The Inevitable: Chapter 1: Part 1

by Vireyda.

Rating: NC-17 for Yaoi (m/m) content, angst, sexual situations, spanking, violence, thoughts of suicide/death wishes, and death.

Cloud had to get out of there. He glided unseen down the hallway of the academy, highly aware of the imminent danger he was in. The constant orders, exercises, and people were getting under his skin. Besides that, he knew a couple of cadets would be looking for him, if they weren't already.

The two cadets had only needed him to stand watch while they stole a certain Materia from the academy's headmaster. 'They didn't give me a choice in the matter so the end result is their own fault,' he concluded as he sneaked past the crowded cafeteria.

Earlier that morning, while standing watch for the two boys outside the headmaster's bed chamber, Cloud had needed to take a piss. He had felt as if he were going to explode. He had cringed and held his breath, danced in circles, but he had not been able to hold it any longer.

'Besides, no one is coming,' he had reasoned while holding his hands between his legs. 'Two minutes max and I'll be back at my post before they realize I'm gone.'

How could he have known that the bathroom he had been thinking of had been out of order? Cloud had sprinted half way across the complex to reach one. Ten minutes after leaving his post, he had raced back breathlessly to a locked room. He had thought the boys had been successful but, after sitting down at his desk for his next class, he had heard the hushed gossip of his classmates: The two cadets had been caught by the headmaster himself.

"Last time I try to help someone out," Cloud murmured to himself, shaking his head. When he saw that the coast was clear, he dashed through a bathroom door and hid himself in a stall. He knew he wouldn't be safe for long but needed to rest before his harsh breath could be heard by everyone in the complex.

‘I suppose that maybe what happened was sort of my fault but, of course, they hadn't given me a choice in the matter,' he argued with himself, climbing onto the toilet seat and crouching into a slightly comfortable position. He cringed as a pungent smell invaded his nose.

‘I have to get out of here. Maybe the lake. No one ever goes there at this time of day. Everyone has classes and my next one doesn't start for another hour and a half, I think. I'll have some time to myself and, of course, a safe hiding place.' Cloud let out a short humorless chuckle. ‘When am I going to stop hiding? I'm never making SOLDIER at the rate I'm going. I can't even stand up for myself.'

Cloud knew what was in store for him. His punishment was unavoidable. Sooner or later, they would catch up to him no matter how much he tried to hide. Still, Cloud wanted some time to himself before he wouldn't be able to walk for a week. He could take the spanking, really, but not the public humiliation. The punishment would naturally take place in front of all the other cadets on their squad. Within a day, everyone in the academy would know about it. Cloud wouldn't hear the end of it for weeks. It was truly horrific punishment but it worked. Few people screwed up after their first time; this would be his eighth.

Before he lost his motivation, Cloud sneaked out of the bathroom, raced to the garage, and checked out a motorcycle. He pushed the bike to the limit once he reached the open road. The wind blowing in his face made Cloud feel freer than he had since he had first arrived at the academy a half year earlier.

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Parking the loaned motorcycle by the side of the road, Cloud entered the forest and hiked for nearly ten minutes before reaching the lake. His own labored breath insulted his ears. He shook his head at himself. ‘A year of training and I'm breathing like a ninety-year-old man who just finished a marathon.'

The sight of water brought about an instant relief to his body. Cloud was about to step out of the tree line to sit on the shore, when he heard a loud splash. He knew the sound was too loud to be a fish. Instantly crouching into a defensive pose and wishing he had brought his sword along, he scanned the water for the source of the noise.

The afternoon sun reflected off the water, causing a glare that was painful to look at. Then he noticed a moving object that was brighter than the water. Pure white light. Sprays of water leapt into the air by the creature's quick movements. Then it dove under the water, disappearing completely.

Cloud was intrigued but also knew he had to find out whether or not the creature was a threat to him. Using the protection the trees offered, he moved parallel with the shore, trying to find a spot that would allow him to see more clearly without the glare. After he found an acceptable spot and was sure he was still hidden from view, he turned his full attention back to the water.

He scoured the lake's surface to no avail. Frowning, he stood back up. He couldn't go out there without knowing what, or at least where it was.

Cloud felt a soft pressure on his shoulder. He yelped, whipping around to face his attacker. His foot got caught under a fallen tree limb; the momentum of his reckless movement sent him flat onto his back. A weak grunt escaped his lips when the back of his head slammed into a jagged rock protruding out of the ground.

Ignoring the pain that made him feel like his head was about to explode, Cloud cracked his eyes open and tried to see who or what had touched him. All he could see was a bright white light. Still, he kept them open, hoping his eyes would adjust before his attacker killed him. ‘Of course at the rate I'm going, I'll probably end up killing myself before it gets a chance,' he thought, snorting humorlessly.

At an agonizingly slow rate, his blurred vision came into focus. The white light wasn't a light at all. It was Sephiroth shining like a star in the dim shade of the trees.

Cloud noticed General Sephiroth's mouth moving, saying something to him, but couldn't make out the words over the pounding in his head. The silver haired man kneeled down next to him and tried to help him into a seated position by wedging an arm under his head and shoulders. The younger man tried to ignore the throbbing ache that surged through his head as it was provoked by the pressure of the hand. The overwhelming sensation threatened to make him scream.

Sephiroth's voice finally became comprehensible as it worked its way past the pain that had taken over his mind. ". . . name is Strife right? Are you all right?"

Cloud hung onto the voice as if it were the only thing keeping him alive. The man's words flowed like music, soothing him with the different sounds each syllable made. Sephiroth kept his arm around him, supporting him. Cloud knew in the back of his mind that he would have enjoyed the touch if his body wasn't taut in agony.

When he was able to sit by himself, the General released the hold on his body. He almost sighed with relief when the pressure of the hand disappeared.

In a neutral tone, Sephiroth stated, "You're bleeding."

Cloud looked at the hand that Sephiroth held in front of his own body. Blood dripped off of the pale skin. He suddenly felt ill and nearly fainted, his body falling backwards.

With lightening fast reflexes, Sephiroth caught him underneath the shoulders before he hit the ground. A frown distorted the man's face as he looked down at Cloud. "Stay still. I'll heal you," Sephiroth commanded in a hushed tone. He called on the power of the materia embedded in his long Masamune laying on the ground beside them.

Almost instantly, Cloud felt a tingling relief rush to the back of his head. The injury was healed in less time than it took for Sephiroth to beat him in a match, which was an astonishingly short amount of time. Sephiroth looked down at him intently, seemingly waiting for a response. Cloud looked up at the man holding him and smiled at him in relief and pure adoration. His smile widened when a small responsive grin curved Sephiroth's lips.

General Sephiroth was a god to him. Someone he looked up to, even wished he could be. He had developed an instant fascination with the man ever since he had first heard of the Great General Sephiroth. When he had come to the academy and had witnessed the man who seemed virtually perfect, a crush had been unavoidable. In no time, the crush had turned into a near obsession.

Now, here he was, being held by a man he never would have thought he would be able to get close to outside of a battle. 'What did I do to deserve this? And it only cost me a crack on the head. I would have done it months ago if I had known what it would get me! Still, he's holding me. Now if the rest of the world will just go away, I'll be in heaven,' he thought as he closed his eyes to relish in the security of Sephiroth's warm body.

"Can you stand?"

Cloud's eyes snapped back open as reality painfully came back to him. He refocused on the man's face. Sephiroth wore an unsympathetic expression devoid of emotion.

'What was I thinking? This man is a top officer in SOLDIER. The last thing on his mind is me.' The last word, me, stung his heart as he thought it but knew it to be true. Still for a devious moment, Cloud considered shaking his head, but in the end he reluctantly nodded.

Sephiroth helped him to his feet. Cloud turned around, looked down at the older man sitting on his knees, and almost allowed his jaw to drop. He realized that Sephiroth was completely naked. He had never seen the General in this state of undress. Cloud's previous imaginings did the man absolutely no justice; Sephiroth was a living statue with every detail expertly sculpted to perfection.

The aquamarine eyes glowed as they looked up at him. The long aristocratic nose guided his gaze to a luscious mouth, slightly parted as he breathed shallowly through it. Cloud got the urge to run his fingers over his lips, wondering if Sephiroth's tongue would try to taste his fingertips. He had to stiffen his arms to resist the temptation. Sephiroth's pointed chin arched up to rounded ears. Silver damp hair, pulled behind the ears, fell over his broad shoulders. The hair barely hid his hardened nipples. Cloud wondered if Sephiroth would groan if he sucked on them. He licked his lips. He lowered his gaze to his small hard waist that separated into two beautifully muscled legs. Then he noticed what was hidden underneath the white hair at the older man's groin. Cloud suddenly felt inadequate, but that was not a new feeling for him. A blush formed on his skin as he jerked his eyes back to Sephiroth's face. Cloud realized he had been staring. He also realized that the General had been staring back, studying him.

A barely noticeable slanted smile appeared on the older man's face as he watched Cloud for a moment longer. The expression disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Then he said, "we should get back. You have a class in a half hour. Just let me get dressed and we'll head back together."

Cloud did have a class. A class where Sephiroth was the instructor. Five days a week he got to watch this man flow through movements that made him practically fall on his face. "Ok."

Sephiroth picked up his sword, stood up, and headed back in the direction Cloud had come from. Cloud nearly had to jog to keep up with the taller man's long strides. Sephiroth's bare body flexed with every movement. The man had no shame and hopefully had no idea how he affected Cloud.

When they had reached a small clearing, Sephiroth motioned for him to sit on a rock and then walked a short distance to the lake. Cloud followed the silent order and watched the older man disappear through the trees. A few seconds later, Sephiroth reappeared, swinging his arms in the air. Cloud frowned but quickly realized what the older man had done. Sephiroth had washed the younger man's blood away and was now air drying the limbs.

Unconsciously Cloud shrugged inside his shirt. A large area of cloth remained stuck to his upper back. A wave of nausea rolled over him as he considered what his backside must have looked like. He hated the sight of blood. ‘If you hate the sight of blood then why are you trying to get into SOLDIER?' He paused to consider the thought and settled for, ‘Whatever. I'm going to have to change when I get back to the academy.'

Now curious, Cloud reached back and felt both the crusty and the slightly damp tangles in his blond hair. Embarrassment plagued him. "I'll be right back," he called out. Before Sephiroth had a chance to respond, he jumped off the boulder, ran the short distance to the lake, and rinsed out his hair.

Knowing he was missing the show, he then ran back to observe Sephiroth. The General had apparently been watching after him since he was still standing in the middle of the clearing, naked to the world. Their eyes met. Cloud sucked in his breath at the intensity in the older man's gaze.

Straightening himself and effectively dismissing Cloud, Sephiroth walked to his belongings and immediately began to get dressed, much to Cloud's disappointment. He got as far as his pants and boots, when he pulled a comb out of his bag and began the process of combing out the knots in his long silver hair.

Cloud combed his fingers through his damp hair and then wiped the wetness off on his baggy pants. ‘A half hour? We'll be late for sure. Of course, I could sit here and watch Sephiroth comb his hair all day. Still. . .'

Cloud rushed toward Sephiroth. "Let me do that," came out of his mouth before he thought about what he was saying. He cringed, stopping a few feet away from the General, waiting for the scolding laughter that was bound to come.

Sephiroth just stared at him as if trying to grasp the gesture, trying to find some type of exploitation in Cloud's intentions. His eyes narrowed.

‘All right, here we go.'

"Here." He held out the comb to Cloud.

Shocked, Cloud didn't react at first. An agreement hadn't been expected. Then he reached out and grabbed the comb before the man could change his mind. Sephiroth turned around and smoothly settled down on the forest floor, flicking his hair out of the way before he sat on it. Cloud nibbled aggressively on his bottom lip. ‘Even the way the man sits down is something to be marveled.'

Cloud looked down at the comb and saw it shaking. No, his hand was shaking. No, his whole body was shaking. His body flooded with an overwhelming amount of emotion. Just the anticipation of such a simple task took him to heights he had never been before.

Cloud moved behind the General and lowered himself to his knees. His hair was semi-long by conventional standards but Sephiroth's hair was phenomenal. The length of it overwhelmed him.

"Start from the bottom and work your way up."

Cloud jumped at the sound of the older man's voice but was thankful for the instruction. He reached down and gathered the loose ends. As he did, the tips of his fingers brushed against Sephiroth's back. The man stiffened. The tension in Cloud's muscles grew as his heart sank. ‘The man doesn't even want me touching him. How am I supposed to do this if I can't touch him?'

"Sorry, I didn't mean. . ." Cloud nearly whispered. The anxiety in his voice was evident.

"No. It's okay." Sephiroth said as he reached around and placed his hand on Cloud's knee.

The sensation from the touch went straight to Cloud's groin. He tried to keep his breathing calm. This man could push his button without even trying. The need to beg for more arose when the hand was promptly removed. He managed to control himself, supposing he was lucky to be able to touch this man at all, let alone have him touch back.

His attention went back to the soft damp locks in his hand. Cloud pushed the comb through about ten cm from the bottom and gently pulled down. ‘Ok, that wasn't so hard.' His confidence increased with each stroked and so did his breath. Eventually he worked his way up to the top. He had also worked up a painful hardon.

Cloud's trembling hand brushed against Sephiroth's temple to collect the stray hairs falling over his face. As Cloud brought the comb above the older man's ear, Sephiroth obediently tilted his head to the side, revealing his long neck. Cloud moved his eyes along its length. A dizziness filled his head. He felt like he was going to die if he couldn't touch this man.

‘I want you.'

Cloud eyes widened. ‘Did I just say that out loud?' His ears had registered the sound of his voice but he couldn't be sure.

The answer seemed to be yes when Sephiroth reached up with a long strong arm and began to lower Cloud's head to his neck. The younger man noticed how raged the General's breath had become. He did absolutely nothing to protest Sephiroth's need for intimacy. Cloud dived down the remaining distance and kissed, licked, and nibbled the soft flesh. A fast pulse pounded under the pale skin beneath his mouth's caresses. The beat hypnotized him. Urged him to pleasure Sephiroth. To elicit more soft moans from deep in the man's throat.

Cloud reached around and placed his hands on the man's chest to pull him closer. Hard nipples pressed into his hands. He hadn't meant to touch him there but Sephiroth pushed his chest into his hands, encouraging him. Cloud didn't need encouragement though. Thumbs played with the hardened knobs as Sephiroth hissed his pleasure.

Even though Cloud was getting no affections in return, he felt like he was going to explode. He actually found himself glad Sephiroth didn't touch him because he didn't want to clean up a mess inside his pants.

Sephiroth twisted his head back, took Cloud by the face with his hands, and brought him forcefully to his mouth.

‘So much for not touching.' Luckily, he didn't explode. Cloud matched Sephiroth's roughness with a hunger of his own. His fingers pinched Sephiroth's nipples, something he sometimes did to himself and thought the General might like it as well. The older man made a deep groan that vibrated in Cloud's mouth.

Cloud had kissed a girl. . . once, but not like this. He was glad his body automatically knew what to do because his mind couldn't think beyond Sephiroth's luscious lips. Or the taste of peaches in his mouth. Or the firmness of the tongue that rubbed against his own.

Cloud was sure that this was the most wonderful experience of his life. The man, he had admired since he first heard the stories of the Great General Sephiroth, kissed him with a passion he had never known before. If this man only knew the power he had over him. Sephiroth could send his pulse racing with a word. Or stop it.

Sephiroth pulled away and breathed, "no."

Well, his heart didn't stop beating but he certainly felt dead inside.

"We have to get back."

‘WHAT? NO!'

Sephiroth easily pulled out of his strongest grip and stood up.

"Sephiroth!"

The man tensed at the sound of his name and repeated himself. "We have to get back." The General picked up his belongings with an astonishing speed and stalked away from him.

Cloud sat there, horrified. "What just happened," he quietly pleaded to the open air. One minute, Sephiroth was so alive in his arms. The next, he ran away.

He watched the place the General had made his exit. Sephiroth didn't come back and Cloud didn't move until the sun began to set. He stood up stiffly and walked back to his motorcycle. His body tensed at the thought of his punishment that would be delivered by the two cadets he had inadvertently gotten into trouble. He could only hope the pain would keep his mind away from the only thought in his head: Sephiroth.

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