Whispers in the Roses

Whispers in the Roses

Flora Winters

I do not own Final Fantasy VII.

Summary: Vincent wants to put Cloud’s heart back together again, but will Cloud let him. This story will contain boy love, strong language, and violence.

Chapter Seven

Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum

What's wrong with me?

Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum

Why do I feel like this?

Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum

I'm going crazy now!

--Rihanna

Cloud quickly closed the door to his hotel room behind him with an echoing bang and leaned against the cool wooden surface with a painful sob. The stinging tears were streaming from his blue eyes and he grabbed two handfuls of yellow hair. He pulled as a tortured scream clawed its way up his pale throat and out of his ruby red mouth like a demon rushing from the black gates of Hell. He let go of his hair with a vicious snarl and began to throw anything he could get his hands on. The sound of breaking glass and shattering wood did wonders for his nerves. He suddenly saw his haunted reflection staring back at him in the mirror and he rammed his fist right between his molten crazed eyes with a monstrous shriek. He stumbled backwards, falling to his knees, and cried into his blood soaked palms.

The pain he was feeling in his chest was sharper and ran deeper than glass could ever cut. He looked up at the ceiling, wishing that it would all just stop. That was when he looked at his hands, seeing the blood. They were covered in blood. His eyes widened in horror as he looked into the broken glass on the floor. The right side of his face was a crimson mask. He began to shiver in terror.

The door to the room suddenly swung open and he fell back onto his ass with a startled yelp.

“Cloud? Cloud!”

“No!” He cried, fighting to hide himself away from those eyes. “Don’t look at me!”

His hissed and snarled in trapped horror as those arms fought to embrace him. He couldn’t breathe! The room was suddenly so small. Everything felt like it was moving in to crush him.

“Cloud!” Vincent yelled, struggling to get through to him.

“Stop it!” He screamed, digging with his fingers, clawing the bigger man’s arms. “Let me go!”

“Calm down, Cloud,” Vincent said, fighting to keep hold of him. “You’re covered in blood. You’ve hurt yourself!”

The walls were pressing in and the ceiling was falling down faster. He screamed in terror. “ZACK!”

A sharp sting connected with his left cheek and his head snapped to the side. His eyes were wider than a blue sky and he blinked several times in shock, looking up at Vincent’s startled face.

“Vincent?” He asked with tears dripping like diamonds from his chin.

“Are you all right?” Vincent asked him in fearful concern, looking at his hand like he had never seen it before in his life.

“I…I don’t know,” he whispered weakly, trembling as if cold. He suddenly threw his arms around his neck, holding the taller man tightly. “I think…I think I need…”

“It’s okay,” Vincent cooed softly, holding him ever so tenderly. It was the first time Cloud had ever heard him speak that way. He let him wipe the blood from his face and doctor his hands. “Just calm down and breathe, Cloud.”

He squeezed his eyes shut, fighting to stop the flood of tears. “I hurt.”

“Come on,” Vincent said, carefully lifting him to his injured feet. Cloud hissed. They were cut all to hell. “I want you to carefully hop onto my back.”

Blue eyes blinked. “What?”

“You’re hurt,” Vincent said, leaning over for him to hop on. “I’m taking you to the doctor we have here.”

“But,” Cloud whispered, biting his lower lip in pain. “I’m heavy.” His feet were stinging now that he noticed he was hurt. Why was it that cuts never hurt until you looked at them?

“Don’t make me pick you up and throw you over my shoulder,” Vincent said, turning around to look at him with inferno red eyes. “Or, I can pick you up and carry you in my arms.”

Cloud took a step and then cringed in pain. “Fine.”

Vincent nodded and Cloud did as he was told. He gently wrapped his arms around Vincent’s neck, resting his head against his broad back. Was he seriously fucked up in the head? YES! Yes, he really was. He was royally fucked up in the head.

“Um,” he said, feeling really sleepy. “I’ve gotten blood all over your nice clothes.”

Vincent shook his head. “I’ve got plenty of clothes and only one of you, Cloud.”

Cloud held his breath. What? What was that? What did he mean by that?

“What is with this elevator?” Vincent asked, pushing the button again. “Every time I really need one, they take forever.”

“I’m sorry,” Cloud said, closing his eyes. And he was. He was so sorry.

“You won the monster battle,” Vincent said, chuckling. It was kind of scary. Vincent only laughed when he was about to maim or kill something deader than dead.

“Yeah,” Cloud smiled sadly, knowing Vincent was trying to cheer him up. “I lost my shirt and shoes in the mob.”

Vincent pushed the button again. Did he seriously think that was going to make the damn thing hurry up? “I found one of them, Cloud.”

Cloud nodded. “I’m going to need a new pair anyway.”

The elevator dinged and the doors finally opened. “It is about time,” Vincent said, stepping inside with him. He pushed a red button that had a big ‘H’ on it and the doors closed.

“Vincent,” Cloud said, feeling his eyelids getting heavier. “Don’t leave me alone in the dark, okay.”

“I won’t,” Vincent told him as the doors opened. “I promise, Cloud.”

“I don’t want to get lost,” Cloud mumbled, feeling his waking self slipping bit by bit. “But, if I do, will you come find me?”

“You’re my friend, Cloud,” he said as the glass doors opened to the infirmary. “I won’t let you get lost.”

“Good gods!” A woman’s voice shrieked in concern. “Did an attraction explode? Did he fall? What the hell happened?”

Cloud snorted. “If…only…” He passed out.

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“Come on,” Chocobo Head,” Zack laughed with enchanting sea blue eyes that sparkled like shimmering topaz. “How can you hope to be like Sephiroth if you can’t even outrun me?”

“Oh, shut up!” Cloud yelled, pouring on extra speed. “I’m going to rub your face in the ground and you’ll like it. And I’ll make you say it, too!”

“Too scary,” Zack howled, jumping over a fallen barrel, sprinting to the left. “Are you sure you can make me say it, Cloudy?”

Cloud growled, chasing after the speed demon. In all honesty, he loved it when Zack teased him like that. It meant he got to pout in the end and cause Zack to coddle him.

“Almost there!” Zack yelled, running around a corner. “I can see the finish line!”

Cloud’s eyes instantly widened and he threw out his hand, trying to stop him. “NO!” He screamed and his voice echoed right along with the sound of rapid gunfire. He cried out in horror, falling into the mud, scrambling to his knees in the pouring rain. “ZACK!”

He could hear Zack’s muffled cry of pain and all was silent. His eyes were blurred with tears as he crawled towards his fallen lover. “STOP IT!” He cried, fighting against his body’s fated movements. “I DON’T WANT THIS! MAKE IT GO AWAY!”

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His eyes snapped open with a fading acid blue glow. He sat up and felt the sweat running down his body.

He looked to see that his hands were bandaged and he had a bandag wrapped around his upper arm. That’s right. He had cut himself earlier. He pushed the covers away, seeing that his feet were bandaged as well. He looked like a mummy that was only half wrapped.

Vincent was beside him and his eyes were closed. He was seated in a chair beside the bed with his feet propped up on a little stool.

He suddenly heard the sound of distant thunder and carefully got to his feet. A pale light was shining through the sliding glass door and he slowly made his way over to it, wrapping the bed sheet around him tighter.

He silently opened up the sliding glass door and stepped out onto a balcony. A flash of blue and violet lightning crackled in the distance out beyond the sandy desert, followed by a low rumble of thunder. A warm wind suddenly blew through his spiky hair, making him close his eyes.

He wanted the pain to stop.

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Vincent opened his eyes and suddenly jumped to his feet in a panic. Cloud was not in bed. He was gone. The bed was empty. Where the fuck was he?

“Shit!”

He quickly calmed himself and put his hands on the bed. It was still warm from his body heat, so he couldn’t be too far. He looked around the little hospital room and that was when he heard it. It was the sound of an angel singing.

He quickly ran over to the glass door and looked out. It was Cloud. He was walking across the catwalk with a white sheet billowing around his half naked form. He looked like a ghost.

He opened the door as quickly and as quietly as he could. A warm stormy breeze caused his hair to flutter around his face like long strands of spider’s silk. Cloud’s back was to him, so be probably had no idea he was there.

Wash away the thoughts inside

That keep my mind away from you.

Vincent watched him as his voice was carried on the wings of the coming storm. There was so much hurt and so much pain in the words. Cloud’s voice was strong and yet it sounded as though it could break at any time.

No more love and no more pride

And thoughts are all I have to do.

That white sheet flapped like wings in the wind, dancing around his still frame. He was looking up at the sky that was only growing darker.

Ohhhhhh, remember when it rained

Felt the ground and looked up high

And called your name

Vincent stepped out and was careful how he closed the door. He didn’t want to startle him. The two of them were awfully high up.

He looked to see that Cloud had let the sheet go in the wind. It was blown up into the sky and he wrapped his arms around himself, lowering his head to the ground below. The moon was completely hidden now.

Ohhhhhh, remember when it rained

In the darkness I remain.

Vincent began to walk towards him as Cloud began to move away. A drop of rain landed on his cheek and he looked up as tears began to softly fall from above.

Tears of hope run down my skin

Tears for you that will not dry

He reached out to gently take his arm, but Cloud was lost in his song, and moved out of his reach like smoke. Did he even know he was there?

They magnify the one within

And let the outside slowly die.

Lightning hissed over their heads like electric blue serpents, slithering from storm cloud to storm cloud. The rain began to fall even harder.

Ohhhhhh, remember when it rained

I felt the ground and looked up high

And called your name

Vincent was amazed. It was almost like the storm was dancing to Cloud’s hypnotic voice. His song held such a powerful spell. It was as soft as a cotton ball now.

Ohhhhhh, remember when it rained

In the water I remain

Running down

Running down

Running down

Running down

The storm began to pick up and a bolt of lightning struck a rod near one of the taller towers. Thunder pulsed across Vincent’s flesh, rattling his ears. The falling rain stung his skin.

Running down!

Running down…

The wind stole his breath as Cloud’s voice soared on the wings of deadly lightning. His siren voice echoed over the drumming thunder and Vincent was sure it raced across the desert to dance upon the ocean waves in the far distance.

Cloud collapsed against the railing, sinking to his knees in what looked to be emotional exhaustion. Vincent quickly rushed to his side, announcing his presence so as to not startle him. Cloud’s head quickly spun around to look at him. He was soaking wet and tears stained his icy cheeks.

“Come on, Cloud,” he said, putting a hand on his bare shoulder. “You’re soaking wet and look at your bandages. What are you doing out here?”

He knew the answer. He just didn’t want Cloud to know that.

“I can’t do this,” Cloud shivered, pushing at him. “I can’t keep dreaming the same things over and over again.”

“What?” Vincent asked in shock.

“Leave me alone!” Cloud yelled, jumping to his feet with SOLDIER speed, turning to run. “I can’t do this anymore!”

Vincent grabbed him by the arm and Cloud swung around with a kick to his shoulder. Vincent grunted in shock, fell to his side hard, and held his shoulder with his talons. “Cloud?”

He had never seen such scared and crazed eyes before. He knew there were ghosts in those haunted blue depths. Cloud’s eyes were twin oceans full of ghosts and haunting visions.

“NO!” Vincent yelled, jumping up, grabbing him around the waist. “I won’t let you!”

“STOP!” Cloud screamed, clawing and kicking as he was pulled away from the railing. “I WANT TO DIE!”

“NO!” Vincent roared, feeling the demon within growl towards awakening.

“Let me go!” Cloud cried, falling backwards onto him, still thrashing about. “Fuck you! Let me go, goddamn it!”

“Stop!” Vincent pleaded, fighting to keep him restrained. “You’re going to open your wounds!”

“GOOD!” Cloud screamed in soul rendering agony. “Let me bleed to death! Let me drown in my own blood…LIKE HE DID!”

“SHUT UP!” Vincent roared, rolling over so that he was on top of Cloud’s back. “YOU’RE SO FUCKING SELFISH! THINK OF OUR PAIN, CLOUD! ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS WOULD BE SAD! I WOULD BE SAD!”

“I DON’T CARE!” Cloud cried, choking on his tears. “I DON’T FUCKING CARE! I HURT! I FUCKING HURT!”

Vincent rolled him over with a demonic snarl. “You think you’re the only one with pain? You think you’re the only one who has to dream of horrible memories every night?” He punched him in the face. “HUH, CLOUD?”

Cloud laughed insanely, smiling with bloody white teeth. His eyes were wide with crazed blue amusement.

“ANSWER ME!” Vincent yelled, shaking him.

“I’m crazy,” he hissed, spitting blood into his face. “I’m just like…”

“SHUT UP!” Vincent yelled, pulling him up into his arms, holding him tightly against his trembling breast. His voice suddenly softened dramatically. “You’re nothing like him.”

The blond was shivering in his embrace. He was cold, pissed, and scared as hell, too. The smaller man was literally breaking down in his arms and it was scaring the hell out of him. What was he going to do? What could he do?

“Please,” Cloud whispered, weakly trying to break free from him.

“No,” Vincent said, holding onto him even tighter. He wasn’t about to let go of him. “I’m not letting you go.”

The wind was howling and the rain was falling so hard it hurt now. He needed to get Cloud back inside. He was going to get sick and that wouldn’t help improve anything.

“Please, let me take you back inside,” he said, holding him tenderly now. He looked into his face and felt terrible. “I’m sorry I busted your lip.”

Cloud’s bottom lip was trembling and he turned his face away. What was going through his mind right now? Was he plotting? He couldn’t let his guard down. He knew how dangerous Cloud’s mind could be.

“Will you stay with me?” Cloud asked, letting himself slump against him. “Will you hold me?”

Vincent nodded his head. “Yes, Cloud. I’ll stay with you and I’ll hold you for as long as you want.” He gently pulled the smaller man to his feet, telling him that he was going to have to have his bandages changed. “Come on,” he said, keeping an arm around his shoulder and a firm grip on his right hand. “I’ll run you a hot bath.”

Cloud remained quiet. It was spooky. The blond had really scared him.

“I heard it,” Cloud said as Vincent opened up the door, leading him inside out of the howling storm.

“Heard what?” Vincent asked, sliding the door shut after them, shutting out the elements.

“The demon which swims under your skin,” the blond said, looking up at him with molten blue jewels. The look in them made him want to look away. “It almost broke the surface, huh?”

Vincent let go of his hand and gently caressed a frozen wet cheek that put smooth alabaster to shame. He could still feel the beast. It had simply rolled over in its slumber.

“We’re the same,” Cloud smiled, putting a hand over his bigger one. The bandage was torn and he had a small crimson stain over the knuckles. He smiled with such poisonous red lips. They were so tempting in that moment. He wanted to lick them like the dew off roses. “Except my demon is what you see. You can never quite tell when he’s snapped his chain.”

“I can,” Vincent said, causing the blond to blink in surprise. “And right now he’s been caught and chained up again.”

Cloud looked away. “Are you sure?”

That was when a light came on. It was the doctor and she looked pissed.

“What the Christ is this?” She shrieked, looming like a large bird of prey before them. “Why are you wet?”

Cloud looked away with a distorted mumble and Vincent sighed, explaining that Cloud had been sleepwalking. It was the first lie that popped into his mind.

“Why the hell is your lip busted? Did you run into the door or something?”

“Yeah,” Cloud said, looking at Vincent. “Something like that.”

Vincent lowered his head.

TBC…

Please review and tell me what you think. Thank you all so much for your wonderful reviews. I’m so sorry it has taken me so long to update. I’ve had to work on a speech for my silly communications class. I think I’ve narrowed it down to something fun. It doesn’t matter how much you strive to protect the environment, Mother Nature will still eat your face.

Flora.

Note: Song lyrics belong to Josh Groban.