Fic: After the World's End - Chapter 1
Title: After the World’s End
Chapter 1/18
Author: xpaperplanex
Rating: NC-17 overall
Word Count: ~3800
Pairings: Sephiroth/Cloud
Genre: adventure, hurt/comfort, alpha/omega
Warnings: underage, non-con
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.
A/N: So perhaps 10 or so years ago, there was a prompt on the kink meme that asked for omega Cloud to be given as payment to alpha Sephiroth and beta Zack. I recall a request for sex on chocoback as a part of it. Being young and innocent, I had no idea what any of that nonsense was. Now that I'm old and not so innocent, this is not a fill for that prompt, but it is ever so slightly based on it.
Chapter 1 - Leaving Home
Sephiroth surveyed the small gathering of people with disinterest. “So you can’t pay? I suppose we have ways of working that out. We always need manual labourers and domestic help in Midgar.”
“You’d take-” The mayor sputtered indignantly.
“Only a half dozen or so, depending on the quality. A girl or two for the brothels wouldn’t hurt your case.” He cast his gaze over to a young woman with an ample chest and smirked as she blushed.
The mayor stepped in front of her, looking furious. “That’s my daughter!”
“That’s hardly my problem. Shinra demands immediate payment of debts for services rendered. Bring out everyone who’s between fifteen and twenty and I’ll take my pick. I’ll keep an eye on your daughter while I wait. I’d hate for her to go missing.”
Angry murmuring broke out amongst the people and there was some hushed discussion between the mayor and several others. Sephiroth just smirked at the trembling girl who looked about ready to flee. It didn’t take too long before the mayor turned back to him.
“Sir, we have an omega, if you’d be interested in him as an alternative.”
So the rumours were true after all. That was a relief. He didn't actually have a plan for what he’d do if he ended up with a bunch of kidnapped youths in tow. Dump them at the bottom of the mountain to let them find their way back, he supposed. He raised a casual eyebrow. “An omega?”
“We were planning to send him to auction soon, but we’d be honoured if you would consider him.”
He shrugged. “Let me see him.”
A couple of men dispatched themselves to a tiny house across the square, and Sephiroth continued to leer at the mayor’s daughter while he waited. It wouldn’t hurt to keep the pressure on. He really hated it when they had to buy omegas off these backwater betas. Giving them money just felt so wrong.
The alpha in him surged to the surface as shouting broke out across the square. He looked up to see the two men hauling a struggling third between them. He was much smaller, but he was giving them a real fight.
“Let me go! You can’t do this to me!”
Sephiroth suppressed a growl when the smaller man was struck across the face, but he strode forwards quickly to meet them. All three stilled at his approach, though the omega was still shaking with both anger and fear.
“This is him, sir. The real deal.”
“Yes, I can tell. I’ll thank you to not hit him again, he’s in bad enough shape as it is.”
The man who had hit him cringed as Sephiroth stepped forward and lifted the omega’s chin, forcing him to look at him. Bright blue eyes glared at him defiantly even as blood dribbled from his swelling lip.
“Don’t you fucking touch me,” he snarled.
Sephiroth ignored the threat and looked him over. Skinny and bruised, but nothing that looked too serious at a glance.
“Well, sir?” the mayor asked hopefully. “He's sterilized, of course, but we’ve kept him a virgin like we’re supposed to. His next heat should be in about a week. Once he’s mated his attitude should improve, right?”
The omega spat in his face before renewing his struggle. “Don’t you dare! Don’t you fucking dare!”
Sephiroth feigned annoyance and wiped off his face. “I’ll inspect him first. You’re aware that alphas can tell if they’re virgins or not, yes?”
The mayor blanched. “O-of course. No one’s touched him, I swear. Well, get his clothes off, the SOLDIER wants to inspect him.” He gestured to one of the other men who was observing, but Sephiroth held up a hand to stop him as the omega kicked wildly.
“Apologies, but I’m not about to give a bunch of betas a show.” He stepped forwards and grabbed the omega by the waist, heaving him over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry. He ignored the screaming and the blows raining down on him from fists and feet and turned to the mayor. “I assume he has a bed in there?” He pointed to the house they had brought him from.
“Yes, sir, but if you don’t want him, please leave him a virgin. He’ll get a better price that way. We’ve invested a lot in his upkeep.”
Sephiroth just sneered and readjusted the screaming omega on his shoulder as he carried him inside. The house was barely more than a shack. The first of two doors leading off the tiny kitchen opened on a dank-smelling toilet and shower, the second on a bedroom, consisting of a stained bed and nothing else. A huge investment, he was sure. He shut the door behind him and dropped the omega on his back on the bed. He started to scramble away, but Sephiroth pinned him down and clamped his teeth over the pale flesh of his throat in one swift movement.
The omega immediately stilled and silence filled the room. In place of the screaming, Sephiroth could hear the frantic beating of the boy’s heart. He held him in the vulnerable position for several minutes until it had slowed slightly and some of the tension had left the muscles under him. Slowly, he relaxed his jaw and eased back slightly, just far enough to be able to talk.
“Calm down. I’m not going to hurt you.”
There was a skeptical snort from above his head. “Sure, gotta keep the fuck toy in good shape.”
“Shh, I know you’re frightened, but I need you to try to stay calm and think rationally. Would you really rather stay here than come with me? The mayor said they were going to auction you off soon.”
There was a frightened moan and Sephiroth’s instincts roared at him to protect and comfort. He held himself in check, however; he had no idea what the boy knew of alphas and didn’t want to frighten him further.
“So my choices are get fucked into submission by you or be handed over to the wolves in Midgar. Great. I suppose I should get down on my knees and thank you.”
“Were they going to take you to Midgar?” Sephiroth asked, curiosity getting the better of him.
“What’s it to you?”
“I’d heard that some of these remote areas don’t bother going to Midgar. Apparently there are sufficiently wealthy betas these days who can make the trip not worth it. But you know that you’ll need to mate with an alpha, and soon, right? Judging by your scent, I’d say you’ve got about six or seven heats left before being unmated will begin to affect your health.”
“And you think that means I should just spread my legs for you? Why are you even talking to me? I thought alphas couldn’t help themselves around omegas.”
“I’m perfectly capable of controlling myself and have no intention of fucking someone who doesn’t want to be fucked.”
“You-What?”
“I’m not going to rape you. And no, before you assume, I’m not going to wait until you’re in heat and claim that you wanted it, either.”
“I-I don’t understand.”
Sephiroth sighed and loosened his grip a bit. “That much is clear. Can I let go of you, or are you going panic again?”
There was a moment of silence before the omega spoke. “You can let go.”
He pushed himself up and sat down on the bed, leaning against the wall. The omega lay there for a few more moments, looking a bit shell-shocked, before sitting up. He glanced around like he wasn’t quite sure what to do with himself now.
“You can sit next to me if that’s what your instincts are telling you to do. I won’t do anything inappropriate. Being physically close to an alpha will help keep your mind clear and calm when you’re scared.” His own instincts were pitching a fit at him for leaving a frightened omega alone, and it was a struggle to not do something about it. “What’s your name?” he asked.
“Cloud.” The omega hugged himself and didn’t move, though he looked at the spot next to Sephiroth longingly.
“Nice to meet you, Cloud. My name is Sephiroth. I think that you have a lot of misconceptions about alpha-omega relationships, and I can explain things to you, but I think that if you want to leave here, we should do so fairly soon before people start questioning what I’m doing, or rather, not doing to you.” He held up his hand as Cloud opened his mouth to argue. “Leaving doesn’t mean you have to mate with me. It only means that you don’t have to stay here with people who are going to continue to beat you, keep you in miserable conditions, and barely feed you until they sell you for a profit.”
“You … you’re not going to force me to mate with you?”
Sephiroth gave a sad sigh as he fought to not reach for the boy. He hated that this was reality for so many omegas outside the capital and wished it were easier to intervene. Going their whole lives terrified that they’d end up with someone forcing themselves on them and being unable to resist. Being sold to betas who couldn't meet their needs and just fucked them until they died from lack of a mate. It wasn't right. “No, and no other alpha will either, I swear. You do need to mate, but I can take you to Midgar and you can find someone of your own choosing. Someone you can love.”
Cloud frowned. “I can … choose? But-in Midgar-they buy us! You buy us like pieces of meat! Virgins up for auction!”
He gave up resisting and reached out to rub Cloud’s shoulder. The effect it had on the omega was noticeable now that he wasn't in such a state of panic, and he leaned into the touch. Poor thing, it must have been awful. He doubted that he had ever been given physical comfort or affection. Even if it wasn’t as effective as that from an alpha, betas could provide some as long as the omega felt safe. Cloud had clearly never had such an experience. “The auction is a sham. We buy omegas because it gives monsters like the people here a reason to not have you killed at birth. We say we want virgins because it keeps you from being raped before we’re able to protect you. Please, will you come to Midgar with me? I don’t want you to live like this anymore.”
Cloud blinked at him, stunned. “I'd really be safe there?”
“I promise. You’ll be with people who care about you and understand your needs.”
“Okay,” he said softly after a long pause.
“Let’s get your things packed up, then.”
“Things?” Cloud looked around the barren room and back at him. “You think I own anything?”
“Right … I suppose not. You at least have a dildo, though, right? If your heat’s due in a week, it will be before we get to Midgar.”
Cloud blushed and pushed himself off the bed. He pulled out a small box from underneath the bed and handed it to him. Curious, he opened it up to see a tube of cheap lubricant and a decently sized plastic dildo. He frowned when he took a closer look, however.
“This is just a regular dildo,” he exclaimed in shock.
“Yeah …”
“And you’ve been managing your heats with it? Aren’t you in pain?”
Cloud blinked at him like he was stupid. “Yeah, heats are supposed to hurt.”
“Shit, no they’re not! Even without a partner, you should be-dildos for omegas are supposed to be able to swell at the base, mimicking an alpha’s knot. The knot lets your body calm down and allows the heat to diminish a bit while you rest. Without it, it just keeps going, which is what causes you pain. Fuck! I can’t-Okay, let’s just get you out of here. Nothing else you want to bring?”
Cloud shook his head, looking bewildered.
He glared at the box he was holding and replaced the lid. “We’ll take this with us, just in case, but I’ll do my best to get you a proper dildo before it hits. You shouldn’t be suffering like this.”
He was livid as he took Cloud by the hand and led him back outside. How could they do that to him? Someone in this damned village had to have known better!
“Well?” The mayor and his cronies were waiting outside. “Will you take him?”
“Yes, I’ll fucking take him.” He wrapped a protective arm around Cloud as they leered at him.
“Looks like getting fucked really does improve their attitudes,” one of the cronies said to another, laughing. “Though he seems pretty pissed. Little Stormcloud must not’ve done a good job.”
Sephiroth fought the urge to lash out as Cloud cringed and pressed himself into his side. “Get my chocobos. Now.”
The betas laughed again as they jogged over to the stable, completely unaware of how close Sephiroth was to snapping. He needed to keep up the pretence of not particularly caring about omegas. If outsiders knew how much they valued them, they’d be at a huge disadvantage when it came it acquiring them. The best they could do was pay more for omegas who were in good condition, incentivizing people to treat them well.
“So he’s a sufficient payment?” the mayor asked.
“Hardly.” Sephiroth sneered. “He’s too skinny and terrified of everything, not to mention being sterilized and the damage done by forcing him to use this piece of shit.” He shook the box containing the dildo.
The mayor blanched again and looked towards a large house, where his daughter was most likely hidden away. “There’s something wrong with it? And of course he's sterilized! You can't possibly expect us to want to risk that.”
“If you don't fuck them, they don't get pregnant, it's pretty fucking simple, even for ignorant pieces of shit like you. And don’t feed me that bullshit. Anyone with a lick of sense knows that omegas need a knotting dildo if they don’t have an alpha. You may have found it fun keeping him desperate and in pain, but it has serious side effects on their health. I won’t know if he’s too far gone until his next heat, but if he is, you can rest assured that I’ll be back for my full payment, plus interest.”
Cloud gave a small whimper and clutched at his coat. Sephiroth made a sub-vocal purr that the omega would be able to feel, but the mayor wouldn’t notice. Cloud started slightly when he noticed it, but then instinctively leaned in closer to the comforting vibration. He kept it up until the cronies reappeared, leading his two chocobos.
“Since you clearly have no idea how to care for them, I suggest that any future omegas born into this village be sold in Midgar immediately,” he said as he lifted Cloud onto his riding chocobo’s back before swinging up behind him. “We purchase the mothers as well.”
He took the lead on the pack chocobo and wrapped his arm around Cloud’s waist, tucking him in close to him. “Let’s go, Birdy.”
Once they were clear of the village, he slowed their pace and loosened his grip on Cloud slightly.
“Am I really that sick?” Cloud asked in a small voice.
“No, sorry, going through your heats like that doesn’t actually negatively impact your health, apart from the pain and mental trauma, that is, until you’re past the point of needing a mate. And then it just exacerbates the fallout of not having one. I didn’t mean to worry you; I just needed to try and and make sure that they wouldn’t do something like that again if they end up with another omega in the village. I admit, I also wanted to scare them a bit. Let them worry that I’ll come back to haul their daughters off to the brothel.”
Cloud snickered and Sephiroth leaned around to see a small smile on his lips.
“Look at that, you can smile.”
The smile grew a bit bigger and Sephiroth sat up straight again and ruffled the omega’s ragged blond hair that looked like it had been hacked at with a blunt knife. “We’ll go a little further, then I want to stop and get some food into you. I wasn’t lying when I said you’re too skinny. And I want you to tell me if you’re tired or sore or if you need something. I can tell when you’re in distress, but I’d very much like to avoid the point of actual distress.”
“Oh. Okay. Do they really buy even babies in Midgar?”
“Gaia, yes. We’ll take in omegas at any age. The sooner we can get them out of the hands of beta savages, the better. Children, if we don’t manage to save their mothers, are adopted. We make sure they go to people who will love them as family.”
“You want their moms too?”
“Of course. They don’t deserve to be killed or ostracized just because they happened to give birth to an omega. Midgar is a safe haven for them. It will be a safe haven for you, too, I promise.”
Cloud leaned back against him and Sephiroth began purring again, hoping to soothe what had to be some shattered nerves. The effect was immediate, and Cloud went nearly completely limp, forcing Sephiroth to tighten his hold again to keep him from falling. It was good, though. He wasn't so traumatized that he couldn't relax, which Sephiroth knew had happened with some omegas.
***
The way Sephiroth made his chest vibrate was so strange. Was it something all alphas could do? He wanted to ask, but he didn't think that Sephiroth could rumble and talk at the same time, and he didn't want the rumbling to stop. He also wondered about the strange animals he had. The one they were riding was named Birdy, but Sephiroth had called them something else when he told the villagers to get them, and he hadn't quite caught it. He ran his fingers lazily through the bright yellow feathers and looked at the scenery. It was disorienting. They were barely out of the village and yet he had never seen this place before.
Was it really true? Was he going to get to choose a mate? What was the rest of the world like? Midgar had always been something to dread. He had been certain that whatever they did to him in the village wouldn't be as bad as being sold there to be mated. And yet here he was, in the presence of an alpha and he hadn't been fucked or even stripped and inspected to see if he was a virgin. Even when Sephiroth had pinned him down, it hadn’t hurt him, it only helped him calm down. He felt … safe. The alpha's arm was wrapped snugly around him, not to hurt or molest him, just keeping him in his seat.
"Where are we going?" he finally asked.
The rumbling stopped, but Cloud still felt comforted in Sephiroth’s strong grip. "We're headed east through the mountains to a town called Corel first. I'm hoping to get there before your heat, but our speed will depend on how quickly you’re able to travel and the condition of the pass. If we make it, we'll stop there to let your heat run its course before travelling further east along the coast to Costa del Sol. From there, we'll take a ship to the port nearest Midgar. Have you done any travelling?"
Cloud scoffed bitterly. "Sometimes I'm allowed to walk around the village square for exercise as long as the children are all hidden away."
"I see. I’ll show you on the map when we make camp for the night if you’d like." Sephiroth sounded sad rather than angry now. "I'm sorry I couldn't get you out of there sooner."
"What do you mean? You took me pretty much right away."
Sephiroth sighed and squeezed him gently. "Not fast enough. I first heard a rumour about you a month ago."
Cloud sat up straight and turned around as far as he could. "What? You knew I was there?"
"Not for certain, but yes. You're why I went to Nibelheim."
"No, you went because they needed a SOLDIER to deal with the monsters."
Sephiroth made a rather guilty-looking face. "They needed a SOLDIER to deal with the monsters that I lured there."
Cloud could only stare in shock. "I don't understand."
"I was on a mission further north in a town called Modeoheim, where I heard a rumour about a village not too far from there that had an omega. Apparently people with enough gil could watch the omega while he was in heat. Fucking him wasn't allowed; he was being saved for the auction, but pay enough and you'd be allowed to touch him and jerk off on him."
Cloud turned back around and slumped down, feeling sick as tears welled in his eyes. The rumbling started up again, this time accompanied by a crooning noise that seemed to make the pain in his chest lessen. It continued as his tears started to fall. He closed his eyes and let the memories wash over him. Strange men coming into his room every month, the jeering as the heat began, the need that outweighed the humiliation. Coming out of it to realize that it wasn't just his fluids he was covered in.
When he finally stopped crying, Sephiroth came to a halt and lifted him down from Birdy. He hugged him gently and gave one final croon before setting him down.
"I didn't have the funds to buy you, and it would have taken longer getting enough money sent, assuming they would be willing to sell you, so I decided to manufacture a bit of a crisis for your village." Sephiroth rummaged through his packs as he spoke, setting things out on a large rock. "They put out a request to SOLDIER for aid, and I responded, not mentioning the rather hefty charge a SOLDIER of my rank comes with until after the monsters had been dealt with. I may have added a few extra zeroes to the total. It took longer than I would have liked, and for that, I'm sorry. I take it the rumours about what they did were true as well?"
Cloud nodded, still feeling stunned at the revelation that the alpha had gone to so much trouble for him.
Sephiroth sighed. "I guess that explains why they didn't sell you sooner. I'm so sorry. You're never going to be treated like that again. You have my word."
"Thank-"
"I don't need thanks for meeting a very low bar of basic decency. Now come eat before you waste away on me."
***
Next Chapter
Chapter 1/18
Author: xpaperplanex
Rating: NC-17 overall
Word Count: ~3800
Pairings: Sephiroth/Cloud
Genre: adventure, hurt/comfort, alpha/omega
Warnings: underage, non-con
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.
A/N: So perhaps 10 or so years ago, there was a prompt on the kink meme that asked for omega Cloud to be given as payment to alpha Sephiroth and beta Zack. I recall a request for sex on chocoback as a part of it. Being young and innocent, I had no idea what any of that nonsense was. Now that I'm old and not so innocent, this is not a fill for that prompt, but it is ever so slightly based on it.
Chapter 1 - Leaving Home
Sephiroth surveyed the small gathering of people with disinterest. “So you can’t pay? I suppose we have ways of working that out. We always need manual labourers and domestic help in Midgar.”
“You’d take-” The mayor sputtered indignantly.
“Only a half dozen or so, depending on the quality. A girl or two for the brothels wouldn’t hurt your case.” He cast his gaze over to a young woman with an ample chest and smirked as she blushed.
The mayor stepped in front of her, looking furious. “That’s my daughter!”
“That’s hardly my problem. Shinra demands immediate payment of debts for services rendered. Bring out everyone who’s between fifteen and twenty and I’ll take my pick. I’ll keep an eye on your daughter while I wait. I’d hate for her to go missing.”
Angry murmuring broke out amongst the people and there was some hushed discussion between the mayor and several others. Sephiroth just smirked at the trembling girl who looked about ready to flee. It didn’t take too long before the mayor turned back to him.
“Sir, we have an omega, if you’d be interested in him as an alternative.”
So the rumours were true after all. That was a relief. He didn't actually have a plan for what he’d do if he ended up with a bunch of kidnapped youths in tow. Dump them at the bottom of the mountain to let them find their way back, he supposed. He raised a casual eyebrow. “An omega?”
“We were planning to send him to auction soon, but we’d be honoured if you would consider him.”
He shrugged. “Let me see him.”
A couple of men dispatched themselves to a tiny house across the square, and Sephiroth continued to leer at the mayor’s daughter while he waited. It wouldn’t hurt to keep the pressure on. He really hated it when they had to buy omegas off these backwater betas. Giving them money just felt so wrong.
The alpha in him surged to the surface as shouting broke out across the square. He looked up to see the two men hauling a struggling third between them. He was much smaller, but he was giving them a real fight.
“Let me go! You can’t do this to me!”
Sephiroth suppressed a growl when the smaller man was struck across the face, but he strode forwards quickly to meet them. All three stilled at his approach, though the omega was still shaking with both anger and fear.
“This is him, sir. The real deal.”
“Yes, I can tell. I’ll thank you to not hit him again, he’s in bad enough shape as it is.”
The man who had hit him cringed as Sephiroth stepped forward and lifted the omega’s chin, forcing him to look at him. Bright blue eyes glared at him defiantly even as blood dribbled from his swelling lip.
“Don’t you fucking touch me,” he snarled.
Sephiroth ignored the threat and looked him over. Skinny and bruised, but nothing that looked too serious at a glance.
“Well, sir?” the mayor asked hopefully. “He's sterilized, of course, but we’ve kept him a virgin like we’re supposed to. His next heat should be in about a week. Once he’s mated his attitude should improve, right?”
The omega spat in his face before renewing his struggle. “Don’t you dare! Don’t you fucking dare!”
Sephiroth feigned annoyance and wiped off his face. “I’ll inspect him first. You’re aware that alphas can tell if they’re virgins or not, yes?”
The mayor blanched. “O-of course. No one’s touched him, I swear. Well, get his clothes off, the SOLDIER wants to inspect him.” He gestured to one of the other men who was observing, but Sephiroth held up a hand to stop him as the omega kicked wildly.
“Apologies, but I’m not about to give a bunch of betas a show.” He stepped forwards and grabbed the omega by the waist, heaving him over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry. He ignored the screaming and the blows raining down on him from fists and feet and turned to the mayor. “I assume he has a bed in there?” He pointed to the house they had brought him from.
“Yes, sir, but if you don’t want him, please leave him a virgin. He’ll get a better price that way. We’ve invested a lot in his upkeep.”
Sephiroth just sneered and readjusted the screaming omega on his shoulder as he carried him inside. The house was barely more than a shack. The first of two doors leading off the tiny kitchen opened on a dank-smelling toilet and shower, the second on a bedroom, consisting of a stained bed and nothing else. A huge investment, he was sure. He shut the door behind him and dropped the omega on his back on the bed. He started to scramble away, but Sephiroth pinned him down and clamped his teeth over the pale flesh of his throat in one swift movement.
The omega immediately stilled and silence filled the room. In place of the screaming, Sephiroth could hear the frantic beating of the boy’s heart. He held him in the vulnerable position for several minutes until it had slowed slightly and some of the tension had left the muscles under him. Slowly, he relaxed his jaw and eased back slightly, just far enough to be able to talk.
“Calm down. I’m not going to hurt you.”
There was a skeptical snort from above his head. “Sure, gotta keep the fuck toy in good shape.”
“Shh, I know you’re frightened, but I need you to try to stay calm and think rationally. Would you really rather stay here than come with me? The mayor said they were going to auction you off soon.”
There was a frightened moan and Sephiroth’s instincts roared at him to protect and comfort. He held himself in check, however; he had no idea what the boy knew of alphas and didn’t want to frighten him further.
“So my choices are get fucked into submission by you or be handed over to the wolves in Midgar. Great. I suppose I should get down on my knees and thank you.”
“Were they going to take you to Midgar?” Sephiroth asked, curiosity getting the better of him.
“What’s it to you?”
“I’d heard that some of these remote areas don’t bother going to Midgar. Apparently there are sufficiently wealthy betas these days who can make the trip not worth it. But you know that you’ll need to mate with an alpha, and soon, right? Judging by your scent, I’d say you’ve got about six or seven heats left before being unmated will begin to affect your health.”
“And you think that means I should just spread my legs for you? Why are you even talking to me? I thought alphas couldn’t help themselves around omegas.”
“I’m perfectly capable of controlling myself and have no intention of fucking someone who doesn’t want to be fucked.”
“You-What?”
“I’m not going to rape you. And no, before you assume, I’m not going to wait until you’re in heat and claim that you wanted it, either.”
“I-I don’t understand.”
Sephiroth sighed and loosened his grip a bit. “That much is clear. Can I let go of you, or are you going panic again?”
There was a moment of silence before the omega spoke. “You can let go.”
He pushed himself up and sat down on the bed, leaning against the wall. The omega lay there for a few more moments, looking a bit shell-shocked, before sitting up. He glanced around like he wasn’t quite sure what to do with himself now.
“You can sit next to me if that’s what your instincts are telling you to do. I won’t do anything inappropriate. Being physically close to an alpha will help keep your mind clear and calm when you’re scared.” His own instincts were pitching a fit at him for leaving a frightened omega alone, and it was a struggle to not do something about it. “What’s your name?” he asked.
“Cloud.” The omega hugged himself and didn’t move, though he looked at the spot next to Sephiroth longingly.
“Nice to meet you, Cloud. My name is Sephiroth. I think that you have a lot of misconceptions about alpha-omega relationships, and I can explain things to you, but I think that if you want to leave here, we should do so fairly soon before people start questioning what I’m doing, or rather, not doing to you.” He held up his hand as Cloud opened his mouth to argue. “Leaving doesn’t mean you have to mate with me. It only means that you don’t have to stay here with people who are going to continue to beat you, keep you in miserable conditions, and barely feed you until they sell you for a profit.”
“You … you’re not going to force me to mate with you?”
Sephiroth gave a sad sigh as he fought to not reach for the boy. He hated that this was reality for so many omegas outside the capital and wished it were easier to intervene. Going their whole lives terrified that they’d end up with someone forcing themselves on them and being unable to resist. Being sold to betas who couldn't meet their needs and just fucked them until they died from lack of a mate. It wasn't right. “No, and no other alpha will either, I swear. You do need to mate, but I can take you to Midgar and you can find someone of your own choosing. Someone you can love.”
Cloud frowned. “I can … choose? But-in Midgar-they buy us! You buy us like pieces of meat! Virgins up for auction!”
He gave up resisting and reached out to rub Cloud’s shoulder. The effect it had on the omega was noticeable now that he wasn't in such a state of panic, and he leaned into the touch. Poor thing, it must have been awful. He doubted that he had ever been given physical comfort or affection. Even if it wasn’t as effective as that from an alpha, betas could provide some as long as the omega felt safe. Cloud had clearly never had such an experience. “The auction is a sham. We buy omegas because it gives monsters like the people here a reason to not have you killed at birth. We say we want virgins because it keeps you from being raped before we’re able to protect you. Please, will you come to Midgar with me? I don’t want you to live like this anymore.”
Cloud blinked at him, stunned. “I'd really be safe there?”
“I promise. You’ll be with people who care about you and understand your needs.”
“Okay,” he said softly after a long pause.
“Let’s get your things packed up, then.”
“Things?” Cloud looked around the barren room and back at him. “You think I own anything?”
“Right … I suppose not. You at least have a dildo, though, right? If your heat’s due in a week, it will be before we get to Midgar.”
Cloud blushed and pushed himself off the bed. He pulled out a small box from underneath the bed and handed it to him. Curious, he opened it up to see a tube of cheap lubricant and a decently sized plastic dildo. He frowned when he took a closer look, however.
“This is just a regular dildo,” he exclaimed in shock.
“Yeah …”
“And you’ve been managing your heats with it? Aren’t you in pain?”
Cloud blinked at him like he was stupid. “Yeah, heats are supposed to hurt.”
“Shit, no they’re not! Even without a partner, you should be-dildos for omegas are supposed to be able to swell at the base, mimicking an alpha’s knot. The knot lets your body calm down and allows the heat to diminish a bit while you rest. Without it, it just keeps going, which is what causes you pain. Fuck! I can’t-Okay, let’s just get you out of here. Nothing else you want to bring?”
Cloud shook his head, looking bewildered.
He glared at the box he was holding and replaced the lid. “We’ll take this with us, just in case, but I’ll do my best to get you a proper dildo before it hits. You shouldn’t be suffering like this.”
He was livid as he took Cloud by the hand and led him back outside. How could they do that to him? Someone in this damned village had to have known better!
“Well?” The mayor and his cronies were waiting outside. “Will you take him?”
“Yes, I’ll fucking take him.” He wrapped a protective arm around Cloud as they leered at him.
“Looks like getting fucked really does improve their attitudes,” one of the cronies said to another, laughing. “Though he seems pretty pissed. Little Stormcloud must not’ve done a good job.”
Sephiroth fought the urge to lash out as Cloud cringed and pressed himself into his side. “Get my chocobos. Now.”
The betas laughed again as they jogged over to the stable, completely unaware of how close Sephiroth was to snapping. He needed to keep up the pretence of not particularly caring about omegas. If outsiders knew how much they valued them, they’d be at a huge disadvantage when it came it acquiring them. The best they could do was pay more for omegas who were in good condition, incentivizing people to treat them well.
“So he’s a sufficient payment?” the mayor asked.
“Hardly.” Sephiroth sneered. “He’s too skinny and terrified of everything, not to mention being sterilized and the damage done by forcing him to use this piece of shit.” He shook the box containing the dildo.
The mayor blanched again and looked towards a large house, where his daughter was most likely hidden away. “There’s something wrong with it? And of course he's sterilized! You can't possibly expect us to want to risk that.”
“If you don't fuck them, they don't get pregnant, it's pretty fucking simple, even for ignorant pieces of shit like you. And don’t feed me that bullshit. Anyone with a lick of sense knows that omegas need a knotting dildo if they don’t have an alpha. You may have found it fun keeping him desperate and in pain, but it has serious side effects on their health. I won’t know if he’s too far gone until his next heat, but if he is, you can rest assured that I’ll be back for my full payment, plus interest.”
Cloud gave a small whimper and clutched at his coat. Sephiroth made a sub-vocal purr that the omega would be able to feel, but the mayor wouldn’t notice. Cloud started slightly when he noticed it, but then instinctively leaned in closer to the comforting vibration. He kept it up until the cronies reappeared, leading his two chocobos.
“Since you clearly have no idea how to care for them, I suggest that any future omegas born into this village be sold in Midgar immediately,” he said as he lifted Cloud onto his riding chocobo’s back before swinging up behind him. “We purchase the mothers as well.”
He took the lead on the pack chocobo and wrapped his arm around Cloud’s waist, tucking him in close to him. “Let’s go, Birdy.”
Once they were clear of the village, he slowed their pace and loosened his grip on Cloud slightly.
“Am I really that sick?” Cloud asked in a small voice.
“No, sorry, going through your heats like that doesn’t actually negatively impact your health, apart from the pain and mental trauma, that is, until you’re past the point of needing a mate. And then it just exacerbates the fallout of not having one. I didn’t mean to worry you; I just needed to try and and make sure that they wouldn’t do something like that again if they end up with another omega in the village. I admit, I also wanted to scare them a bit. Let them worry that I’ll come back to haul their daughters off to the brothel.”
Cloud snickered and Sephiroth leaned around to see a small smile on his lips.
“Look at that, you can smile.”
The smile grew a bit bigger and Sephiroth sat up straight again and ruffled the omega’s ragged blond hair that looked like it had been hacked at with a blunt knife. “We’ll go a little further, then I want to stop and get some food into you. I wasn’t lying when I said you’re too skinny. And I want you to tell me if you’re tired or sore or if you need something. I can tell when you’re in distress, but I’d very much like to avoid the point of actual distress.”
“Oh. Okay. Do they really buy even babies in Midgar?”
“Gaia, yes. We’ll take in omegas at any age. The sooner we can get them out of the hands of beta savages, the better. Children, if we don’t manage to save their mothers, are adopted. We make sure they go to people who will love them as family.”
“You want their moms too?”
“Of course. They don’t deserve to be killed or ostracized just because they happened to give birth to an omega. Midgar is a safe haven for them. It will be a safe haven for you, too, I promise.”
Cloud leaned back against him and Sephiroth began purring again, hoping to soothe what had to be some shattered nerves. The effect was immediate, and Cloud went nearly completely limp, forcing Sephiroth to tighten his hold again to keep him from falling. It was good, though. He wasn't so traumatized that he couldn't relax, which Sephiroth knew had happened with some omegas.
***
The way Sephiroth made his chest vibrate was so strange. Was it something all alphas could do? He wanted to ask, but he didn't think that Sephiroth could rumble and talk at the same time, and he didn't want the rumbling to stop. He also wondered about the strange animals he had. The one they were riding was named Birdy, but Sephiroth had called them something else when he told the villagers to get them, and he hadn't quite caught it. He ran his fingers lazily through the bright yellow feathers and looked at the scenery. It was disorienting. They were barely out of the village and yet he had never seen this place before.
Was it really true? Was he going to get to choose a mate? What was the rest of the world like? Midgar had always been something to dread. He had been certain that whatever they did to him in the village wouldn't be as bad as being sold there to be mated. And yet here he was, in the presence of an alpha and he hadn't been fucked or even stripped and inspected to see if he was a virgin. Even when Sephiroth had pinned him down, it hadn’t hurt him, it only helped him calm down. He felt … safe. The alpha's arm was wrapped snugly around him, not to hurt or molest him, just keeping him in his seat.
"Where are we going?" he finally asked.
The rumbling stopped, but Cloud still felt comforted in Sephiroth’s strong grip. "We're headed east through the mountains to a town called Corel first. I'm hoping to get there before your heat, but our speed will depend on how quickly you’re able to travel and the condition of the pass. If we make it, we'll stop there to let your heat run its course before travelling further east along the coast to Costa del Sol. From there, we'll take a ship to the port nearest Midgar. Have you done any travelling?"
Cloud scoffed bitterly. "Sometimes I'm allowed to walk around the village square for exercise as long as the children are all hidden away."
"I see. I’ll show you on the map when we make camp for the night if you’d like." Sephiroth sounded sad rather than angry now. "I'm sorry I couldn't get you out of there sooner."
"What do you mean? You took me pretty much right away."
Sephiroth sighed and squeezed him gently. "Not fast enough. I first heard a rumour about you a month ago."
Cloud sat up straight and turned around as far as he could. "What? You knew I was there?"
"Not for certain, but yes. You're why I went to Nibelheim."
"No, you went because they needed a SOLDIER to deal with the monsters."
Sephiroth made a rather guilty-looking face. "They needed a SOLDIER to deal with the monsters that I lured there."
Cloud could only stare in shock. "I don't understand."
"I was on a mission further north in a town called Modeoheim, where I heard a rumour about a village not too far from there that had an omega. Apparently people with enough gil could watch the omega while he was in heat. Fucking him wasn't allowed; he was being saved for the auction, but pay enough and you'd be allowed to touch him and jerk off on him."
Cloud turned back around and slumped down, feeling sick as tears welled in his eyes. The rumbling started up again, this time accompanied by a crooning noise that seemed to make the pain in his chest lessen. It continued as his tears started to fall. He closed his eyes and let the memories wash over him. Strange men coming into his room every month, the jeering as the heat began, the need that outweighed the humiliation. Coming out of it to realize that it wasn't just his fluids he was covered in.
When he finally stopped crying, Sephiroth came to a halt and lifted him down from Birdy. He hugged him gently and gave one final croon before setting him down.
"I didn't have the funds to buy you, and it would have taken longer getting enough money sent, assuming they would be willing to sell you, so I decided to manufacture a bit of a crisis for your village." Sephiroth rummaged through his packs as he spoke, setting things out on a large rock. "They put out a request to SOLDIER for aid, and I responded, not mentioning the rather hefty charge a SOLDIER of my rank comes with until after the monsters had been dealt with. I may have added a few extra zeroes to the total. It took longer than I would have liked, and for that, I'm sorry. I take it the rumours about what they did were true as well?"
Cloud nodded, still feeling stunned at the revelation that the alpha had gone to so much trouble for him.
Sephiroth sighed. "I guess that explains why they didn't sell you sooner. I'm so sorry. You're never going to be treated like that again. You have my word."
"Thank-"
"I don't need thanks for meeting a very low bar of basic decency. Now come eat before you waste away on me."
***
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