-1Pairing: SephiXCloud

Title: Sick like Ice

Disclaimer: I don't own anything connected to Final Fantasy or Square Enix

Prompt: The sickness won't leave.

Rated: M

Warning: Hard yaoi (later) and lots of angst.

Words: 1426

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Sick like Ice

It's at times like this that I know, I simply know that the world is out to get me. How many things must I endure before this sadistic planet is through with me? I may have been born from the life stream like every other living thing, but I seem to be getting my fair share of misery lately.

First it was just being injected with mako and practically losing my mind. There was the whole Sephiroth incident going on in there, and losing Aeris…not to mention watching as Meteor did it's thing. After that it was the Geostigma, Kadaj and his gang, and the rebirth of Sephiroth. I'd say that I have had my fair share of troubles in my lifetime. But the planet, or some diety, or whatever is in charge of the universe lately has it in for me. I've had enough problems, but they continue to come crawling back to me.

Like Sephiroth for instance. I thought he was gone for good now, after Kadaj was defeated I figured that he wouldn't come back, at least, not for a long time. Imagine my surprise when not only does he come back, but he comes back with his eyes set on me of all people. I defeated the SOB twice, and here he was, back to get his revenge.

But it wasn't just me he was out to get revenge on. No, he decided that the entire planet still needed to be wiped out, and he had started it with Edge. That's right, the entire place was devoid of people, devoid of any life save for myself, and that disgusting spawn of Hojo's. The others, those who had saved the planet twice, Barret, Tifa, Cid, Yuffie, Vincent, Reeve, Red XIII…they were all gone, cut down as I watched, helpless to do anything.

I had figured I would be next, that Sephiroth would come for me and it would be the end of it. I wouldn't fight, I wouldn't struggle against him, not any more. If I stopped now, and let him have his way, he would go ahead and kill the planet and I would finally stop this pain that the gods keep inflicting upon me. My story would finally end, and I could ignore my "duty" for once.

But he won't even allow me that pleasure. Sure, we had fought, and I had allowed him to attack and stab me through the stomach. I had allowed him to kill me. But apparently the bastard found it all too amusing. Too amusing that his puppet had given up. So now he stood above me, Masamune(sp?) pinned through my shoulder to hold me down. I could feel his hot breath on my ear as he leaned down and whispered about how he would destroy the world, and how he wouldn't let me die until I had watched every living thing be eradicated from the planet.

I shivered as his hand ran over the hole in my stomach. Not from the physical contact, but because of this iciness that threaded it's way through the wound as it began to close. I closed my eyes in disgust and tried to turn my head away, but Sephiroth grabbed my chin and yanked it back. "Open your eyes." he commanded.

I was reluctant to obey, but I did anyways. I opened my eyes to see Sephiroth's shining with mako, a smile plastered to that cool face of his. I narrowed my eyes and glared, the only thing I could do.

"Let me go." I commanded calmly, hoping that my voice didn't crack or display the sickness tearing it's way though my stomach. Sephiroth only chuckled and patted my cheek lightly.

"I'm afraid I can't do that Cloud…you see, I have a special interest in you."

"What kind of interest?" I growled.

"A…special interest," he replied. I gasped involuntarily as his hand moved from it's place on my stomach up to run lightly over my chest.

"You…you can't be serious." I squeaked, trying to back away and wincing as my shoulder moved against the blade still embedded in it. "Why me?"

"Why, I thought it would be obvious Cloud, after all, you are the one who defeated me twice."

"So what?" I reached up to grab the blade in my shoulder and pulled at it unsuccessfully. "So I defeated you, why does that make me interesting?"

Sephiroth reached over and grabbed my hand, pulling it away from the sword and kissing it gently on the back. "Because I seek power Cloud, and you have power. You are the only one for me."

I yanked my hand back. Power? He wanted me for power? There was nothing special about me besides my mako injection, nothing to separate me from anyone else. Not me, he could not choose me of all people. I wouldn't let him. "Go to hell." I spat.

He smiled in response and patted me on the cheek again. "That's it, keep fighting me." He stood up then and pulled his sword from my shoulder, causing me to cry out in pain. "We'll see how much fight you have in you when this planet is dust." Then he was gone, disappeared with only the sick iciness in my stomach and the surrounding destruction to prove he was even there.

A movement to my right caused me to glance up sharply. Reno stood there, his clothes torn and his arm bloody. He looked as if he were about to pass out.

"Reno!" I stood up to go see if he was alright. He took a shaky step toward me, then collapsed on the ground. I ran over to him and rolled him over so he was looking up. "Reno? Are you alright?"

His eyes rolled slowly across my face, then a small smile crept over his face. "Hey, Chocobo head. Where am I?" His voice was thin, he acted almost as if he were drunk, which, if I knew him as well as I though, he probably was.

"You're in Edge…or what's left of it." I replied. "You're really torn up…here…" I reached down and grabbed his arm, then lifted him up so he was leaning on my shoulder. "Can you stand?"

"I …don't think so…" he replied. He started to take a step, then began to fall. I had to grab onto him tightly to hold him up, making my shoulder burn in pain. The wound hadn't healed yet.

"Here…let's get inside…" I urged while trying to lead him toward a nearby building. It was a hotel, so there should be beds inside. I had to practically drag him, his legs didn't seem to want to work right, and he was half delusional from pain. Eventually though I got him in on a bed and laid him down.

"I …don't feel so good…" he started, then flipped over and vomited over the side of the bed. I took a step back to avoid getting splashed, then wrinkled up my nose.

"I better get something to clean that…" I started, but stopped as Reno grabbed onto my arm tightly.

"Did…did I hear that bastard right Cloud?" he asked in a low, almost inaudible tone. "I …I did didn't I? He's doing this cuz of you.."

I pulled away, unsure of how to answer him. "I'm going to get a mop, try not to die while I'm gone."

He just watched me leave, his eyes filled with a kind of hurt I never wanted to see on a human being. He looked at me as if I had betrayed him, him and the rest of humanity. But what the hell was I supposed to do dammit? I couldn't help that Sephiroth was crazy, or that he was after me, or anything else for that matter. This was all Sephiroth's fault, not mine.

Right?

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First FF7 fic! Woot! Though I have had a lot of experience with Cloud from my KH fics, I've never really had a chance to use him in his actual setting. And here I am, prompted by a song and a …well a prompt, to write yet another unfinished project. MY councilor tells me the reason I never finish anything is cuz I have ADD….but whatever.

I'll try to work on all my unfinished things (basically everything but my oneshots and CIAI) but, in the meanitem, enjoy my brainfarts

R&R!