Fic: After the World's End - Chapter 19
Title: After the World’s End
Chapter: 19/19
Author: xpaperplanex
Rating: NC-17 overall
Word Count: ~5400
Pairings: Sephiroth/Cloud
Genre: adventure, hurt/comfort, alpha/omega
Warnings: non-con
Chapter 1
Summary: Offered up as payment to an alpha for ridding the town of monsters, Cloud discovers that the outside world is vastly different than he expected, and that he could play a role in changing it.
Sephiroth never wanted to mate, preferring his independence as a SOLDIER that allows him to travel the world at his leisure. When he finds himself caring for a traumatized omega, however, his values start to shift.
***
Reno glanced up when he heard the door open. “Everything okay?”
Rude nodded as he sat down next to him on the hard bench in the hospital corridor, looking exhausted and stressed out. “He’s sleeping. There was the expected bruising and tearing, of course, but he’s sleeping now. They’re going to keep him at least overnight.” He leaned around Reno and raised an eyebrow at Cloud, who was slumped over and snoring.
“Fucking asshole said he’d help me with this.” Reno waved the clipboard that held the paperwork he had been filling out. “And approximately two milliseconds after we sat down, he passed out.” He rolled his eyes and shook his head. “I called Sephiroth to come get him. I don’t think he’s slept more than a couple hours since the operation began.”
“Why am I not surprised? What’s the paperwork?”
“Tseng approved us to be foster parents, but we’ve still got to check all the boxes. I’ve marked everywhere you need to sign.” He held out the clipboard and pen.
“Foster-for him?” Rude jerked his head towards the room he had just exited.
“If they’re just keeping him overnight, he’ll need somewhere to go after. Do you want to?”
Footsteps in the hall caught their attention, and they both looked up to see Sephiroth approaching. “Is Cloud-?”
“Right here. Put him the fuck to bed, would you? And keep him there for a good long while.”
Sephiroth just chuckled as he scooped his mate up off the bench. Cloud barely stirred, and immediately went back to sleep when Sephiroth shushed him. “I’ll do my best.” He paused, looking at the fat envelope beside Reno. “Adoption?”
Rude was signing madly, like that would get the kid out of the hospital and home faster, so he felt confident in saying, “Probably. Fostering for now.”
“I thought you didn’t want kids?”
“I don’t want to get pregnant or-” He shuddered. “Give birth. A pre-born kid who needs a family to love him is different. Cloud already claimed being the fun uncle.”
Sephiroth frowned. “I’m fun too.”
“Uh-huh. You keep telling yourself that.”
“I am,” he grumbled. “Let me know if you need anything.”
Reno cackled evilly. “Oh good. I was wondering who would help Rude build furniture tomorrow.”
Rude glanced up from the paperwork. “Furniture?”
“Should we make him sleep on the floor? The paperwork you’re signing says we won’t since you’re apparently not reading it. Cloud and I ordered a bedroom set earlier. It’s arriving tomorrow morning.”
“I can probably help out with that,” Sephiroth said. “Get some sleep yourselves.”
“Yep, goodnight.” Reno leaned against his mate as Sephiroth left. “You’re not going to, are you?”
“I want to stay with him. He was so scared. If he wakes up …”
“I know.” He shrugged and took the clipboard back, double-checking that everything was filled out properly. “Aren’t sleepless nights a thing for new parents? I’ll drop this off with Tseng and clear out the second bedroom. We’ll have to come up with a name for him.”
“I already did. When I was talking to him earlier, he wanted one, so … sorry. I didn’t think-”
“Don’t be sorry, yo. If he likes it, then it’s good enough for me. What did you decide?”
Rude gave him a small smile. “Oliver. I always liked that name.”
Reno crossed out the number at the top of the form and wrote ‘Oliver’ above it. “Perfect. All right, you stay with him, and I’ll make sure everything’s set up for him to come home. Don’t worry about the furniture. If Sephiroth can’t do it by himself, I’ll rope someone else into helping. There’s a slim possibility that I might even help if it gets desperate.”
***
Cloud woke to an empty bed. That was always disappointing, but there was a note on Sephiroth’s pillow saying that he was over at Rude and Reno’s. “Oh, shit,” he said to himself. He hoped Reno wasn’t too annoyed about him falling asleep.
He rolled out of bed and was just putting the kettle on when the phone rang. “Please don’t be an emergency,” he begged as he picked it up. “Hello, Cloud speaking.”
“Cloud, it’s Jesse, how are you?”
“Jesse? Holy shit, it’s been ages. I’m-well, it’s been a bit crazy lately. How’re you doing? How’s everyone in Mideel?”
“We’re all good, but we’ve seen the news. That’s so fucked up.”
“No kidding, I’m just so glad we found them. Though it’s one of those things where I kinda wish I hadn’t been right.” Cloud set his tea steeping and bit back a groan when he looked at the clock. It was way later than he had thought. He was shocked that anyone had let him sleep so long. Sephiroth must have had a hand in it. “So, what can I do for you?” he asked.
“Well, I was actually already planning to call Tseng about some unrelated things when we first heard the news. I haven’t been able to get through to him, though, and hoped you might be able to pass on a message.”
“Sure, no problem.”
“See, there’s been another omega born here, and his parents were thinking about moving to Midgar. I like it here, but it was tough growing up and being the only one who was different. They realized that and thought it would be better to move. But then we saw what had happened and figured that there probably isn’t extra space for a new family.”
Cloud frowned. That was true, but he knew Rufus wouldn’t turn them away, regardless. “I’m sure we’d be able to find somewhere for them.”
“Yeah, maybe, but let’s be realistic. You guys are overwhelmed. The latest report is saying that there were way more people than you had predicted. So we had a town meeting,” Jesse hurried on before Cloud could insist. “We thought why not bring some more omegas here? If you guys will let us, we’ve got six families who are willing to adopt. They’d prefer babies or young ones, mostly ‘cause we don’t have the resources to deal with the sort of trauma the older ones would have.”
Cloud sloshed tea everywhere as he scrambled for a pen. “Shit! Six, you said? Yes, I mean, I don’t have the authority to say yes or no, but I guarantee the answer’s yes. We’re planning on group living for most of the older ones so they can stay with their friends and help support each other, but the little ones need families.”
“That works out well, then. Biggs and I thought about adopting too, but the timing’s kinda bad. That’s the other reason I had been wanting to call Tseng. I’m pregnant and had hoped to be able to go to Midgar for it.”
“Oh, shit, congrats!”
Jesse laughed. “Thanks, but yeah, shit timing. My doctor here is great, and she’s studied up a ton on omegas, but she’s not confident that she can deal with a pregnancy.”
“Can’t blame her for that. We’re kinda weird. Hey, I’d have to double-check with Sephiroth, but why don’t you and Biggs stay with us? We’ve got a spare bedroom, and I’m hoping to be able to get back out in the field once things settle down, so you’d have some privacy as well. You can pay us back by bringing a few pineapples for the ‘bos with you.”
“Really? That’d be great if you guys don’t mind.”
“I’m sure it’ll be-oh, I think that’s Sephiroth back. I’ll ask him now.”
The door unlocked and Sephiroth stepped in. Rage filled the alpha’s expression when he saw him, however. “Who the fuck is on the phone? No one was supposed to disturb you!”
Cloud laughed and rolled his eyes. “It’s Jesse, you butt. Should’ve just unplugged it if you were that concerned. Can he and Biggs stay here for his pregnancy?”
“He’s pregnant?”
“Yeah, and would like a doctor who knows what they’re doing. Is it okay with you?”
“I guess.”
“He says he’d love it if you stayed with us.”
“Is that what he said?” Jesse laughed. “Thanks so much. I’ll talk with Biggs and call again to sort out the details.”
“Great. And I’ll get the ball rolling on those adoptions. You guys are amazing.”
“Adoptions?” Sephiroth asked when he hung up the phone.
Cloud launched himself into Sephiroth’s arms, feeling energized after all the heartache of the past few days. “Mideel’s stepped up,” he explained. “I’ve got to tell Tseng.”
“It can wait until after lunch. Did you get enough sleep?”
“Yeah, and Jesse didn’t actually wake me up, so don’t be grumpy with him.”
Sephiroth laughed. “All right. I was just following Reno’s orders.” He set Cloud down and went back to the door, returning with a note that had apparently been taped to it saying he would kill anyone who disturbed his mate unless it was a life or death emergency.
“Really?” Cloud asked with a raised eyebrow.
“You needed sleep.”
***
The office was teeming with activity when he got in. Cloud paused in front of the screen that displayed their current orders and missions. It seemed like everyone who was available was being sent out to all corners of the planet. He found his own name and winced at the red letters indicating that he was overdue to report to Tseng.
“Why didn’t you set an alarm, Sephiroth?” he groaned, then sprinted to Tseng’s office.
“I’m so sorry, sir,” he said as he entered. “I overslept.”
Tseng just shook his head. “I wasn’t about to pick a fight with Sephiroth. He doesn’t get protective like that unless it’s actually serious. Are you feeling better?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. I’m sorry I can’t give you more of a break, but we found the records they kept for sales of omegas, and we need to move quickly if we’re going to be in time to save them.”
“Of course. Where am I going?”
“That’s up to you. I had you down for a location out east, but there was also a sale made to Nibelheim a couple years ago.”
Cloud froze and had the sudden urge to go dig out his stethoscope from whatever box it had ended up in.
“You certainly don’t have to, but Aerith wondered if it might not bring you some closure to be able to go back with the power of Shinra behind you.”
Conflicted emotions raged through him. The scared little boy bottled up deep inside wanted nothing more than to scream for his mate to come rescue him from the mere thought of Nibelheim. The man he had become, however-the Turk who trusted his mate to have his back when he needed it, but knew that he could protect himself as well as others … he wanted to go back. He wanted to look them in the eyes and have them know that they didn’t break him and that he wouldn’t let them hurt anyone else.
“Has Rufus finalized the new measures?” he asked.
“Yes. We’re holding off on a public announcement until we secure the rest of the omegas, but we’re done with being nice. No matter where you decide to go, it will be with enough SOLDIERs to just kick the front door in. No negotiations, no payments, no tricks or sneaking around.”
“I’ll go to Nibelheim.”
“I thought you might. Here’s your mission outline. Your flight leaves in three hours.”
“Yes, sir. Oh, before I forget, you need to call Jesse when you have a chance. Mideel is offering to adopt six omegas.”
Tseng blinked in surprise. “Fuck, that would help a ton. I’ll call him right away.”
Cloud bumped into Sephiroth in the hall on his way back home to get his gear ready. He was carrying a similar mission folder.
“Are you okay with this?” Sephiroth asked.
“Yes. Honestly, I think I need it. I might cry, though.”
“I’ll pack tissues and a shoulder to cry on.”
Cloud laughed and slid his arm around Sephiroth’s waist. “Thank you.”
***
Cloud’s nerves were strung like a wire as the helicopter set down. He didn’t remember much of what the town looked like, but it didn’t seem like much had changed to him. Now that he thought about it, he wondered if they would have even gotten the news about the Honeybee. He couldn’t see any antennas for TVs or radios.
The helicopter attracted attention, and Cloud watched people begin to come out of their homes to see what was happening. That was good.
“That’s the house I was kept in, over there.” Cloud pointed it out to the five additional SOLDIERs who had accompanied them. “I’ll check there first. Looks like everyone’s coming out to stare at the magic flying machine. I want you to keep them outside so they don’t have a chance to hide or kill the omega.”
“Yes, sir,” they said.
He glanced over at Tifa, who was double-checking her megaphone and going over her script. “Ready for this?”
“As I’ll ever be. Maybe dear old dad will figure out why I left.”
“Don’t count on it.”
The helicopter touched down and Cloud stood. Sephiroth gave his hand a tight squeeze, and they stepped out together. The SOLDIERs fanned out, drawing their blades, and Sephiroth shouted.
“Everyone is to remain where they are while we conduct an emergency search of the town. Do not interfere.”
Cloud ignored the questioning shouts and made his way to his old house. The door creaked loudly on its hinges and opened on an all too familiar room. The roof seemed to have developed a leak, and he stepped carefully around the stagnant water that had pooled in the sagging floorboards. Lurking behind the stench of mould was the scent of an omega. He opened the bedroom door.
A young omega, whose face had been pressed against the window trying to see out, whipped around. “I’m sorry, sir-who are you?”
“Hey, there. My name’s Cloud. I used to live here.”
“Here?”
“In this very room. I have to say … I didn’t miss it. Do you like it here?”
The omega stilled with a wary expression. Cloud guessed he was around Luke’s age, but his dark brown eyes looked much older, with fear lurking in their depths.
“It’s okay if you don’t. I hated it.” Cloud moved slightly closer, feeling relieved at the omega’s outward appearance. He was in much better condition than Luke, at least, and looked better fed than he had been. The omega seemed to catch his scent and gave a curious sniff.
“Are you an omega too?”
“I am, and you can trust me not to hurt you. Even if you say something like Mayor Lockheart is more disgusting than one of those slugs that come out of the shower drain in summer. You know the ones, don’t you?”
The omega gave a tiny laugh that he quickly stifled. He frowned for a moment. “You said your name’s Cloud?”
“Yeah, that’s right. Do you have a name?”
The boy shook his head. “Mr. Lockheart, though … sometimes he calls me Cloud when he punishes me or fucks me. Did you really live here?”
Cloud felt the blood drain from his face and fought not to be sick. It took a moment to gather his composure and answer. “I did, and I got away to a place where no one has the right to hurt me. Do you want to get away too?”
“I-I-how?”
“By coming with me. My friends and I found out that you were here and came to get you, if you want to go. That’s what all the commotion outside is. We’ll take you to a place called Midgar where you can be safe and cared for. No more getting punished or fucked by people you don’t want touching you.”
He glanced past Cloud towards the door as though checking that no one was listening in before stating with surprising confidence, “I don’t like it here.”
“Then let’s get the hell out. This room is not bringing back pleasant memories for me.” Cloud held out his hand and the omega took it. “Anything you want to bring? We’ll get you set up with everything you need, but if there’s anything sentimental you have, let’s bring it.”
“Oh, I do!” He scurried over to the bed and dug his fingers into a hole in the side of the mattress. A few seconds later, he pulled out a smooth whitish rock. “My friend from before I was sent here gave it to me.”
“Let’s keep it safe, then.” He took the boy’s hand again and led him outside, where it looked like violence was about to erupt at any second. Sephiroth was facing down an angry-looking group of people with his sword drawn, and Lockheart was yelling at Kunsel, who stood blocking access to the helicopter with Tifa in it. He stopped once he noticed Cloud and the omega.
“Get your disgusting hands off my property!” he screamed, barrelling towards them.
“Nothing to worry about, you’re safe now, so don’t be frightened.” Cloud drew his sword, bringing the unarmed man to a stop a good distance from him. “What? Are you scared of me now that I can fight back? Go ahead. I’m allowed to kill you if you try to lay a finger on me. You’re never touching this omega, or anyone else again. Not if you want to live. He’s not anybody’s property.”
Fingers clutched tightly at his jacket, and Cloud pulled the trembling omega closer, tucking him into his side. He felt strange. He thought he would be scared, or at least angry, but he just felt a bit tired. All he really wanted to do was get the omega away.
“I had a lot I wanted to say to you. I thought of so many things on the trip over. Seeing you now, though … you’re not worth it. I’ve wasted enough of my life being scared of you, and I’m not going to waste any more of it acting like you’re worthy of my attention. Come on, kiddo, he’s not worth your time, either.”
He felt Sephiroth’s eyes on him, watching his back as he led the omega to the helicopter and lifted him up into it.
“My turn?” Tifa asked while hopping down nimbly.
“Have at it.”
She picked up her megaphone and smiled at the omega. “I’m going to do a bit of shouting before we can go, but it’s nothing to be scared of. Just sit tight with Cloud, and we’ll be out of this nightmare and on our way before you know it.”
“That’s Tifa,” Cloud explained as he got the omega settled. “She used to live here too, but ran away because everyone was so awful. She works helping omegas now. Here, have a snack while we wait. Have you had chocolate before?”
Tifa, with Kunsel escorting her, climbed the water tower in the centre of town. “May I have your attention, please,” she said into the megaphone. “The city-states of Midgar and Junon, and the Kingdom of Wutai have declared a global state of emergency. In order to curtail the pandemic abuse of omegas, the following laws are now in place worldwide.”
Cloud tuned out the list of laws that had been developed in what had been a fairly joint effort between Wutai and Midgar and broke off a piece of a chocolate bar for the omega to try instead. They were strict, with mandatory registration of pregnancies and births at the regional outposts that were already being put into place across the globe, strict border security to prevent smuggling omegas, and random inspections that basically stripped people of any right to privacy. Midgar’s laws regarding sexual assault were being expanded globally as well, along with their punishments.
He knew that there had been a lot of debate about whether or not they were going too far when it was just hypothetical, but after seeing the Honeybee and the atrocities that had happened there, Cloud wondered if it was far enough. He didn’t care much about politics, and the arguments people brought up with words like authoritarianism and tyranny didn’t mean much to him. He just wanted a world where it was safe to be an omega.
Tifa continued to shout over the protesting yells. “The Neo Shinra Electric Power Company and the Royal Army of Wutai will be enforcing the new laws without hesitation. Failure to comply will result in fines, jail time, or execution depending on the nature of the violation. As this is the second abused omega to be removed from the town of Nibelheim, your governing council is hereby stripped of all its powers and a regional outpost will be put in its place. Members of SOLDIER will remain as a temporary governing body until the outpost is established.”
She paused and took a breath before raising the megaphone again. “We understand that these are drastic measures, but they are necessary for the prevention of abuse. We seek peace and prosperity for all genders, and encourage everyone to step forward as globally-minded citizens. The Neo Shinra Electric Power Company has proven time and time again that it is willing to support rural areas that accept omegas and allow them to thrive. It is up to you, as a community, to decide whether or not you wish to join us in our prosperous future or be left to wither and die.”
With that, she jumped down and made her way back to the helicopter.
“And now that that’s over with, let’s bring you home,” Cloud said. “You’re going to like it a lot, I know I sure did.”
“What’s it like?”
“Like nothing you can imagine. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it.”
Cloud let the omega cuddle up next to him and described his first impressions of Midgar as best he could while Sephiroth sorted out which SOLDIERs would be staying behind and ensured that they had the supplies they needed. His eyes slipped shut as Cloud spoke, and Tifa draped a blanket over his shoulders.
“You okay?” he whispered.
“Yeah.” She gave a tired sigh. “I know he … but I’m glad that they’re not retroactively enforcing the penalties, even if that makes me a horrible person.”
“You’re not. It doesn’t mean you think what he did was okay, but he’s still your father. I’m glad that the Honeybee fell under Junon’s jurisdiction and therefore Midgar’s laws so we can manage some justice that way, but I do understand not wanting to lose your family.”
“No more chances, though. If he … I’ll kill him myself if he ever so much as looks at another omega.” Tifa looked down at the omega snuggled at his side. “He’s about Luke’s age. Do you think they might know each other?”
“It’s definitely possible considering the way the dorm system worked. We’re going to need to make sure all these rescues have a chance to meet up with each other.”
“Does he have a name?”
Cloud shook his head. “No. I was wondering if he might like Denzel, though. That was the name of the omega who inspired me to become a Turk. I keep thinking about how the older ones at the Honeybee passed their names on to the next generations, and I can’t help but think that he might have wanted to do the same.”
“What was he like?”
“No idea,” Cloud said with a touch of bitterness. “He was dead before I ever knew he existed. I like to think that he’s still out there somewhere, watching. That he knows he at least gave me the push I needed to realize what I needed to do. That his death wasn’t meaningless.”
***
The dark sky seemed to match the mood of the crowd gathered around the large platform that had been constructed in front of the courthouse. It seemed appropriate for the task of the day, but Sephiroth did hope it wouldn’t rain. That would just be miserable. He looked over his sword and tested its edge.
“I still think you should go with one of the shitty practice blades,” Genesis said.
“Much as I hate to stain Masamune with their filth, a SOLDIER’s job is to kill monsters, not torture them.”
Rufus stepped up to the podium, looking grim. “Good morning. We are here today to witness the executions of the criminals behind the sex-trafficking ring known as the Honeybee Inn. We hope that the deaths today serve as a warning to the world. The abuse of omegas will not be tolerated, and these are the consequences should anyone choose to do so. Let us begin.
“Prisoner number one, for the crimes of murder, rape, torture, and human trafficking, you have been sentenced to death by beheading. Step forwards.”
Sephiroth stepped up to the execution block as the first prisoner was dragged forwards. He looked up and found where Cloud was sitting, cradled in Tseng’s lap. Cloud met his eyes, nodded, then turned his face away to hide it in Tseng’s jacket. Good. While he appreciated Cloud’s support in coming, he didn’t actually want him watching. Cloud was too kind of a person to be able to watch this sort of thing, and Tseng had promised to take him out if it got too upsetting for him.
The prisoner was slammed down on his knees and bent over the block by two SOLDIERs, who held him still as he screamed in protest. Sephiroth stared straight into the camera that was broadcasting this to the world, then raised Masamune and in one quick slice, sent his head rolling. The SOLDIERs hauled the body away, and Rufus spoke again.
“Prisoner number two, for the crimes of murder, rape, torture, and human trafficking, you have been sentenced to death by beheading. Step forwards.”
He appreciated that Rufus had decided that they wouldn’t publicize anyone’s name. The idea of them dying in anonymity seemed like an added bit of justice for all the omegas who had died alone and unnamed after a life of suffering. He only knew that Corneo would be last, and that number sixteen was the man who had forced Tifa to have sex with him for an invitation to the Honeybee. When his turn came, Sephiroth swung his blade ever so slightly slower, hoping he could really feel it cutting through him.
The platform was soaked in blood and the afternoon was wearing on by the time the last prisoner was called forwards. Corneo was sobbing and still trying to bribe them through the blubbering. When the SOLDIERs forced him to his knees, a dark stain spread on his pants. Sephiroth just scoffed. Of course the biggest monster was the biggest coward.
“Get him down. Let’s put an end to his miserable existence.”
He raised his sword and swung, but at the last moment, tilted it just a hair, and it lodged in the man’s vertebrae instead of cutting cleanly. Corneo screamed and pissed himself again. “Oops,” he said. “He must have moved. Make sure you hold him still.”
He kept the second swing clean, and Corneo’s head joined the pile. Genesis raised an eyebrow at him when he turned away.
“My arm was getting tired.”
“Of course. Thanks.”
Sephiroth just nodded and left the platform. There was a car waiting to take him back to HQ to clean up, and he didn’t even notice that Cloud was in it until he was hugging him.
“Are you okay?” Cloud asked.
“I …” He took a deep breath, trying to block out the smell of blood and just focus on Cloud’s scent. “I will be. It needed to be done.”
“I have a shoulder and some tissues if you need them. Crying doesn’t mean you’re not brave.”
He took another breath and relaxed, feeling safe with his mate. “Thank you, love.”
***
Cloud duly clapped along with everyone else when Rufus’s speech finally wrapped up, then flopped his head down on Sephiroth’s shoulder. “Is it wrong to feel like a fraud?”
Sephiroth started to say something, but he was interrupted by Reno, who was seated at his other side and smacked him lightly over the head.
“Of course it is, dumbass. If you don’t want your trophy, give it to me and I’ll use it as a paperweight, but don’t try to invalidate what you did. If you don’t think that saving hundreds of lives-thousands if we consider how many more would have suffered and died if it had continued-if you don’t think that’s worthy of note, then you’re also saying that Tifa, Essai, and all the other people who sacrificed and put their lives on the line didn’t do anything worthy, either.”
“I didn’t-”
“I agree with Reno.” Sephiroth kissed his temple to take the sting out of his words. “You told me all those years ago that you wanted to be a hero. Well, you are one. Accept it. I want the paperweight though.”
Cloud laughed and ran his fingers over his name that was engraved in the gold statue of an omega symbol. “Nah, it’s my paperweight. Sorry, it’s just been draining.”
“No kidding. That was what, three weeks of nonstop rescues? Then the executions. Sorry I couldn’t help with any of it.”
“Don’t even think that. Oliver needed you and Rude with him. How’s he doing?”
Reno gave a thoughtful bob of his head. “Better than he was. Still a long way to go. His therapist has him drawing to work on expressing his feelings. He’s got a lot of feelings about penises that involve a lot of scribbling over them in black. Sometimes red. Sometimes both. Depends on his mood. But he also likes to draw Rude scaring his nightmares away-that’s what alpha-dads do best, see.”
Cloud gave a small laugh. “That’d be cute if it wasn’t for such an awful reason.”
“And he’s warming up to me,” Reno said proudly. “The other night he got anxious while Rude was taking a dump and came to me for comfort. He even stayed with me once Rude got out of the bathroom.”
“That’s awesome!”
“Rude’s always going to be his favourite, I know, but it’s nice to start being a bit more than the guy who sometimes takes away Rude’s attention.”
Sephiroth reached over and squeezed Reno’s shoulder. “You’re going to be a great dad.”
Reno huffed indignantly. “Of course I am! I raised Cloud, didn’t I? And he’s a fuckin’ hero now! He’s got a paperweight and everything! Ollie’s gonna be just fine.”
Cloud couldn’t help but laugh as Sephiroth sputtered. He supposed that, in a way, Reno did raise him. And he’d done a far better job of it than anyone in Nibelheim.
He looked up to see Tifa approaching with Luke and Denzel on either side of her. The omega from Nibelheim had been thrilled to get a name, and recalling how happy he had been when he recognized the friend who had given him his stone had helped with the heartache of the unsuccessful missions. The two had moved into an apartment with Tifa, and Luke appeared to be finally starting to come out of his shell in the new environment.
“Can we see your trophy too, Cloud?” Luke asked.
“Sure.” Cloud handed it over and held out arms. Luke immediately sat and snuggled up, while Denzel sat down with Sephiroth.
“Feeling left out? Want to cuddle with me, Tifa?” Reno asked.
She rolled her eyes in response as the two omegas compared his trophy to Tifa’s.
“Does this mean that you’ve rescued all the omegas now?”
Cloud sighed. “That would be wonderful, but no, I think we’ve still got a lot of work to do. One day, though, I really hope we won’t need to anymore.”
“Then what will you do?”
“Hmm …” Cloud rested his chin on Luke’s shoulder and thought. “Sephiroth once promised he’d be my sugar daddy and let me live a lazy life in the lap of luxury …”
“I don’t think that’s quite what I promised!”
He laughed. “But you know, I think it might be fun to be a chocobo jockey. What do you think? Could Dancer and I beat Teioh and Joe in a race? Will you guys come to the Gold Saucer to cheer for me?”
***
Previous Chapter
A/N: Thank you so much to everyone for reading and especially to the commenters. Your support is why I post. I wasn’t terribly confident when I first decided to share this, so the positive response was really overwhelming and appreciated. I hope you enjoyed the ending. Wrapping things up is always so hard!
I’m not sure what I’m going to work on next. I have a short AU that’s pretty much complete, and I finally finished replaying Might and Magic 8 so I could remember how it ends-I have a terrible memory and kind of doubt I ever actually played it in the first place. The Endless Ocean needs some editing thanks to that, but I think I’ll be able to get it finished soon. It’s been in limbo for far too long. I also really want to finish my space whores AU. I got it unstuck, but hate the direction it went after unsticking. Arrgh!
Anyway, thanks again for your support. I love you all and wish you the best. Stay safe!
Chapter: 19/19
Author: xpaperplanex
Rating: NC-17 overall
Word Count: ~5400
Pairings: Sephiroth/Cloud
Genre: adventure, hurt/comfort, alpha/omega
Warnings: non-con
Chapter 1
Summary: Offered up as payment to an alpha for ridding the town of monsters, Cloud discovers that the outside world is vastly different than he expected, and that he could play a role in changing it.
Sephiroth never wanted to mate, preferring his independence as a SOLDIER that allows him to travel the world at his leisure. When he finds himself caring for a traumatized omega, however, his values start to shift.
***
Reno glanced up when he heard the door open. “Everything okay?”
Rude nodded as he sat down next to him on the hard bench in the hospital corridor, looking exhausted and stressed out. “He’s sleeping. There was the expected bruising and tearing, of course, but he’s sleeping now. They’re going to keep him at least overnight.” He leaned around Reno and raised an eyebrow at Cloud, who was slumped over and snoring.
“Fucking asshole said he’d help me with this.” Reno waved the clipboard that held the paperwork he had been filling out. “And approximately two milliseconds after we sat down, he passed out.” He rolled his eyes and shook his head. “I called Sephiroth to come get him. I don’t think he’s slept more than a couple hours since the operation began.”
“Why am I not surprised? What’s the paperwork?”
“Tseng approved us to be foster parents, but we’ve still got to check all the boxes. I’ve marked everywhere you need to sign.” He held out the clipboard and pen.
“Foster-for him?” Rude jerked his head towards the room he had just exited.
“If they’re just keeping him overnight, he’ll need somewhere to go after. Do you want to?”
Footsteps in the hall caught their attention, and they both looked up to see Sephiroth approaching. “Is Cloud-?”
“Right here. Put him the fuck to bed, would you? And keep him there for a good long while.”
Sephiroth just chuckled as he scooped his mate up off the bench. Cloud barely stirred, and immediately went back to sleep when Sephiroth shushed him. “I’ll do my best.” He paused, looking at the fat envelope beside Reno. “Adoption?”
Rude was signing madly, like that would get the kid out of the hospital and home faster, so he felt confident in saying, “Probably. Fostering for now.”
“I thought you didn’t want kids?”
“I don’t want to get pregnant or-” He shuddered. “Give birth. A pre-born kid who needs a family to love him is different. Cloud already claimed being the fun uncle.”
Sephiroth frowned. “I’m fun too.”
“Uh-huh. You keep telling yourself that.”
“I am,” he grumbled. “Let me know if you need anything.”
Reno cackled evilly. “Oh good. I was wondering who would help Rude build furniture tomorrow.”
Rude glanced up from the paperwork. “Furniture?”
“Should we make him sleep on the floor? The paperwork you’re signing says we won’t since you’re apparently not reading it. Cloud and I ordered a bedroom set earlier. It’s arriving tomorrow morning.”
“I can probably help out with that,” Sephiroth said. “Get some sleep yourselves.”
“Yep, goodnight.” Reno leaned against his mate as Sephiroth left. “You’re not going to, are you?”
“I want to stay with him. He was so scared. If he wakes up …”
“I know.” He shrugged and took the clipboard back, double-checking that everything was filled out properly. “Aren’t sleepless nights a thing for new parents? I’ll drop this off with Tseng and clear out the second bedroom. We’ll have to come up with a name for him.”
“I already did. When I was talking to him earlier, he wanted one, so … sorry. I didn’t think-”
“Don’t be sorry, yo. If he likes it, then it’s good enough for me. What did you decide?”
Rude gave him a small smile. “Oliver. I always liked that name.”
Reno crossed out the number at the top of the form and wrote ‘Oliver’ above it. “Perfect. All right, you stay with him, and I’ll make sure everything’s set up for him to come home. Don’t worry about the furniture. If Sephiroth can’t do it by himself, I’ll rope someone else into helping. There’s a slim possibility that I might even help if it gets desperate.”
***
Cloud woke to an empty bed. That was always disappointing, but there was a note on Sephiroth’s pillow saying that he was over at Rude and Reno’s. “Oh, shit,” he said to himself. He hoped Reno wasn’t too annoyed about him falling asleep.
He rolled out of bed and was just putting the kettle on when the phone rang. “Please don’t be an emergency,” he begged as he picked it up. “Hello, Cloud speaking.”
“Cloud, it’s Jesse, how are you?”
“Jesse? Holy shit, it’s been ages. I’m-well, it’s been a bit crazy lately. How’re you doing? How’s everyone in Mideel?”
“We’re all good, but we’ve seen the news. That’s so fucked up.”
“No kidding, I’m just so glad we found them. Though it’s one of those things where I kinda wish I hadn’t been right.” Cloud set his tea steeping and bit back a groan when he looked at the clock. It was way later than he had thought. He was shocked that anyone had let him sleep so long. Sephiroth must have had a hand in it. “So, what can I do for you?” he asked.
“Well, I was actually already planning to call Tseng about some unrelated things when we first heard the news. I haven’t been able to get through to him, though, and hoped you might be able to pass on a message.”
“Sure, no problem.”
“See, there’s been another omega born here, and his parents were thinking about moving to Midgar. I like it here, but it was tough growing up and being the only one who was different. They realized that and thought it would be better to move. But then we saw what had happened and figured that there probably isn’t extra space for a new family.”
Cloud frowned. That was true, but he knew Rufus wouldn’t turn them away, regardless. “I’m sure we’d be able to find somewhere for them.”
“Yeah, maybe, but let’s be realistic. You guys are overwhelmed. The latest report is saying that there were way more people than you had predicted. So we had a town meeting,” Jesse hurried on before Cloud could insist. “We thought why not bring some more omegas here? If you guys will let us, we’ve got six families who are willing to adopt. They’d prefer babies or young ones, mostly ‘cause we don’t have the resources to deal with the sort of trauma the older ones would have.”
Cloud sloshed tea everywhere as he scrambled for a pen. “Shit! Six, you said? Yes, I mean, I don’t have the authority to say yes or no, but I guarantee the answer’s yes. We’re planning on group living for most of the older ones so they can stay with their friends and help support each other, but the little ones need families.”
“That works out well, then. Biggs and I thought about adopting too, but the timing’s kinda bad. That’s the other reason I had been wanting to call Tseng. I’m pregnant and had hoped to be able to go to Midgar for it.”
“Oh, shit, congrats!”
Jesse laughed. “Thanks, but yeah, shit timing. My doctor here is great, and she’s studied up a ton on omegas, but she’s not confident that she can deal with a pregnancy.”
“Can’t blame her for that. We’re kinda weird. Hey, I’d have to double-check with Sephiroth, but why don’t you and Biggs stay with us? We’ve got a spare bedroom, and I’m hoping to be able to get back out in the field once things settle down, so you’d have some privacy as well. You can pay us back by bringing a few pineapples for the ‘bos with you.”
“Really? That’d be great if you guys don’t mind.”
“I’m sure it’ll be-oh, I think that’s Sephiroth back. I’ll ask him now.”
The door unlocked and Sephiroth stepped in. Rage filled the alpha’s expression when he saw him, however. “Who the fuck is on the phone? No one was supposed to disturb you!”
Cloud laughed and rolled his eyes. “It’s Jesse, you butt. Should’ve just unplugged it if you were that concerned. Can he and Biggs stay here for his pregnancy?”
“He’s pregnant?”
“Yeah, and would like a doctor who knows what they’re doing. Is it okay with you?”
“I guess.”
“He says he’d love it if you stayed with us.”
“Is that what he said?” Jesse laughed. “Thanks so much. I’ll talk with Biggs and call again to sort out the details.”
“Great. And I’ll get the ball rolling on those adoptions. You guys are amazing.”
“Adoptions?” Sephiroth asked when he hung up the phone.
Cloud launched himself into Sephiroth’s arms, feeling energized after all the heartache of the past few days. “Mideel’s stepped up,” he explained. “I’ve got to tell Tseng.”
“It can wait until after lunch. Did you get enough sleep?”
“Yeah, and Jesse didn’t actually wake me up, so don’t be grumpy with him.”
Sephiroth laughed. “All right. I was just following Reno’s orders.” He set Cloud down and went back to the door, returning with a note that had apparently been taped to it saying he would kill anyone who disturbed his mate unless it was a life or death emergency.
“Really?” Cloud asked with a raised eyebrow.
“You needed sleep.”
***
The office was teeming with activity when he got in. Cloud paused in front of the screen that displayed their current orders and missions. It seemed like everyone who was available was being sent out to all corners of the planet. He found his own name and winced at the red letters indicating that he was overdue to report to Tseng.
“Why didn’t you set an alarm, Sephiroth?” he groaned, then sprinted to Tseng’s office.
“I’m so sorry, sir,” he said as he entered. “I overslept.”
Tseng just shook his head. “I wasn’t about to pick a fight with Sephiroth. He doesn’t get protective like that unless it’s actually serious. Are you feeling better?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. I’m sorry I can’t give you more of a break, but we found the records they kept for sales of omegas, and we need to move quickly if we’re going to be in time to save them.”
“Of course. Where am I going?”
“That’s up to you. I had you down for a location out east, but there was also a sale made to Nibelheim a couple years ago.”
Cloud froze and had the sudden urge to go dig out his stethoscope from whatever box it had ended up in.
“You certainly don’t have to, but Aerith wondered if it might not bring you some closure to be able to go back with the power of Shinra behind you.”
Conflicted emotions raged through him. The scared little boy bottled up deep inside wanted nothing more than to scream for his mate to come rescue him from the mere thought of Nibelheim. The man he had become, however-the Turk who trusted his mate to have his back when he needed it, but knew that he could protect himself as well as others … he wanted to go back. He wanted to look them in the eyes and have them know that they didn’t break him and that he wouldn’t let them hurt anyone else.
“Has Rufus finalized the new measures?” he asked.
“Yes. We’re holding off on a public announcement until we secure the rest of the omegas, but we’re done with being nice. No matter where you decide to go, it will be with enough SOLDIERs to just kick the front door in. No negotiations, no payments, no tricks or sneaking around.”
“I’ll go to Nibelheim.”
“I thought you might. Here’s your mission outline. Your flight leaves in three hours.”
“Yes, sir. Oh, before I forget, you need to call Jesse when you have a chance. Mideel is offering to adopt six omegas.”
Tseng blinked in surprise. “Fuck, that would help a ton. I’ll call him right away.”
Cloud bumped into Sephiroth in the hall on his way back home to get his gear ready. He was carrying a similar mission folder.
“Are you okay with this?” Sephiroth asked.
“Yes. Honestly, I think I need it. I might cry, though.”
“I’ll pack tissues and a shoulder to cry on.”
Cloud laughed and slid his arm around Sephiroth’s waist. “Thank you.”
***
Cloud’s nerves were strung like a wire as the helicopter set down. He didn’t remember much of what the town looked like, but it didn’t seem like much had changed to him. Now that he thought about it, he wondered if they would have even gotten the news about the Honeybee. He couldn’t see any antennas for TVs or radios.
The helicopter attracted attention, and Cloud watched people begin to come out of their homes to see what was happening. That was good.
“That’s the house I was kept in, over there.” Cloud pointed it out to the five additional SOLDIERs who had accompanied them. “I’ll check there first. Looks like everyone’s coming out to stare at the magic flying machine. I want you to keep them outside so they don’t have a chance to hide or kill the omega.”
“Yes, sir,” they said.
He glanced over at Tifa, who was double-checking her megaphone and going over her script. “Ready for this?”
“As I’ll ever be. Maybe dear old dad will figure out why I left.”
“Don’t count on it.”
The helicopter touched down and Cloud stood. Sephiroth gave his hand a tight squeeze, and they stepped out together. The SOLDIERs fanned out, drawing their blades, and Sephiroth shouted.
“Everyone is to remain where they are while we conduct an emergency search of the town. Do not interfere.”
Cloud ignored the questioning shouts and made his way to his old house. The door creaked loudly on its hinges and opened on an all too familiar room. The roof seemed to have developed a leak, and he stepped carefully around the stagnant water that had pooled in the sagging floorboards. Lurking behind the stench of mould was the scent of an omega. He opened the bedroom door.
A young omega, whose face had been pressed against the window trying to see out, whipped around. “I’m sorry, sir-who are you?”
“Hey, there. My name’s Cloud. I used to live here.”
“Here?”
“In this very room. I have to say … I didn’t miss it. Do you like it here?”
The omega stilled with a wary expression. Cloud guessed he was around Luke’s age, but his dark brown eyes looked much older, with fear lurking in their depths.
“It’s okay if you don’t. I hated it.” Cloud moved slightly closer, feeling relieved at the omega’s outward appearance. He was in much better condition than Luke, at least, and looked better fed than he had been. The omega seemed to catch his scent and gave a curious sniff.
“Are you an omega too?”
“I am, and you can trust me not to hurt you. Even if you say something like Mayor Lockheart is more disgusting than one of those slugs that come out of the shower drain in summer. You know the ones, don’t you?”
The omega gave a tiny laugh that he quickly stifled. He frowned for a moment. “You said your name’s Cloud?”
“Yeah, that’s right. Do you have a name?”
The boy shook his head. “Mr. Lockheart, though … sometimes he calls me Cloud when he punishes me or fucks me. Did you really live here?”
Cloud felt the blood drain from his face and fought not to be sick. It took a moment to gather his composure and answer. “I did, and I got away to a place where no one has the right to hurt me. Do you want to get away too?”
“I-I-how?”
“By coming with me. My friends and I found out that you were here and came to get you, if you want to go. That’s what all the commotion outside is. We’ll take you to a place called Midgar where you can be safe and cared for. No more getting punished or fucked by people you don’t want touching you.”
He glanced past Cloud towards the door as though checking that no one was listening in before stating with surprising confidence, “I don’t like it here.”
“Then let’s get the hell out. This room is not bringing back pleasant memories for me.” Cloud held out his hand and the omega took it. “Anything you want to bring? We’ll get you set up with everything you need, but if there’s anything sentimental you have, let’s bring it.”
“Oh, I do!” He scurried over to the bed and dug his fingers into a hole in the side of the mattress. A few seconds later, he pulled out a smooth whitish rock. “My friend from before I was sent here gave it to me.”
“Let’s keep it safe, then.” He took the boy’s hand again and led him outside, where it looked like violence was about to erupt at any second. Sephiroth was facing down an angry-looking group of people with his sword drawn, and Lockheart was yelling at Kunsel, who stood blocking access to the helicopter with Tifa in it. He stopped once he noticed Cloud and the omega.
“Get your disgusting hands off my property!” he screamed, barrelling towards them.
“Nothing to worry about, you’re safe now, so don’t be frightened.” Cloud drew his sword, bringing the unarmed man to a stop a good distance from him. “What? Are you scared of me now that I can fight back? Go ahead. I’m allowed to kill you if you try to lay a finger on me. You’re never touching this omega, or anyone else again. Not if you want to live. He’s not anybody’s property.”
Fingers clutched tightly at his jacket, and Cloud pulled the trembling omega closer, tucking him into his side. He felt strange. He thought he would be scared, or at least angry, but he just felt a bit tired. All he really wanted to do was get the omega away.
“I had a lot I wanted to say to you. I thought of so many things on the trip over. Seeing you now, though … you’re not worth it. I’ve wasted enough of my life being scared of you, and I’m not going to waste any more of it acting like you’re worthy of my attention. Come on, kiddo, he’s not worth your time, either.”
He felt Sephiroth’s eyes on him, watching his back as he led the omega to the helicopter and lifted him up into it.
“My turn?” Tifa asked while hopping down nimbly.
“Have at it.”
She picked up her megaphone and smiled at the omega. “I’m going to do a bit of shouting before we can go, but it’s nothing to be scared of. Just sit tight with Cloud, and we’ll be out of this nightmare and on our way before you know it.”
“That’s Tifa,” Cloud explained as he got the omega settled. “She used to live here too, but ran away because everyone was so awful. She works helping omegas now. Here, have a snack while we wait. Have you had chocolate before?”
Tifa, with Kunsel escorting her, climbed the water tower in the centre of town. “May I have your attention, please,” she said into the megaphone. “The city-states of Midgar and Junon, and the Kingdom of Wutai have declared a global state of emergency. In order to curtail the pandemic abuse of omegas, the following laws are now in place worldwide.”
Cloud tuned out the list of laws that had been developed in what had been a fairly joint effort between Wutai and Midgar and broke off a piece of a chocolate bar for the omega to try instead. They were strict, with mandatory registration of pregnancies and births at the regional outposts that were already being put into place across the globe, strict border security to prevent smuggling omegas, and random inspections that basically stripped people of any right to privacy. Midgar’s laws regarding sexual assault were being expanded globally as well, along with their punishments.
He knew that there had been a lot of debate about whether or not they were going too far when it was just hypothetical, but after seeing the Honeybee and the atrocities that had happened there, Cloud wondered if it was far enough. He didn’t care much about politics, and the arguments people brought up with words like authoritarianism and tyranny didn’t mean much to him. He just wanted a world where it was safe to be an omega.
Tifa continued to shout over the protesting yells. “The Neo Shinra Electric Power Company and the Royal Army of Wutai will be enforcing the new laws without hesitation. Failure to comply will result in fines, jail time, or execution depending on the nature of the violation. As this is the second abused omega to be removed from the town of Nibelheim, your governing council is hereby stripped of all its powers and a regional outpost will be put in its place. Members of SOLDIER will remain as a temporary governing body until the outpost is established.”
She paused and took a breath before raising the megaphone again. “We understand that these are drastic measures, but they are necessary for the prevention of abuse. We seek peace and prosperity for all genders, and encourage everyone to step forward as globally-minded citizens. The Neo Shinra Electric Power Company has proven time and time again that it is willing to support rural areas that accept omegas and allow them to thrive. It is up to you, as a community, to decide whether or not you wish to join us in our prosperous future or be left to wither and die.”
With that, she jumped down and made her way back to the helicopter.
“And now that that’s over with, let’s bring you home,” Cloud said. “You’re going to like it a lot, I know I sure did.”
“What’s it like?”
“Like nothing you can imagine. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it.”
Cloud let the omega cuddle up next to him and described his first impressions of Midgar as best he could while Sephiroth sorted out which SOLDIERs would be staying behind and ensured that they had the supplies they needed. His eyes slipped shut as Cloud spoke, and Tifa draped a blanket over his shoulders.
“You okay?” he whispered.
“Yeah.” She gave a tired sigh. “I know he … but I’m glad that they’re not retroactively enforcing the penalties, even if that makes me a horrible person.”
“You’re not. It doesn’t mean you think what he did was okay, but he’s still your father. I’m glad that the Honeybee fell under Junon’s jurisdiction and therefore Midgar’s laws so we can manage some justice that way, but I do understand not wanting to lose your family.”
“No more chances, though. If he … I’ll kill him myself if he ever so much as looks at another omega.” Tifa looked down at the omega snuggled at his side. “He’s about Luke’s age. Do you think they might know each other?”
“It’s definitely possible considering the way the dorm system worked. We’re going to need to make sure all these rescues have a chance to meet up with each other.”
“Does he have a name?”
Cloud shook his head. “No. I was wondering if he might like Denzel, though. That was the name of the omega who inspired me to become a Turk. I keep thinking about how the older ones at the Honeybee passed their names on to the next generations, and I can’t help but think that he might have wanted to do the same.”
“What was he like?”
“No idea,” Cloud said with a touch of bitterness. “He was dead before I ever knew he existed. I like to think that he’s still out there somewhere, watching. That he knows he at least gave me the push I needed to realize what I needed to do. That his death wasn’t meaningless.”
***
The dark sky seemed to match the mood of the crowd gathered around the large platform that had been constructed in front of the courthouse. It seemed appropriate for the task of the day, but Sephiroth did hope it wouldn’t rain. That would just be miserable. He looked over his sword and tested its edge.
“I still think you should go with one of the shitty practice blades,” Genesis said.
“Much as I hate to stain Masamune with their filth, a SOLDIER’s job is to kill monsters, not torture them.”
Rufus stepped up to the podium, looking grim. “Good morning. We are here today to witness the executions of the criminals behind the sex-trafficking ring known as the Honeybee Inn. We hope that the deaths today serve as a warning to the world. The abuse of omegas will not be tolerated, and these are the consequences should anyone choose to do so. Let us begin.
“Prisoner number one, for the crimes of murder, rape, torture, and human trafficking, you have been sentenced to death by beheading. Step forwards.”
Sephiroth stepped up to the execution block as the first prisoner was dragged forwards. He looked up and found where Cloud was sitting, cradled in Tseng’s lap. Cloud met his eyes, nodded, then turned his face away to hide it in Tseng’s jacket. Good. While he appreciated Cloud’s support in coming, he didn’t actually want him watching. Cloud was too kind of a person to be able to watch this sort of thing, and Tseng had promised to take him out if it got too upsetting for him.
The prisoner was slammed down on his knees and bent over the block by two SOLDIERs, who held him still as he screamed in protest. Sephiroth stared straight into the camera that was broadcasting this to the world, then raised Masamune and in one quick slice, sent his head rolling. The SOLDIERs hauled the body away, and Rufus spoke again.
“Prisoner number two, for the crimes of murder, rape, torture, and human trafficking, you have been sentenced to death by beheading. Step forwards.”
He appreciated that Rufus had decided that they wouldn’t publicize anyone’s name. The idea of them dying in anonymity seemed like an added bit of justice for all the omegas who had died alone and unnamed after a life of suffering. He only knew that Corneo would be last, and that number sixteen was the man who had forced Tifa to have sex with him for an invitation to the Honeybee. When his turn came, Sephiroth swung his blade ever so slightly slower, hoping he could really feel it cutting through him.
The platform was soaked in blood and the afternoon was wearing on by the time the last prisoner was called forwards. Corneo was sobbing and still trying to bribe them through the blubbering. When the SOLDIERs forced him to his knees, a dark stain spread on his pants. Sephiroth just scoffed. Of course the biggest monster was the biggest coward.
“Get him down. Let’s put an end to his miserable existence.”
He raised his sword and swung, but at the last moment, tilted it just a hair, and it lodged in the man’s vertebrae instead of cutting cleanly. Corneo screamed and pissed himself again. “Oops,” he said. “He must have moved. Make sure you hold him still.”
He kept the second swing clean, and Corneo’s head joined the pile. Genesis raised an eyebrow at him when he turned away.
“My arm was getting tired.”
“Of course. Thanks.”
Sephiroth just nodded and left the platform. There was a car waiting to take him back to HQ to clean up, and he didn’t even notice that Cloud was in it until he was hugging him.
“Are you okay?” Cloud asked.
“I …” He took a deep breath, trying to block out the smell of blood and just focus on Cloud’s scent. “I will be. It needed to be done.”
“I have a shoulder and some tissues if you need them. Crying doesn’t mean you’re not brave.”
He took another breath and relaxed, feeling safe with his mate. “Thank you, love.”
***
Cloud duly clapped along with everyone else when Rufus’s speech finally wrapped up, then flopped his head down on Sephiroth’s shoulder. “Is it wrong to feel like a fraud?”
Sephiroth started to say something, but he was interrupted by Reno, who was seated at his other side and smacked him lightly over the head.
“Of course it is, dumbass. If you don’t want your trophy, give it to me and I’ll use it as a paperweight, but don’t try to invalidate what you did. If you don’t think that saving hundreds of lives-thousands if we consider how many more would have suffered and died if it had continued-if you don’t think that’s worthy of note, then you’re also saying that Tifa, Essai, and all the other people who sacrificed and put their lives on the line didn’t do anything worthy, either.”
“I didn’t-”
“I agree with Reno.” Sephiroth kissed his temple to take the sting out of his words. “You told me all those years ago that you wanted to be a hero. Well, you are one. Accept it. I want the paperweight though.”
Cloud laughed and ran his fingers over his name that was engraved in the gold statue of an omega symbol. “Nah, it’s my paperweight. Sorry, it’s just been draining.”
“No kidding. That was what, three weeks of nonstop rescues? Then the executions. Sorry I couldn’t help with any of it.”
“Don’t even think that. Oliver needed you and Rude with him. How’s he doing?”
Reno gave a thoughtful bob of his head. “Better than he was. Still a long way to go. His therapist has him drawing to work on expressing his feelings. He’s got a lot of feelings about penises that involve a lot of scribbling over them in black. Sometimes red. Sometimes both. Depends on his mood. But he also likes to draw Rude scaring his nightmares away-that’s what alpha-dads do best, see.”
Cloud gave a small laugh. “That’d be cute if it wasn’t for such an awful reason.”
“And he’s warming up to me,” Reno said proudly. “The other night he got anxious while Rude was taking a dump and came to me for comfort. He even stayed with me once Rude got out of the bathroom.”
“That’s awesome!”
“Rude’s always going to be his favourite, I know, but it’s nice to start being a bit more than the guy who sometimes takes away Rude’s attention.”
Sephiroth reached over and squeezed Reno’s shoulder. “You’re going to be a great dad.”
Reno huffed indignantly. “Of course I am! I raised Cloud, didn’t I? And he’s a fuckin’ hero now! He’s got a paperweight and everything! Ollie’s gonna be just fine.”
Cloud couldn’t help but laugh as Sephiroth sputtered. He supposed that, in a way, Reno did raise him. And he’d done a far better job of it than anyone in Nibelheim.
He looked up to see Tifa approaching with Luke and Denzel on either side of her. The omega from Nibelheim had been thrilled to get a name, and recalling how happy he had been when he recognized the friend who had given him his stone had helped with the heartache of the unsuccessful missions. The two had moved into an apartment with Tifa, and Luke appeared to be finally starting to come out of his shell in the new environment.
“Can we see your trophy too, Cloud?” Luke asked.
“Sure.” Cloud handed it over and held out arms. Luke immediately sat and snuggled up, while Denzel sat down with Sephiroth.
“Feeling left out? Want to cuddle with me, Tifa?” Reno asked.
She rolled her eyes in response as the two omegas compared his trophy to Tifa’s.
“Does this mean that you’ve rescued all the omegas now?”
Cloud sighed. “That would be wonderful, but no, I think we’ve still got a lot of work to do. One day, though, I really hope we won’t need to anymore.”
“Then what will you do?”
“Hmm …” Cloud rested his chin on Luke’s shoulder and thought. “Sephiroth once promised he’d be my sugar daddy and let me live a lazy life in the lap of luxury …”
“I don’t think that’s quite what I promised!”
He laughed. “But you know, I think it might be fun to be a chocobo jockey. What do you think? Could Dancer and I beat Teioh and Joe in a race? Will you guys come to the Gold Saucer to cheer for me?”
***
Previous Chapter
A/N: Thank you so much to everyone for reading and especially to the commenters. Your support is why I post. I wasn’t terribly confident when I first decided to share this, so the positive response was really overwhelming and appreciated. I hope you enjoyed the ending. Wrapping things up is always so hard!
I’m not sure what I’m going to work on next. I have a short AU that’s pretty much complete, and I finally finished replaying Might and Magic 8 so I could remember how it ends-I have a terrible memory and kind of doubt I ever actually played it in the first place. The Endless Ocean needs some editing thanks to that, but I think I’ll be able to get it finished soon. It’s been in limbo for far too long. I also really want to finish my space whores AU. I got it unstuck, but hate the direction it went after unsticking. Arrgh!
Anyway, thanks again for your support. I love you all and wish you the best. Stay safe!