Fic: A Kind of Magic - Chapter 4
Title: A Kind of Magic
Chapter: 4/8
Series: Tentacle ‘verse
Author: xpaperplanex
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~3200
Genre: romance
Warnings: smut
Also Contains: tentacles, BDSM, sex changing, threesome
Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII and make no money from this work.
Summary: Cloud and Sephiroth’s first vacation together has been made a little easier by a mysterious new materia that Sephiroth found and Cloud’s willingness to try anything once. Claudia in the flesh.
***
The sun did indeed rise early. Cloud was still tired, and the bed was so comfy, but the thought of the beach called to him. He rolled out of bed and admired himself in the mirror before putting on the lounge pants and tank top that were waiting on the end of the bed. It felt funny going commando, and the way his breasts bounced with no bra was interesting. He definitely didn't want to take the stairs at anything more than a walk.
Sephiroth was up already, and was sitting outside on the porch with a cup of coffee, looking out towards the sea. He looked so peaceful.
"Good morning," he said as he poked his head out.
"Morning, sweetheart. Coffee's made. Help yourself. I was going to make bacon and eggs in a bit if you'd like some as well."
"That would be nice, thank you." Cloud rummaged through the cupboards until he found a mug, and then went to join Sephiroth on the weathered couch. "It's so pretty," he said, following the direction of Sephiroth's gaze. The sand was white and the sea was perfectly blue. The bay they were located in was calm enough to see a few fish jumping.
"Mmm." Sephiroth shifted him so he was sat between his legs and leaning back against his chest. "Did you sleep well?"
"Like a log. How about you?"
"Very well."
Cloud rested his head in the crook of Sephiroth's shoulder while he sipped at his coffee. He was always happy when he got to spend time with Sephiroth, but being away from it all like this was even more perfect.
A hand slipped down and casually groped his breast. "We're going to stay here today so we can settle in. It looks like we'll have good weather."
"That's nice. I know you've got other things you want to do, but I'm glad to have a day to get used to it here first."
"Most of the beach toys are in the shed just around the side of the cottage. The key is on the hook by the back door." Sephiroth was touching him more intently now, and Cloud realized he had subconsciously spread his legs a little.
"Are there … are there buckets and stuff like you'd want for building a sand castle? I've always wanted to build a sand castle on a beach."
Sephiroth paused what he was doing. "I'm not sure," he said after a few moments. "If there aren't, we can get some."
"We don't have to."
The hand dipped into the neck of his tank top now and began to coax his nipples to hardness. "I think you've probably noticed that I've spared very little expense on this trip. I'm absolutely certain that a couple plastic pails and shovels won't wreck the budget."
Cloud smiled at the warm feeling those words gave him. It was a small thing, but knowing that Sephiroth would go to the bother of getting something so silly, just because he wanted it made him feel so loved.
He happily spread his legs further when Sephiroth slipped a hand beneath his waistband. It was mildly nerve wracking to be outside in plain view while the man slowly and gently brought him to orgasm, but the beach was so peaceful that it felt like they were the only two people on the planet. He set aside his coffee mug and moved eagerly when Sephiroth nudged him down to kneel on the patio and suck him. When he finished, Sephiroth helped him back up to the couch, then gave him a kiss before taking out a black box. From it, he pulled out a black, U-shaped toy of some sort. It had one flattish arm, and the other end was more rounded. Sephiroth slicked up the flat arm with lubricant.
"Pull your pants down a bit and lie back."
Cloud did as he was told, but watched as best he could as Sephiroth inserted the flat end into his vagina, then bent the other one down so it was lying between his labia and the tip rested on his clitoris. His pants were then pulled back up and he got a smack on the ass.
"I'll call you when breakfast is ready."
***
Sephiroth turned on the vibrator occasionally while he was cooking, then left it on when they were nearly finished eating. As he continually cranked up the vibration, Cloud was left squirming while he tried to finish his meal. As soon as they were done, he took Cloud from behind, bent over the table in the breakfast nook while the vibe continued to stimulate both of them.
When they finished, Cloud eagerly put on the first tiny swimsuit he found in the wardrobe, which had cactuars and little flower charms on it, then ran out to the beach. Sephiroth found a book to read, but watched Cloud out of the corner of his eye as he splashed around in the water that was probably still a bit chilly in the morning air and played in the sand. When Cloud grew tired of that, he hauled out a big umbrella and set out a reclining chair beneath it.
"Is there anything good to read?" he asked as he rinsed himself off.
"There might be." Sephiroth didn't see what Cloud had chosen when he ran past again, but hoped there had been something to his liking. He turned the page on his own book.
He glanced up again when he had finished a few more chapters. Cloud was sprawled on the chair, still reading, but his hand was between his legs, fingers moving ever so subtly. Intrigued, but not wanting to disturb him, he silently moved over to the other side of the porch so he would have a better angle to watch from.
Sephiroth couldn't stop marvelling at how lucky he was that Cloud had chosen to be with him. When he had initially made the suggestion to use the materia, he thought there was a fifty-fifty chance of Cloud agreeing. But he had figured that even if he did agree, it would be something Cloud did for the sake of being able to be with him in public more easily. He had never expected him to embrace it so fully.
But this … Sephiroth wondered if he was even aware that he was touching himself. It almost didn't seem like it. He kept having to stop to turn the pages, and while he would sometimes fondle his breasts for a little while afterwards, his hand would inevitably drift back down and settle between his legs. Watching this, he was extremely glad that he had told Cloud to masturbate if he wanted. He didn't want him to think he was doing something wrong.
Eventually, Cloud slipped his hand into his bikini bottoms and shifted a bit. Sephiroth stiffened in his own swim suit as Cloud began to actively pleasure himself. This wasn't a performance for his sake. He wasn't trying to accomplish anything other than to make himself feel good. It was beautiful in its innocence. The book was set aside as Cloud pushed his bottoms down, giving himself better access to press a finger inside himself. His other hand delved into his top. Cloud alternated between fucking himself with his middle finger and rubbing his clit. He couldn't hear over the sounds of the ocean, but Sephiroth suspected that he was being just as free with the noises he was making.
He bent his legs and let his knees drop to the sides. Sephiroth almost felt badly for spying on what was such an intimate personal moment, but he couldn't look away. Cloud's hand moved back and forth, repeating his actions until he began to squirm. It was then that he shifted his focus to only his clit, using two fingers to stimulate a larger area at once. The ocean didn't swallow the sound of him coming. Sephiroth heard the pleasured cry clearly before Cloud drew his legs together and continued to wiggle his fingers between them.
Unable to resist, Sephiroth slowly walked towards the beach chair once those fingers had finally stilled. Cloud's eyes were closed and he didn't notice his approach. "That was beautiful," he said softly.
Cloud gave a yelp and he scrambled to collect himself. Sephiroth hurried over and stilled his frantic hands.
"Hush, I remember that I gave you permission."
Cloud was beet red with embarrassment. "I didn't even mean to," he moaned. "It was just nice touching a bit while I read-it's so new and different … and then …"
"I'm glad that it was nice. Are you upset that I watched?"
Cloud gave a small laugh and poked at the tent in his trunks. "Yeah, you perv. Ogling your girlfriend from afar, and now there's this to deal with."
"Will you help me out?"
Cloud sighed dramatically, but pushed his bottoms all the way off and waggled his eyebrows at him. Sephiroth pushed his trunks down and stepped around to the bottom of the chair. He realized it couldn't really hold the weight and force of two people fucking, but he slid Cloud towards the foot and lifted him up by the hips, using his hair to give some added support. Cloud braced himself in the awkward position, and when Sephiroth thrust into him, he wrapped his legs around his waist.
Turned on as he was by Cloud's moment with himself, it didn't take long before he was pumping his seed into Cloud's perfect body. He happened to glance at the clock on the outside of the house as he pulled out and lowered Cloud down.
"Shit! I didn't realize it was so late." He quickly pulled his swim trunks back up and found Cloud's bottoms. They were caked in sand and he gave them up. "Run inside and go clean yourself up. Put on a dry swim suit and a pair of shorts. Mrs. Baxter will be here any second if she isn’t already."
Cloud bolted up the beach, nearly naked and holding his arm across his breasts to keep them from bouncing. He paused at the rinsing station, hesitating.
"Just go!" Sephiroth shouted at him. "You're not that bad."
With no further prompting, Cloud disappeared inside just as he heard a car door slam. He chucked the sandy bit of swimsuit onto the tiles at the rinse station, then hurried in to answer the door.
Mrs. Baxter was the mother of the man who owned the property. She often brought cookies and other homemade treats that Sephiroth didn't ask for, but appreciated anyway. She was also terribly nosey, and he hoped that she hadn't noticed anything when she arrived. She was just setting some bags on the island in the kitchen when Cloud came down, dressed in one of the more modest bikinis with a pair of sports shorts on overtop.
"Oh! You must be Claudia," she said, causing Cloud to take a quick glance at him. "My son mentioned that Sephiroth was bringing a guest."
"Hello, ma'am," Cloud said shyly. "Pleased to meet you."
"It's lovely to meet you, too. I'm Mrs. Baxter. Come here and have a cookie-you're not on a diet, are you?" She eyed Cloud's flat stomach suspiciously.
Cloud blushed and shook his head as he reached for the offered cookie. "No, ma'am, I'm not."
"Good. Girls these days worry too much about their weight. How do you like it here so far, Claudia? Is this your first time in Costa del Sol?"
He nodded. "It's great. I'm from Kalm, so we've just got a whole lot of flat and the smell of chocobo dung. I can't believe how nice this place is. And the beach is beautiful."
"It is, isn't it? Well, don't let me keep you. I'm sure you want to get back to enjoying yourself."
Cloud flushed again at those words, probably thinking of how he had been enjoying himself before her arrival. He thanked her politely for the cookie, then took a bottle of water from the fridge and went back outside.
"So you finally found a girlfriend, have you? I always wondered how you hadn't been snatched up by some lucky girl."
Sephiroth snorted. "I'm the lucky one," he said quietly.
"Well, Claudia seems very nice."
"She is," Sephiroth said with a smile.
"Sephiroth?” Cloud poked his head inside. "Can you see me from here if I go in the water? I won't go out far."
"Yes, go ahead. I'll keep an eye on you. Leave the door open and just shut the screen." He caught Mrs. Baxter's inquiring glance after Cloud beamed at him and went back out. "She hasn't had a lot of experience swimming, so I asked her to not go in unless I can watch her."
"Oh, that's very good of you. The water here is calm and that can lull people into a false sense of security."
Cloud had found a pool noodle and while Mrs. Baxter got him caught up on all the happenings in the resort town, Sephiroth watched him paddle about, doing somersaults and wobbly handstands. The gossip suddenly ceased and Sephiroth noticed Mrs. Baxter standing close to him.
"You're very fond of her, aren't you?"
He blinked in surprise, but figured that if anyone could tell, it would be Mrs. Baxter. "Yes, more than I ever imagined I would be."
"How long have you been together?"
"A little over a year."
"Do you think she's the one?"
Sephiroth sighed and didn't respond. He knew what Mrs. Baxter was asking, and he wished he could give a decisive answer, but he couldn't. Not until he figured out some way to have this out in the open without ruining Cloud's career.
"If you love her, Sephiroth, don't let her slip away." She patted his shoulder, then turned away to go upstairs and change the sheets.
Cloud had begun a strange new game of sorts. He was close to shore, and it almost appeared as though he were trying to stalk something in the water. Every once in a while, he would dart forward and dive at whatever it was. He was still at it when Mrs. Baxter came back down.
"Anything you need me to bring you tomorrow?" she asked.
"Can you find one of those sets of beach toys kids like? The ones with the various pails and molds that you can use to press sand?" he asked without taking his eyes off Cloud.
"I'm certain I can manage." Sephiroth could hear the surprise and the question in her voice.
"Claudia's never been to the beach before and has apparently always wanted to build a sand castle."
Mrs. Baxter laughed merrily. "Then I will quest for the perfect set so she can make a castle fit for a princess."
He tore his eyes away and smiled at her. "Thank you. I know she'll appreciate it."
When she had left, he went down to the shore. "What are you doing?" he called out.
"Catching fish for lunch!" Cloud said before diving into the water and causing a school of minnows to dart away.
Sephiroth laughed at raw honesty Cloud was showing him. "And have you been successful?"
Cloud stood back up, laughing. "I touched one. I think that was pretty well done. I don't think we'll be having fish for lunch though unless there's some slow-moving ones in the fridge."
"I think there are. Are you hungry?"
"Starved, actually. I'll make it though, if you want. You made breakfast."
Sephiroth nodded. "That would be lovely."
"Okay! I'll whip something up. You should check out the water, it's so warm."
"Maybe I'll try my hand at fishing," he said with a smile.
***
The kitchen was well-stocked, and Cloud was proud of the salad he put together. It was slightly experimental with strawberries, salmon, feta cheese, and gorgeously crisp vegetables that looked like they had come straight from somebody's garden. He found a little food processor in one of the cupboards and made a fresh strawberry vinaigrette like he was some sort of professional chef. And Sephiroth was pleased with it. He had been worried that just a salad wouldn't be enough for him, but he had added more salmon to Sephiroth's portion, and he seemed satisfied.
"That was really delicious, Cloud, thank you."
He beamed at the praise. Sephiroth was never stingy with compliments, but it still made him unreasonably happy every time he got one, especially when it wasn’t related to sex or his appearance. He cleared away the dishes as he bit back a yawn. It was only just past noon, but he'd been up since dawn and active pretty much the whole time.
"Can I take a nap?"
"Sure. The rooms in back are darker, so feel free to use one of them. I think it's the … one nearest the stairs?" He nodded to himself. "Yes, it has a waterbed if you'd like to give that a go."
"Yes," he said excitedly, "yes, I would like to give that a go very much. Do you need anything before I go up?"
Sephiroth gave him a soft smile and held out his arms. "A kiss, please."
Cloud blushed and went over to him for a gentle kiss and a hug before he was nudged away.
"Go get some rest. I'll wake you in two hours if you're not up before then."
He woke before Sephiroth told him he would, but when Sephiroth saw he was up, he took him back to the waterbed and fucked him on it, which was a wild ride and one he definitely wanted to go on again. He was feeling a bit chafed afterwards, and so, true to his word, Sephiroth cast a heal spell that had him feeling a hundred percent again. For the remainder of the afternoon, Sephiroth played with him in the water, towing him around on a body board because there were no waves and showing him how to catch tiny crabs at a rocky section farther down the beach. There was another shed there, and Sephiroth said he would get out the jet skis out tomorrow.
Sephiroth made more cute cocktails after they showered to get all the sand and salt water out of their hair. Each one was a different colour and flavour, but they were all delicious. Cloud chose another pretty sundress to don for the evening, and Sephiroth looked happy to see him in it.
Their dinner was a pasta sauce that Mrs. Baxter had made, and they heated it up and cooked the pasta together, then had more cocktails and a soak in the hot tub afterwards. It was nice with all the windows open and the smell of salt water on the breeze.
When his head started nodding, Sephiroth hauled him out of the water and carried him upstairs to snuggle under the blankets. It had been one of the best days of his life, and he wished it could last forever.
***
Previous Chapter | Next Chapter
Chapter: 4/8
Series: Tentacle ‘verse
Author: xpaperplanex
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~3200
Genre: romance
Warnings: smut
Also Contains: tentacles, BDSM, sex changing, threesome
Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII and make no money from this work.
Summary: Cloud and Sephiroth’s first vacation together has been made a little easier by a mysterious new materia that Sephiroth found and Cloud’s willingness to try anything once. Claudia in the flesh.
***
The sun did indeed rise early. Cloud was still tired, and the bed was so comfy, but the thought of the beach called to him. He rolled out of bed and admired himself in the mirror before putting on the lounge pants and tank top that were waiting on the end of the bed. It felt funny going commando, and the way his breasts bounced with no bra was interesting. He definitely didn't want to take the stairs at anything more than a walk.
Sephiroth was up already, and was sitting outside on the porch with a cup of coffee, looking out towards the sea. He looked so peaceful.
"Good morning," he said as he poked his head out.
"Morning, sweetheart. Coffee's made. Help yourself. I was going to make bacon and eggs in a bit if you'd like some as well."
"That would be nice, thank you." Cloud rummaged through the cupboards until he found a mug, and then went to join Sephiroth on the weathered couch. "It's so pretty," he said, following the direction of Sephiroth's gaze. The sand was white and the sea was perfectly blue. The bay they were located in was calm enough to see a few fish jumping.
"Mmm." Sephiroth shifted him so he was sat between his legs and leaning back against his chest. "Did you sleep well?"
"Like a log. How about you?"
"Very well."
Cloud rested his head in the crook of Sephiroth's shoulder while he sipped at his coffee. He was always happy when he got to spend time with Sephiroth, but being away from it all like this was even more perfect.
A hand slipped down and casually groped his breast. "We're going to stay here today so we can settle in. It looks like we'll have good weather."
"That's nice. I know you've got other things you want to do, but I'm glad to have a day to get used to it here first."
"Most of the beach toys are in the shed just around the side of the cottage. The key is on the hook by the back door." Sephiroth was touching him more intently now, and Cloud realized he had subconsciously spread his legs a little.
"Are there … are there buckets and stuff like you'd want for building a sand castle? I've always wanted to build a sand castle on a beach."
Sephiroth paused what he was doing. "I'm not sure," he said after a few moments. "If there aren't, we can get some."
"We don't have to."
The hand dipped into the neck of his tank top now and began to coax his nipples to hardness. "I think you've probably noticed that I've spared very little expense on this trip. I'm absolutely certain that a couple plastic pails and shovels won't wreck the budget."
Cloud smiled at the warm feeling those words gave him. It was a small thing, but knowing that Sephiroth would go to the bother of getting something so silly, just because he wanted it made him feel so loved.
He happily spread his legs further when Sephiroth slipped a hand beneath his waistband. It was mildly nerve wracking to be outside in plain view while the man slowly and gently brought him to orgasm, but the beach was so peaceful that it felt like they were the only two people on the planet. He set aside his coffee mug and moved eagerly when Sephiroth nudged him down to kneel on the patio and suck him. When he finished, Sephiroth helped him back up to the couch, then gave him a kiss before taking out a black box. From it, he pulled out a black, U-shaped toy of some sort. It had one flattish arm, and the other end was more rounded. Sephiroth slicked up the flat arm with lubricant.
"Pull your pants down a bit and lie back."
Cloud did as he was told, but watched as best he could as Sephiroth inserted the flat end into his vagina, then bent the other one down so it was lying between his labia and the tip rested on his clitoris. His pants were then pulled back up and he got a smack on the ass.
"I'll call you when breakfast is ready."
***
Sephiroth turned on the vibrator occasionally while he was cooking, then left it on when they were nearly finished eating. As he continually cranked up the vibration, Cloud was left squirming while he tried to finish his meal. As soon as they were done, he took Cloud from behind, bent over the table in the breakfast nook while the vibe continued to stimulate both of them.
When they finished, Cloud eagerly put on the first tiny swimsuit he found in the wardrobe, which had cactuars and little flower charms on it, then ran out to the beach. Sephiroth found a book to read, but watched Cloud out of the corner of his eye as he splashed around in the water that was probably still a bit chilly in the morning air and played in the sand. When Cloud grew tired of that, he hauled out a big umbrella and set out a reclining chair beneath it.
"Is there anything good to read?" he asked as he rinsed himself off.
"There might be." Sephiroth didn't see what Cloud had chosen when he ran past again, but hoped there had been something to his liking. He turned the page on his own book.
He glanced up again when he had finished a few more chapters. Cloud was sprawled on the chair, still reading, but his hand was between his legs, fingers moving ever so subtly. Intrigued, but not wanting to disturb him, he silently moved over to the other side of the porch so he would have a better angle to watch from.
Sephiroth couldn't stop marvelling at how lucky he was that Cloud had chosen to be with him. When he had initially made the suggestion to use the materia, he thought there was a fifty-fifty chance of Cloud agreeing. But he had figured that even if he did agree, it would be something Cloud did for the sake of being able to be with him in public more easily. He had never expected him to embrace it so fully.
But this … Sephiroth wondered if he was even aware that he was touching himself. It almost didn't seem like it. He kept having to stop to turn the pages, and while he would sometimes fondle his breasts for a little while afterwards, his hand would inevitably drift back down and settle between his legs. Watching this, he was extremely glad that he had told Cloud to masturbate if he wanted. He didn't want him to think he was doing something wrong.
Eventually, Cloud slipped his hand into his bikini bottoms and shifted a bit. Sephiroth stiffened in his own swim suit as Cloud began to actively pleasure himself. This wasn't a performance for his sake. He wasn't trying to accomplish anything other than to make himself feel good. It was beautiful in its innocence. The book was set aside as Cloud pushed his bottoms down, giving himself better access to press a finger inside himself. His other hand delved into his top. Cloud alternated between fucking himself with his middle finger and rubbing his clit. He couldn't hear over the sounds of the ocean, but Sephiroth suspected that he was being just as free with the noises he was making.
He bent his legs and let his knees drop to the sides. Sephiroth almost felt badly for spying on what was such an intimate personal moment, but he couldn't look away. Cloud's hand moved back and forth, repeating his actions until he began to squirm. It was then that he shifted his focus to only his clit, using two fingers to stimulate a larger area at once. The ocean didn't swallow the sound of him coming. Sephiroth heard the pleasured cry clearly before Cloud drew his legs together and continued to wiggle his fingers between them.
Unable to resist, Sephiroth slowly walked towards the beach chair once those fingers had finally stilled. Cloud's eyes were closed and he didn't notice his approach. "That was beautiful," he said softly.
Cloud gave a yelp and he scrambled to collect himself. Sephiroth hurried over and stilled his frantic hands.
"Hush, I remember that I gave you permission."
Cloud was beet red with embarrassment. "I didn't even mean to," he moaned. "It was just nice touching a bit while I read-it's so new and different … and then …"
"I'm glad that it was nice. Are you upset that I watched?"
Cloud gave a small laugh and poked at the tent in his trunks. "Yeah, you perv. Ogling your girlfriend from afar, and now there's this to deal with."
"Will you help me out?"
Cloud sighed dramatically, but pushed his bottoms all the way off and waggled his eyebrows at him. Sephiroth pushed his trunks down and stepped around to the bottom of the chair. He realized it couldn't really hold the weight and force of two people fucking, but he slid Cloud towards the foot and lifted him up by the hips, using his hair to give some added support. Cloud braced himself in the awkward position, and when Sephiroth thrust into him, he wrapped his legs around his waist.
Turned on as he was by Cloud's moment with himself, it didn't take long before he was pumping his seed into Cloud's perfect body. He happened to glance at the clock on the outside of the house as he pulled out and lowered Cloud down.
"Shit! I didn't realize it was so late." He quickly pulled his swim trunks back up and found Cloud's bottoms. They were caked in sand and he gave them up. "Run inside and go clean yourself up. Put on a dry swim suit and a pair of shorts. Mrs. Baxter will be here any second if she isn’t already."
Cloud bolted up the beach, nearly naked and holding his arm across his breasts to keep them from bouncing. He paused at the rinsing station, hesitating.
"Just go!" Sephiroth shouted at him. "You're not that bad."
With no further prompting, Cloud disappeared inside just as he heard a car door slam. He chucked the sandy bit of swimsuit onto the tiles at the rinse station, then hurried in to answer the door.
Mrs. Baxter was the mother of the man who owned the property. She often brought cookies and other homemade treats that Sephiroth didn't ask for, but appreciated anyway. She was also terribly nosey, and he hoped that she hadn't noticed anything when she arrived. She was just setting some bags on the island in the kitchen when Cloud came down, dressed in one of the more modest bikinis with a pair of sports shorts on overtop.
"Oh! You must be Claudia," she said, causing Cloud to take a quick glance at him. "My son mentioned that Sephiroth was bringing a guest."
"Hello, ma'am," Cloud said shyly. "Pleased to meet you."
"It's lovely to meet you, too. I'm Mrs. Baxter. Come here and have a cookie-you're not on a diet, are you?" She eyed Cloud's flat stomach suspiciously.
Cloud blushed and shook his head as he reached for the offered cookie. "No, ma'am, I'm not."
"Good. Girls these days worry too much about their weight. How do you like it here so far, Claudia? Is this your first time in Costa del Sol?"
He nodded. "It's great. I'm from Kalm, so we've just got a whole lot of flat and the smell of chocobo dung. I can't believe how nice this place is. And the beach is beautiful."
"It is, isn't it? Well, don't let me keep you. I'm sure you want to get back to enjoying yourself."
Cloud flushed again at those words, probably thinking of how he had been enjoying himself before her arrival. He thanked her politely for the cookie, then took a bottle of water from the fridge and went back outside.
"So you finally found a girlfriend, have you? I always wondered how you hadn't been snatched up by some lucky girl."
Sephiroth snorted. "I'm the lucky one," he said quietly.
"Well, Claudia seems very nice."
"She is," Sephiroth said with a smile.
"Sephiroth?” Cloud poked his head inside. "Can you see me from here if I go in the water? I won't go out far."
"Yes, go ahead. I'll keep an eye on you. Leave the door open and just shut the screen." He caught Mrs. Baxter's inquiring glance after Cloud beamed at him and went back out. "She hasn't had a lot of experience swimming, so I asked her to not go in unless I can watch her."
"Oh, that's very good of you. The water here is calm and that can lull people into a false sense of security."
Cloud had found a pool noodle and while Mrs. Baxter got him caught up on all the happenings in the resort town, Sephiroth watched him paddle about, doing somersaults and wobbly handstands. The gossip suddenly ceased and Sephiroth noticed Mrs. Baxter standing close to him.
"You're very fond of her, aren't you?"
He blinked in surprise, but figured that if anyone could tell, it would be Mrs. Baxter. "Yes, more than I ever imagined I would be."
"How long have you been together?"
"A little over a year."
"Do you think she's the one?"
Sephiroth sighed and didn't respond. He knew what Mrs. Baxter was asking, and he wished he could give a decisive answer, but he couldn't. Not until he figured out some way to have this out in the open without ruining Cloud's career.
"If you love her, Sephiroth, don't let her slip away." She patted his shoulder, then turned away to go upstairs and change the sheets.
Cloud had begun a strange new game of sorts. He was close to shore, and it almost appeared as though he were trying to stalk something in the water. Every once in a while, he would dart forward and dive at whatever it was. He was still at it when Mrs. Baxter came back down.
"Anything you need me to bring you tomorrow?" she asked.
"Can you find one of those sets of beach toys kids like? The ones with the various pails and molds that you can use to press sand?" he asked without taking his eyes off Cloud.
"I'm certain I can manage." Sephiroth could hear the surprise and the question in her voice.
"Claudia's never been to the beach before and has apparently always wanted to build a sand castle."
Mrs. Baxter laughed merrily. "Then I will quest for the perfect set so she can make a castle fit for a princess."
He tore his eyes away and smiled at her. "Thank you. I know she'll appreciate it."
When she had left, he went down to the shore. "What are you doing?" he called out.
"Catching fish for lunch!" Cloud said before diving into the water and causing a school of minnows to dart away.
Sephiroth laughed at raw honesty Cloud was showing him. "And have you been successful?"
Cloud stood back up, laughing. "I touched one. I think that was pretty well done. I don't think we'll be having fish for lunch though unless there's some slow-moving ones in the fridge."
"I think there are. Are you hungry?"
"Starved, actually. I'll make it though, if you want. You made breakfast."
Sephiroth nodded. "That would be lovely."
"Okay! I'll whip something up. You should check out the water, it's so warm."
"Maybe I'll try my hand at fishing," he said with a smile.
***
The kitchen was well-stocked, and Cloud was proud of the salad he put together. It was slightly experimental with strawberries, salmon, feta cheese, and gorgeously crisp vegetables that looked like they had come straight from somebody's garden. He found a little food processor in one of the cupboards and made a fresh strawberry vinaigrette like he was some sort of professional chef. And Sephiroth was pleased with it. He had been worried that just a salad wouldn't be enough for him, but he had added more salmon to Sephiroth's portion, and he seemed satisfied.
"That was really delicious, Cloud, thank you."
He beamed at the praise. Sephiroth was never stingy with compliments, but it still made him unreasonably happy every time he got one, especially when it wasn’t related to sex or his appearance. He cleared away the dishes as he bit back a yawn. It was only just past noon, but he'd been up since dawn and active pretty much the whole time.
"Can I take a nap?"
"Sure. The rooms in back are darker, so feel free to use one of them. I think it's the … one nearest the stairs?" He nodded to himself. "Yes, it has a waterbed if you'd like to give that a go."
"Yes," he said excitedly, "yes, I would like to give that a go very much. Do you need anything before I go up?"
Sephiroth gave him a soft smile and held out his arms. "A kiss, please."
Cloud blushed and went over to him for a gentle kiss and a hug before he was nudged away.
"Go get some rest. I'll wake you in two hours if you're not up before then."
He woke before Sephiroth told him he would, but when Sephiroth saw he was up, he took him back to the waterbed and fucked him on it, which was a wild ride and one he definitely wanted to go on again. He was feeling a bit chafed afterwards, and so, true to his word, Sephiroth cast a heal spell that had him feeling a hundred percent again. For the remainder of the afternoon, Sephiroth played with him in the water, towing him around on a body board because there were no waves and showing him how to catch tiny crabs at a rocky section farther down the beach. There was another shed there, and Sephiroth said he would get out the jet skis out tomorrow.
Sephiroth made more cute cocktails after they showered to get all the sand and salt water out of their hair. Each one was a different colour and flavour, but they were all delicious. Cloud chose another pretty sundress to don for the evening, and Sephiroth looked happy to see him in it.
Their dinner was a pasta sauce that Mrs. Baxter had made, and they heated it up and cooked the pasta together, then had more cocktails and a soak in the hot tub afterwards. It was nice with all the windows open and the smell of salt water on the breeze.
When his head started nodding, Sephiroth hauled him out of the water and carried him upstairs to snuggle under the blankets. It had been one of the best days of his life, and he wished it could last forever.
***
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