Tiny Dancer

Title: Tiny Dancer
Fandom: Final Fantasy VII
Author: Lynsey
Website/Mailing List: See links under user information
Beta: None
Chapter: 17/?
Pairings: Sephiroth/Cloud
Rating: R this chapter
Word Count: 4010 this chapter
Warnings: Very AU, language, yaoi
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Do not sue, all I got are college loans, and this isn’t helping to pay them off.
Summary: Opening night for Midgar Dance Company’s newest show may be the beginning of something more than just a hot new act.
A/N: I finally wrote a little bit of smut, people. Finally.

Cloud stood in the kitchen, staring at the refrigerator. No one else was in the apartment, and the place seemed very large and intimidating without the larger-than-life personalities that usually inhabited it.

Tacked to the fridge door was a piece of paper with a neat, concise list printed on it. Cloud had taken lots of time and read it. He’d deciphered every word, slowly and meticulously until he knew the list by heart.

It was food.

Each meal was planned, what he should eat and when. They were terribly simple, but oh-so complicated to someone who wanted nothing to do with it. A calorie count was listed beside each item and a total in bold numbers at the bottom. It wasn’t a large amount of calories, all told. Cloud knew it would be just enough to keep him going, to keep him from…he shook his head.

He’d need more than that to regain a more normal body mass, but the list was a start.

He just…had to actually do it.

He had to eat.

His whole body shook with weakness. It was only a matter of time. He knew if something didn’t change, he wouldn’t last much longer.

An empty glass sat on the counter. A few beads of moisture still clung to the inside. Cloud had felt rather triumphant after drinking an entire glass of water himself without any prompting.

The refrigerator stared back at Cloud, its stainless steel surface cold and imposing in the gleaming overhead lighting. The list was a bright white blemish on the perfect shining surface. Cloud knew without looking what was listed under the ‘lunch’ heading. Chicken broth. Two cups of chicken broth.

He could do that. It was just flavored water…right. Ya. That’s all it was. Flavored water.

Slippered feet padded softly on the tiled floor. The squeaking whine of the door opening sounded a lot like a trumpeting fanfare to Cloud’s ear. Among the bottles of beer, leftover takeout containers, and condiment bottles stood a plastic-wrap covered bowl. Cloud reached in and wrapped his fingers around the cold, ceramic surface and pulled it out. The fluid inside sploshed on the sides as Cloud walked over the counter and sat it down. He pulled the wrap off the top, balled it up and threw it in the trash.

A deep breath.

He could do this. Just a little bit more.

Cloud picked up the bowl and popped open the microwave. The bowl went in, the door was shut, and Cloud punched the buttons he’d spent several minutes staring at earlier.

A minute and a half later, the microwave beeped at him.

He could do this.

A spoon was retrieved from the drawer, the bowl was pulled from the microwave, and Cloud sank to the floor.

It was hard. It was impossible.

He was going to do it.

The spoon lifted a small amount of broth to Cloud’s lips which opened and accepted the fluid. The blond almost gagged, his whole body shuddering at the feeling of something that tasted in his mouth.

He fought it. He fought it with everything he had, and he swallowed.

One bite down, the entire bowl to go.

Each spoonful was agony, and whatever he’d just eaten kept threatening to come up, but Cloud managed to choke down the entire thing. He set the bowl on the floor and slumped against the cabinets. Christ, he felt so drained. It felt like he’d been stomped on and beaten and he could hardly hold his head up.

He was so tired.

Cloud fell asleep on the kitchen floor, propped up against the cabinets.

**********************

Genesis stepped out the elevator and into his shared apartment. He toed off his boots and slung off his heavy leather coat. Taking a moment to stretch, Genesis ruffled his hair and walked into the kitchen. He was slightly puzzled as to why the lights would be on, but the reason was suddenly apparent as he came around the corner and found Cloud sitting on the floor, passed out cold.

“Ah. Poor little mouse,” Genesis clucked as he bent down and picked up the small form. The blond didn’t even react as Genesis carried him into Sephiroth’s bedroom. He tucked the boy into the bed and switched off the lights.

Sighing, he went back to the kitchen to make himself a snack.

An empty bowl sat on the ground, and Genesis bent over and picked it up. Puzzled, he looked around and caught sight of the list on the fridge. He peered at it, then opened the fridge door. One of the carefully prepared meals Sephiroth had stashed inside was gone.

Genesis smiled.

The little soldier might just make it after all.

*********************

Sephiroth stood outside the door of his room with a bowl of hot broth in his hands. He sighed, straightened his shoulders, and went inside. The General almost hadn’t believed Genesis when the redhead reported that Cloud had eaten the bowl of broth that he’d left in the fridge. Maybe the blond had just poured it down the drain?

Or maybe he had eaten it.

It was approaching dinner time, anyway. Time for another battle.

Sephiroth flipped on the lights and approached the bed.

Cloud grunted at the sudden flood of brightness in the previously dark room. Wide, blue eyes blinked rapidly to adjusted, then narrowed in irritation.

“M’ sleepin’,” Cloud grumbled and pulled the blankets over his head.

Sephiroth couldn’t help but smile. The blond really was too cute for words. “I’ve brought you something, if you want it.”

The bundle under the blankets grunted. “Gimme a minute. I need ta wake up.”

The General put the bowl down on a side table then sat on the bed. “Did you rest well today?” Sephiroth asked, when what he really wanted to say was, Did you really eat the meal I left for you?

“Ya. I slept pretty good today.” A blond head made a reappearance. Cloud’s pretty blue eyes seemed a little clearer to Sephiroth, even if they were still very tired. Cloud sat up and rubbed his tired eyes before smoothing random locks of hair out of his face. “What did you bring?”

“Just some broth,” Sephiroth said. He wasn’t going to push it. He wasn’t. It was Cloud’s decision, and he was just going to be supportive of-

“Ok,” the blond said quietly.

Hardly daring to hope, Sephiroth’s hands almost shook as he picked up the bowl and passed it to Cloud.

Sephiroth couldn’t help the sigh of relief that escaped his lips when Cloud took a bite. Neither said anything as Cloud ate his meal. He didn’t finish it, but Sephiroth hardly cared. It was more than he could have possibly asked for.

“Would you like some water?” the silver haired man asked, and cleared his throat as the edge of tears played out in a slight hoarseness to his voice.

“Ya, sure,” Cloud said with a small smile.

Sephiroth nodded and took the bowl back out to the kitchen. Glass of water in hand, the silver haired man returned to the bedroom and handed it to Cloud. The blond drank most of it and set the remainder on the bedside table.

“Come here,” Cloud invited and patted the bed beside him.

The silver haired man sat down and pulled Cloud into his arms. “Thank you,” the older man whispered. “You have no idea how much this meant…”

“I don’t want to die,” Cloud whispered back.

“I know. I know you don’t. I don’t want you to leave me. I don’t know what I’d do if…”

“Don’t,” Cloud chided, leaning up to kiss Sephiroth’s cheek. “I’m trying. I’m going to do this.”

“I know you will.” Sephiroth kissed Cloud back. “One of these days, I’m not going to get cock-blocked and I’m going to work you over so good,” the bigger man purred, humor in his voice.

“Poor baby,” Cloud laughed, snuggling deeper into the other man’s hold. “All riled up and no-one to fuck.”

“I have someone to fuck,” Sephiroth retorted. “He’s just not…feeling well at this time.”

“I’ll feel better eventually,” Cloud yawned, exhausted and falling into sleep again. “Then you can lay all the miles of pipe you want.”

Sephiroth chuckled. “I’ll hold you to that.”

“Mmm-hmm,” Cloud responded before a deep breath heralded his fall back into slumber.

****************************

“You’re such a pervert,” Tifa laughed, punching Zack in the arm.

That was the millionth time she’d said that today.

Not that Zack didn’t deserve it.

Zack grinned goofily and put a friendly arm around Tifa’s shoulders…then promptly looked down her shirt.

“Stop it. I’m going to get a complex.”

“Baby, I’d complex you all night long.”

Tifa threw back her head and laughed. “Oh my God, you’re such a dork.”

“Did you enjoy yourself today?”

The brunette leaned into the man beside her, a little bashfully and a little playfully at the same time. “Ya. You’re kind of fun to be around when you’re not perving all over me.”

Zack’s smile was all teeth and merriment. “Would you wanna…do it again?”

“Maaaybe,” Tifa drew out, looking up at the man from underneath her eyelashes.

“Maaaybe, would you like to meet a good friend of mine while we’re at it?”

“Who would that be?”

“My mentor, Angeal,” Zack said as he guided the pretty woman around the bustling Wall-Market plaza.

“Isn’t he some big-wig SOLDIER?”

“Hey,” Zack laughed, “I’m some big wig SOLDIER too, ya know.”

Tifa smirked and poked Zack in the ribs. “Sure ya are.”

The man grinned and grabbed Tifa’s hand. “So, what about it? Would you mind meeting him?”

“Sure. Why not. I’m kinda starting to learn you SOLDIER guys aren’t all that bad,” she said with a wink.

“Baby, you got it all wrong. We’re absolutely naughty sons-a-bitches. Wanna spank me?”

“Pervert!”

***********************

“It’s kinda pretty from way up here,” Cloud murmured from his perch on a patio chair situated on the penthouse balcony.

Sephiroth nodded and pulled the blond deeper into his embrace. A light blanket kept away the slight chill to the air. It was quiet out here without Genesis’ personal rendition of RENT going on at unbearable levels. It wasn’t that they had anything against RENT, or even Genesis’ singing. It was just that there were only so many times someone could hear “Seasons of Love” belted out and not want to throttle something.

The darkness around them was rather calming, and Cloud thought that they were so high up as to be out of the constant haze of Midgar’s pollution if the deep breath of nearly-clean air was anything to go by. The lights of the bustling city twinkled around them, and beyond that was the darkness of the wastelands that surround Midgar.

“I’ve never really thought about it before, but you’re right. It’s not so…depressing from this vantage point, is it?” Sephiroth kissed Cloud’s cheek.

“Hmm.” Cloud turned his head and placed a soft peck on Sephiroth’s lips. “Do you have to work tomorrow?”

“Only till noon.”

“Would you be able to take me to my doctor’s appointment then? I was gonna ask Zack, but if you’re going to be home…”

“I’d love to, and I’m very glad you decided to go.”

Cloud sighed. “I don’t really want to. I hate doctors.”

Sephiroth grinned. “You have no idea how much I agree with you on that one.”

“Why don’t you like doctors?”

The silver haired man snorted a laugh that ruffled Cloud’s hair. “I could talk all night about it and not finish.”

“You’ll tell me sometime though?”

Sephiroth sighed. “Baby, I don’t know if I can.”

Cloud turned in the larger man’s embrace until he could look Sephiroth in the eye. “You don’t know if you can?”

A silver head shook dejectedly. “My childhood was filled with…doctors. Scientists. It still…isn’t easy to talk about. In fact, I’ve never talked about it before. To anyone. The only reason Genesis and Angeal know as much as they do about me is they grew up with me for the most part. They were there. But even then…I’ve never talked to them. Not really. They’d probably tell you I’m some kind of mute.”

“You talk a lot to me,” Cloud protested and touched Sephiroth’s sadly smiling face.

“You’re the only one. I’m not…the talking type I guess. But with you…it’s different. I hope that some day I’ll be able tell you everything.”

Cloud smiled. “I hope for that, too.”

Sephiroth leaned in for a small, sweet kiss. “Thank you, for not badgering me about it.”

The blond snorted and kissed the other man again. “I’m not as pushy as you are,” Cloud grinned. “I can wait until you’re ready.” The dancer settled back in to Sephiroth’s body. “So…is Genesis for real?”

Sephiroth guffawed with laughter for several minutes before settling down and wiping tears of mirth from his eyes. “Genesis is…Genesis. I don’t know what else to say about it, really. He has a heart of gold in that odd little personality of his.”

“I can’t believe he’s dating Barrett,” Cloud smirked. “Tifa said Barrett is talking about it all the time at the bar, and from the sound of it he has no idea what he’s doing.”

“Genesis doesn’t seem to know what in the hell he’s doing, either,” Sephiroth said. “The other day, he came out of his bedroom and asked me if he was wearing a suitable ‘fourth date’ outfit. I had no idea what he was talking about, so I just told him he looked fine. Fine apparently wasn’t good enough, and he got all pissed off and stormed back into his room.”

“It’s kind of sweet,” Cloud said, his smile making his nose wrinkle cutely.

Sephiroth laughed. “It is, I suppose.”

The blond grasped a bigger, calloused hand in his own. “Have we even been on a fourth date?”

“Mmm…don’t think so,” the General said. He flexed his hand in Cloud’s. “We should do some more…dating…things.”

“I don’t know if I feel well enough to do dating things,” the dancer admitted.

“We don’t have to go anywhere to have a date. We can have a date right here.”

“And how do we do that?”

Sephiroth was quiet for a moment. “Let me go ask Zack.”

*************************

Zack shoved a bowl of popcorn in Sephiroth’s hands with a flourish. “Sit back, relax, and enjoy your in-home date ala Zack.”

“What are we watching?” Cloud asked as he watched the brunet put a DVD in the player. All the lights were off and the only illumination came from the blue screen of the huge TV that quickly switched over to previews.

“It doesn’t matter,” Zack said. He picked up the controller and skipped to the main menu.

“Well, I don’t want to watch something stupid,” Sephiroth said, popping some food in his mouth.

“The point of watching a movie at home is not to watch the movie,” Zack replied as he started the film. He turned to regard the two men sitting on the couch.

They both looked hopelessly puzzled.

The SOLDIER sighed and flopped his arms to the side in a gesture of exasperation. “The whole point,” he huffed, “is to make out. You don’t watch the movie at all.”

“Oh. I…see.” Sephiroth said. He looked down at Cloud, who was cuddled into his side. “Does that sound good to you?”

“Sure. Why not?”

Zack rolled his eyes and tossed them a sloppy salute. “You’re both hopeless. Have a nice night, kids.”

The brunet left the living room, leaving Sephiroth and Cloud alone in the dark. The tv wasn’t very loud. The sounds of the movie were quiet compared to the weighted look the two men gave each other.

Cloud smiled and, gathering his nerves, selected a piece of popcorn from the bowl. He popped it into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. Kettle corn. He liked kettle corn.

Sephiroth’s eyes glowed with pleasure as Cloud took another kernel from the bowl and pushed it passed his plump, smiling lips.

“You couldn’t have done anything sexier if you tried,” Sephiroth murmured.

Cloud smiled. He was glad such a small thing could make the silver haired man so happy. “I’m just eating some popcorn,” he responded in a flirty little tone.

“You’re eating,” Sephiroth sighed, kissing Cloud’s forehead. “That’s enough to give me an instant boner.”

The blond’s sweet peal of laughter rang through the room. “If I choked down a three course meal would you cum in your pants?”

“Probably,” Sephiroth chuckled. “It’s just…good to see you feeling better. Eating. It’s so good.”

“Zack gave me some good advice: just take it a little at a time. It’s getting easier, really. Not easy, but…easier.”

“Well,” Sephiroth said with a suggestive lift to his eyebrows. “I suppose we should start with the necking.”

Cloud snorted, covering his mouth with his hand. “You’re freaking hysterical, you know that?”

“I don’t think anyone’s actually called me that before. I usually get ‘hard-ass’ or ‘cold hearted prick’ or something equally as charming.”

The blond leaned up a little to kiss Sephiroth’s chin. “I think you’re sweet.”

Sephiroth leaned down to kiss Cloud’s soft, pliant lips. “I’ve never been called sweet before, either.”

Cloud hummed under his breath while kissing the General deeply. Sephiroth was an ok kisser, the blond thought. His technique just needed a little adjusting…

The blond tilted his head a little more and opened his mouth wider. Sephiroth moaned quietly and let the smaller man guide him in the kiss. It was slow and deep and so much more than they had shared between them before. Truth be told, they hard hardly shared more than some snuggling and abbreviated, if extremely hot, kisses. Cloud coaxed Sephiroth’s tongue into his own mouth to play for a bit. The bigger man took his time thoroughly exploring new territory.

Cloud was kind of surprised Sephiroth hadn’t already perfected his kissing abilities. He figured that by this stage in his life, the General would have stellar tonsil-hockey skills.

Ah, well. Practice makes perfect, after all.

It wasn’t long before Cloud ended up straddling Sephiroth’s lap. The blond could feel the hard, tense muscles of the General’s thighs shivering underneath him. Sephiroth’s hands ghosted up and down Cloud’s sides with touches that were almost too soft.

“I’m not gonna break,” the dancer whispered into Sephiroth’s mouth before diving right back in.

Sephiroth kissed Cloud heatedly for another moment before responding. “Sorry. It’s just that-”

“No buts,” Cloud panted and slid his mouth to an ear hidden in silver silk. “Touch me.”

He tried, he really did, but Sephiroth couldn’t help it. His hands were soft, gentle and barely skimmed along the blond’s back and ass.

Cloud broke away to stare Sephiroth in the eye. “Look. I’m a guy. You’re a guy. Touch me like it.”

“What if I-”

“Want to get into my pants? Go for it.”

“I mean, what if-”

“You want to grope me? Do it.”

Sephiroth’s hands firmly, yet delicately held Cloud in place. “Stop cutting me off. I don’t want to hurt you. You’re just getting better and I don’t want to…forget my own strength.”

Cloud smiled a little lopsided smile. “You’re such a fucking mother hen. It’s just a little bump and grind.” His smile softened into thoughtfulness. “I promise I won’t let you go too far. Please, just keep kissing me. It feels so good.” The last was whispered into Sephiroth’s ear.

The silver haired man shuddered and turned his head a little to press deep, wet kisses into Cloud’s throat. The blond purred and resumed kissing and licking the soft curl of Sephiroth’s ear. A big, slightly unsteady hand slipped under Cloud’s shirt to rest on the soft swell of the blond’s lower back. Cloud hummed deeply at the feeling.

They slowly started to rub against each other. Sephiroth was more aware than ever of just how flexible Cloud’s pelvis was. The range of motion as that hot ass rubbed over his fully fledged erection made the bigger man stutter a breath. Cloud’s own erection stroked heavily against Sephiroth’s stomach. The blond couldn’t believe how hard the muscles there were. They were tensed, creating a firm, washboard surface to thrust against.

“Fuck,” Sephiroth groaned. His hand on Cloud’s back guided the blond in jerky, but fully enjoyable thrusts against his body. The friction, the heat, Cloud’s mouth on his neck, Cloud’s teeth on his earlobe…

Cloud’s hands pulling his hair.

The General shuddered hard and pulled in a deep breath. “Cloud-ah. Ah!” he cried out as Cloud continued to pull fistfuls of hair through his hands.

“You like that?” the blond rumbled into Sephiroth’s ear.

“Yes. Holy fuck,” the silver haired man swore as Cloud gathered up the entire mass of hair and gripped it tight at the base Sephiroth’s skull.

“How did I know you’d have a hair kink?” Cloud chuckled.

With a hard, almost harsh, jerk, Cloud pulled Sephiroth’s head back and attacked his neck at the same time he ground down on Sephiroth’s lap.

“Oh, fu-” Sephiroth gasped before closing his eyes tightly and cumming hard in his pants.

Cloud’s thrusts stuttered and his breath came out in a high-pitched, wailing squeak as the sight of his partner in orgasm brought his own.

They panted hard together as a last few thrusts milked their peaks completely from their bodies. Cloud eventually slumped into Sephiroth’s overly warm and sweaty body in complete exhaustion and satiation.

“I feel sooooo good,” the blond murmured.

Sephiroth smirked and laughed under his breath. “I can’t believe I just dry-humped you in my living room.”

The dancer snickered softly. “You liked it though…right?”

“I think the wet spot in my pants is kind of a clue as to how much I enjoyed it.”

“And you didn’t hurt me. I told you it would be fine.”

Sephiroth snorted and pulled Cloud closer to him. “I…think we got lucky.”

“Damn straight we got lucky. I’d let you get even luckier if you know what I mean.”

The silver haired man laughed. “That’s not what I fucking meant and you know it.”

Cloud smiled in mirth and kissed Sephiroth’s cheek. “I know what you meant, and I think you’re paranoid. Just relax and enjoy the afterglow.”

“Fuck afterglow,” Sephiroth smiled and deeply kissed the blond.

“Afterglow usually comes after fucking, yes.”

“Shut up,” Sephiroth chortled. “Shut up,” he said softer, “and kiss me.”

Cloud obliged, his soft, plump lips still smirking.

“You know what?” the blond whispered as he pulled away from Sephiroth’s enthusiastic lips.

“Hmm,” Sephiroth acknowledged. His eyes regarded Cloud with lazy contentment.

“I…kind of have the munchies now,” the blond admitted with a small smile.

“And all behold,” Sephiroth laughed exultantly, “the healing powers of sex!”

Cloud reared back and punched the silver haired man’s shoulder. “Don’t make fun.”

Sephiroth smirked and clasped Cloud’s hands in his own. “Just teasing. You’re really very cute when you’re flustered.”

The blond blushed. “I’m hungry,” he admitted with a soft voice, as if saying the words were something he’d get punished for.

The General pulled the boy off his lap with a last, lingering kiss. “Your bitch is my command.”

Cloud crossed his arms over his chest and huffed in aggravation. “I asked you not to make fun.”

“I’m not, baby,” Sephiroth murmured and stood up. He leaned down to brush his cheek against Cloud’s. “I’m just…happy, and it makes me a little…loopy.”

Cloud smiled hesitantly. “How about a lot loopy.”

“Ya. Sounds about right. Do you want anything specific?”

“Something…easy on the stomach.”

“Alright. I’ll be right back.”

As Sephiroth disappeared into the kitchen, Cloud picked up the blanket lying on the side of the couch and pulled it over himself. The blond winced at the cold feeling of sticky wet in his pants, and he figured that right after he ate something he’d take a shower.

And anyway…it was really funny to watch Sephiroth walk away in a sort-of-but-not-quite waddle to avoid the wet spot in his pants.

TBC…