Archive of Our Own

“I don’t celebrate my birthday.” Matter of fact, and to the point, Sephiroth hardly looked up from the television screen when making his statement. Cloud had convinced him to watch some television series, and they were only about three episodes in. A mix of science fiction and mystery, it involved two partners and their escapades into the paranormal. Sephiroth had been skeptical, at first; living in a time where ShinRa mass produced show after show, laden with subliminal brainwashing, he did not have high hopes.

“Saw it on at one of those fancy bars once, where I was delivering,” Cloud reasoned as he reached for the remote. “Thought it would be interesting.”

Sephiroth generally had never been interested in television. It was not an option during his childhood (not for Cloud, either, as Nibelheim lacked cable.) During his career, far too many times to count, there had been days where he had been forced into interviews, albeit brief and painful, and had to star in ShinRa propaganda. In his bare apartment within the ShinRa highrise, he never bothered to own one.

“Sephiroth,” That morning, Cloud had scoffed at his partner’s reservations as they approached the storefront of an electronic emporium, “In this day and age, we’ll just stream.”

No one had cable anymore according to Cloud, due both to its scarcity since the dissolution of ShinRa and “streaming,” as it was called. Sephiroth had quickly researched the concept on his phone when Cloud wrapped up at the register, mildly interested.

“It’s not a birthday present.” Cloud said sternly as they walked out of the store, despite it being ‘their’ day to celebrate. What they could afford was small, hardly larger than forty inches, and he carried it under one arm with ease.

“Of course not,” Sephiroth assured him, despite biting back a smile. He had hidden Cloud’s wallet that morning, much to his chagrin, thus forcing him to accept his proffered money. A dirty trick, perhaps, but Sephiroth knew Cloud would get over it.

There were no birthday gifts, Cloud had sworn, staying firm. They were saving money to continue work around the house, along with purchasing furniture, appliances, and apparently, electronic devices.

When they arrived home, Sephiroth had no intention of using it. He was very content reading and was positive he could tune out whatever Cloud was streaming from his corner of the couch. However, Cloud had insisted, along with takeout, that he wanted to watch whatever was turned on together on the day after his birthday.

Sephiroth did not have the will to deny him, finding himself caving into Cloud more often than not. This instance was important in particular, as Cloud’s actual birthday had been stressful.

Despite Sephiroth assuring him that there were no hard feelings, Cloud had agonized over Tifa urging him to spend the day with her and the kids.

Sephiroth had made sure his tone was measured and even, seeing the underlying anxiety brewing in Cloud’s stare. “We will be together all day tomorrow. You took the day and worked extra deliveries if you remember. Go, and enjoy yourself. I will be right here, waiting here at home for you.”

“Yeah, but,” Cloud shut his eyes tight and balled his fists, “it just seems unfair.”

Pressing a kiss to his forehead, Sephiroth squeezed him by the shoulders and turned him towards the exit.

“We knew getting into this, there would be a lot that feels unfair.” ‘For all of us, you said,’ Sephiroth recalled. ‘Tifa included.’

Cloud had seemed to relent, not without a forlorn look in his eyes, as he stared up from the floor and over his shoulder. “I guess, still.”

“Stop lamenting over it,” Sephiroth embraced him around the waist, leading him easily to the door. “What do you always tell me?”

Cloud sighed, embracing him back with a squeeze. “Don’t be a sad sack.”

“Indeed, you are being a sad sack,” Sephiroth said with a pat to his ass, enjoying Cloud’s glower. To him, it was still a strange thought to refer to anyone as a “sad sack of shit,” but well, since Cloud had first mentioned it, the expression had been growing on him.

“When you say it, it’s weird.”

“Happy Birthday, Cloud,” Ignoring him, Sephiroth opened the door. “You will be all mine when you return.”

Cloud had left shortly after that, not without a hungry kiss and the promise to ‘be back, no later than 6,’ before mounting Fenrir and taking off down the road.

At first, he was texting Sephiroth constantly, which was unusual. They did not necessarily text often–at most, it was usually the occasional funny photo, but more typically, updates to their whereabouts and dinner plans. Too sparingly (in his opinion), was it something more filthy. Sephiroth told him to “put the phone down and enjoy,” to which Cloud sent an annoyed emoji, making Sephiroth smile.

He busied himself with home projects as he awaited Cloud’s return. In the living room at the time, there was a coridon armoire that they were refurbishing, hoping to sand out some of its bigger blemishes before giving it a fresh stain. Cloud had found it on the side of the road a few days earlier and had "borrowed" Tifa’s truck to cart it home.

‘Take it, I have ten more minutes before she notices the truck’s gone.’ At that, Sephiroth had picked it up from the bottom and whisked it inside the house, while Cloud quickly drove back to Seventh Heaven.

Cloud wanted to have dinner together when he returned at six. However, at five-fifty Sephiroth’s phone buzzed.

‘wont be back till 7,’ was all it read, followed by a quick ‘sorry,’ sans the punctuation. Sephiroth texted for him to take his time, and busied himself with making a small snack. Cloud running late when it came to Seventh Heaven was not out of the norm. Really, without using words, Cloud made it clear by sulking and rolling his eyes that Tifa intentionally liked to keep him late.

When it turned eight without a warning text, Sephiroth had settled himself on the couch and started to read. It was part of a series of novels, the thought of which brought on a pinch of a smile. He recalled Cloud’s response when he had informed him of its contents.

“Sounds boring,” Cloud put simply as they sat cross-legged on the floor, cleaning his many swords. They would take turns completing the task, when it came to doing so in their small home, due to the Fusion sword’s quantity, and Masamune’s size. They usually opted to do so outside, in the clearings of Edge by the small patch of Aerith’s flowers. Sephiroth had initially felt uncomfortable that they had chosen the particular spot as a makeshift area for them to relax, but Cloud had insisted, saying the stars shined best at night from the cliff. That evening it was pouring, so inside was their only option.

Sephiroth huffed, raising both eyebrows as he tapped his fingers along Masamune’s casing. “Cloud, I am boring. Have you not learned this yet?”

“You, Sephiroth,” Cloud had gazed up from his work, smirking just so, before leaning forward to kiss him. “Are anything but boring.”

Cloud and him had set aside their swords and made do with other tasks that evening, which involved shutting the blinds and tearing off their clothes, specifically in that order. When they had finished, Cloud, satisfied and curled up against his chest on the floor, had decided to amend his statement.

“You’re a little boring.”

Sephiroth took a deep breath, willing away his arousal at the memory. Granted, he had full plans of making Cloud’s birthday memorable. ‘Call me boring,’ he scoffed, looking down at the time on his phone. It was nearly nine, and despite himself, he was beginning to worry. Sephiroth knew it was silly, but there was always this deep gnawing piece of him that felt fearful whenever Cloud stayed away for too long without reaching out. ‘Maybe he finally wised up.’ The treacherous concept sauntered about in his thoughts as he tapped away at the screen, reminding himself it was perfectly okay, normal even, to reach out and see where he was. Willing himself to shake it off, he knew these were the lingering remains of the obsessive, repetitive ideas he had experienced in the Lifestream of his lover. They were harder to ignore than he liked to admit.

He had only typed a few words before the door opened, Cloud sounding winded as he carried a box in hand. “Sorry, sorry, yep, I know, I suck.”

Sephiroth, relieved but fighting hard not to show it, tucked his phone into his pocket, carefully bookmarking his page. “You do not suck. How was your evening?”

Without skipping a beat, Cloud handed him the package and flopped onto the couch, staring up at the ceiling. “It was fine,” His tone sounded otherwise until he sighed, “Kids were cute.”

“Mm,” Curious, Sephiroth flipped open the lid, lip twitching by the corners. Inside was a single, smushed sliver of cake, an explosion of vanilla, sprinkles, and inky, black writing. The only letters that had survived, or at least made it on the piece he had been given, were ‘L’ and ‘D.’ Whatever the rest had smeared.

“Thank you,” Sephiroth said in earnest as he watched Cloud untie and kick off his boots.

“Don’t thank me,” He assured, raising both eyebrows as he nodded toward the box, “That’s from Marlene.”

“Really?” The few times he had graced her, and that was very few, had been strangely endearing. “What did Tifa have to say about that?”

“Nothing,” Cloud answered honestly, swiping a finger through the frosting and sucking on it, “Just frowned. Enough about that, though.”

Then and there, Cloud had taken him by the hand, cake long forgotten as he led them into the bedroom. His shoulders were a rigid line of tension, and Sephiroth knew that his birthday had stressed him out worse than he let on. Tifa had applied pressure, so Cloud had to work even harder that week with double the deliveries, that way the following day they could spend time together.

Sephiroth had barely entered the threshold of the bedroom before Cloud pulled his shirt up by the hem, letting his pauldron drop with a ‘clink.’ The rest of his clothes soon followed suit. “Need you.”

Sephiroth smirked, glad he was only in sweatpants and a sweatshirt as he started to do the same. “Missed me that much, hm?”

Something sparked in Cloud’s eyes as he pounced, lips hot as he sealed onto his, tongue already pushing into his mouth. Sephiroth had quickly taken control of the situation, aware of what Cloud was seeking, as he pushed him onto the bed.

They had fucked for well over two hours. Towards the end of it, Cloud was laying on his side, knees drawn up tight and come leaking out of his ass, exhausted.

“Sephi-roth,” Cloud gasped quietly as Sephiroth nestled up close behind him, entering again, wet from his own semen.

“Relax,” sucking a welt into the muscle of Cloud’s shoulder, Sephiroth sighed, moving his hips lazily, knowing it would be the final romp of their evening, “I have you.”

This last time had been different and more intimate. Not nearly as frenzied compared to Cloud laying on his back and spreading his legs, blushing like the first time they fucked all those evenings ago despite telling Sephiroth to ‘hurry up, work me from the inside out already.’

Sephiroth had initially given him everything, knowing Cloud could handle the full weight of him, in several positions. Now, it was different; Sephiroth took him by the cock, wrist loose and slow, but still enough to make the blond moan and push back, taking Sephiroth deeper.

“Fuck, I did miss you, so much,” Cloud had admitted as he tried to look over his shoulder, eyes tired but affectionate. “I thought of you, alone, all night.”

“Don’t.” Sephiroth nuzzled into the back of his neck. “I was fine, waiting here, for you. I would not be anywhere else.”

“Yeah, but”–Cloud was pressing back against him as he quickened his thrusts–“I wanted you there, with me.”

Sephiroth, closing his eyes in slight frustration, hated how he wanted to be there too. “Cloud, please,” wrapping his free arm around the other’s chest, he thrusted in hard enough to make the bed rock, making Cloud cry out and tremble. They were always talking about the past, whether Nibelheim, ShinRa, or like now, Cloud’s ‘birthday party’ hours before, which made them feel lonely and shitty. He wanted Cloud to enjoy the last minutes of his birthday, as the clock nearly struck midnight.

Despite their earlier rutting, they did not last long. Sephiroth had pulled out and stayed curled up right against his backside, ignoring their mess and just letting them be, listening to Cloud breathe as he fell asleep in his arms.

The awful truth of it was that Sephiroth, deep down, missed him too. He was hardly bothered by the fact that the majority of Cloud’s friends regarded him akin to something under their nails, or that he was not offered an invite. It was the fact that Cloud had wanted him there, and was stressed over the tension of all his opposing loved ones that made him sad. However, who was Sephiroth in the grand scheme: Cloud’s former enemy, and genocidal maniac extraordinaire. How could he ever compare to his lover’s family who found him, understandably so, entirely undeserving? As he lay there, staring up at the ceiling, he hated that there was a piece of him that did want to be there, not that he would admit as much to Cloud—he had already been devastated.

The next morning Sephiroth woke up early and made Cloud scrambled eggs and toast. Cloud said they had to eat and take off for errands, not without a quick stop (as a couple) in the shower. They had passed the electronic store and had arrived home with a television, and there they were, sitting on the sofa in their pajamas while discussing Sephiroth’s birthday.

Cloud looked up from his noodles, bordering incredulous and upset, as he stabbed his chopsticks into his food. “What do you mean you’ve never celebrated your birthday?”

Sephiroth worked his jaw as he chewed his food, scolding himself. He knew this would become a conversation, but he was also aware of where the concern came from. “Okay,” Sephiroth admitted, wiping his mouth with a napkin, “I was embellishing. I have celebrated two birthdays.”

“Okay,” Cloud’s disbelief hardly faltered, as he blindly reached for the television remote to mute it. “Two birthdays. You had two, whole birthdays.”

Sephiroth offered Cloud a glance through the shield of his bangs, “Yes.”

When Cloud gestured with both hands to continue, Sephiroth narrowed his eyes, unsure how to move forward. Speaking of his childhood did not necessarily make him upset. Yes, he had many years to reflect on how poor it truly was, but at the time, he had hardly known the difference. Cloud, however, was hard-nosed with a strange sense of justice. The first time he revealed his living conditions, alone, in a lab; it was hard to forget the way Cloud’s face twisted in indignation. However, something that Cloud and he continued to struggle with but acknowledged, was talking through the pain, no matter how uncomfortable. With those sentiments in mind, Sephiroth had placed his carton of beef and broccoli on their coffee table and leaned back, glancing upwards as he searched his memories.

“The first I don’t technically remember,” For all he knew, it could have been fabricated. “I was given a stuffed animal for my first birthday, from Professor Gast.” Sephiroth caught himself strumming at his thigh, willing himself to cease his nervous fidgeting. “It was a chocobo.”

Sliding closer, Cloud sat knee to knee with him as a silent means of encouraging him.

“I am not sure where it ended up,” Sephiroth admitted, trying to act casual, “I suppose Hojo found it a distraction.” Thankful that Cloud did not push him to elaborate, Sephiroth sighed, rolling his eyes at the memory of his next. “As for the second? I remember it plenty, and it was a nightmare.”

“What happened?” Perhaps goaded by his tone, Cloud reached back for his chopsticks, not without helping himself to a piece of Sephiroth’s beef.

“Well,” Sephiroth reached for his own dinnerware, grabbing a piece of lo mein from Cloud’s carton, “Genesis heard wind that I had never celebrated my birthday before. Of course, he relished the whole oddity of it. I imagine he felt superior considering his upbringing,” When Sephiroth smiled, it held no joy, “So naturally he insisted that for my nineteenth birthday, we make a whole show of it.” Already, there was a touch of amusement in the corner of Cloud’s mouth, to which Sephiroth frowned. “Are you already laughing?”

“I’m just trying to picture where this story is going.”

“As I was saying,” Sephiroth had murmured, continuing as he watched the two main characters of their forgotten show move about on screen, “Genesis said he would bring alcohol, I said no thank you. He proceeded to also insist on bringing a woman, which I vehemently refused. So naturally,” Even then, saying it out loud sounded ridiculous, and he squeezed the bridge of his nose as a means of containing himself, “He showed up at my apartment, well after midnight, with two.”

Cloud’s mouth had gone completely slack as a noodle gracelessly fell back into its container. “What?”

“Angeal was nowhere to be found. In all fairness, I interpreted this as being respectful of my wishes to be left alone,” Sephiroth was not mincing words, voice full of annoyance, “So Genesis, and these two honeybees,

“Stop.” Cloud had shaken his head, no longer hiding his glee.

Sephiroth continued, now slowly smiling to himself. At the time, he had been righteously furious. Now, after all was said and done, the sheer absurdity even made his mouth twitch. “I sat on the couch drinking shitty wine out of a paper cup while merely ten feet away, Genesis–“

“Started quoting LOVELESS?” Cloud gave a knowing smirk, by then acquainted with Sephiroth’s old friends of the past.

“–Sat with these two ladies, who,” Taking pause, he thought back to one in particular, with her long blonde hair and even longer legs, trying to saddle up close. She was pretty and smelled nice too, but Sephiroth immediately felt uncomfortable.

“Were very nice, but I was very much–”

“Not interested?” Cloud finished for him, cheeks round with a smirk. Sephiroth would have thought it cute if it were not for him being such a pest.

“Absolutely not,” Sephiroth filled in quickly, finding the notion just as absurd, “I stayed for half an hour before retiring to my room. Alone,” he supplemented quickly.

“And he just,” Cloud motioned at the air with his chopsticks, “He just stayed in your highrise living room. With the two honeybees.”

“Yes.” Sephiroth’s face was absolute stone, even when Cloud snorted with laughter.

“Man,” Shaking his head, Cloud spoke almost fondly, “That guy sounded like such a little shit.”

“Yes,” Sephiroth felt his resolve weaken as he thought back to Genesis, something likened to fondness bubbling in his stomach, “He was most certainly just that. Needless to say,” Sephiroth took another bite of his meal, avoiding Cloud’s curious stare, “There were no more birthdays. Ever.”

“Well,” Cloud sighed, raising both brows as he gingerly lowered his food to the table, “I can imagine. How am I going to top a lap dance?”

Sephiroth nearly choked. “Excuse me?”

“Should I be jealous?” Cloud nudged him with his knee. “That’s usually your MO.”

“Enough, that was the end of the story.” Sephiroth tried to reach for the remote but Cloud beat him to it, carefully squeezing his wrist.

“Sephiroth,” Cloud’s voice was full of a soft warning, “We have to celebrate your birthday.” Before he could protest, Cloud swiped at the air; Sephiroth already hated the determined look in his eyes. “No gifts, like today, just dinner and some not-so-shitty wine–”

“Completely unnecessary, Cloud.” He knew despite his words, they would fall on deaf ears.

“Don’t worry,” Cloud murmured as he ran a hand along the inside of his thigh, making Sephiroth raise an eyebrow, “I can’t say that there will be a lap dance,” Pressing a kiss to the corner of his lover’s mouth, Cloud’s eyes were all encompassing, round, and beautiful in a way that reminded Sephiroth of a time when he had thought of them longingly, wading in the LifeStream, “But I’ll make it a memorable night.”

In the heat of the moment, as he pushed Cloud back onto the couch with their food forgotten, smothering him with his lips, Sephiroth did not find the notion of a lap dance at all necessary. His birthday was months away, and it was still Cloud’s. That’s what he would focus on as they carried on into the bedroom. However, the months between August and November were short, and they soared by sooner than he anticipated.

When Sephiroth awoke, turning groggily to face the window, the sun had just started to color orange in the black sky. Blinking at the empty, sunken pillows beside him, Sephiroth made a quick catalog of Cloud’s disappearance–It was the ninth and final day of him waking up before dawn. Cloud had even worked over the weekend, a full load at that. Typically the latter half of the week was reserved for winding down and fewer deliveries. This past Saturday and Sunday had been the exception.

“And why is that?” Sephiroth inquired over the busier schedule as he set down his newspaper, finally finding it palatable free of ShinRa’s influence.

“You know why,” The edges of exhaustion were etched under Cloud’s eyes. He was indeed influenced by Mako, but even he had a boiling point. Cloud had worked from dusk till dawn, with deliveries scheduled back to back. “Tifa is trying to keep me busy.”

Sephiroth smirked to himself as he pressed his nose closer to the other’s pillow. Of course she was, considering what had been fast approaching. She wanted to keep her friend as far as possible from Sephiroth, and from what he supposed, for good reason. Today was the start of a few days of peace for them, as Cloud had planned the rest of the week off.

It was his birthday. From what he gathered, with the dates blurred and never necessarily announced, he was turning thirty-one.

Last evening, during the spare moments he had spent with Cloud before passing out in their bed, the blond had mouthed tiredly against his lips his last words: “You’re old.”

Sephiroth scoffed at the memory as he sat up and pushed his hair out of his face, thumbing sleep from his eyes. He planned on having a day full of odd jobs on the outskirts of town, killing monsters and disposing of thugs. A normal day. He had insisted on normal, from the very early call of action in Cloud’s eyes.

He wanted no gifts (“Never,” Cloud had assured him), no silly hats, no frills, and certainly no cake. He wanted to relax and watch their television show, which he begrudgingly was hooked on. He wanted to go to bed with Cloud in his arms and make love and sleep in till the time that the sun was actually in the sky. He ignored Cloud when he insisted, ‘it’s your birthday, you can do whatever you want.’

Repeating Cloud’s birthday evening sounded enticing and due to Cloud’s bustling about for well over a week, intimacy had been fleeting.

‘I’ll show him old.’ He hummed as he pawed at his morning wood and adjusted himself, moving towards the bathroom in languid steps.

With Cloud preoccupied, he had filled his day with whatever job he could accept and making repairs around the house. The sink no longer dripped, and after a quick stop at a repair shop, they no longer required a coaster under the leg of their couch. Usually Cloud and he made these fixes over the weekend, in between slaying monsters and sparring.

Stopping halfway through brushing his hair, Sephiroth blinked at the mirror, dumbfounded that he had not thought of it sooner: they should spar tomorrow he decided. Cloud had kept insisting he picked their activities for the day. While Cloud had wanted to be lazy and curl up on the couch on his birthday, Sephiroth felt an itch to whisk him away and spar somewhere new. That was normal and fun, he decided as he meticulously placed his hairbrush on his side of the sink, where he had found it.

“Boring and old.” He thought of the other’s sentiments with a fond smile. Cloud Strife would truly be the death of him.

Cloud had told him to be home at five o’clock sharp, so he had arrived at their doorstep by four-fifty.

Feeling comfortable enough to drop his hood, Sephiroth was accepting of the fact that their neighbors were well aware of his presence. He was hard to miss, after all. The initial chatter of him living in a small home on the edges of the city with “some guy” had faded. No one appeared to be aware of his previous attempts to vanquish the human race and utilize the planet as a vessel. There had only been one elderly gentleman who had enough gall to say he looked like “that Sephiroth fella.”

Cloud and Sephiroth took their “some guy” and “Sephiroth fella” personas very seriously when it came to their neighborly due diligence.

With a single snort of humor, Sephiroth pushed open the door, picking up the scents of garlic and butter immediately. Turning to face him, Cloud had been licking sauce off his fingers before beckoning him closer.

“Hey,” Cloud’s greeting was easy as he stood by the stove, stripped of his gloves, harness, and armor, leaving him only in his tank top and jeans. Seeing him so comfortable and casual somehow made the sight of him all the sweeter, “How are you literally right on time?”

“Something I learned early on in ShinRa,” He decided to avoid teasing jabs about Cloud’s tendency for lateness and his lack of discipline, pecking him on the forehead instead. “Hey.”

Cloud reciprocated, standing on the tips of his toes and kissing him on the mouth. He used tongue, which gave him a good taste of whatever the other was whipping up for him that evening. “Happy Birthday.” There was a twinkle in those Mako-infused eyes despite their apparent fatigue.

“How much coffee did you drink, Cloud?” Sephiroth asked bluntly, raising a pointed brow.

“Do I have coffee breath?” With an impish grin, Cloud turned back to the meat he had been tending to, carefully flipping the slim flank onto its other side with tongs. He was wearing an apron, thankfully, as oil spit back at him. It was an improvement to the days he decided to cook in his briefs.

“No, but you are exhausted.”

“Nah,” Cloud murmured casually, giving a stir to whatever vegetables he had been simmering. “Just fine. Finished my deliveries, an hour early even.”

Sephiroth did not doubt at the expense of his health. “Cloud,”

“No, Sephiroth,” Cloud lifted one finger as he swallowed down a spoonful of broth, to which Sephiroth rolled his eyes. “Don’t want to hear it. Yes, I’m fine. Yes, I did have to do this. And yes, it was necessary.” Reaching up into the kitchen cabinet, Cloud pulled out two wine glasses and set one on the table before pulling out a chair. “Ladies first.”

Sephiroth, blinking his eyes in amused reluctance, had taken the seat and reached for the stem of his glass, languidly pushing it forward.

“Better,” Cloud said with a small smile, as he reached for a bottle of wine left open on the counter. Presenting its label, Sephiroth regarded it with narrowed eyes. From his experience at ShinRa gatherings years ago, he recognized it to be strong and of high quality, one he was familiar with. “Fortified,” Cloud poured him a healthy glass before turning to fill his own. “The good stuff. Don’t tell Tifa.”

Sephiroth gave a single laugh into his glass. When Cloud had dashed across the kitchen, in even higher spirits than him, he started to lighten up. “I don’t think that will be a problem.” She would sooner punch him than ever dare try to speak to him. “Stealing from the bar, are we?”

“With the way she worked me this week?” With a shake of his head, Cloud gulped his wine before turning back to his cooking, “She can afford it.”

“You should expect a phone call shortly.” Sephiroth teased, amusement fading when he was presented with a small plate. It took him a second to recognize it as a dumpling; it was not the first time Cloud had taken a shot at making them. The dough was lumpy and uneven, but even so, it smelled delicious. Even more so, it made Sephiroth’s stomach flutter. “How much are you cooking, Cloud?”

“Just enough.” he dismissed him with a wave as he began sliding the meat out of the pan. “So, birthday boy,” Cloud spoke over his shoulder, attentively cocking his head, “What did you wind up doing?”

“The same as any day,” Sephiroth repeated in his head: normal. “I suppose it was a little unusual.”

“Oh?” Leaning over the table, Cloud regarded him with endearing curiosity as he fingered the stem of his wine glass. “How?”

“I got a call,” Pausing, Sephiroth's slitted eyes looked more steely than usual, “And a text. Did you tell them to?”

“Swear on it, no,” Cloud put both hands up in defense. “Who?”

“Who else?” Sephiroth huffed, staring at his wine glass as if it was suddenly more interesting. “Yuffie sent me some colorful, loud gif over the phone,” It was dancing animals, confetti, and flashing lights–Sephiroth had thanked her immediately and closed the message. “Vincent called.”

“Mmm,” Sephiroth watched as an affectionate smile curled over the other’s face; he knew for Cloud, any interaction from any of their friends was a small victory. “He told me as much,” He gave the other a pointed look as he turned back to the stove, removing their vegetables from the fire. “After the fact.”

Out of all of Cloud’s friends, Vincent Valentine was the only one he considered to be an acquaintance. Yuffie was a bit surface level, partially his own doing. She tended to speak with an excited inflection and babble, he described affectionately, much to Cloud’s annoyance. Sephiroth was always polite and the more they interacted, the more she became tolerable.

As for the former turk, perhaps it was the connection he had with his fallen mother, or due to the fact he was the first to truly try to understand and accept their relationship–he could at least admit to himself, he harbored a soft spot.

“Happy Birthday,” Vincent’s voice was like smoke and it strangely seemed to waft in the earpiece like it too.

Sephiroth lowered his sword following the death of the final Doomrat, looking to the sky in resignation. “Thank you. Cloud informed you?”

“Who else?” There was amusement laced in his tone, Sephiroth returning it in kind.

“Considering Yuffie texted me first,” sheathing his sword, Sephiroth moved along the seeming outskirts of Edge, where the remains of Midgar started to form, “For all I know, she could have told you.”

“Beat me to the punch.” Vincent had given a mock sigh.

“What does Cloud have planned?” Sephiroth was not about to beat around the bush, quick and concise as ever. Vincent chuckled at the question, sounding fond.

“You know me better than that by now, Sephiroth,” The former General rolled his eyes at the other’s refusal. “He did say this, however,” Sephiroth had listened to him with renewed vigor, “You will be ‘binging’ some television show?”

By the time he recounted the memory, Cloud had been pushing him over a plate of seared beef and mixed vegetables. Sephiroth studied the red tomatoes, the yellow squash, and the green snap peas.

“This smells divine,” Sephiroth watched as Cloud carefully filled the dirty pan with hot water, leaving it on a cool coil on the stove, “This was not necessary.”

“Yeah, yeah, so you keep saying,” Taking his glass of wine and plate, Cloud motioned towards the couch, raising a playful eyebrow, “We didn’t even have dessert.”

Sephiroth’s stare was scathing as he followed after him. “We said no cake.”

“Who said it was a cake?” Cloud situated his dinnerware on the coffee table, nursing his glass between his legs, “Per se?” When he sat back and closed his eyes, letting his shoulders go slack and his head sink into the pillows, Sephiroth knowingly hummed.

“You are tired.” Sephiroth sipped his wine and reached for the remote to switch on their television.

“‘M’ fine,” Cloud murmured quickly as he pushed himself to sit up, sluggish. However, with a sudden burst of energy, Cloud sat up and looked in the corner of his eye towards their ever growing bookcase. “Oh, uh, by the way,” Sephirorth closed his eyes and willed back a smile as he recognized a new addition on the shelves, “May have left a collector’s edition of that boring book series you’re always chatting about on the bookshelf. With extra, pre-edit scenes,” Cloud sipped his drink and looked away, cutting at his meat, “Maybe.”

Shaking his head, Sephiroth leaned closer, mindful to squeeze Cloud on the knee as he brushed his lips against his ear. “You broke every single rule.”

“Not quite,” Cloud tipped his glass to him as he smiled cheekily. “You said no party hats, and I delivered. Happy Birthday.”

There was a traitorous quiver in Sephiroth’s chest as he thought about all that Cloud had done–no, sacrificed, with him running about, doing a maddening amount of deliveries–over the week. Sacrifice just seemed to come naturally to Cloud, Sephiroth thought with a heavy heart. It had been amazing what he managed to whip up in one night alone.

“I don’t remember anyone doing something,” Sephiroth hesitated, the words difficult to find, as he thought over his last thirty-one years. Most of the days were difficult, for both of them no thanks to himself. The last year alone with Cloud was the best of them. “Quite so nice for me like this, ever. Thank you.”

Cloud seemed to consider this, licking his plush, pouty lips before he leaned forward and kissed him. Sephiroth could hardly contain himself; he pressed his tongue inside the other’s mouth, tasting the wine that coated it. Cloud had pulled away, but not without sucking on his bottom lip, like a promise.

“Stop with the sap and eat.” Taking the remote from him, Cloud switched on their television show after clicking through their “apps.” This episode was a two-parter and a continuation of the overall canon. It was their favorite type of the series.

They ate in silence, the savory food going quickly. Sephiroth’s plate was empty before Cloud’s, which sat three-quarters finished. “It was delicious.”

“Mm,” Cloud was leaning into the crook of the couch, before he curled up at Sephiroth’s side, inhaling deeply, “Drove halfway through Junon, had to make several trades for the beef.” When Sephiroth wrapped an arm around him, ready to counter, Cloud interrupted him. “Don’t say it was unnecessary.”

Sephiroth’s shoulders lowered as he exhaled. He decided not to press any further, feeling far too content to do so. There was a piece of him that was thankful, if not shocked, that someone could truly care deep enough to do something so kind for him. Again, it further reminded him of what he must have meant to Cloud, finding it still so hard to believe.

The next episode had already begun rolling when Sephiroth felt Cloud’s whole body grow slack. He did not have to glance down to know he had fallen asleep, moving carefully as he reached for the remote to turn off the television. It did not seem to matter much; Cloud’s body, dead to the world, moved with each one of his motions, absolutely still.

Cloud had sworn they would make a long night of it. With how busy he had been running around making delivery after delivery, they had little time to spend together, let alone time to be sexual. The last night they had sex, towards the middle of the week, Cloud was on his back and already beginning to show the cracks of exhaustion. Between his legs and from above, Sephiroth kept it simple, had fucked him nice and slow.

“I’ll make it up to you,” Cloud promised, tired and soft when he kissed him, but not without a squeeze to Sephiroth’s ass, “On your big day.”

The last few times Cloud had fallen asleep on the couch after a long week, he had insisted Sephiroth leave him there. “Do not carry me,” he would say, with a scoff. “I’m not your bride.”

As Sephiroth watched him now, sleeping peacefully against his collarbone, he reminded himself: Cloud liked teasing him about watching him sleep, too. “Creep,” Sephiroth could hear him ridicule, not without a soft chuckle.

Despite Cloud’s past warnings, Sephiroth hoisted him up with ease, watching as his head fell slack into his elbow. He stirred just slightly, with a sigh but not much else. Sephiroth had laid him on the bed and carefully undressed him, boots first, and then everything else. Cloud was in nothing but his boxers as he snoozed away on his back, taking up a good portion of the mattress.

Sephiroth unbuttoned his shirt and stepped out of his trousers before he sauntered into the kitchen, only in his briefs. After fetching himself a glass of water, he eyed the refrigerator and let curiosity take the best of him. Inside was a cupcake, with bright green icing and a mess of mixed toppings, a sure sign that the children had helped Cloud with making it. Sephiroth’s heart throbbed at the discovery, willing himself to close the fridge door and make his way back to the bedroom, curling up beside Cloud and falling asleep shortly after.

When he woke up, there were two very sad eyes watching him. With how the blankets were tousled off of him, almost nervously so, Cloud must have risen several times over to pace in the living room. “Why didn’t you wake me?”

“Watching me while I sleep?” Sephiroth closed his eyes again and hummed, turning over to face away. “Who is the creep now?”

“I’m serious,” Cloud grabbed him by the shoulder, shaking him, “And you carried me?”

“You looked too cute not to,” Sephiroth said with a tired smile. When he heard a frustrated sigh, he turned onto his back, sitting up to consider his partner.

There the other sat, looking utterly dejected. Sephiroth could already feel the self-loathing rolling off Cloud in waves, so he reached for him and pulled him close, kissing him on the temple.

“Do not be a sad sack, Cloud,” he murmured against his hair, before moving to leave and use the restroom.

“Of course I’m going to be a sad sack, I’m the worst boyfriend ever!”

“We both know who that title goes to,” Sephiroth called out, smiling sadly when Cloud let out a pissed off hiss at his retreating back. It wasn’t long before Sephiroth crawled back into the bed, nosing at Cloud’s neck and pulling him closer by the middle.

“Don’t start with that today, Sephiroth.” Cloud had warned, but he leaned into his affections anyway.

“I won’t, and vice versa,” Sephiroth argued as he laid back down, throwing him a tender look. “What is the big deal, we did not miss much.”

“But we did,” Cloud reasoned, turning pink and raising both brows, “We didn’t, you know.”

“You said we were making a few days of it,” Sephiroth reminded him, with a coy smile, “You have plenty of time.”

Life suddenly sparked back into Cloud, eyes twinkling. Soon enough he was working himself out of his briefs, and Sephiroth chuckled at seeing him slightly hard.

“Morning wood, or just that excited?” He let Cloud take a hold of his boxers and watched as he tugged downwards.

“Asking you the same question,” Cloud murmured, discarding the little clothes they were wearing as he crawled onto his lap, “Not that I’m complaining.”

“Nor am I,” muttered Sephiroth, leaning forward to kiss his lover and reaching out to palm his cock, only to be thwarted by fingers around the wrist.

“Don’t think so.” Cloud’s eyes again continued to sparkle, hit just right by the light filtering through the shades. “I’m doing the work today.”

Sephiroth, amused, let himself fall back against the headboard without quarrel. He did however take Cloud by the hips to hold, watching hungrily as the blond tilted them just enough to brush their dicks together, making him hum and close his eyes. When the other started to gyrate, moving his hips in a circle, Sephiroth looked up, confused.

“Your first lap dance,” Cloud flushed from head to shoulders, averting his gaze with a chuckle, “Right?”

Sephiroth couldn’t help but laugh as well, pulling Cloud closer with his grip on him, rubbing their dicks together. “Such a tease.”

“If you tell anyone,” Cloud had grown serious, but it was hard to be intimidating when he was so red in the face.

“I will keep the memory all to myself,” Sephiroth practically purred, leaning forward to suck at Cloud’s pulse, canting his hips up to goad his lover. “Were you not doing all the work today?”

“Getting to it,” Cloud promised with a soft, pleased sigh, running a hand down Sephiroth’s chest, watching as he did so. “Enjoy this a little, alright?” Squeezing the other’s nipple, Cloud gave him a cheeky smirk as he pulled. “Not every day you get to have birthday sex.”

“You made me wait,” Sephiroth murmured playfully before scraping his teeth against his skin. Punctuating his words, he grabbed Cloud by the ass instead, squeezing it.

“Mmm,” Cloud pressed back into his touch, curling one hand in his long mane, letting the other finally find Sephiroth’s dick. “I thought about this all fucking week, believe me,” Pausing, but still taking Sephiroth by the base to squeeze, he pressed his nose into Sephiroth’s scalp, “Was I an asshole this week?”

Sephiroth let his thumb press in between Cloud’s cheeks, applying pressure to the pucker that lay in between, smiling against his flesh when he felt the other squirm. “No more than usual.”

“You are so stubborn.” Giving a huff, Cloud batted his hand away from behind him, leaning sideways towards their nightstand. He rifled through its contents until he pulled out a bottle. “Sit back and relax, for once.” Lifting onto his knees, Cloud jutted his hips enough for his dick to rest against Sephiroth’s abdomen. Squeezing some lube into his hand, Cloud held eye contact as he reached back and teased his own opening, Sephiroth watching with interest.

“Never work when it comes to you.” Sephiroth again took Cloud by the ass, this time with one hand, letting all four fingers spread him open while his thumb traced the curve of it. He could feel Cloud tighten when he worked in his own two fingers, seemingly appreciating the assistance. “You know I live only to please you.” ‘It’s the least I can do, after all that I’ve done.’ He tried to will the ugly thoughts away, determined not to be a sad sack, then of all times.

“You’re just possessive,” Cloud’s voice hitched when he bent his wrist and tried to find a preferable angle. “Gaia forgive someone else doing it, even me.”

“Never denied being selfish,” Sephiroth said earnestly when he kneaded the flesh of his backside, “Maybe I just do it better.”

Cloud chuckled breathily as he thrusted in his fingers a little harder, steadying himself with a hand on Sephiroth’s shoulder. “Oh? How so?”

“Even with my hand, you would be twisting beneath me by now. I have you mapped out, know what makes you tick.” Sephiroth allowed his free hand to lazily trail down Cloud’s middle, thumbing at both of Masamune’s scars, watching his abs clench as his finger dipped into his navel. “I know where to aim and you know I can get deeper. I have made you come with less.”

“Damn it,” Cloud let out a small noise, but it was enough for Sephiroth to smirk as he met his eyes again. Leaning forward and capturing his mouth, Cloud spoke hungrily against him, “I was trying to make this sexy.”

“You don’t have to try much, Cloud. In fact,” Sephiroth assured him as he ghosted along the curve of Cloud’s dick, dragging his thumb down the whole length of him, “Today, you are proving to be the best gift I could ask for.”

Cloud had shuddered, pressing his tongue into the other’s mouth as he withdrew his hand. It was short and sloppy as Cloud turned away to reach for the bottle again, his face flushed. “Hate how you do that.”

“Do what?” Sephiroth played coy as he took him by the hips and held him steady, letting out a pleased sound as Cloud lubed up the whole of his dick.

“Just utterly fucking wreck me.” Cloud’s eyes were blown wide. They were huge, black circles with just a ring of green and blue when he met his gaze again.

Cloud was already hoisting himself up from the headboard, which creaked noisily from his weight. Finding bedroom furniture proved to be difficult; splurging was unnecessary, considering this was the third bedframe they had purchased. The first’s legs had broken right from beneath them after a few trysts. That’s when they learned that quality wasn’t necessarily the answer. After spending a few hundred dollars, the second did not fare much better, only lasting a few weeks longer than the first.

Sephiroth had only a brief moment to ponder how this frame would fare before he felt Cloud reach back and press himself down against his cock. There was no real hesitation, despite the other’s initial reservations over his ‘generous’ size. Cloud had been comfortable enough to take the length of him from tip to root for a while now, and he made quick work of having Sephiroth fill him.

“Ah, fuck,” Cloud let out a long sigh when he entered, a sound Sephiroth never grew tired of. He tossed his head back and cursed like a prayer. Ever since the first, Sephiroth was determined to hear it over and over again–it never grew old. Instinctually, Sephiroth angled back and thrusted upwards, aiming for his prostate, making his lover tense and moan.

Cloud quickly showed he had other plans. Placing both hands on Sephiroth’s shoulders, Cloud pushed up enough to have half his cock slide out, before he sat down hard and fast, taking him back in swiftly. He clenched his eyes shut as he repeated the action without pause.

Sephiroth was not sure if they would be taking their time this morning. On his next thrust, Sephiroth used the leverage on his hips to press Cloud’s ass flush against his thighs, lifting him with ease.

“Don’t.” Cloud was determined, leaning back and grounding his knees into the bed for purchase as he pressed down swiftly.

“Easier said than done,” Sephiroth admitted, tilting Cloud’s hips backward and thrusting up, delighted by the way Cloud’s spine bowed, “I aim to please you.”

“You dick!” Determined not to be defeated, Cloud rose up and arched his back, sitting up enough for Sephiroth to nearly slip out before sinking down on the whole length of him. It was effective, making Sephiroth hum and relax into the pillows, hands reaching blindly for his lover’s ass.

“Mmm, fine,” Sephiroth lazily watched Cloud, savoring the sight of him already hot and sweaty from exertion, “Have it your way.”

Cloud had laughed breathlessly, Sephiroth finding it endearing as the blond bit his lip and started a rhythm.

‘He is perfect,’ he told himself as he studied Cloud with hunger, thinking back to the thoughts that had filtered through what was left of him in the Lifestream, back to a time when he was stranded within. He watched the way Cloud’s shoulders tensed every time he plunged inside and how his lips twitched when he moaned. With a quick and hard pace, Sephiroth knew no other man could fuck him as hard as Cloud could, thanks to his Mako enhancements. ‘He is made for me,’ a more sinister part of him cooed, unable to deny Jenova running through them.

Distracting himself from his more possessive thoughts, Sephiroth leaned forward and pressed his nose into Cloud’s shoulder, grazing his teeth across his flesh. He reminded himself as to why they were there, free of work and responsibilities, alone with each other if only for a few moments. Cloud had insisted on making today–well, yesterday, special for him. Special in a way that for once in his life, was normal. What normal couples did, when they celebrated each other’s birthday. He had worked himself to the bone the past week, had cooked him dinner, brought him a gift, even made him a cake–cupcake–despite all his protests. Was it not only fair Sephiroth paid him in kind?

“Thank you, for yesterday,” Leaning up until their chests touched, Sephiroth ghosted his lips across Cloud’s, running a hand along his scalp. His free hand brushed against the velvet head of his lover’s cock, making him falter in his movement, “And today. You are too good to me, Cloud.”

“I know what you’re doing,” Cloud’s voice tightened, much like his body, which constricted pleasantly around Sephiroth, “Fuck you, Sephiroth, I know what you’re doing.”

“Let me make you feel good, Cloud,” Sephiroth could not help but smirk as he pressed his mouth against Cloud’s shoulder once more. Reaching for his ass, he squeezed one cheek before pulling, stretching it against his girth, appreciating the whimper it elicited, “The best way I can.”

“Bastard!” Cloud let one of his own hands slide through Sephiroth’s hair, squeezing a handful in warning. “Don’t hold back. Not even a second.”

“Do I ever?” Sephiroth chuckled, grabbing him by the ass with both hands.

“Shut up,” Cloud was already reaching again for the headboard. “And get to work already.”

As much as he appreciated a lazy and demure Cloud when intimate, his demanding side was something he cherished. Cloud deciding to be bossy in bed was one of Sephiroth’s favorites, his commands going straight to his cock. Not to be outdone, Sephiroth pressed both cheeks together and humped up as hard as he could, shuddering when Cloud gasped. His first was just the start. Sephiroth pulled Cloud down against him hard enough to make their skin slap, groaning himself when Cloud met his thrusts with all the power he could muster.

Skirting his lips, Sephiroth’s kisses were feather soft as he spoke. “Come on Cloud,” He grazed his teeth against his throat suggestively, “Do the work.”

Sephiroth could feel Cloud’s hand shake as he came to reach between them, moaning when he began to jerk himself off. Cloud fit around him like a vice, tightening from the sensation and Sephiroth knew it would be any moment. The possessive side of him roared as he bit down on Cloud’s shoulder, hard enough for the capillaries to break. Cloud bucked down and hissed when he came, squeezing around Sephiroth and nearly sobbing as he tossed his head back.

“Sephiroth!”

His name was like a rallying into action. The sight of Cloud still trying to meet his pace alone was enough to spur on his completion and to make the coil in his abdomen tighten. “So close,” He promised, sweat dotting his brow and voice tight as he tried to hold out.

“Sephiroth,” Cloud repeated his name, pink in the face from exertion. The skin of his shoulder was already red and puffy, sure to bruise at least for a short while. Leaning forward, Cloud twisted his fingers through the long strands of his hair and pulled, pleasantly so, enough to make Sephiroth nearly waver. With a small but tired smile, Cloud closed his eyes and clenched the muscles of his ass, which was finally his undoing. Sephiroth made sure to pull Cloud level to his pelvis when he orgasmed, holding him firmly in place by the hips as he did so.

“Damn it,” Sephiroth murmured against Cloud’s collarbone, feeling the blond tuck his chin on top of his head.

“Mm,” Cloud let his arms wrap around his shoulders, tracing lazy patterns over the nape of his neck.

With a soft pat to his ass, Sephiroth released him, letting his arms fall limp against the bed. Cloud stayed settled for about a minute more, breathing deeply into his hair, before gingerly slipping himself off of him.

“Can we not go yet?” Cloud murmured as he fell onto his side, reaching back to catch some of the semen running down his leg. With Cloud facing away, Sephiroth had full view, and he slipped down the pillows to take in his lover’s actions with interest

“Considering you promised several rounds,” Sephiroth pressed his thumb against Cloud’s soft opening, smirking as the other moaned, “Yes.”

“Stop!” Cloud whacked his hand away, turning onto his stomach. “Give me a bit.”

“A bit,” Sephiroth chuckled as he rolled onto his stomach as well, watching as Cloud closed his eyes again. He could not necessarily blame him– enhanced or not, it was a long week of traveling and deliveries. Sephiroth would give him an hour or so to rest up, ‘before going at it again.’ “Thank you,” Wanting to say it before Cloud dozed off, he felt a little bad when the other cracked a single eye open, “For yesterday and today.”

Closing his eye again, Cloud chuckled with his face pressed into the pillow, muttering tiredly. “Still got a whole day ahead of us. Sparring?”

“Sparring,” Sephiroth pulled the blankets over the both of them, not without reaching over to kiss him on the cheek, “First, sleep.”

“You gonna watch me like a creep?” Cloud’s voice had already slurred. Sephiroth hesitated to respond, telling by the way his jaw went slack and his body relaxed that Cloud had fallen asleep.

“I am,” Sephiroth whispered as he pushed a few strands of hair from his lover’s face, “It is my birthday, after all.” Sephiroth closed his eyes as well, feeling peaceful in a way that a day with Cloud could only bring. The only time in his life he wasn’t a cog in the ShinRa machine was living in Edge with Cloud. It was another day of waking up to the man he adored, that he loved. He felt great, and better yet, absolutely normal. This, he was thankful, was normal, “And I can do whatever I want.”