Once again, I apologize for the extreme lack of updates. I had finals and projects and all that other awful stuff. And I've been working on a lot of original stories, so that eats a lot of my time.
There was a scene in this chapter that was very difficult for me to write, which also added to the delay, as I continued to put it off. I'm still not entirely happy with it, well, I guess we'll see.
But, on the lighter side, this chapter includes a scene that a bunch of you have been waiting for!
Chapter 19
Castles Burning
Reno showed up again toward late afternoon and, true to his word, before the illusive Vincent Valentine. Axel and Roxas had long since cleaned themselves up (which had involved some wet, soapy shower groping) and readjusted the couch, checking it for any incriminating liquids. They were cuddled close together, Roxas spiky head resting on Axel's bony shoulder, when Reno banged in.
"Hey, bitches," he greeted them, tossing his keys and wallet onto the counter and collapsing onto a leather armchair.
"Where's your friend?" Roxas asked, lifting his head up.
Reno shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe he got killed on the way."
"That would suck."
"Yeah. He's nice eye candy."
Axel laughed, the sound vibrating low in his chest, rumbling against Roxas' ear. It made the blond feel safe, and the pale arms wrapped around his shoulders made him feel loved. He tipped his head up, trailing butterfly kisses over the curve of Axel's jaw. The redhead's breath caught just a little, making Roxas smile.
"I missed you, little brother," Reno said suddenly, examining his fingernails. "Glad you came by."
"No problem," Axel replied, sounding a little thrown.
"Now please don't make out in front of me." Reno covered the awkward movement smoothly, getting to his feet and moseying off down the hall.
"What was that about?" Roxas asked.
Axel shrugged. "Reno's not too good with expressing himself. Kind of like me, I guess."
Roxas sighed sleepily, burying his head into Axel's chest.
"Tired?"
The blond nodded, attempting to suppress a yawn. "Yeah. Don't know why though, all I did today was yell at Sora and lie around with you."
"Yeah, well that can be—."
Axel's words were cut off by the chime of the doorbell. Reno practically charged out of his bedroom, halfway through undressing, nothing on but boxers and a single sock. He opened the front door of the penthouse, bowing cheekily.
"Welcome to my humble abode, oh sexy warrior."
"Hey, watch your mouth."
A female voice had answered Reno, one that Axel thought he recognized, though it was so out of its element here it took him a moment to place it.
Two people followed Reno into the living room, the first a tall, black-haired man with eyes the color wine. He was stunning, but it was a cold beauty, like a pale, marble statue in a courtyard. Definitely not Axel's type. The other person was—
"Yuffie?"
Yuffie put her hands on her hips, cocking an eyebrow. "Axel? What the fuck are you doing here?"
Reno looked between the two of them. "You two know each other?"
"Hell yeah we do," Yuffie said. "Friends from school."
Vincent's lips quirked up. "Small world," he said, giving Yuffie a very recognizable look. The one of a man completely infatuated. Axel knew it was the expression he often wore whenever he was with Roxas.
Reno was looking Yuffie over, arms crossed over his skinny chest. "This your girlfriend, Valentine?" Yuffie grabbed Vincent's hand possessively, as if she could sense Reno's less than pure intentions. "Kind of scrawny, ain't she?"
"Uh, Bro?" Axel called from the couch, sitting up a little further, letting Roxas slide off his lap. "I'd watch it if I were you. She'll fuck you up."
Yuffie nodded jauntily. "Yep. He's right, asshole." She glanced at Axel. "This your brother?" When he nodded she turned back to Reno, looking him up and down as shamelessly as he had her. "I can see the family resemblance. Ridiculous hair and and attitude that makes you wanna shove your head through the wall."
"Now that we've had this happy reunion," Vincent spoke, his voice cool and calm, slicing through the banter like a scythe. "I'd like to speak to Reno alone."
Axel was expecting his brother to make a lude joke or two, maybe grab his crotch, stick a hand down his boxers, but the redhead just nodded, the look on his face one of the most serious he'd ever seen on him.
"We can use Rufus' room."
Leon had a definite plan for the evening. Sit in the dark, drink, and angst.
The living room window was open, coaxing in the non-existent summer breeze. It was an uncomfortable night, stuffy and unsettled, the air charged with the threat of an approaching storm. Leon thought he could almost taste the trapped the lighting, smell the hint of rain in the air. Or that could have just been the tequila talking.
He slumped on the couch, valiantly trying to forget the fact he'd just been thoroughly and spectacularly rejected. Cloud was out with Sephiroth.
Leon threw back another shot, relishing the slow burn down his throat. Of course Cloud was out with Sephiroth. The guy had absolutely everything. He was gorgeous, suave, rich, and connected. Leon was a B-list director with absolutely no prospects and a shitty, low-rent studio apartment downtown.
Cloud, all I got to offer you is my love.
He snorted. He really was drunk. Disgustingly cliché poetry only began to fill his brain when he was fucked up.
His phone had rung twice that night, but he'd ignored it, choosing instead to keep his eyes glued to the dark parking lot. The streetlight had burnt out, eradicating the yellow pool of light, and leaving Leon in his own little dark world of self-pity.
A ring broke the silence of the apartment, destroying Leon's solemnity for the third time. Leon took another shot, fully prepared to ignore the call the same way he'd done the last two. The machine clicked on after the fourth tone.
"Hey, this is Leon. Leave a message."
"Hey…Leon, it's Cloud."
Leon's head snapped up, attention as taut as a bowstring.
"I'm at Sephiroth's apartment…it's downtown, 24 Harrington, apartment 543. Uh…could you come pick me up? I…uh…I don't really want to be here. Sorry to bother you about this….uh…yeah. Thanks."
Leon stumbled to his feet, digging his keys out of his pocket. He'd barely taken two steps before the world listed sharply to the right, and he found himself grasping at the wall for support, remembering the four shots he'd just had in the space of ten minutes.
"Shit!" he yelled, voice alarmingly loud in the evening stillness.
Tripping his way along the dark hall to his bedroom, he groped around the bed stand, irrational triumph flashing through him when he felt the familiar shape of his cell phone. He flipped it open, bringing up his phonebook, and calling the first name that came to mind.
"Hello?"
A voice he knew well, a voice he'd commanded and shaped to his will over the last two months.
"Riku!"
A pause. "Leon?"
"Yeah. I need your help. Right now."
"Are you okay? You don't sound so good. Are you—?"
"Drunk. Yeah, drunk as fuck." He swallowed, casting his mind around for what he was supposed to be talking about. Oh yes. "Cloud, I need to get Cloud. I can't drive."
Riku made a coughing sound that could have been hiding a snicker. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Boss. Start over. Cloud, you mean, Cloud the sexy tech director? That Cloud."
Leon nodded furiously, before he realized Riku couldn't see him through the phone. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to force his foggy brain into action.
"Cloud's on a date. He called me and said he doesn't want to be there anymore. Can't drive. I'm too drunk. Please help me. I'll be eternally grateful," he added, his inebriated state thinking this would be a good touch.
When Riku spoke again, it sounded like he was making an effort not to crack up. Leon knew he sounded like a dumbass, but he couldn't quite bring himself to care. Cloud needed him.
"Okay, Leon, I'll be over there as soon as I can. You still live in that old ratty apartment?"
"Yeah," Leon answered, feeling mildly insulted.
"I'll be over there as soon as I can. Ditch the bottle."
"So…Cloud."
Sephiroth was sitting alarmingly close to him, a hand on his thigh, stroking slowly up and down. Cloud tried to relax back against the dark leather couch, but he couldn't do it. His body was tingling with an uncomfortable mix of nerves and arousal, and it left him jumpy and unsettled. Sephiroth took an elegant sip of his highball, leaning close.
"So Cloud…tell me, when did this interesting fascination with pain begin?"
Cloud's chest tightened, a familiar sense of shame stirring inside of him.
"I…I'm not really sure, I don't…"
"Don't be embarrassed," Sephiroth murmured in his ear, breath warm. "I think it's sexy."
"Yeah, you…mentioned that," Cloud stuttered, remembering the pleased smirk that had dawned on the silver-haired man's face when he'd seen his scarred nipples.
"You have an incredible body," Sephiroth went on shamelessly. "The idea of you doing such dirty things to it…" He laughed softly, clearly leaving off to let Cloud's imagination fill in the blanks. And did it ever fill in those blanks.
It didn't take very long for Sephiroth to lean in and press his lips to the corner of Cloud's. After a moment's hesitation, the blonde opened his mouth, letting the other man's tongue stroke its way inside.
He'd only ever kissed a handful of people in his life. Women, and all of them had been similar. Timid, polite, loving. Pleasant enough. Nothing skin-searing.
Sephiroth's kisses were vicious, violent and intense. A probing tongue and a pair of roving hands filled Cloud's world, filling him with a flush of heat. But still, it felt wrong, felt frightening. He broke away, coughing a little, breathless. There was a funny taste in his mouth, something other than brandy and saliva.
"Sorry," Sephiroth muttered, though he sounded anything but. The last thing Cloud saw before darkness enclosed him, was a pair of shining green eyes.
-------
"Hey Boss, I think he's wakin' up."
Cloud woke in stages, head foggy and pounding. He became aware that his arms ached, but when he tried to ease them he found they were suspended over his head. Trapped.
"What…" His voice was a hoarse, strangled whisper.
"He's most definitely waking up." Another voice, lower and deeper, scratchier.
"Fuck…" Cloud's head was swimming. He couldn't remember…couldn't remember…
He opened his eyes slowly, taking in the blank, shadowed wall in front of him. He was in the center of the room, feet scraping against the rough wooden floor. It was uncomfortably warm, especially after the industrial strength air conditioning of Sephiroth's flat. Sephiroth…that's right…he'd been on a date with—
"Sephiroth!" He didn't know if he was crying for help, or crying out in fear, but it was suddenly very important that he wasn't alone. "Sephiroth!"
"Over here, Cloud."
Everything was flooded with harsh white light. Cloud moaned, head pounding, eyelids fluttering. The room hadn't become any friendlier now that he could make things out. On the contrary, the harsh, blank walls looked more ominous than ever.
Sephiroth was in the corner, camera set up on a tall tripod, hair pulled back from his face. The sharp lines of his cheekbones were vicious in the fluorescent light.
"Seph…what?" Cloud didn't couldn't finish the sentence, because two more people had stepped into his line of vision, people he didn't know.
They were both large, burly men, the first slightly more muscular than the second. The first was hard-faced and dark, hair spun into a multitude of dreadlocks. The second man was bleached-blonde and rather arrogant looking, arms crossed across his chest. They wore identical looks of skepticism.
"This is your masochist?" the first one guffawed, arching a thick eyebrow. "Looks too pretty."
"Looks like he'd break too easy," the second chimed in.
Sephiroth laughed, the sound echoing eerily around the close room. "Looks can be deceiving."
"What's going on?" Cloud demanded, though it came out in little more than a squeak. He was scared and angry and confused, arms numb and aching.
The corner of Sephiroth's curled up. He snapped a picture. "Just a little photo shoot, Cloud. One of my newest projects."
Dreadlocks laughed, a deep, gravelly sound. "The defenseless virgin being ravaged by two huge cocks." He grabbed his crotch for emphasis.
Sephiroth made a tutting noise. "Don't be crude, Xaldin."
The second man joined in Dreadlocks' laughter. "There isn't anyone cruder than you, Boss."
"Sephiroth…" Cloud was shaking, body going cold despite the suffocating heat pressing in on them. "Please…"
The silver-haired man smiled, but it was nothing like the warm, adoring smile Cloud had become used to. It was cold and distant, like he was watching Sephiroth from the end of a tunnel.
"Don't worry, Cloud. I'll stop them if things get really out of hand."
"What—." His throat stuck and he had to try again. "What are you doing?"
"Like I said, just a photo shoot."
Xaldin had circled behind him, the blond man remaining still for now, smirk fixed firmly in place. Cloud felt a hand on his shoulder, raising the hair on the back of his neck.
"Don't touch me!" he snapped, jerking away, chains rattling, head pounding as the room swooped. Xaldin laughed, hands running down his back to grab his ass.
"Hot damn, Boss. Where did you find this kid?" A hot, wet mouth descended on the nape of Cloud's neck, sucking and nibbling. "He's fucking delicious."
"Mmm hmm," Sephiroth hummed, snapping a few pictures.
"Yo, Luxford, get him hard, would you?" Xaldin called. Cloud felt a sob rising in his throat, but he forced it back down. He would not fall apart in front of these men. Would not show Sephiroth what a weak little boy he was.
"Get him hard," Xaldin repeated, giving his ass another rough squeeze.
"With pleasure," Luxford, the blond, drawled lustily, flipping open a switchblade. "Let's see just how much pain you can take, baby."
"Don't…" Cloud's breath left him in rush as the knife tip slid across his pectoral, just grazing the edge of his nipple. He gasped, the sharp pain sending arousal through him to mix with the mounting panic.
"No, no, no," he moaned under his breath, as a familiar heat pooled in his groin. Luxford rubbed his hardening cock through his pants, his touch rough and pawing. He felt dirty.
Cloud clenched his teeth against the pleasure. The knife went back for several more small, shallow cuts, until warm blood seeped down his chest in crimson lines. Sephiroth continued to snap pictures, as Cloud's pants were unzipped. Luxford's expression was hungry as he drew his rigid dick out of its confines, giving it a couple of hard strokes.
"Stop!" Cloud practically yelped, hating that it felt so good, felt so good to feel someone else's touch besides his own for the first time in weeks. Xaldin's hands had left off feeling the muscles of his back, the big man's presence gone for the time being. He didn't want to know what he'd gone to do.
"Sephiroth please!" He tried to keep the desperation out of his voice, tried to sound tough, sound like a man, but the fear made his voice shake. The shame of enjoying the touch of this pervert's hand. "Sephiroth, make them stop! Please! I don't like this!"
Sephiroth was changing the lens on his camera. He glanced up briefly. "That's not the safe word, Strife," he cooed.
Leon met Riku out on the street, in front of his apartment. The kid drove up in that ostentatiously shiny car of his. It annoyed Leon even through the alcohol haze. Riku was a brilliant actor, and he came from money. Some people got all the luck. He walked around to the passenger side, opened the door, and saw it was occupied by a spiky-haired brunette boy grinning rather apologetically.
Leon grunted, sliding into the back instead. It was roomy and smelled like new leather, though he knew for a fact Riku had had the car for a few years now.
"Hey, Leon, what was the address again?"
"24 Harrington," Leon called, louder than was necessary. He was suddenly so tired. He just wanted to curl up and go to sleep. But he couldn't, he reminded himself. He had to stay up for Cloud's sake.
The alcohol haze wasn't doing a thing to stop the image of innumerable horrors from cartwheeling through his mind, things the photographer might be doing to the blond right now. Rape, mutilation, humiliation…
The thing that really bothered him, however, was the notion that he might be about to walk into something completely different. Sure, Cloud had been feeling nervous, been wanting to leave a half an hour ago, but who wasn't a little anxious their first time? Leon wouldn't be able to handle it, if he rushed into save him and was greeted by the sight of something calm and consensual. Sephiroth teaching him the finer points of making love.
The idea of that perfect body shuddering, those beautiful eyes screwed up in ecstasy caused by another man, made Leon sick. And the idea that he'd rather Cloud was being abused than enjoying sex with Sephiroth filled him with a shame so deep it was a physical ache.
"Hey, Leon, this is my boyfriend Sora."
Riku called back from the driver's seat, shaking Leon from his self-pity. The little brunette smiled back at him kindly. He was kind of cute, big blue eyes and high cheekbones, though kids weren't really Leon's thing.
"Nice to meet you, Sora," he said, shaking the boy's hand.
"I hope everything turns out okay," he said, with such sincerity that Leon felt compelled to return his smile.
"Thanks," he muttered, leaning his head back and trying to think of a way that this could end happily. Maybe Cloud leaping into his arms, kissing him passionately right in front of Sephiroth.
Yeah, Leon thought, with a self deprecating snort, Right.
"He's going to be okay, Leon."
Leon looked up to see Riku's blue-green eyes reflected back in the rear-view mirror, more serious than he'd ever seen them before. At rehearsal he was all coy smiles and careful arrogance. Leon had always thought of him as an actor, not a person, never as someone likely to become a friend.
"How could you possibly know that?" he asked after a moment.
Riku shrugged, eyes shifting back to the road. "I just do. And if he's not, if something happened to him, then he's got you to take care of him."
Leon squeezed his eyes shut, praying, praying that Riku was speaking the truth.
Cloud choked on another moan, forcing it back down his throat. The whip landed on his back once again, making his body jerk, the blood surge to his groin. Luxford's strokes were strong and quick—his entire back was on fire. That would have been alright, he could handle pain. Liked pain. But Xaldin standing in front of him, stroking his hard, slippery cock, muttering awful things in his ears…he couldn't stand that. It made his whole being tremble with shame.
"Ya like this, don't you, baby?" Xaldin hissed, nipping his ear, licking his neck. Cloud whimpered as the caresses grew rougher and the whip was brought down again. Through it all, Sephiroth continued to snap pictures, face creased in business-like concentration.
"Just a couple more minutes, baby," Xaldin muttered hotly, "Then I'll slide you down my throat." He gave his cock a squeeze. "You'll return the favor, won't you? Let me cum all over your pretty face?"
"Fuck you," Cloud gasped out, body so tired and limp he hardly reacted to the stinging swish of the blows, barely heard them. Barely felt them.
"Going numb? Luxford, lay off a second." The blows stopped immediately. Xaldin reached around, caressing Cloud's stinging back. "No point if he can't feel it."
Cloud's eyes closed, groaning as he felt the bite of the switchblade again, digging into his chest. It was all becoming too much, the hate and panic surging through his body overcoming the arousal of the pain. He felt himself beginning to soften.
"None'a that now," Xaldin tutted, giving his dick another rough squeeze.
"Please," Cloud rasped, eyelids fluttering. "Stop."
To his surprise, Xaldin did just that. He let his penis go, glancing over his shoulder to Sephiroth.
"Hey, Boss, you did give the kid a safeword, didn't you?"
Sephiroth pushed his hair out of his eyes, changing the filter on his camera lens with a snap. "That's not any of your concern, Xaldin. You're getting paid to put on a show. Do it."
Xaldin's heavy features had fallen a bit, a line bisecting his forehead. "Boss, this is a volunteer, isn't it? He's a model, right?" He looked back at Cloud, searching for some sort of confirmation. "Right?"
Cloud breathing was heavy and choking as he grunted, "No."
Quick emotions flashed across Xaldin's face, staring with shock and settling on anger. "Sephiroth, did you just pick some kid off the street?"
"No," Sephiroth said, unruffled. "He works for me."
"I quit," Cloud spat. "Xaldin, let me go."
The dark-haired man tossed the switchblade to the floor. "Luxford, toss me the keys."
"Luxford…" Sephiroth's brow was raised, as if daring the blond man to obey.
Something glinted silver as it arched over Cloud's shoulder. Xaldin caught it, unlocking his cuffs. He grasped Cloud by the shoulders before he could hit the ground. His body shook, legs and arms numb. Everything hurt.
"Help me, Luxford," Xaldin grunted. Cloud felt the other man take his shoulder, the two of them half carrying, half dragging him to the door. Sephiroth hadn't moved from his place in the corner.
"The two of you are fired, just so we're clear," he said quietly, voice satiny and dangerous. "And Cloud." Those gleaming, frightening eyes fixed him in place. "Attempt to press charges, and I'll have him killed. You know who I mean, and you know I'm good for it."
-----------
Leon met them halfway down the fifth floor hallway. Cloud, pants flapping open, blood trickling down his chest, supported by two thuggish men who looked like they'd just traipsed out of a Bond movie.
"Cloud!" he shouted, clearing the last few yards between them at a sprint. "What the fuck happened to him?"
"Calm down, man," the bigger of the two men said, the one with dark dread-locks and sideburns that looked like they had a life of their own. "He yours?"
"Yes!" Leon snapped, almost snatching Cloud away from the two of them. The blond sagged into his arms, blue eyes hazy beneath their fluttering lids.
"Later," Dread-locks said, tipping an imaginary hat.
Leon didn't respond to them, just put Cloud's arm over his shoulder, sliding his hand around to grip his hip. He whispered words of encouragement and comfort, helping him slowly toward the elevator.
"Do you want something to drink?"
Cloud raised his eyes slowly. He was numb all over—a bubble of cold had formed in his chest, despite the sweat running down his back, making the lash marks sting. The heat had become increasingly oppressive all evening, and now he could hear thunder in the distance, rolling deep and echoing.
"Sure," he said, remembering he was supposed to answer. Something landed beside him on the sofa, sloshing softly against his thigh. He took the bottle and read the label. "Tequila? You think I need it?"
Leon shrugged. He leaned back against the kitchen wall, crossing his arms. "I have lime if you want it."
Cloud laughed shortly, unscrewing the cap. "This is fine." It burned all the way down, but it didn't do anything to melt the gathering cold.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Cloud felt sick, and he knew it had nothing to do with the tequila. "What is there to talk about?" His eyes were glued to the carpet.
"How about what happened?" Leon prompted stiffly. "About you being mutilated by that son of a bitch?" Cloud could tell he'd come a few feet closer.
He took another sip out of the bottle. "Nothing happened."
"I don't want bullshit." Leon's voice had hardened. It was like iron now, like cold steel. "They beat you, Cloud. They fucking hurt you."
"It doesn't hurt." Cloud felt things beginning to get fuzzy. He was getting drunk. Good.
"Then why don't you put a shirt on?"
Cloud shifted his bare shoulders against the couch. "It's hot."
"Yeah, it is." A pause with nothing but breathing and increasing tension. "Cloud, look at me."
His eyes stayed on the floor. "Why?"
"Because I don't think you can lie to me while you meet my eyes."
Cloud let out a harsh, slightly crazy-sounding laugh. "Great. You can know exactly what I'm thinking. Am I that fucking transparent, Leon?" He looked at him. "Am I?"
Leon's eyes were narrowed. Thunder rumbled far-off as he said, "Yes."
Cloud nodded, feeling tears burn at the corner of his eyes. He finished off the tequila and dragged the back of his hand across his lips. "Fucking brilliant." The apartment swayed as he tripped to his feet. "Just beautiful. I'm just perfect to take advantage of. Just a dumb, naïve idiot." He was babbling by now, refusing to look anywhere but at the carpet.
"Cloud, you're drunk."
"No shit." He stumbled toward the door, grasping at the wall for support. "You're the one who gave me the damn stuff."
"Where are you going?"
"Away."
"There's nowhere for you to go. You'll get hurt."
Cloud turned on his heel, the tears gone, the cold gone. Anger in its place. "Who the fuck are you, my mother?"
Something flashed across Leon's face, something dark and furious. His hair was sweaty, strands stuck to his neck and bare shoulders. His loose jeans were hanging low, revealing the swell of a hipbone.
"No, I'm not your mother. I'm just worried about you."
Cloud laughed. "Yeah, that's right. You're definitely not my mother. My mother doesn't want to fuck me."
Leon looked unimpressed. "Is that what's bothering you? The fact that I'm attracted to you?"
"No!" Cloud wanted to hit something, break something, but there was nothing within reach. He settled for stamping his bare foot on the thin carpet. "Yes! It's all anyone wants! Me! This!" He ran his hands over his bare chest for emphasis. "It's all Sephiroth wanted."
Grey eyes locked with blue, before Leon let out a laugh. It was so unexpected, so inappropriate for the moment, that it stopped Cloud in his tracks.
"Oh, is that all he wanted, Cloud? What a shock. It's not like you're fucking beautiful or anything."
"Is that supposed to comfort me, Leon? Is it supposed to make it okay that a bunch of strange men chained me up and molested me?"
"I didn't say that." Leon was punctuated every word with a step forward, one hand in his pocket, pulling those pants further down. Cloud could see the thin trail of hair disappearing below his waistband. "But you sure do make one hell of a good victim."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Cloud was a few paces away from the door. He could be out of there in a moment.
"It means you just invite abuse. You're such a—," Leon's arms snapped forward, pinning Cloud to the front door, hard. "Pushover." He whispered it hot in his ear.
Cloud writhed, crying out as rough paint on the door scratched the smarting cuts on his back. His body thrummed with sudden, shuddering arousal. Part of it was from the pain, but a good lot of it had to do with Leon's proximity, his warm breath on his cheek, hands moving slowly up his sides.
"You liked it, didn't you?" he breathed. "You liked being tied up and beaten."
Cloud hissed, breath coming fast as Leon's tongue played with the curve of his jaw, moving to the sensitive point below his ear. The hands smoothing over his chest swept across his nipples, making him arch his back against the wall.
"Ahh!" A short, abrupt gasp of pleasure.
Leon's fingers twisted into his hair, forcing his face up. "Well, did you?"
Cloud let out a shaky breath. He shoved Leon away from him. "I am not a pushover." The brunette fell into the back of the couch, sliding to the floor. Cloud was on him in a moment, pinning him to the carpet and grabbing him by the hair. Their mouths tantalized for a moment, breathing the same breath, before Leon's hand gripped his jaw, pulling him forward.
The kiss was hot and wet, delicious and terrifying at the same time. Cloud couldn't catch his breath, but he didn't want to stop, not even when Leon's tongue pushed its way into his mouth, arms wrapping around his waist and pulling him down on top of him. Leon parted his legs so Cloud was lying between them, their groins grinding together.
Cloud gasped into the kiss, breaking away to groan as Leon's hands moved feather-light across his raw back. His whole body was shivering, shaking with pleasure and need. He made to press his lips back to Leon's, but a hand wound into his spiky hair, restraining him.
"What are we doing here?" he asked, voice low and husky. His eyes were narrowed and hazy with arousal. "What is this?"
"Foreplay," Cloud answered, dipping his head to kiss the stiff muscle in the brunette's throat. "I want you to fuck me."
He felt Leon's whole body shudder underneath him. "I want…I want to. But you're using me."
Cloud flicked his tongue along his jaw. "And you're taking advantage of me, in my needy, drunken state." He smiled. "Are you really going to say no?"
Leon shook his head. "No fucking way."
Leon led the way to his bedroom, a million different emotions swirling inside his head. This was nothing like he'd imagined his first encounter with Cloud would be. He'd always thought it would be gentle, bringing the blond to ecstasy with soft kisses and slow strokes.
But this—this was so much better. The hungry, furious kisses, the way Cloud practically tore his shirt off, the way he stretched out on Leon's bed with his hands behind his head. The odd combination of trauma and tequila had wrought a definite change in Cloud's behavior. The walls had come down, the carefully concealed man Leon was falling in love with laid bare for him to see.
"So how do we start?" Cloud asked. He stretched like a cat, looking positively delicious against the dark sheets. One of the cuts had opened back up on his chest, but he didn't seem bothered by it. His eyes glowed blue in the darkness.
Leon crawled across the mattress, kissing him on the shoulder. "Take off your pants."
"You first," Cloud murmured, eyes sliding closed as Leon licked the curve of his ear. He really seemed to like that. The brunette put that away for later use. He wanted to know all the things that turned Cloud on. Besides pain, of course. And he was looking forward to exploring that as well—but not now. Cloud had had enough pain for one night. Enough abuse.
He smirked, standing up beside the bed and unsnapping his jeans. He slid them off slowly, boxers and all, watching the lust burn in Cloud's eyes. Why had Leon ever had any doubt about Cloud liking men?
He tossed his pants on the floor, grin widening as he saw Cloud's eyes travel downward. "Jesus."
Leon wrapped a loose hand around his stiff cock, giving it a few light strokes. Heat shot through his belly. "Impressed?"
Cloud grinned. "Not yet." He shucked off his own pants, lifting his ass up off the bed and tugging them awkwardly down his legs, finally giving Leon what he'd been longing to see since the moment he'd set eyes on the man. Cloud blushed, looking down, then moving his eyes quickly back up, as there was nothing down there to look at but his erection.
"Fuck, Strife," Leon breathed, crawling back onto the bed, across the terrain of unmade bedclothes. "You are so beautiful."
"Yeah?" It was meant to sound teasing, but it came out more than a little insecure. Cloud needed to be assured of his desirability. Leon could do that.
"Yeah," he breathed, leaning down to kiss the inside of Cloud's knee. His legs were tense and muscular, the hair on them soft and downy. His cock was thick and flushed red with arousal. He was uncircumcised. Leon kissed up his thigh, until the blond was almost trembling. He looked up, giving him the most reassuring smile he could.
He stretched out overtop his body, kissing him again, feeling Cloud's breath catch as their cocks brushed. Leon moved his mouth to his neck, licking and sucking at the soft skin. He'd waited so long for this, he was planning on taking it as slow as he could. Make it last all night, maybe.
"What do you like?" Leon breathed.
"What?"
He raised his head, catching the look of nervousness in Cloud's startling eyes before it was quickly covered by lust as he wrapped a hand around the blond's hardening dick.
"What do you like? I mean, what do you want me to do?" He narrowed his eyes into what he hoped was a sexy expression. "How far do you want to go?"
Cloud didn't answer, and for a moment Leon thought he'd sunk back into seclusion, pulled is head and limbs back inside the shell. But then, very quietly, "Just make me feel good."
Leon smiled. "That, I can do." He sat back, letting his eyes wander down Cloud's chest, to the wonderfully abused pair of nipples. Once again, the thought of Cloud slicing into one of the most sensitive parts of his body for pleasure sent a sharp bolt of arousal into Leon's groin, making his cock twitch.
"Mmmm…Strife, you have no idea how hot you make me," he muttered, leaning in and licking at a perked nipple. Shivers racked the blond's body, making him whimper.
"That…that feels so good," he gasped out, as Leon continued to lick and suck. He could feel gooseflesh breaking out over Cloud's arms. He pinched the other nipple between his thumb and forefinger, rolling it along in time with his tongue.
"Leon…" Cloud was almost panting. "Leon, Leon stop! Stop, that feels—."
Leon made a little growling noise in his throat, grasping the blond's dripping shaft, jerking quickly, sliding the foreskin up and down. Cloud moaned sharply, his cock twitching in his hand. He was hard up as hell, that much was sure. Leon ran a light fingernail up the pulsing vein, admiring the way Cloud's brow creased with the pleasure. His whole body was tight; it felt like he was getting ready to blow. His hips were writhing against the mattress.
"Leon!" Cloud's hands clawed at his chest, trying to push him away. "Leon, stop, I'm gonna…"
"Shhhh…" Leon crooned, kissing his neck. "It's okay. Let go." Cloud's penis was twitching and thickening in his hand. He rubbed a finger against the agonizingly sensitive head, making the blond gasp brokenly in his throat. He bit down hard on a nipple. Cloud's entire body jerked, his hands gripping Leon's arms as he came. Warm, thick liquid splashed over Leon's hand, speckling over his chest.
Cloud's breath came quick and frenzied, eyes squeezing shut as his body shuddered in Leon's arms. He was so beautiful, so perfect in the throes of pleasure.
"I'm sorry," he muttered after a moment, turning his face away.
Leon caught his chin. "Sorry? Sorry for what?"
Cloud wrinkled his nose, fingers trailing through the spooge on Leon's chest. He held up two fingers, dripping with white fluid. Leon laughed, smoothing Cloud's hair back from his forehead.
"Don't be sorry," he murmured. "I like it." He leaned forward, sucking the fingers into his mouth.
Cloud made a disgusted sound in the back of his throat. "Doesn't that taste awful?"
Leon chuckled. "Well, it's not exactly a delicacy. But it's not really that bad. Besides…" He kissed Cloud softly on the curve of his jaw. "If I hadn't wanted you to cum I wouldn't have jerked you off so hard."
Cloud's face burned pink, just as he knew it would.
"You liked it, though, didn't you?" Leon asked with a slightly devilish smile. "It looked like you did."
Cloud nodded. "It was…really intense."
"Good." Leon kissed him softly at the corner of his mouth, sliding down his body and licking the sensitive area where his hip, stomach, and groin met. Cloud hissed softly. His muscles, so taut only a few moments ago, had loosened boneless into afterglow. He was so beautiful, so perfect. To Leon he looked like some mythic creature, a golden-headed god of lust lying sated on a bed of silk.
Leon paused for a moment, before lightly stroking Cloud's softening penis, taking the head into his mouth and sucking, swirling his tongue around.
"Fuck!" Cloud cried, body clenching in a combination of aching pleasure and discomfort. "Stop that!"
Leon let it drop from his mouth, licking his lips slowly. "Too much?"
Cloud nodded shakily, eyes hazy with post-coital glow. "Yeah." His gaze drifted down Leon's body, settling between his legs. "Are you going to do something about that?"
"This?" Leon wrapped a hand around himself, unable to stifle a little gasp in his throat. He was so hard by now, it would only take a few strokes to finish him off. He fervently didn't want to do it in front of Cloud, didn't want the blond to think he had no staying power.
Cloud seemed to be struggling with something. "Do you…" He bit his lower lip, looking nervous. "Do you want to fuck me?"
The idea sent waves of heat through Leon, making his cock throb even harder. He wanted to, dear god did he want to.
Slowly, he shook his head. "Not right now. It's something you have to build up to." He gave himself a few slow strokes, already feeling the heat in his stomach coiling tight. He let his eyes slide shut, but quickly opened them again when he felt a hand that wasn't his own close around his shaft.
Cloud was smiling jauntily at him. "Let's start building then, shall we?"
There you have it! Finally, after long last, some Cloud/Leon action!
Review, bitches! Last chapter I got about half the reviews I normally get. Come on, sex scenes deserve reviews, right?
Oh, and I have another multi-chapter fic up called Bad Medicine. It's Leon/Riku, so go check it out!