At The Edge Of Oblivion

By: Silver Rayne

Chapter 4

It was very early in the morning, especially for a Sunday, but all of Midgar was wide awake. People were peering out from behind their curtains and coming out of their houses to see what all the commotion was about. At first, they focused primarily on Cloud and his efforts to dodge every line of intent from Sephiroth’s sword. Then, one- by-one, the people began to really see Sephiroth.

“You killed my husband!,” an elderly woman shouted at Sephiroth. She ran towards him with a piece of wood in her hands.

Sephiroth knocked the woman away and punched another man accusing him of burning his children to ashes. Soon, he lost sight of Cloud as the gathered crowd circled him, demanding a public lynching or severing his head from his body. There were two sides of Sephiroth reacting to the danger. One was laughing at the puny mortals before him, reveling in their ignorance. The other half wanted to keep his limbs in place and his body free of scars which would only ruin his appearance.

“Cloud!” Sephiroth moved from one person to another, trying to break free of the circle. There was no mercy to be found or given. They wanted blood. His blood.

So many angry faces. All they were asking for was what they were entitled to, revenge for the wrongs Sephiroth had committed against them. But, nothing would be gained by murdering Sephiroth. He wasn’t the monster he seemed to be, Cloud knew this. Sephiroth was the victim of a heartless scientist who had played god with an innocent man.

The dark side of Sephiroth, the one that had crept back into him to kill Cloud, suddenly dived below the streets and into the underground railway system. He would not be caught up in Sephiroth’s fate. Somehow, Evil Sephiroth would find a way to thrive without his host’s body and mind. It had to better than being whipped by stones or poked with pitchforks.

Cloud saw Sephiroth’s expression change to confusion and barely concealed fear. He knew why the people were angry but he pleaded with them, denying responsibility.

“WAIT!” Cloud stood in front of Sephiroth and blocked one man’s gun from jabbing into his stomach. “He isn’t the man you once knew.”

“Then why was he trying to cut your head off?,” the old woman yelled. “You want to protect this…DEMON?”

How many of the onlookers were relatives of the people of Nibelheim? They all knew the crimes and atrocities of Sephiroth’s past. Even in Midgar, Sephiroth was loathed as dearly as Satan himself. The shouts and screams grew louder while Sephiroth tried to think of a way out. Cloud was daring anyone to hit him to get to Sephiroth. For a couple of minutes, it worked because they were good people and didn’t want to involve Cloud. “Did I really cause all this?”

“Not now,” Cloud whispered.

“Maybe it’s best if I get this over with.” There was a hint of resignation in Sephiroth’s tone, as if he couldn’t care less whether he was captured or not.

Cloud looked up at Sephiroth with mourning eyes. “Can’t you think of someone besides yourself? Do you think I want you to die?”

“GET OUT OF THE WAY!” A teenage girl kicked Cloud’s shins and plunged a knife into Sephiroth’s side.

Sephiroth picked her up by her neck and tossed her into the crowd. “Cloud, come on!”

They ran down the street and were hassled by the people ahead who tried to stop them. None of them were athletes or former soldiers so they quickly fell behind.

“Did she get you?,” Cloud called out from Sephiroth’s right side.

“No, she would not make a good assassin.”

“Well, I’m going to be feeling that kick she gave me every time I stand up.”

“Where are we going?” A rock went sailing above Sephiroth’s head. “This can’t be helpful.”

“Rocket Town. Vincent is there, maybe he can shed some light on your split personality problem.” They turned a corner and slowed down to catch their breath.

“The vampire? No thank-you.”

“Don’t be so arrogant. He went through similar experiments and might be able to reverse the process.”

“Hmph! Him? That I would like to see.” The harbor was coming into view and with it plenty of boats that weren’t tied up too tightly. “You get in and I’ll untie the rope,” Sephiroth ordered. The mob wasn’t far off but they didn’t make it in time to witness Sephiroth’s powerful rowing techniques.

>From another boat, Evil Sephiroth swore upon missing their departure. If he had known that Cloud wasn’t so wimpy and would save his host’s body, he would have stayed with it. He wasn’t as strong or threatening on his own. Sephiroth had to be within a reasonable distance for him to reconnect but now that couldn’t be done. Evil Sephiroth lurked in the shadows, plotting of a way to locate his other self.

“I don’t know where I’d be if I didn’t have you,” Sephiroth said as he rowed further away from shore.

Cloud stared into the incoming fog and sighed. “I feel seasick,” he groaned.

“How bad?”

“The water is spinning. Couldn’t you have stolen a powerboat?”

When they were out of range from anyone who may have tried to follow, Sephiroth dropped the oars and moved over to Cloud. “I can remedy that.” He was so close, his long hair blowing in the wind. Sephiroth was like some angel from above, offering Cloud something forbidden. “Only if you permit it.”

“What did you have in mind?” Cloud felt his thighs grow warm and looked down to see Sephiroth’s hands on them.

“I’ve always been astounded by your beauty, Cloud. You look at me in such a way that no one else has ever bothered to before. If I had been more like you…”

“You would have been screwed up the same way as I am now. I’m still trying to get over my fantasy of pretending to be someone I’m not. How many times do I have to tell you that you aren’t a bad person?”

Too many years of longing for Cloud spilled out of Sephiroth’s hands as he caressed Cloud’s face, pulling him off of the wooden bench and onto the bottom of the boat. Cloud allowed it, wanted it just as badly but was too afraid to say so. “Do you have any idea how you make me feel?” Sephiroth lay on top of Cloud, burying his face into Cloud’s shoulder and brushing his fingers through the unruly strands of blonde hair in his way.

“I think so,” Cloud gasped as Sephiroth’s concealed erection pressed against his leg. He stroked Sephiroth’s silky hair, kissing his forehead. “I feel the same way.”

“It’s so frustrating…not being able to do what I please to you at this very moment.”

“Sephiroth, this isn’t just a physical thing, is it?”

Sephiroth raised himself up and looked down into Cloud’s face. Their lips were almost touching and their heavy breathing stimulated the atmosphere. “That would be beneficial to you, wouldn’t it? It would give you an excuse to hide from me and avoid ‘this’. Haven’t you ever been with anyone? Can’t you tell that I want more than your body?”

Cloud’s pale skin darkened to a shade of red. “That’s none of your business.”

“What happened to our honesty? Maybe I’m invading your personal space.” Hoping that teasing would draw Cloud out, Sephiroth started to get up.

“Fine! I went out with Aerith on a date. There! Are you satisfied?”

Instead, Sephiroth became somber and disturbed. “Aerith. The girl whose life I ended.”

“Sephiroth!”

“I’ve become too self absorbed. You’ll have to remind me to stop wallowing in my own self pity.” Sephiroth forced the image of Aerith from his mind, the one where she had fallen forward, impaled from behind on his sword. He kissed Cloud’s neck and felt him shiver. “What did you and Aerith do on that one date?” Cloud described their short visit to the Gold Saucer but didn’t mention the ridiculous play he had participated in. “You call that a date?”

“She did.” Cloud was annoyed at Sephiroth’s amused expession. “What about you? A first class SOLDIER must have had many girls to boast about.”

“And guys,” Sephiroth added. “Although we never went to the Gold Saucer on a date. It was usually a movie, dinner and a romantic evening at my house.” The next time Sephiroth tried to kiss Cloud, he got a knee in his crotch. “What was that for?”

Cloud slipped out from under Sephiroth and went back to his wooden bench. “You went out with that many people but don’t know anything about being tactful.”

“I was only teasing.” Sephiroth sat beside Cloud and wrapped an arm around him. “The last thing I’m going to do is give you a detailed reenactment of each person I slept with. I didn’t want them as badly as I want you.”

“Really?”

“Yes.” Then Sephiroth tilted Cloud’s chin up and bent down to kiss his lips. There weren’t any distractions to stop him so he didn’t miss. Cloud was absolutely still and rigid when Sephiroth changed the friendly hug into an embrace. It was very quiet, even the wind and the waves ceased their movement. Sephiroth was trying to relax Cloud by massaging his back. When Cloud had released all of his tension, Sephiroth advanced. The sensation of Sephiroth’s tongue moving across his lips made Cloud resist and struggle. He didn’t know what to make of the intrusion of Sephiroth’s tongue sliding between his parted lips and into his mouth. Cloud gasped and heard himself moan when Sephiroth became more passionate. The kiss grew longer and deeper and neither of them wanted to break the intimacy of it. For his first kiss, Cloud was truly enjoying it. Cloud clung to Sephiroth’s waist and tried to bring him closer than he already was. They ended up falling back to the bottom of the boat with Sephiroth on top.

“That was aggressive,” scolded Sephiroth. “I never thought you had it in you.” He smiled and kissed Cloud for the second time. There were moments when Cloud wanted to return the kiss but ended up doing something clumsy and weird. Sephiroth was amused at his inexperience but had no desire to insult him. After a couple of lessons, Cloud was bound to be an expert at pleasing Sephiroth.

It didn’t take too long to get to Rocket Town so long as Sephiroth kept his hands on the oars and off of Cloud. They picked the perfect place to escape to seeing as how no one knew Sephiroth there. And it was relatively simple to locate Cid since he lived in the same house he had when Cloud first met him.

Shera, Cid’s miscellaneous house maid and assistant rocket technician, invited them in and boiled water for tea. They had to chat with her for an hour before Cid got home. He was messing with his plane again. Cid came home precisely at five o’clock and let the door slam behind him. “Shera, do we have guests? Who do these gawdy black boots belong to? Not the fucking mailman, I hope.” When Cid saw Sephiroth, he nearly jumped out of his skin. “SHIT!” Cid pulled his gun out and leveled it in front of Sephiroth’s chest. “You should have died the first time.”

Before Cid could pull the trigger, Cloud had rushed over and knocked the weapon down so that it fired the bullet through the floorboards. “We’re looking for Vincent,” Cloud explained. “We heard he was staying with you.”

“Damn it, kid! Does he have control of you again? Do I have to knock some sense into you?”

“I would not recommend it.” Sephiroth’s tone had grown cold. He took Cid’s words at face value and despised any attempts to harm Cloud.

“Will you listen to me? If you still want to shoot him after I’m finished, then we’ll leave.” Cid put the safety switch back onto his gun and motioned for Sephiroth to get up.

“I’ll listen but not in here. This is my house and he is not welcome in it.”

They talked or argued for most of the night before Cid agreed to let Sephiroth come back inside. He didn’t trust Cloud completely and wouldn’t let either of them out of his sight. The gun stayed with him and it was filled with bullets.

“Cid, where did you get these boots from?” It was Vincent’s voice. None of them had heard the man enter. Vincent wandered into the den where his visitors were waiting. “Sephiroth?” He didn’t sound angry or sad, only devoid of emotion.

“This jackass wants your help,” Cid snickered. “He’s got mental problems…thought you might have a cure. Do you buy that, Vincent?”

“What do you need from me?” Cid’s jaw dropped when Vincent walked straight over to Sephiroth and Cloud. His right arm was twitching and his clawed fingers clenched.

Cloud and Sephiroth remained in the den while Cid discussed the issue privately with Vincent. “Are you out of your freaking mind? There’s a homicidal maniac in my house with a voodoo curse over Cloud and you’re going to help him? I say kick them both out, that way I can’t be held accountable for plugging them full of lead.”

“Cid, put your gun away. They mean us no harm.” Vincent was a man of few words but he seemed to be very verbal on the subject. “Have you forgotten what I have been turned into? A monster with one arm and half a soul. I can relate to Sephiroth’s dilemma.” Vincent popped three frozen pizzas into the oven and opened a can of beer. He drank steadily from it, well aware of Cid’s stare.

“And Cloud? How does he fit into Sephiroth’s sob story?”

“Cloud doesn’t interest me. I owe Sephiroth for not being able to save his mother and my first true love.”

“You’re acting as if she was your last true love.” Cid lit up a cigarette before tossing a six-pack onto a tray with some nachos. “You owe me too for not coming home last night. Remember where you’re supposed to sleep. I’m not going to wait up for you to waltz in whenever you feel like it.”

Sephiroth ate and drank whatever he was offered but Cloud declined on getting drunk with the three older men. He was embarrassed when Sephiroth kissed him during the evening news. Cid was watching it to see if Sephiroth’s story checked out. Sure enough, there was a report on the disturbance in Midgar. Vincent watched Sephiroth pawing Cloud and glanced at Cid.

Cloud tasted the beer from Sephiroth and grimaced, he didn’t like alcohol. But it didn’t turn him off from being kissed. Cid was occupied with his television and only caught a glimpse of Cloud fixing his crinkled shirt. The fact that Sephiroth followed Cloud into the guestroom was of no concern to Cid. He was blind to their mutual attraction.

To get Sephiroth alone, Vincent beckoned him to the hallway. “I expect something in return for aiding you.”

“Nothing is ever free in this world.” Sephiroth shook his head at Vincent’s pitiful gaze. “You do me a favour, I do you a favour. Is that how it goes?”

“I want you to show me how to be romantic.”

“WHAT?!!”

“Shhh!!!” Vincent glared at Sephiroth. “Do you want Cid to hear?”

“Cid? That old crone?” He couldn’t help but smirk at the thought of the dark-haired man in bed with Cid, the short man with the gutter mouth.

“For your information, I am older than he is.” Now Vincent was getting impatient. “Will you or will you not do what I ask? Keep in mind that I have plenty of reasons to want you dead right now. I might not come up with a cure at all but a deadly virus that will eat you away from the inside-out.”

“There’s no need to be so melodramatic about it. I’ll do what I can but what makes you think that I am romantic?”

“You are sleeping with Cloud, aren’t you?”

“That’s none of your business.” Sephiroth could barely keep the thought out of his head. “Let’s stick to me giving you pointers. What goes on between Cloud and myself stays with us.”

Sephiroth spent the evening on the edge of the bed he was sharing with Cloud. His new love interest suspected that he would be obligated to give more than he wanted to if he got too close. It was hard to blame Cloud for the distance when Sephiroth was thinking dirty thoughts.

“VINCENT, you dropped your damn cape in with my laundry!” Cid was yelling at the top of his lungs. Cloud groaned and covered his head with the pillow. “My new boxers are fucking red!”

“He is the one who needs to learn to be romantic.” Sephiroth was startled when Cid flung the door open. “Do you mind!”

The pilot muttered something inaudible and folded his arms across his chest. “What’s going on in here? First you two are sworn enemies and now you’re bed buddies. I don’t want any of this crap in my house.”

“He’s nowhere near me,” protested Cloud.

“Tomorrow night, you’re on the couch.” He tapped his cigarette to shake off some ashes and fixed his eyes on Sephiroth. “I know your type. You’ll screw Cloud’s head up some more to get your kicks. He doesn’t need you molesting him.”

“Cid.” Vincent appeared in the doorway and placed a restraining hand on Cid’s shoulder. “I think Cloud is old enough to make his own decisions.”

“You! This is the hundredth time that I’ve had to warn you about my damn underwear.”

“Maybe I like them red.” Vincent was attempting a smile but couldn’t raise his head to look at Cid.

The concept of Vincent finding his boxers sexy when dyed red skipped over Cid. “And since when have you sided with Cloud’s poor judgement? You’re always telling me about the misled kid who lost his marbles.” Vincent was mouthing the words for Cid to shut up but he was on a roll. “Do you think that Cloud matured so much in the last few months that his sleeping with Sephiroth is normal?”

“Can I say something?” Cloud pushed Sephiroth out of the bed and stood nose-to-nose with Cid. “I am not sleeping with Sephiroth in that sense. And even if I was, you would have no right to stop me.” Cloud didn’t have to look at Sephiroth to know that he was drooling over the possibility. “Sephiroth, you can sleep on the couch tonight.”

“If he’s serious, Cid, you’re dead.” Sephiroth stomped past all three of them and gave Vincent the evil eye. “That flesh eating virus is starting to sound better by the minute.