to see more contents of my FF7 high school AU.

I plan to post this in the evening but I have a shift today. Thus, I have to post this a little bit earlier.

I plan to draw for Tserith and Rufus x Cloud too. I want to see them in this high school au so badly.

If you cannot read or see well any part of the doujinshi, feel free to comment. I used only my pencil to draw so the image quality may not be good.

[lassie719]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/54297907/chapters/137514679

The end of Vincent Valentine Week 2024 doesn't mean the end of Vincent Valentine content, dear readers and potential readers! I am proud to announce the completion of "Second Chance," the Reevince slowburn installment in my series I Need Something More. An angst-ridden Reevince threequel will be rounding out the trilogy soon.

[tireddovahkiin]

Ultimate F/O list!!!

(if you see any f/o on my list that you feel uncomfortable sharing, feel free to block me! I totally understand the meaning behind it, so ur all okay <3 )

(the opposite also stands. If you see a f/o that I marked as 'uncomfortable with sharing'/if your f/o falls in my f/oe criteria, PLEASE don't interact. Thank you <3)

(Also, have in mind that my romantic F/Os are shipped with SELF INSERTS ONLY! Any other ones are OC x CANON! Every canon character has its own designated parter!!! But, Familial F/Os are a mix of S/I and OC pairing!)

(However, this selection is strictly through MY own side of the view, not through the OCs I ROMANTICALLY ship them with!!! (not all of them, tho) Ex. Irl see Calcharo as a qpr f/o, but I have an OC that I ship him with romantically!!!)

(the list is not in order!)

🖤- no sharing

💜- selective sharing

💚- okay with sharing

Main F/Os:

Romantic ↴

Hanami (Jujutsu Kaisen) - [tag: 🌹serenity upon a flower field...🌸] - 🖤

Sephiroth (Final Fantasy) - [tag: 🖤under my black wing...🪽] - 🖤

Room (_Boisvert) - [tag: 🪑together against the unknown...👥] - 🖤

Queerplatonic/Crush ↴

Sukuna Ryomen (Jujutsu Kaisen) - 💜

Miles Edgeworth (Ace Attorney) -💜

Calcharo (Wuthering Waves) -🖤

Knuckles the Echidna (Sonic The Hedgehog) - 🖤

Enrico Pucci (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure) -🖤

Solazar (Friday Night Funkin') -🖤

D (Vampire Hunter D) - 🖤

Mahoraga (Jujutsu Kaisen) -🖤

Optimus Prime (Transformers) - 💜

Megatron (Transformers) -🖤

Gakupo Kamui (Vocaloid) - 🖤

Fifteen (Katana Zero) - 🖤

Leon Von Alvensleben (Katana Zero) - 🖤

Terminator T-800 (Terminator) -💜

Wan Shi Tong (ATLA) - 🖤

Dr. Veritas Ratio (Honkai Star Rail) -🖤

Shockwave (Transformers) -🖤

Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic The Hedgehog Media) - 💜

Morgo (Little Misfortune) - 🖤

Nero The Sable (Final Fantasy 7) - 💜

Weiss The Immaculate (Final Fantasy 7) - 💜

A.B.A. & Paracelsus - 🖤

Svarog (Honkai Star Rail) - 🖤

Luocha (Honkai Star Rail) - 💜

Wanderer (Genshin Impact) - 💜

Thranduil (Lord of The Rings) - 💜

Smaug (Lord of The Rings) - 💜

Mystic Flour Cookie (Cookie Run Kingdom) - 🖤

Tobirama Senju (Naruto) - 🖤

Kakuzu (Naruto) - 💜

Kisame Hoshigaki (Naruto) - 🖤

Capitano (Genshin Impact) - 🖤

Zhongli (Genshin Impact) -🖤

Legolas (Lord of The Rings) -🖤

Barok Van Zieks (Ace Attorney) -🖤

The Vigilante (Pizza Tower) -💜

Arataki Itto (Genshin Impact) -🖤

Logan Howlett (MARVEL X-men movies) -💚

Gyomei Himejima (Demon Slayer) -🖤

Muzan Kibutsuji (Demon Slayer) -💜

Platonic F/Os ↴

Junior (MY Oc) -🖤

Dagon (Jujutsu Kaisen) -💚

Mahito (Jujutsu Kaisen) -💚

Jogo (Jujutsu Kaisen) - 💚

Lee (Oc by @/mahitosoulmate)

Kuro (Oc by @/rabbitcyclops)

Kaze (Oc by @/flowey-apologist)

Yuuji (Jujutsu Kaisen) -💜

Dogtooth (_Boisvert) - 💜

Alduin (Skyrim) - 🖤

Odahviing (Skyrim) - 🖤

Durnehviir (Skyrim) - 💜

Godzilla (Kaiju Monsterverse) -🖤

OMORI (Omori) -🖤

Soundwave (Transformers) -🖤

Costar (Oc by @/darknadaworld)

Mai (Oc by @/radaverse)

Deadpool (MARVEL) -💚

Zack Fair (Final Fantasy 7) - 💚

Cloud Strife (Final Fantasy 7) - 💜

Tankman (Friday Night Funkin') -💜

Daidem (Friday Night Funkin') -🖤

Guardians of the Galaxy (MARVEL: Avengers) - 💜

Familial F/Os ↴

Enmei (MY fanchild) - 🖤

Marry (MY Oc) - 🖤

Oren (MY fanchild) - 💜

Vincent Valentine (Final Fantasy 7) - 🖤

Reeve Tuesti (Final Fantasy 7) - 🖤

Cait Sith (Final Fantasy 7) - 🖤

Aerith (Final Fantasy 7) - 🖤

Boy n Girl (Friday Night Funkin') - 🖤

The Marionette/Puppet (Five Nights at Freddy's) - 🖤

Milky Way Cookie (Cookie Run) -💚

Lady Dimitrescu (Resident Evil) - 🖤

Minato Namikaze (Naruto) - 🖤

Nahida (Genshin Impact) - 🖤

Sonic (Sonic The Hedgehog Media) - 💜

Clifford the big red dog (Clifford) - 💜

Adri (OC by @/one-winged-dreams)

Less important F/Os:

Romantic ↴

Nero (Devil May Cry) - 🖤

Queerplatonic/Crush ↴

Argenti & Boothill (Honkai Star rail) → poly ship - 🖤

Sonon Kusakabe (Final Fantasy 7) - 🖤

Justine Courtney (Ace Attorney) - 💜

Ruvyzvat (Friday Night Funkin') - 🖤

Dark Cacao Cookie (Cookie Run Kingdom) - 🖤

Erwin Smidt & Levi Ackerman (Attack on Titan) → poly ship - 💜

Smokescreen (Transformers Prime) - 💜

Godot (Ace Attorney) -🖤

Shi-Long Lang (Ace Attorney) -💜

Diluc (Genshin Impact) - 🖤

Polytheus (Mia and me) - 💚

Bayonetta (Bayonetta) -💜

Platonic F/Os ↴

Rouge the Bat (Sonic The Hedgehog frandchise) - 💜

Yuffie Kisaragi (Final Fantasy 7) - 💚

Tifa Lockhart (Final Fantasy 7) - 💜

Cid Highwind (Final Fantasy 7) -

Angeal Hewley (Final Fantasy 7) - 💚

Genesis Rhapsodos (Final Fantasy 7) - 💚

Hanji Zoe (Attack on Titan) - 💜

Bandu (Friday Night Funkin') - 💜

Dave (Friday Night Funkin') - 💚

Bambi (Friday Night Funkin') - 💚

Venom (MARVEL X-men) - 💚

Knockout (Transformers) - 🖤

Familial F/Os ↴

Kel (OMORI) - 🖤

Tony Stark (MARVEL: Avengers) -💜

Gingerbrave (Cookie Run) - 💜

Dr. Wing Ding Gaster (Undertale) - 💜

The Narrator (The Stanley Parable) - 🖤

Reverse crush F/Os ↴

Choso (Jujutsu Kaisen) - 💜

Elena (Final Fantasy 7) - 💚

Nero (Devil May Cry) - 💚

F/Oes (dni if you selfship with these, thanks.)

Gojo Satoru (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Professor Hojo (Final Fantasy 7)

[seven7thheaven]

welcome to seven(7)th heaven

howdy howdy yall! my name is rexxie, i'm twenty five years old, i'm an afab nonbinary ace lesbian and this is my blog for my final fantasy seven content.

i have played through the original game several times and have played the first part of the remake.

my ask box is open if you want to hear my thoughts on certain events, want me to write an imagine, headcanon or have a request. please do not send me a chat message unless we know each other.

i write x reader content as well as x original ocs (of my own - i won't butcher your oc's characterization).

byf. masterlist. ocs.

CHARACTERS WILL I WRITE FOR . . .

cloud strife

tifa lockhart

barret wallace

aerith gainsborough

vincent valentine

yuffie kisaragi (i will not write sexual content for her)

jessie rasberry

biggs

wedge

reno

rude

tseng

elena

sephiroth

reeve tuesti

CHARACTERS I WON'T WRITE FOR . . .

rufus shinra (as of right now; this may change in the future)

professor hojo

president shinra

marlene

dyne

CONTENT I WILL WRITE . . .

fluff

angst

smut

light bdsm (bondage, spanking, domination)

breeding/impregnation

female and gender neutral reader

named and unnamed female or gender neutral reader

light au/crossover headcanons (ie. avalanche's starter pokemon)

menstrual sex

pegging

CONTENT I WILL NOT WRITE . . .

abuse in any fashion or context

scat/watersports/vomit

dubcon/sa

paedophilia (adult/minor grooming)

kidnapping

vore

breathplay

ddlg/sexualized age regression

self harm/suicidal gestures

male/male content

sexual furry/scaly

yandere

please be aware that this blog may contain spoilers for the original final fantasy seven game as well as part one of the remake.

[howlingday]

(Jaune Strife AU) Uncle Vincent decided to stop by and he terrifies everyone. Everyone except the Arcs, even little Adrian is chill with the half-vampire adopted relative. Terra just thinks her in-laws are weird like that.

"Sorry I'm late." Jaune huffed as he passed through the doors.

"About time you got here, kid." Uncle Barret chuckled. "Any later, and he would have grown up on ya!"

"Oh, be nice!" Tifa slugged Barret in the arm. "Jaune, we're glad you made it."

"Yeah!" Aunt Yuffie nodded. "Besides, it's not like the little guy was going anywhere."

"Especially not with how tall, dark, and creepy is holding him." Cid gruffed.

Jaune looked to where his sister and her wife sat at a booth, with his Uncle Vincent sitting between them. In his arms lay a chubby baby who seemed to be watching the pale male with interest.

"Coochie-coo." Uncle Vincent cooed, wiggling his clawed finger at the babe.

"Be careful, Uncle Vincent." Saphron worried.

"He's fine, Saph." Terra waved. "I'm sure your uncle know how to hold a baby."

"When will it be my turn?" Red XIII asked from the other side of the table.

"Uh, well..." Terra scratched her cheek, unsure of how to answer the question.

"So, how's it feel to a grandpa, Cloud?" Uncle Reeves asked, holding a stuffed toy in his arms.

"Not bad." Cloud replied. "Never really thought I'd make it this far, though, having my own kids with their own kids."

Jaune walked up to the table, where his sister and sister-in-law looked to him. He smiled and waved at them, and they all gasped at what happened. The baby reached out with his tiny hands and waved back.

"H-Hi there, uh..." Jaune continued to wave as his face flushed. "What's his name?"

"Adrian." Tifa answered behind her son. "Adrian Cotta-Arc-Strife."

"Kind of a mouthful." Jaune chuckled. "I'll just call him Adrian."

"Well, that is his name." Terra giggled.

Adrian giggled, too, and Jaune felt his heart melt.

[queen-yalo]

FF VII | Headcanons | Dancing

Request: (im gonna make a request that is SO self-indulgent....) can you give me some hcs about angeal, reeve and cloud, and how their first dance with their s/o goes? as in, when does it happen, who initiates it, how good are they - that kind of thing? 🥺 bonus points if reader is super enthusiastic about dancing but isn't really very good at it lmao. chu chuuuu, u know who this is 🥰 [Anon]

A/N: First request since... a year at least. Let's do this! Hope you enjoy! ♥

Pairing(s): Angeal Hewley x reader; Cloud Strife x reader; Reeve Tuesti x reader

+++

[YOUR SONG: Take Me To Church - Hozier]

• Angeal is a surprisingly good dancer. He does not follow any 'dance-ettiquette' or anything. What for? He would never dance at official events / gatherings - only in secret, away from prying eyes.

• That is probably how your first dance happened. Somewhere secluded, on a meadow, under the moonlight. It was your anniversary, and Angeal promised you a dinner under the stars - quite literally.

• It was not planned; at one point you just found yourself in his arms, swaying to a melody silent to the ear. Surrounded by a soft breeze and the sound of crickets filling the night air, the grass underneath tickling your naked feet. It was a little forced and unsual at first, but you two quickly found a comfortable pace and rhythm. Dancing may not be his strongest ability, but it is by no means uncomfortable to dance with him - quite the opposite. He holds you gently, his arms wrapped around your waist loosely, as yours settled around his shoulders, your head resting on his chest. His heart beat faster than usual - he was nervous, but he would never admit that.

• Angeal knows that you two cannot enjoy as much time together, as you would like to. Of course, you understood - his job was demanding, dangerous, fast-pacing. That was exactly the reason why you cherished moments like these so much - moments where you were not talking to Shinra's SOLDIER, but to your partner and lover.

• He is a man of few words, but he does not need to say much. You can feel his emotions, his affection towards you. The way he holds you, how he buries his nose in your hair gently and leaves gentle kisses on the top of your head; he would marry you in a heartbeat if he could. But as long as that is not possible, he will make sure to show you how much he loves you every single day you are with him.

[YOUR SONG: Lay Me Down - Sam Smith]

• Oh, this precious shy boy. He wants to dance with you so badly - he knows how much you enjoy dancing. But what can he do? He has never danced in his life before. He asked Tifa for help, but she just said "to roll with it" - very helpful, thanks a lot.

• You could swear that you had never seen Cloud blush more than when he asked you to dance. It was after dinner in your apartment. You had made his favorite again - and it was delicious, as usual. And now... he wanted to give something back to you. You always did something for him, you always made sure he was alright and happy - and he knew it was time to step up.

• At first you thought he was joking - but then you saw the determination in his eyes. You smiled brightly, quickly putting on some soft music. Your furniture was pushed to the sides hastily - and then you two found yourselves in the middle of the room, staring into each other's eyes.

• It took a moment until you finally moved, taking his hands gently, and pulling him into a slow circling motion. You did not think it was possible, but at this point his blush became even deeper; you just had to close the distance and peck his cheek gently. "Relax, Cloud," you smile, placing one of his hands on your waist, holding the other one in yours, "we will learn together."

• It took a while, but eventually Cloud got more comfortable. Your feet and heads still bumped every now and then; it was part of the moment, the memory that was made. It was fun and romantic - and more than you ever could have asked for. You just hoped that it was not the first and last time you two danced together.

[YOUR SONG: Can't Help Falling In Love - Haley Reinhart]

• Shinra's annual ball for staff members and business partners - and you were trapped right in the middle of it. Of course you were happy to support Reeve, your partner and fiancée; that did not mean that you enjoyed the presence of arrogant and greasy rich people, and thanks to President Shinra there were a lot of them around.

• On the other hand, there were also a lot of very nice people - among them Reeve. Every now and then, you heard his voice through the masses, his laughter above everyone else's; how he still managed to make you feel like a child with a crush was a mystery to you. He had wandered off a few minutes earlier to talk with a few partners - or so he had said.

• It had been a lie. So you realized, when suddenly the orchestra stopped playing for a moment, until it started a new song that you knew very well. It was your song, Reeve's and yours. The song that played on your first date at the restaurant, the song that played during your first kiss and the proposal.

• Reeve smiled softly as he approached you, bowing slightly, like the true gentleman he was. "May I have this dance?" His voice was soft and warm; how could you have refused him? "When I first met you, I asked you to go dancing with me. I realized we had not done that yet."

• You giggled slightly, hiding your face in his chest, as he elegantly led you over the dance floor, somehow avoiding the other dancing couples along the way. You didn't need to worry; he was an excellent dancer. Leading firmly, yet gently - it was a true pleasure. After every turn, he pulled you back in carefully, holding onto you without pressure, but like his life depended on it; he did not want to let you go so soon. And he knew he did not have to. After all, you had agreed to marry him - and you were ready to experience many more first times with him.

[rauhallinen-hauki]

(edit: turns out that as of the time of posting this I'm actually early-misread june as july- but we can celebrate Barret and ff7 on this blog everyday anyway so its ok :) )

Sorry for being so incredibly late! romancingbarretweek 2022, prompts by @romancingbarret

july 3 - post-game -Barret x Cid: vacation at costa del sol after the main saving the world adventure is over.

july 4 - fighting side by side - Cloud x Barret x Aerith

july 5 - co-parenting|Marlene - Bareeve: the idea of bringing an actual "Caith Sith" to the team is brought up and approved. Marlene discovers the joy of owning a cat.

july 6 - hurt/comfort|hometown - Barrifa: venting conversation about their shared traumas involving their

hometowns being destroyed, somewhere in the valleys near Nibelheim and Corel.

july 7 - relaxing - Clarret: taking a nap together

july 8 - AU|canon-divergence - Barrifa: FF7 retold as an spaghetti western au

july 9 - free day- Barret x Cid: dancing :)

Once again, sorry for the delay but hopefully my love for Barret and FF7 shows trough. Thanks a lot for this event!

[ticklishcicada]

halloween party in sector 7 wooooo!!!!! Everyones invited!!!!

[agrinsosardonic]

WOO CHAPTER 30!!!

Song Theme for Chapter 30- Bullet with Butterfly Wings by The Smashing Pumpkins

He made a noise in his throat- a cross between a laugh and a growl- that rumbled through his chest pressed against mine. And before I could unhook his arms from my body, he pulled me into a tight hug that came out of nowhere and I hesitated for a moment. Reno wasn’t a hugger. Infact, the last time he hugged me like that was the morning I came out to him. And while he enjoyed the physical attention I showered on him daily, hugging was not his style. A level of intimacy, I think, he struggled with. So, when the initial shock wore off, I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my hands in his mess of red hair. And somehow, he pulled me impossibly close. Like he was trying to meld our bodies together.

Read More at: AO3 and FF.net

[sephirthoughts]

Just Like Honey: Chapter 12

Summary:

****WARNING WARNING WARNING**** THREATENED SEXUAL ASSAULT HOMOPHOBIC SLURS DON'T WORRY THO THEY GET THEIR COMEUPPANCE WITH A QUICKNESS

NOTE: "fag" also used once, in reference to the British boys' school fagging system, in which younger students would do housework and other chores for the older students.

AU: organized crime, cabaret, sex work

SHIPS: MULTIPLE! rufus/cloud, vincent/cloud, sephiroth/cloud, reeve/cloud, rufus/cloud/tseng, cloud/other characters as clients because that's his job, weiss/nero, background aerti

RATING: teen and up

WARNINGS: violence, homophobic slurs, and references to sexual assault, sex workers, prostitution

ALSO WARNING: vincent wearing this outfit, which may be hazardous to your health/sanity

Chapter 12: Clouderella

Wutai’s upper crust tended to take a lot more joy in dressing in beautiful and extravagant clothing, than did the elite in Midgar, where the staid, black tuxedo was the standard for men’s formal wear. What would have been considered flamboyant and ostentatious, there, would not even be enough to stand out, in Wutai.

And yet, when Cloud and Vincent emerged from their limousine, at Da-chao Palace, they managed to turn just about every head in the place. There was an actual beat of hushed awe among the crowd of splendidly clad guests. Even the uniformed guards and smartly dressed servants couldn’t help stealing glances at the two beautiful gentlemen.

Vincent was rakishly elegant, like some sort of pirate king, with his long hair flowing loose about the shoulders of his gorgeous, crimson-brocade frock coat, trimmed with sable fur. His waistcoat and trousers were of the same fabric, and his shirt was black silk. In place of a cravat or tie, he wore heavy chains of antique gold, which complemented the brass toe-guards on his riding boots, the brass buckles on his thigh holster straps, and the brass epaulet he wore on one shoulder (denoting his position as head of a noble house, of the nation of Wutai).

Cloud’s outfit was similar to Vincent’s, but had been chosen to serve as its counterbalance, rather than to match it. His brocade was snowy white, his buttons and fittings were silver, rather than brass, and his frock coat was slimmer and shorter, to look best on his smaller frame (and without fur trim, which he objected to wearing in this warm climate). Rather than riding boots, he wore white, ankle-high button up boots, and a pearl-grey charmeuse cravat, instead of gold chains.

When the two walked the red carpeted receiving line together—one tall and black haired, all in blood red, and the other petite and golden-haired, in shining white—the effect was extremely striking.

The Valentine Patriarch was a prominent figure, so the whole place was immediately abuzz with curiosity, regarding the origin of the young unknown, who had managed to endear himself to the famously prickly and unapproachable man. No matter how much they asked one another, though, all anyone found out for certain was that no one else seemed to know who he was, either. Naturally, speculation ran rampant.

“I heard someone say he was sent to the Valentines as a child concubine, and they’ve been raising him in isolation, until he was old enough to accompany the patriarch,” said a young lady, behind her silk fan.

“That’s ridiculous. Who has concubines anymore,” another sniffed.

“Just look at that blonde hair and those blue eyes,” a third remarked wistfully. “I bet he’s a Shinra scion, who defected to the Valentine side, for love of the dashing and handsome Lord Valentine.”

“Ah, but isn’t Lord Valentine your fiancée, Princess Kyrie?” said a tall, lilac-clad young woman, with a hawk nose and a patrician air about her, who appeared to be the leader of this clique. “What ever is he doing escorting a young man to the ball? Shouldn’t he have come with you?”

The princess, who was standing nearby, blushed as pink as her gown and shot the lilac girl a glare.

“A lot of unmarried gentlemen attend with male friends, instead of a date, it doesn’t mean anything,” one of her own retinue retorted, in her stead.

“I heard he’s also refused to see her highness, even once, since he’s been visiting Wutai,” one of the lilac girl’s followers rejoined, with a pout of sympathy. “I do hope he hasn’t had second thoughts.”

“Lord Valentine is the head of a very important clan. There are plenty of perfectly valid reasons he might be indisposed,” another of the princess’ faction defended.

“Too true, too true,” the first young lady tittered, fluttering her fan. “If I had a lover who looked like that blonde boy, I’d certainly never leave the house.”

The lilac girl and her companions all laughed merrily at that, while the infuriated princess turned on her heel and flounced off, with her retinue in tow. Her intended had already embarrassed her, by declining to accompany her as her escort, and now he even had the gall to show up with a man. That was tantamount to deliberate public humiliation! Not that there was anything she couldn’t forgive him for, but this would require a very good explanation.

Not even the most colorful among the stories about the mysterious boy, that were invented and repeated that evening, touched anywhere close to the truth—that he was a gymnast turned cabaret-dancer prostitute, from the backwoods of Nibelheim, via the Midgar undercity slums.

His aristocratic good looks figured heavily into this, of course, but most convincing of all, was the fact that the boy was so graceful and at ease, around all these rich and powerful people. No one who hadn’t been born and raised among the gentry could be so effortlessly charming, when confronted with the rank and class of several nations.

The more those envious people watched the little upstart, hoping for him to slip up, the more they found that his manner was flawless—neither stiffly formal nor overly familiar, neither obsequious nor arrogant, and his face carried no hint of either trepidation or over-eagerness to please. If one didn’t know better, they’d think he was hosting guests in his own home, so impervious he seemed, to the relentless scrutiny.

What they did not know they were seeing, of course, was the carefully crafted stage persona of a highly skilled, veteran performer, who spent his life as a professional chameleon, shifting flawlessly into whatever role the situation required of him. Had they known the real Cloud, they would have been less baffled by his unflappable composure.

This was, after all, the young man who had fearlessly slapped President Shinra across the face, in his own office, who dared to be contrary and demanding with the Valentine Patriarch, and who was able to weather the violent and volatile temper of the psychotic, drug-addicted leader of the Remnants, unscathed.

Far from being afraid that a few rich people with fancy titles stuck to their names would judge him, Cloud was thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to trot out his rarely used urbane-dandy character (which he had developed for a client with some very specific tastes, and was based loosely on several of the more famous homosexual socialites of the prior century).

Everything about his mannerisms, turns of phrase, and costume, was tailored specifically to fit this character. He had even had a silver cigarette lighter and matching case, filled with long, black cigarettes borrowed from Vincent, to complete the impression. Thus, what Cloud performed, the people at the ball saw—which was a sophisticated young elite, in his native environment.

The formal presentation to the Wutaian monarch was far briefer and less harrowing than Cloud had expected. King Godo was a bluff and gregarious old man, who had too many people clamoring for his attention, to be overly inquisitive regarding the young beauty on the arm of his guest of honor.

Vincent had just been greeted by some important whoevers of whatever country, when Cloud heard a shriek, and turned to see a young lady hurrying over, pushing people out of her way in her haste. He was instantly spellbound by this creature, who appeared to be a mass of contradictions, from head to toe.

Her dress was a poofy, pink confection of satin and flounces and ribbons, much like a little girl might wear in a fairytale, only the bodice was extraordinarily low-cut. As she trotted over, her ample, half-exposed bosoms bounced and jolloped in such a way, that it seemed it was only the will of the heavenly Dao that prevented them escaping entirely.

She looked to be about sixteen or seventeen, and was pretty enough, but her features were somewhat spoiled by her overdone makeup (in the grand tradition of teenaged girls attempting to look older), and the gaudy jeweled tiara, that topped her stiffly curled hair, was more ridiculous than enchanting.  

She shoved right past Cloud, as if he wasn’t there, and stood in front of Vincent, all bright smiles and blushing cheeks, and big, doe-eyes only for him. Cloud concealed a smirk behind his champagne glass.

“Vincent, Vincent! I had a feeling I’d see you here!” the girl enthused, as if it were a chance meeting, and not a party given specifically in his honor. “Agnes said you might not come, but I was sure she was wrong, and here you are!”

“Your highness,” Vincent replied, with an infinitesimally slight dip of his chin, smoothly withdrawing his hand, as she attempted to grasp it. “I trust her majesty the queen is well. Is she not with you?”

Cloud’s smile widened imperceptibly. If he had greeted someone the way this girl just did, and received a response like the one she’d gotten from Vincent, he’d have left the party straightaway and committed seppuku, to spare his ancestors the shame he’d brought on them.

This young lady, however, had a much thicker face than Cloud, and didn’t even appear to notice the older man’s frosty reception of her effulgent greeting. It was almost impressive, the way she let Vincent’s barely concealed disdain roll off her, like water from a duck’s back.

“Oh, you know grandma,” she said breezily. “I’m sure she’s around here somewhere, talking politics with some councilman or another. Old people are so boring, who knows they even come to these things. Parties are for fun and dancing! Speaking of dancing, have you—”

“Your highness, allow me to introduce my date,” Vincent interrupted, gesturing around the animated young woman, to Cloud. “This is Cloud Strife. Cloud, Her Royal Highness Princess Kyrie of Junon.”

“An honor, your highness,” Cloud replied, with a languid half-bow, as the princess shot him a look of mingled disgust and resentment, then turned back to Vincent, without acknowledging him.

“What’s going on, here, Vincent?” she demanded, sounding like a wronged wife. “Who is this boy?”

“His name is Cloud Strife, your highness,” Vincent repeated, while Cloud looked amused and took a sip of his champagne.

The girl’s face quickly worked through a couple expressions, then she settled on a smile, playfully tapping Vincent’s arm with her fan. “Vincent, you goose, this is the royal palace. You can’t have your footmen hanging around, in the main ballroom. There’s a banquet set up for the help in the back courtyard.”

“Cloud is my date, your highness,” Vincent said, unperturbed, reaching past her to take Cloud’s hand and pull him to his side. “It was lovely seeing you again, but I’m afraid we’ll have to catch up some other time. I was just on my way to greet the delegation from Kalm. Give her majesty my best.”

Before the princess could even think of a response, her intended husband had absconded, with the blonde boy on his arm.

She planted her hands on her hips and very nearly stamped her foot in pique, but she noticed several people glancing over, and murmuring amongst themselves. Eyes reddening and bottom lip trembling, she hurried away to rejoin her friends.

Within a minute, she had gathered her loyal supporters in the ladies’ powder room, where she sobbed pitifully while she gave them a full (and somewhat embroidered) account of how she’d suffered, at the hands of the scheming, blonde mate-sniper.

“Lord Valentine is obviously just playing around,” one of her friends soothed. “It’s not like he’s going to marry a man. The clan will never allow it.”

“True,” another agreed. “He can’t give him children, and the clan patriarch has to produce heirs. Everyone knows that.”

“Besides, you’re the crown-princess,” a third chimed in. “That boy is just some nobody. Lord Valentine will get bored and toss him away, soon enough.”

“You really think so?” the princess sniffled, as one of the girls carefully dabbed her cheeks with a handkerchief.

They all nodded enthusiastically.

“All men have their little dalliances, before they settle down. It’s nothing to worry too much about.”

“My father was notorious, before he married mother.”

“My aunt says the more they play before you marry them, the less they’ll stray afterward.”

Under their coaxing and ministrations, the princess began to feel a little better, but when she recalled the smug look on that blonde’s infuriating, freckled face, her anger surged up again, and she twisted her fan until it snapped in her hands.

“This is all that little slut’s fault,” she huffed, throwing it away. “How dare he cozy up to my fiancée! How dare he take what belongs to me! The future queen of Junon!”

“You know what we should do, is teach him a lesson,” said the girl who was fixing the princess’ hair.

The princess perked up. “Oh? What kind of lesson?”

“You remember my cousin, Gregor, right?”

“The one who was accused of excessive hazing, by all those boys, at Cheltenham Academy?”

“Yep, that’s him. He’s back from school, for winter holiday, and he and his friends are here, at the ball. All you’d have to do is cry a little, and I’m sure they’d be more than happy to help knock that hussy down a peg, for you.”

Another girl made a face. “You heard what they did, right, princess? Are you sure you want to go so far?”

“True. I don’t want them to really hurt him,” the princess said.

“Oh, they won’t, they won’t,” her friend quickly assured her. “They’ll just humiliate him, so Lord Valentine won’t want to have anything to do with him, anymore. We’ll see if he dares to be so full of himself, then.”

“Well…alright,” the princess agreed. “Let’s go find Gregor.”

After they’d walked the social gauntlet, for a while, Cloud began to lag, and get a touch pink in the cheeks. The ballroom was crowded, and despite it being early winter, the Wutai weather was quite a bit warmer and more humid than a northern lad was accustomed to. Vincent noticed his condition right away, and promptly led him out to one of the balconies, to cool off.

“What do you think of the ball, little devil? Is it not as dull and tedious as I warned?” he said, with a rueful smile.

“I’m actually having a pretty good time,” Cloud replied staunchly, as he opened the lapels of his frock coat and fanned himself with them. “It’s just a lot warmer in there, than I expected. This brocade is very good at preserving heat.”

Vincent leaned on the railing and lit a long, black cigarette, eyeing his young lover appreciatively. “You can take off the coat, you know. No one will mind.”

“What, and be seen in such an indecent state, in front of all the gentry?” Cloud gasped, feigning horror. “My reputation in society would be ruined! How would I find a noble husband, after that!”

Vincent chuckled. “Never fear, my little tuft hunter. I would marry you, and then no one would dare to offend you, no matter what your reputation.”

Cloud’s cheeks were already two little apples, from the heat, so Vincent didn’t notice that they turned slightly pinker. “Ah, ha ha. All joking aside, that princess of yours is certainly a piece of work. How old is she, anyway?”

“Nineteen.”

“Wow, really?” Cloud frowned. “I wouldn’t have guessed a day above sixteen.”

Vincent nodded his understanding. “Her grandmother dotes on her, so she has been sheltered and spoiled, and has never faced any adversity. Unless she does some maturing, before the time comes, I’m afraid Junon will pay the price, for putting such a ruler on their throne.”

“Oh, I see. Queen Grandma is hoping you’ll marry her, so that your influence will do her some good, as far as growing up. And even if it doesn’t, Junon will be able to rely on Valentine military power, as a deterrent, in case granddaughter pisses off any other nations. Is that close to right?”

“Perhaps you should go into statecraft, little devil. It appears you are a natural.”

Cloud drew himself up proudly. “Well, not to brag, but I have watched a lot of Wutaian palace dramas.”

Just then, a servant came to say that Her Majesty Queen Mireille asked for Valentine-sama’s company, in the east gallery, at his earliest convenience.

“Go ahead, I’ll be fine,” Cloud said, when Vincent hesitated. “I need to cool off for at least another ten minutes, before I’ll be ready to face the heat again, anyway.”

“Still, I don’t like leaving you alone,” Vincent frowned. “What if you are swept off your feet by some charming prince, while I’m away?”

“Then you’ll just have to challenge him to a duel and win me back. Go on. Don’t keep your Grandmother-in-law waiting.”

Pressing a kiss to Cloud’s hand, Vincent tore himself away and went off to attend the queen. Which was one of the weirdest things Cloud had ever experienced, on a date. Sure, he’d made President Shinra come on his dad’s desk and piss on a puppy training pad, and played somno-incest with Reeve, but having his date summoned away by real-life royalty was a new one.

He took one of his borrowed cigarettes from the silver case and lit it, then practiced leaning on the railing, trying to look carelessly cool, like Vincent. He felt he had it mostly down, but there was something to it he knew he wasn’t completely selling. Maybe you needed to be an actual old man to really project the kind of world-weary indifference, that made Vincent so captivating.

He was musing upon this, and watching his blue-white tobacco smoke curl up and waft away on the balmy night breeze, when there was a soft footstep behind him. Cloud’s spider-sense prickled and he tensed up to react, but in the next second, a throat was cleared.

“I beg your pardon, Strife-sama?”

Cloud turned to see a uniformed servant. “What is it?”

The young man bowed deeply. “Strife-sama, Valentine-sama requests your presence, right away. If the gentleman will please follow me, I will take you to him.”

“Sure, lead the way,” Cloud said, grinding out the cigarette butt, before he followed the servant inside.

They went through the main ballroom, his guide keeping to the fringes, so as not to drag him through the crowd, and then down a side passage, to a breezeway, which led across a courtyard, to another wing of the main building.

“What is he doing way out here?” Cloud asked. “Is everything alright?”

“Apologies, sir. I was only instructed to bring you to him,” the servant answered.

Cloud’s danger detection system was pinging faintly, but he chalked that up to his own paranoia, and unfamiliarity with the place. This wasn’t exactly a back-alley in the slums, anyway. It was the royal palace. It’s not like he was going to get mugged by a band of roving viscounts.

At length, the uniformed servant stopped at a door and bowed, as he opened it. Cloud stepped into the doorway and paused, frowning.

“Hey, it’s pitch dark in—” His sentence broke off abruptly, as several pairs of hands grabbed hold of him and dragged him roughly into the dark room.

A second later, a hand popped out, pushing a thick wad of bills into the servant’s hand. “You didn’t see anything. Now, get lost.”

The servant stuffed the cash into his pocket and practically ran away, across the courtyard. He felt terrible for tricking that pretty little blonde into going in there, with those thugs, but if he had refused, who knows what they’d have done to him. He was a literal nobody, and he couldn’t afford to lose this job, or worse, by offending the wrong people. At least this way, he got to keep all his limbs and make a little extra cash.

“Well, Vincent, here we are again,” the queen’s aged voice said, as he stepped into the east gallery. She was standing with her back to him, in front of the open windows, looking out over the palace gardens.

“Your Majesty,” Vincent replied, with a courtly bow.

“Don’t you ‘your majesty’ me, you old fox. We aren’t enemies, yet,” she snorted, turning to peer up at him in the bright light of the moon. “Good goddess, you get younger every time I see you. Where the hell do you get off looking like a damned kid, when the rest of us geezers are halfway to being mistaken for escaped mummies?”

“You know I can’t help it, Mireille. I never wanted to stay young forever.”

“You could have the decency to dye your hair grey. Or at least wear spectacles, or something.”

Vincent smiled. “I am pleased to find you are well, and in good spirits, my friend.”

“Yes, yes, I’m as healthy as a horse,” she said, waving her hand. “Let’s get down to brass tacks, shall we? What’s the meaning of you parading some cheap little doxy around, in front of all the gentry and heads of state, tonight?”

“That young man happens to be quite important to me,” Vincent said mildly. “Please don’t subject him to baseless insults.”

“Baseless? Ha!” The queen croaked out a laugh. “You think I don’t know exactly who and what he is? My intel agents aren’t that lazy. I knew all about him before he set foot on Wutaian soil.”

“As expected of my old friend,” Vincent said, dipping his chin.

“What the hell are you doing publicly associating with a whore, Vincent? You’re that determined to drag your family’s good name through the mud? What would your daddy think?”

Vincent’s smile remained tranquil, but his scarlet eyes glittered coldly. “My family’s good name means even less to me than my father’s opinion, Mireille. And the opinions of the gentry and heads of state rate lower, still. Are you not at all embarrassed, berating and disparaging a commoner, who is little more than a child, on your granddaughter’s behalf?”

The queen’s face worked, for a moment, as she tried to muster some royal indignation, but she quickly dropped the charade and her shoulders slumped. “Look, Vincent, I gave up on the marriage scheme, when Kyrie got old enough to start displaying her personality. She’s not the type to catch the interest of a man like you. She’s obstinate, impulsive, inconsiderate, and she only cares about being rich and pretty, just like her idiot father.

“Problem is, the damn fool thinks she’s in love with you, and won’t take no for an answer. You know I can’t bear to disappoint her, because of her mama, so I…I promised her I’d ask you again. Only, she got it into her head that I promised her you’d accept, and she’s been building her castles in the sky, since then.”

“Mireille, Mireille,” Vincent sighed. “A marriage will not solve your problems, and continued overindulgence will only make everything worse. You will live for a good long time, so take the opportunity to instill some discipline into the girl. I know that she seems hopeless, now, but if she’s anything like her grandmother, she has the capacity to mature into the wise and compassionate monarch, that Junon needs.”

“Hmph, you old flatterer,” the queen groused, pretending to be displeased. “Fine, I’ll take your advice, as best I can. I only wish some of that Valentine austerity had rubbed off on me, back when Grimoire was alive. Maybe I’d have been a better grandmother. Or at least a stricter one.”

“My father’s aloofness and austerity did not make me the person I am. You are already better parent to Kyrie, than my father was to me.”

“Alright, enough of that. Tell me about this little blonde, who’s so important to you. I never thought I’d see the day you’d open that cast-iron heart back up. Not after Lucy.”

Cloud, who had been at risk of very real bodily harm from many powerful men, including Sephiroth, Tseng, Rufus Shinra, and various others, over the course of his career, was expecting a lot worse than what he saw, when the lights went on, in the isolated storage room.

What he had expected, was Wutaian ninjas, or assassins from Junon, or Turks (on the off chance that Tseng had changed his mind and decided to kidnap him back to Midgar), or even Sephiroth, who seemed to have the ability to appear wherever he wanted, irrespective of the laws of time and space. What he got, was four not very bright-looking boys, aged between seventeen and nineteen, in tuxedos that seemed ill fitting and uncomfortable, despite the fact that they’d been tailored.

They were pretty big and brawny, obviously of the sports-inclined ilk, and two looked like they’d had more than a few broken noses. One of them had a cricket bat and one had brass knuckles, but those were all the weapons Cloud could see. They were just high-school kids.

“Is this all of you?” he asked, doubtfully, as they shoved him into the center of the room.

“What, you want more?” the dark-haired leader smirked. “I knew this one was a fucking slut.”

“Mh-hm. Just like those pretty little third-form fags, at school,” said the largest one, who had curly, fire-red hair.

One of them went to the door and made a big show of placing the old-fashioned locking bar and chain, intending to demonstrate to their captive that escape was impossible.

“Don’t bother calling for help, either,” the leader informed him. “There’s no one around to hear.”

“So you’re prep-school bullies, huh? I thought those only existed in movies and BL manga,” Cloud said, fascinated. “Wow, is that an actual cricket bat? Did you come right out of central casting?”

“Keep talking, faggot,” cricket guy grinned, slapping the heavy, wooden bat into his palm. “Every word outta your mouth is a tooth I’m gonna knock out, before I skullfuck you.”

Cloud squinted an eye at him. “You want to force me to suck your dick, and I’m the faggot? How does that make sense?”

“Shut up, slut!” the leader growled. “We all know you’re using your ass to worm your way into the Valentine family. Well, let’s see if that prissy vamp wants you anymore, after he sees what you do on your knees, for all of us.”

“I don’t have to hold the camera the whole time, right?” said the one who had locked the door, and who now had his phone out, apparently intending to record their criminal activity. “I want to do him, too.”

“I’ll take over for you, but I get to use his ass first,” the redhead leered, rubbing the bulge in the crotch of his trousers. “I’m already hard, just thinking about how he’s gonna squeal when I stick it in.”

The one with the brass knuckles laughed maliciously, seeing Cloud’s brow furrowed. “Finally getting scared, huh? Don’t worry, sugar. We’re gonna treat you right.”

“Hm? Scared?” Cloud blinked up at him, like he’d forgotten he was there. “No, it’s more like…out of my depth. See, I’ve never even been to high school. So, you’re going to regret this in ways I don’t have the vocabulary to properly express to educated young men, like you. Oh, I know. Maybe you could make use of those fine educations and help me think of some good words.”

“Enough talk, bitch,” cricket guy said, pointing the tip of his bat at Cloud. “Get on your knees, or we’ll put you on ‘em.”

“I bet you think that’s really intimidating,” Cloud replied pityingly. “Sorry to burst your bubble, but it only works when the person saying it is actually scary. Not a soft little dumpling who’s barely off his mother’s tit.”

“You piece of shit whore! Fuck you!” the dumpling in question roared, rushing forward to swing the bat at Cloud’s head.

Cloud easily ducked under the clumsy attack, swept the boy’s legs with a whiplash kick, caught the bat midair, and brought it down with a hollow thud, on the back of his head.

It was all so fast, his cronies hardly had time to process what they were seeing, let alone react. Meanwhile, cricket guy curled up and started rolling around, howling like he was dying.

“What a fucking baby. I didn’t even hit you hard enough to crack your skull,” Cloud scoffed, stepping over his writhing body, toward his associates, who were suddenly looking a little green in the face. “Ok, who’s next? You all wanted a turn, right? What about you, red? Didn’t you want to hear some squealing?”

The redhead backed up hastily, stumbling over camera guy, who dropped his phone, shattering the screen. Knuckles guy had run to the door, but the lock bar and chain were too complicated for him to get open, before the blood-spattered cricket bat tapped the door in front of his face.

“You guys wanted to trap me in here with you,” Cloud said, with a deranged smile. “Now you’re trapped in here with me.”

The brass knuckles fell to the floor with a ringing clatter, as knuckles guy backed away from the little blonde, ash-white and visibly shaking with terror. “Y—your eyes! What the fuck is with your eyes, man! S—snake! Snake demon!”

Thanks to the forethought of the four would-be assailants, the servants on duty in that area of the palace had all been bribed or threatened to mind their own business, for a while. Thus, the cracks, thuds, crashes, wails, and screams that filled the storage room, for the next half hour or so, were heard by no one who paid the slightest bit of attention.

“Gross, there’s blood on my shoe.” Cloud scowled down at the redhead, whose face was so battered and swollen, the features were hardly distinguishable. “Vincent gave me these, you better hope it comes off.”

The boy gurgled out some pathetic, unintelligible noises, in reply.

“You’re right, they’re finished leather. Of course it will.”

So saying, Cloud bent down and ripped off the redhead’s cummerbund, which he used to carefully wipe the boot clean.

“Good as new. Thanks, red, you’re a lifesaver,” he said jauntily, dropping the soiled accessory on the boy’s supine person. “Oh, and give the princess my regards. I was in serious danger of getting bored, but you guys really livened up the evening. Sayonara, gentlemen.”

“Little devil, I apologize for leaving you for so long. The queen was in a rather chatty temper, this evening, and kept me longer than I intended,” Vincent said, when he returned to the balcony, to find Cloud exactly where he’d left him, seated idly on the railing, sipping a cocktail and smoking a cigarette.

Cloud smiled sweetly, looking like the purest sunlight and daisies in spring. “No sweat, I’ve been entertaining myself, just fine.”

Vincent leaned in to press a kiss to his cheek, then drew away, frowning. “I smell blood.”

“Oh, don’t worry. It’s not mine. I’m kind of over this party, though. Can we get out of here?”

“Mn. You read my mind.”

Vincent’s eye glowed like a small sun, when they were in the car on the way back to the Valentine ryokan, and Cloud told him what happened, with the four thugs and the storage room. He wanted to go back and raise (likely literal) hell, but Cloud soothed him with kisses and by stroking his hair, till his eyes drooped and he buried his face in the boy’s neck, purring like a big cat.

It did also help that Cloud had forced the boys to confess to what they did—and more importantly, who put them up to it—and recorded it on his phone camera, which recording he had already sent to Vincent, to do with as he pleased. Vincent sent the video right along to the queen, who only responded with, “I see. I will deal with her.”

“Hoo, boy,” Cloud shuddered. “I almost feel bad for your little princess, now.”

“You are my only little princess,” Vincent mumbled, muffled by Cloud’s collar.

“You’re purring like a cat, you know,” Cloud laughed. “Is that a demon thing?”

“It’s a Valentine thing, but it’s not related to the demon. It is rare, though. I only knew my father and grandfather to do it, aside from me.”

Unseen to Vincent, who was busy pressing his fangs gently into his lover’s soft neck, Cloud’s smile froze on his face. He knew exactly one other person, who purred like this, when his long hair was petted.

But it had to be a coincidence. There was absolutely no possibility that Sephiroth and Vincent were in any way related to one another. Was there? No. It would be insane to even suggest such a thing. It was definitely just a coincidence. A weird, weird coincidence.

Definitely.

THE AUTHOR HAS SOMETHING TO SAY definitely

[demialwrites]

Masterlist (FF7)

Updated as of Dec 13th, '24

Rufus Shinra

Headcanons: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Fics: Hunted · Sand Through Fingers · 2 · 3 · Somnophilia · Rufus Vs Reeve · 2 · 3 · I Can Train You · Taking Your Hand · Kidnapped · The Secretary · Queen's Blood · You're An Idiot · Sparring · Degrading · A Freak · The Monster · Good Girl · 2(+Rude) · Butterfly in a Jar · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8

Rufus + Tseng

Fics: The Offer · 2 · Untitled · 2 · 3 · 4 · Straight Smut

Tseng

Headcanons: 1 2 3 4 5

Fics: Anything · Casual Relationship · Sub Tseng · Quarantine · Stupid · Pie in the Sky · Interrogation

Sephiroth

Headcanons: 1 2 3 4

Fics: Broken Toy · Fallen Angel, Down to Earth · Bonding Time · Bonding Time V. 2 · Experiment of Passage · Comfort & Dread

Rude

Headcanons: 1 2 3 4

Reno

Fics: A Short

Headcanons: 1 2 3 4 5 6

Cloud

Headcanons: 1 2 3

Barret

Headcanons: 1 2

Elena

Headcanons: 1 2

Reeve

Headcanons: 1

Fics: Submissive Reeve

Solo Character/Ship: Reno · Rufus Shinra · The Tower(Sephru) · I See.(Sephru)

[mynameiskan]

Wip

Last sketch for the Christmas present for my bestie: Christmas present with Highschool AU! RudeReno.

I will post the full version tomorrow.

Use #Shinra Highschool to see more contents of my FF7 high school AU.

There will be some extra pages of [Christmas presents] story (also in Highschool AU) for Tserith, Rufus x Cloud, and 2 secret characters 👀 Let's see if anyone can figure out the correct answer.

Those will be posted on the 24th and 25th of December. I guess I won't be able to draw some smut this Christmas 😅 and I would like to apologize for that. I hope you guys won't mind my new plan.

[cloti-fics]

Don’t Think Twice | Chapter 20 | Author: Marle Nadia

Summary:

Living together with a makeshift family while Cloud and Tifa were secretly married was never simple at the beginning. After Cloud returns home he finds the life he came back to was now more complicated than ever – his wife had moved on after she thought he left for good. Taking every chance possible, Cloud will do anything to prove himself to his family… and Tifa. Post ACC

Drama/Romance — Rating: M

Pairings: Cloud Strife & Tifa Lockhart, Tifa Lockhart & Original Male Character

Characters: Other Characters: Marlene Wallace, Denzel, Yuffie Kisaragi, Zack Fair, Aerith Gainsborough, Reeve Tuesti, Barret Wallace, Cid Highwind, Shera, Johnny, Iris Amicitia, Alyssa Zaidelle, & Vincent Valentine

Fandom: Post Advent Children

Read on AO3 | Read on FF.net

[perfectlysanexd]

Since I now have master lists of my doujinshi and manipulations, I thought I'd make one for my screenshots, too. I purposely never watermark my work, and you can use them for whatever, but credit would, of course, be appreciated. :) Do not blatantly repost other people's work as if it is your own. I think this is all of them, but certainly let me know if I missed any.

Mods I've Used at Least Once: The Camera Sephiroth's Armor Removed Cloud's Armor Removed Invisible Buster Sword Cloud's Advent Children Outfit Hair Colors for Cloud Eye Colors for Cloud Turk Cloud Suit Sephiroth Suit Sexy Outfits for Cloud Sexy Sephiroth Sephiroth's Outfit for Cloud Jenova Cells Cloud Sephiroth Casual Outfit Blond Sephiroth Nude Cloud Nude Sephiroth

Note: If it isn't listed as "[Character Name]", or "Sefikura", assume it's Sephiroth.

Chapter 17, Armor Removed Mod, Sephiroth & Cloud, Part 3

Chapter 17, Armor Removed Mod, Sephiroth & Cloud, Part 2

Chapter 17, Armor Removed Mod, Sephiroth & Cloud, Part 1

Smiles!, Sephiroth & Cloud + Red XIII and Barret

Beauty Marks, Advent Children Edition

Advent Children, Sephiroth & Cloud + Kadaj, Yazoo & Loz

Advent Children, Sephiroth & Cloud

Cloud Strife x Leslie Kyle (glitch)

Leslie Kyle, Part 1

Claudia and Cloud in Nibelheim

Eyes of Final Fantasy VII Intergrade - I'll get to it eventually...

Eyes of Final Fantasy VII, Part 5: Villains 2/2

Eyes of Final Fantasy VII, Part 4: Villains 1/2

Eyes of Final Fantasy VII, Part 3: Side Characters 2/2

Eyes of Final Fantasy VII, Part 2: Side Characters 1/2

Eyes of Final Fantasy VII, Part 1: Main Characters

Ifalna, Aerith and Elmyra

Beauty Marks Star Charts, Rufus Edition

Beauty Marks Star Charts, Cloud Edition

Beauty Marks Star Charts, Sephiroth Edition

Beauty Marks, Rufus Shinra Edition

Armor Removed/AC Outfit Mods, (Chapter 18), Part 9, Sefikura Edition

Armor Removed Mod, (Chapter 18), Part 8

Armor Removed/AC Outfit Mods, (Chapter 18), Part 7, Sefikura Edition

Armor Removed Mod, (Chapter 18), Part 6

Armor Removed Mod, (Chapter 18), Part 5

Armor Removed/AC Outfit Mods, (Chapter 18), Part 4, Sefikura Edition

Advent Children Outfit Mod, (Chapter 18), Part 3, Cloud

Armor Removed Mod, (Chapter 18), Part 2

Armor Removed Mod, (Chapter 18), Part 1

Beauty Marks, Cloud Edition

Beauty Marks, Sephiroth Edition

Jenova Cells Cloud Mod, (Chapter 18), Sephiroth & Cloud

Sexy Outfits Mod, (Chapters 8 & 13), Sefikura Edition

Sexy Outfits Mod, (Chapter 13), Sephiroth and Cloud

Mix and Match Mods, (Chapter 3), Sefikura Edition

Mix and Match Mods, (Chapter 3), Sephiroth and Cloud

Armor Removed Mod, (Chapter 16), Spilled Tea

Armor Removed Mod, (Chapter 13), Part 9, Sefikura Edition

Armor Removed Mod, (Chapter 13), Part 8, Sefikura Edition

Armor Removed Mod, (Chapter 13), Part 7

Armor Removed Mod, (Chapter 13), Part 6, Sephiroth & Cloud

Armor Removed Mod, (Chapter 13), Part 5, Sefikura Edition

Clothes Removed Mod, (Halloween Special), Part 2, Sefikura Edition

Clothes Removed Mod, (Halloween Special), Part 1

Armor Removed Mod, (Chapter 13), Part 4, Sephiroth & Cloud

Armor Removed Mod, (Chapter 13), Part 3, Sefikura Edition

Armor Removed Mod, (Chapter 13), Part 2

Armor Removed Mod, (Chapter 13), Part 1

Suit Mod, 250 Followers Thank You, (Sefikura) Part 6

Suit Mod, 250 Followers Thank You, (Cloud) Part 5

Suit Mod, 250 Followers Thank You, Part 4

Suit Mod, 250 Followers Thank You, (Sefikura) Part 3

Suit Mod, 250 Followers Thank You, (Cloud) Part 2

Suit Mod, 250 Followers Thank You, Part 1

Armor Removed Mod, (Chapter 3), Sefikura Edition

Armor Removed Mod, (Chapter 1), Cloud, Part 4

Armor Removed Mod, (Chapter 2 & 3), Part 3

Armor Removed Mod, (Chapters 1, 2, & 3) Cloud, Part 2

Armor Removed Mod, (Chapter 2) Part 1

Chapter 8, Scene 2, 200 Followers Thank You, Sefikura Edition

Chapter 8, Scene 2, 200 Followers Thank You, (Cloud) Part 2

Chapter 8, Scene 2, 200 Followers Thank You, Part 1

Chapter 8, Sefikura Edition

Chapter 8, Part 2

Chapter 8, Part 1

Test Shots with New Settings, Part 2

Test Shots with New Settings, Part 1

Chapter 2, Cloud, Part 2

Chapter 2, Cloud

Chapter 2

Chapter 3, Part 3

Chapter 3, Part 2

Chapter 3, Part 1

Chapter 3, Sefikura Edition Part 1

Chapter 3, Sefikura Edition Part 2

Chapter 3, 150 Followers Thank You, Sefikura Edition

Chapter 3, 150 Followers Thank You