Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Nightmare ❯ II ( Chapter 2 )

Nightmare

By: Akiko

Chap II  -

Disclaimer: The characters in this story belong to those at Square-Enix. The story does belong to me.

Sun glared through the window and flooded the house with the bright light. It shone in the blonde's face, causing him to stir. The sound of the birds singing and chirping woke him as well.

Placing hands to the ground he forced himself to sit up. He slid a hand through his hair slowly, groaning and holding his head afterwards, closing his blue eyes once more. “Ugh.. my head hurts..” he muttered. He stood up and wobbled a bit before he placed a hand on the wall beside him to keep him from losing his balance.

After catching it he wandered into the kitchen and eyed the open can of soda on the kitchen counter. “How'd…?” he started to question, trying to remember what happened. Flash, aqua green eyes and the deadly smirk. He closed his eyes and shook his head, shoving those images from his already troubled mind. “I remember now,” he whispered.

Walking over he snatched up the can of soda and dumped it out in the sink. It was warm, and there was no point in putting it in the fridge to get it cold again, it would only take from the flavor. He tossed the can aside and walked to a cabinet and pulled out a bottle of aspirin. Snatching two pills from the bottle he covered it, put it back, and grabbed out a bottle of water. He placed the pills in his mouth, and with one swing of water the two pills were rushed down his throat.

“Ugh. I feel like I have a damn hang over,” he muttered to himself, pushing his hand through his hair as he closed his eyes, putting the bottled water back in the fridge. “Didn't realize I hit my head that hard on the ground when I passed out last night. Damn those memories,” he huffed under his breath and walked down the hall towards his room.

He snagged some clothes and headed to the bathroom, not bothering to close the door and turned the water on to the shower. He tossed the clothes on the counter top and pulled off the shirt he hand on and removed his boxers, tossing them on the floor carelessly.

Opening the shower door he stepped in, tensing slightly as the warm water hit against his body and then slowly relaxing as he got use to the warmth. He closed the door of the shower, closing his eyes and letting the water run down his face, to his neck and down his chest to his stomach and further down.

He finally reopened his eyes, grabbing the bar of soap and rubbing it over his body, lathering it up. He washed the bar of soap off and placed it back, then let the water trace down his body once more, removing the soap from his body. He ran his hands over his body a bit to make sure all the soap was gone.

Suddenly he placed a hand to the tile of the shower wall, gasping for air. Eyes closed tightly as his hands balled into fists as he choked back a cry of pain, trying to keep the sound from getting out. His chest hurt and he felt like he could barely breath, and when he did manage to get some air into his lungs, it hurt.

He slid to knees, grasping for air still, the water from the showerhead beating against his back. Tears from the pain of breathing slipping down his cheeks, but unnoticeable due to the water sliding down his face. Water dripped from his hair. He kept himself as calm as he could, taking in slow breathes of air when he could.

As he closed his eyes, images and flashes of his past pushed through, forcing him to relive them over once more. He gasped for air as he witnessed the Masamune sliding easily through the stomach of Aeris. He then coughed, his knuckles turning white when he remembered finding Tifa unconscious after fighting Loz.

Flinching he grabbed his shoulder area tightly, remembering the pain of a bullet slamming through him from Yazoo's gun. He finally slammed his fist on the tile of the shower wall, remembering Sephiroth vanish in an array of black feathers. He took in slow breathes of air, finally calming down from it all as he opened his eyes back up.

“Th-this is.. ge-getting old..” he muttered to himself and stood up, turning the water off and stepping out from the shower. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around the lower half of his body. “No wonder I have no energy… all those memories take everything out of me..” he sighed. He looked at himself in the mirror and shook his head. He dried off, got dressed and turned the light to the bathroom off as he left it.

He walked into the living room and plopped into a chair, allowing his body to relax as he lets out a soft breath of air. “Can't take a shower… can't sleep… What the hell is there that I can do without that happening?” Cloud questioned, closing his eyes and sinking further into the chair than he already was.

He reached a hand over, turning on the radio, listening to the music. The sound of the birds outside, the calming feeling to the day and the soft music from the radio soon lulled the ex-soldier back to sleep. Damp blonde hair slipped into his face as his head tilted towards the side.

.+.+.+.+.+.+.

A gloved hand reached out, taking the blonde's chin into his hand and turning the blonde's head towards him. A smirk slipped over his lips as his long silver hair slide over his shoulder as he leaned forward, bringing his lips close to his ex-soldier's.

Blue eyes snapped open at this. He took in a few sharp breathes of air and tried to pull himself free from the hand, but another hand was placed to his chest and slammed his body against the ground, hard. Gasping for air he looked up at the man.

“Now, are you going to let me finish this time? I would hate to stab you again,” he spoke, rather softly, but still have the cold tone. He leaned down; his lips close to the soldier's again. “Hm, you always knew what I wanted, Strife,” he told him, moving his lips near the blonde's neck. “That fear in your eyes, the anticipation of a battle, and that loneliness in them. Yet, they always held a yearning for something. Something more than battle and hatred,” he continued. “I wonder what it could be…”

“No-nothing you can give me,” Cloud finally spoke and reached his hands up, placing them to Sephiroth's chest. “Because you don't even know what it feels like,” he spoke harshly, pushing the general off him. He quickly moved to his feet in a crouched position, glaring at Sephiroth with his glowing, mako blue eyes.

“Is that so?” he asked, sitting on the ground. One knee was raised in the air and his arm was slung over the knee. He placed his gaze on Cloud, that evil smirk still on his lips. “Would it be what you were hoping that Cetra?”

Cloud narrowed his gaze even more, his sword appearing in his hand as he moved to attack the former general.

Sephiroth's smirk only become darker at his puppet's reaction. He placed his hands into the air above him, the wide sword blade of Cloud's clashing with the thing blade of his Masamune. “Now, now, that temper needs to be taken control of, soldier,” he chuckled, and stood up, easily pushing Cloud back. He took advantage of the stumbling Strife and pinned him against a wall, making him drop his sword.

“Now, hasn't this happened before?” he asked, only to receive the same glare from Cloud that his soldier had been giving him for a while now. “As much as I love to see you in pain from bleeding,” he started, leaning down. “I prefer to see you in pain emotionally,” he finished and snatched Cloud's lips in a rather forceful and rough kiss.

Cloud struggled and brought his hands up, shoving Sephiroth away and taking in a few heavy breathes of air. Shock was more present in his eyes than anything else at the moment. He brought his hand up and wiped his lips a bit before he returned to glaring at Sephiroth. “What the hell was that!?”

“Just a taste,” he replied calmly, his one black wing appearing. “I'll see you again, Strife,” he told his former soldier before his wing wrapped around his body. The feathers vanished and so did his general's body.

Cloud blinked and relaxed a bit, his hands dropping down to his sides.

.+.+.+.+.+.

Blue eyes opened only to be met by dark, crimson eyes. This caused the blonde to jump and nearly fall out of his chair.

The figure blinked, backing up a step or two, the dark red color of his cape covering most of his body, hiding his rather thin figure. Black hair fell into his face slightly, only being kept somewhat tamed by a red piece of cloth tied around his forehead. One of his hands was hidden under the fabric of his cape while the other was there for the world to see, his hand covered with a black glove.

Cloud sat up and rubbed his head a bit, looking at the man. “Is something the matter, Vincent?” he asked, letting his blue eyes meet with crimson ones once more.

“I should ask you that,” he spoke softly, shifting his weight to one leg. “You seemed uncomfortable in your sleep,” he finished, most of his face hidden by part of his cape as well.

Cloud shook his head. “Just… a bad dream,” he told his friend and stood up.