Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Cloud Strife was just a normal, average Beta.

And he liked being average.

He didn’t have the overwhelming pheromones of an Alpha, didn’t have to deal with the biological soap opera that was being an Omega, and most importantly—he could live his life without weird heat cycles or territorial nonsense.

His existence was peaceful. Predictable.

…Until today.

Because today, he did the one thing no sane Beta would ever do.

He crashed into Sephiroth.

The Sephiroth.

-----

Five Minutes Before Cloud’s Life Went to Hell:

Cloud weaved through traffic like a pro, dodging reckless drivers, potholes, and whatever that suspiciously aggressive Chocobo was doing in the middle of the road.

He was on a delivery run—nothing new. Just another high-priority package to Shinra Tower, the tallest, most ego-infested building in Midgar.

Cloud hated going there. It was full of rich, smug Alphas who smelled like expensive cologne and made everyone else feel like peasants.

But hey—he was getting paid.

He pulled up near the delivery entrance, revved his engine, and—

BAM.

A tall, silver-haired man in black stepped directly into his path.

Cloud’s life flashed before his eyes.

He tried to swerve, brake, pray, but—

BAM.

He hit Sephiroth.

The Sephiroth.

The most powerful Alpha in Midgar.

The General of SOLDIER.

The guy who could kill people with a flick of his wrist and still look like he just stepped out of a goddamn shampoo commercial.

Cloud groaned.

His entire body hurt, his motorcycle was on its side, and somehow, inexplicably, Sephiroth was standing there, completely unharmed.

No scratches. No bruises. Not even a wrinkle in his coat.

Cloud’s brain short-circuited.

How?!

The man had just been hit by a speeding motorcycle, and he looked perfectly fine, like this was just a mild inconvenience instead of what should have been a trip to the hospital.

Sephiroth stared down at Cloud, looking impossibly calm, powerful, and vaguely annoyed.

"You're in my way," he said, voice low and smooth, like he was personally offended by Cloud’s existence.

Cloud, still dazed, somehow managed to blurt out the worst possible response.

"You’re in my way."

A horrifying silence followed.

Sephiroth’s green eyes narrowed slightly, as if considering whether or not Cloud should continue existing.

Cloud immediately realized he had made a terrible mistake.

"I—I mean," he stammered, backtracking hard, "you—you walked into the street! Who does that?!"

Sephiroth’s expression did not change. "I do."

Cloud blinked. "Well—well, that’s stupid!"

Sephiroth arched a perfectly elegant eyebrow. "Is it?"

Cloud opened his mouth, realized he was about to argue with the most powerful Alpha in Midgar, and immediately decided he valued his life.

"...I mean. No. Maybe. Look, are you even hurt?"

Sephiroth gave him the kind of look one might give a particularly slow child. "I do not get ‘hurt’ from minor incidents such as this."

Cloud stared. "Oh. Cool. Good to know. Meanwhile, I think I cracked a rib."

Sephiroth ignored this entirely and instead did something deeply unnerving.

He took a slow step forward, looming over Cloud, and—

Sniffed.

Cloud froze. "What the—what the hell are you doing?!"

Sephiroth tilted his head slightly, expression unreadable.

"Your scent."

Cloud’s entire nervous system shut down. "...My what?"

"Your scent," Sephiroth repeated, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Cloud immediately went into panic mode.

Because no. Nope. No, thank you.

"Uh—dude, I think you’re mistaken. I’m just a Beta. I don’t have a scent."

Sephiroth said nothing. Just continued staring at him. Intensely.

Cloud felt a cold sweat trickle down his spine.

There was something deeply unsettling about being analyzed by an Alpha who could probably snap his neck with a flick of his wrist.

And yet…

Somewhere, in the back of his mind, a small, horrible part of him thought:

Oh no. He’s kinda hot.

Cloud immediately punched that thought in the face and buried it forever.

He scrambled to his feet, wincing as every bone in his body protested.

"Okay, well, this has been weird and traumatizing, but I gotta go."

He made a move for his bike. Sephiroth did not move.

Cloud glanced at him. "...Could you, uh. Move?"

Sephiroth did not move. Instead, his eyes narrowed slightly, like he was debating something.

Cloud panicked. "Look, man, I get it, you’re important and powerful and terrifying, but I’m just a Beta delivery guy and I’m—"

And then it happened.

A strange, unfamiliar warmth spread through Cloud’s body.

A tingling sensation crawled up his spine, like static electricity gathering under his skin.

His breath hitched. What the hell was that?

Sephiroth’s expression barely changed, but for a fraction of a second—just a fraction—his eyes darkened, and his nostrils flared slightly, as if he smelled something interesting.

Then, just as quickly, his face went back to its usual unreadable mask.

Cloud blinked rapidly, suddenly feeling lightheaded.

Sephiroth’s gaze lingered for another unnervingly long moment. Then, without a word, he turned on his heel, his long black coat dramatically billowing behind him as he walked away.

Cloud stared after him, still sprawled on the sidewalk, brain completely fried.

His bike was wrecked. His body hurt all over. And yet…

All he could think about was the way Sephiroth had looked at him.

And the way his own heartbeat had kicked up like a goddamn drum solo.

"What the hell just happened?" Cloud muttered, completely unaware that his life was about to spiral into pure, inescapable chaos.

Chapter Text

Cloud had always considered himself a simple man.

He delivered packages. He fixed motorcycles. He avoided Sephiroth like the plague.

And until recently, he had zero problems with how his body functioned.

That was before the incident.

The one where he accidentally crashed into a walking Alpha war crime, got drenched in Sephiroth’s absurdly powerful pheromones, and then woke up in the hospital with a bunch of doctors looking at him like he was a medical anomaly.

Since then, things had been… weird.

And by weird, he meant horrifying.

----

Symptom #1: Everything Smelled Like Suffering

The first sign of doom happened at Seventh Heaven.

Cloud had just walked in, exhausted from a long day of deliveries, when the bar’s scent hit him like a freight train.

It smelled like beer, sweat, grilled meat, and bad decisions.

And it was awful.

Cloud immediately winced.

Tifa, wiping down the bar, raised an eyebrow. “You okay?”

Cloud didn’t answer. He was too busy trying not to gag.

Why is everything so strong?! Why does the world smell like it wants me dead?!

Then Tifa set a cup of coffee in front of him.

Cloud took one whiff, and pushed it away like it was radioactive.

Tifa blinked. “Uh. Rude?”

Cloud frowned at the cup like it personally offended him. “That smells like burnt dirt.”

Tifa squinted. “It’s the same coffee I always make.”

Cloud stared at it.

This was bad.

Because either Tifa had secretly been poisoning him for years…

Or Cloud’s sense of smell had gone rogue.

Symptom #2: Alphas Were Looking at Him Funny

Cloud ignored the coffee debacle. Maybe he just needed fresh air.

That theory lasted until his next delivery run.

It started when he was handing off a package to some random Alpha.

It was supposed to be a normal transaction. A boring interaction.

Except... the Alpha hesitated.

Then... They sniffed.

Cloud froze.

The Alpha’s eyes narrowed. “Huh.”

Cloud’s stomach dropped.

He did not like that “huh.”

“Huh?” Cloud echoed, voice cracking. “What the hell does ‘huh’ mean?”

The Alpha tilted their head, studying him.

Cloud immediately panicked.

He dropped the package and sprinted out of there like his life depended on it.

Symptom #3: Tifa Activates Bullshit Detection Mode

By the time Cloud returned to Seventh Heaven, he was convinced something was wrong.

He’d spent the entire day feeling feverish, getting weird looks from Alphas, and nearly punching a guy who got too close.

And Tifa noticed.

Which was why, the moment he sat down, she did something horrifying.

She leaned over the counter and sniffed him.

Cloud jerked back so hard he nearly fell off his stool. “WHAT THE HELL, TIFA?!”

Tifa didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, she stared at him.

A beat of silence.

“…Cloud,” she said, voice strangely serious. “You smell sweet.”

Cloud blinked. “What.”

Tifa frowned. “Like, really sweet. Like—” She sniffed again. “Honey and vanilla?”

Cloud felt pure existential terror. “That’s disgusting.”

Tifa, ignoring his slow descent into madness, squinted harder. “Are you wearing new cologne?”

“No.”

“New shampoo?”

“No.”

“…Have you been hanging around... Sephiroth?”

Cloud choked. “No?! Why would I?! That’s—?! That’s not even—?! TIFA?!?!”

Tifa just hummed, looking suspicious.

Cloud, deciding this conversation was illegal, grabbed his jacket and fled.

Symptom #4: Cloud’s Life Completely Falls Apart

The next day, Cloud was on his motorcycle, trying very hard not to acknowledge reality.

Then...

The fever hit.

One second, he was fine.

The next, he was burning up.

His skin felt too hot. His breathing was shallow.

The city lights blurred together.

What the hell is happening?!

Cloud barely made it to his next delivery stop before his legs gave out.

A sharp pain shot through his head.

The world tilted sideways.

Then darkness.

The last thing he heard was someone shouting—

“Hey—hey, someone call a medic! This guy just collapsed!”

Then everything went black.

-----

Back at Seventh Heaven, Tifa was deep in thought.

She’d known Cloud for years.

She also knew when he was being a dumbass.

And right now?

He was being the dumbest dumbass to ever dumbass.

Because there was no way that scent was normal.

There was only one possibility.

Tifa, an Omega herself, knew the signs.

And Cloud?

Cloud smelled like an Omega in pre-heat.

Tifa immediately grabbed her phone and dialed.

The call rang twice before Aerith answered.

“What’s up, Teef?”

Tifa took a deep breath.

“Aerith,” she said, voice grave. “I think Cloud just had a secondary-gender shift.”

A pause.

Aerith gasped. “OH MY GOD.”

Chapter Text

Cloud woke up to the sound of beeping monitors and the unmistakable scent of antiseptic. His head felt like someone had stuffed it with cotton, his body ached in ways he didn't understand, and—most concerning of all—he felt wrong. Like his skin wasn’t fitting right.

He groaned and blinked up at the blindingly white hospital ceiling, trying to remember what had happened.

I was making a delivery… I felt dizzy… and then...

His thoughts were rudely interrupted by an overly chipper voice.

"Ah, you're awake! Wonderful!"

Cloud turned his head—and instantly regretted it. A doctor in a white coat was grinning down at him like this was the best day of his life.

Cloud groaned. "Please tell me I’m not dying."

"Even better!" the doctor chirped. "Congratulations, Cloud Strife! You’re an Omega now!"

Cloud stared.

The beeping of the heart monitor spiked.

"...What."

The doctor, completely oblivious to Cloud's growing horror, flipped through his clipboard. "Your secondary gender has completely shifted! This is extremely rare. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a documented case of spontaneous beta-to-Omega transformation before! Truly groundbreaking!"

Cloud's brain took a full ten seconds to process those words before he screeched, "THAT’S NOT HOW SCIENCE WORKS!!"

"Well," the doctor said, entirely too casually, "science works in mysterious ways."

Cloud's eye twitched. "No, it does not. Science works on rules. Laws. Facts! You can’t just wake up one day as an Omega like, like some kind of bad fanfiction!"

The doctor gave him a pleasant smile. "And yet… here we are."

Cloud opened his mouth, closed it, then groaned and flopped back against the pillows.

The doctor took his silence as an invitation to continue. "Now, while the exact cause is still unclear, we suspect this was triggered by prolonged exposure to a powerful Alpha’s pheromones—possibly one with an unusually dominant presence."

Cloud sat up so fast he nearly ripped out his IV. "What?!"

The doctor nodded thoughtfully. "Tell me, have you had any recent interactions with particularly strong Alphas?"

Cloud immediately thought of Sephiroth—the living, breathing embodiment of ‘too much Alpha energy.’ The man who had towered over him with that impossibly perfect hair, that deep, commanding voice, and that smirk that had made Cloud’s stomach do something deeply unsettling.

Cloud turned a horrifying shade of red. "That… that doesn’t mean anything!"

The doctor hummed, scribbling something in his notes.

Cloud ran a shaky hand through his hair. "Okay, fine. Let’s pretend for a second that this insanity is real. What does this mean for me? Am I stuck like this? Is there a cure?!"

The doctor gave him a sympathetic look. "There’s no known way to reverse a secondary gender shift. You are, biologically speaking, an Omega now."

Cloud paled.

The doctor clapped his hands together. "On the bright side, this means you can now experience heats and form a bond with a compatible Alpha!"

Cloud choked on his own spit. "Heats?! BONDING?!"

"And of course," the doctor added with the same cheerful tone, "you are now fully capable of reproduction."

Cloud let out an ungodly noise somewhere between a strangled scream and a dying goat.

The doctor continued, unfazed. "The medical community is very interested in your case. A spontaneous secondary gender shift is practically unheard of! We’d love for you to stay for further testing—"

Cloud did not hear the rest. He was too busy activating his emergency survival instincts, which mostly involved getting the hell out of there.

------

Fifteen minutes later, Cloud sprinted through the hospital corridors, heart pounding, dressed in nothing but a paper-thin hospital gown that flapped wildly behind him.

A passing nurse let out a horrified gasp. "Sir! You need to stay in bed!"

"LIKE HELL I DO!" Cloud yelled, dodging a security guard.

He didn’t know where he was going, but he knew one thing: he was not sticking around to be poked and prodded like some kind of scientific anomaly. He could already feel the weird looks from passing Alphas in the hospital, and he did not want to deal with whatever fresh hell his life was about to become.

He rounded a corner, skidded to a stop just before the exit doors—his phone vibrated.

He yanked it out of his hospital-issued pants, breath still ragged, and nearly dropped it when he saw the message.

Sephiroth: I heard about your little transformation. We need to talk.

Cloud stared.

His stomach dropped.

Then, without a single ounce of hesitation, he bolted out the door and ran even faster.

Chapter Text

Cloud was not going to panic.

Sure, he had just learned that his entire biological identity had been rewritten overnight. Sure, he had escaped from the hospital in nothing but a flimsy gown. And sure, Sephiroth—the walking embodiment of every problem in his life—had somehow found out about his transformation and was now texting him like this was a casual Tuesday.

But Cloud was not going to panic.

…He was, however, going to throw his phone into the nearest body of water.

He stared at the message glowing on his screen.

Sephiroth: I heard about your condition. We need to talk.

Cloud's fingers flew across the keyboard.

Cloud: No, we don’t.

He hit send, nodded to himself, and kept running. Problem solved.

Problem not solved.

Because Sephiroth found him anyway.

Cloud had barely made it three blocks before he felt it—a heavy, commanding presence behind him, like a shadow stretching across his entire being. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. His breath caught.

And then he heard the voice.

Deep. Smooth. Unmistakable.

"You’re running, Cloud."

Cloud yelped and spun around.

Sephiroth was standing a few feet away, arms folded, silver hair flowing in the wind like some kind of ethereal menace. His glowing green eyes were locked onto Cloud with laser precision, sharp and calculating.

Cloud gulped. "Uh. No, I’m not."

Sephiroth arched a brow, the faintest smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You ran from the hospital."

"I left the hospital," Cloud corrected, inching backward. "Very legally. Discharged myself. Signed paperwork and everything."

Sephiroth tilted his head slightly, like he was considering whether or not to humor that blatant lie.

Cloud took a step back. "Look, whatever you heard, it’s not true. I’m totally fine. Super fine. Extremely—"

Then Sephiroth’s nose twitched.

His entire posture went eerily still.

Cloud blinked. "Uh…?"

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes, inhaling deeply, and Cloud swore the temperature around them dropped.

"Your scent," Sephiroth said, voice lower now, more intense. "It’s different."

Cloud froze. "My… scent?"

Sephiroth took a step closer.

Cloud took three steps back.

And then it hit him.

A wave of warmth washed over his body, starting deep in his core and spreading outward. His skin prickled. His breath hitched. His thoughts turned foggy, heavy, wrong.

No. No, no, NO.

Not this. Not now.

His legs felt weak. His heartbeat was erratic.

Oh, hell.

Cloud was going into heat.

For the first time.

In front of Sephiroth.

He made a strangled sound. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me."

Sephiroth’s eyes darkened with realization.

Cloud could physically see the moment his Alpha instincts kicked in—his entire demeanor shifted, shoulders squaring, gaze locking onto Cloud like he was something to claim.

Cloud panicked.

"STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT!" he blurted, pointing an accusing finger at him.

Sephiroth arched a single, perfectly shaped eyebrow. "Like what?"

"Like—like I’m a steak and you’re a starving man!" Cloud hissed, gripping the front of his shirt like that would somehow keep his dignity intact.

Sephiroth smirked. "Cloud."

"NO."

Sephiroth took another step forward.

Cloud turned and bolted.

Through the streets, past confused pedestrians, knocking over a fruit stand ("SORRY!"), nearly getting run over by a chocobo cart, and hurdling over a fence he absolutely should not have been able to clear.

Behind him, Sephiroth followed.

But not like a normal person.

No, the bastard wasn’t even running.

He was walking.

Calmly. Slowly. Like a serial killer who knew exactly how this would end.

Cloud risked a glance over his shoulder. Big mistake.

Sephiroth was right there.

Cloud let out a strangled shriek and picked up speed. "STAY BACK, YOU FREAKING SHAMPOO MODEL."

Sephiroth smirked. "Cloud, come here."

"NO!"

Cloud took a hard left, dodging some guy carrying a stack of boxes.

"Hey, watch where you’re—"

"NOT NOW, MAN!" Cloud yelled back.

----

One chaotic chase through Midgar later…

Cloud ducked into an alley, panting, pressing his overheated face against the cool brick wall.

This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening.

His first heat was not going to happen in the middle of the city. He was not going to let Sephiroth loom over him like some kind of smug Alpha overlord. He just needed to get home, lock himself in, and—

"I found you."

Cloud nearly jumped out of his skin.

Sephiroth was right behind him.

He whirled around, eyes wide. "DUDE. Personal space!"

Sephiroth didn’t move. His gaze was fixed on Cloud—sharp, analyzing, like he was trying to figure something out.

Cloud scowled, willing his body to stop reacting to the suffocating Alpha presence pressing down on him.

"Listen, whatever weird ideas your Alpha brain is cooking up, delete them. This isn’t happening. I’m not an Omega. I refuse."

Sephiroth’s smirk deepened. "Your scent tells a different story."

Cloud groaned and buried his face in his hands. "I hate everything."

And then, to his absolute horror...

Sephiroth leaned in, voice smooth as silk. "You smell sweeter, Cloud."

That one word hit Cloud like a freight train.

He took another step back. "Nope. Don’t start with that. I’m—fine. Just a little sweaty. You know. Stress sweat. Totally normal."

But Sephiroth wasn’t listening anymore. Not really..He inhaled again, slower this time, more deliberately. His pupils dilated, and the air between them thickened into something tense. Charged.

And that was when Cloud felt it.

Again.

A slow, creeping warmth beginning deep inside him—coiling, spreading, making his limbs tremble and his breath catch. His vision blurred slightly at the edges. His knees weakened.

No. No no no no.

Not now.

"STOP. LOOK AWAY. I—DON’T— PLE—" His voice broke. Heat was settling into his skin like fire, unrelenting.

"P-please—"

Sephiroth stood there in the alley mouth, arms folded, silver hair catching the dying light like some kind of cursed blessing. His eyes, those unnerving mako-lit eyes, were fixed on Cloud like a hawk locking onto prey.

But Sephiroth didn’t lunge.

Didn’t grab him.

Didn’t so much as blink.

His gaze locked onto Cloud’s flushed face, his trembling hands, the sheer panic radiating off him.

And then… He stepped back.

Just once.

Just enough.

"Go," Sephiroth said quietly. His voice—normally commanding—was almost strained. "Before I change my mind."

Cloud froze. "...What?!"

Cloud’s brain short-circuited. For half a second, he just gawked.

Then instinct kicked in.

He ran.

Harder than he’d ever run in his life.

Chapter Text

Cloud was trapped.

Not in a Shinra lab.

Not in Sephiroth’s terrifyingly perfect arms.

No.

Worse.

He was being held hostage by his friends in the backroom of Seventh Heaven.

“THIS IS ILLEGAL,” Cloud barked, aggressively swaddled in a blanket burrito and simmering with unresolved trauma.

Tifa crossed her arms, looking entirely too calm. “This is an intervention.”

Aerith—Tifa’s girlfriend, an Alpha who was way too entertained by this—looked up from her phone. “Also, it’s deeply entertaining.”

“I AM NOT IN HIDING.”

“You literally sprinted here at three in the morning,” Aerith replied sweetly. “Barefoot. Foaming at the mouth.”

Tifa ticked off fingers. “You climbed through the alley window. You knocked over two chairs. You collapsed in the kitchen. And, my personal favorite—you shouted ‘HE SMELLED ME THROUGH A WALL’ and then blacked out.”

Cloud groaned, dragging the blanket over his head. “It was a survival situation.”

-----

Flashback: Two Hours Earlier

Cloud's heartbeat had been a jackhammer. His body was on fire. His brain was mostly screaming.

And Sephiroth had just looked at him.

Looked like he could devour him.

Looked like he wanted to.

“Go,” Sephiroth had said. Voice tight. Eyes glowing. Breathing uneven. “Before I change my mind.”

Cloud hadn’t waited.

He ran.

Harder than he ever had—even during Shinra escape missions or really bad Black Friday sales.

And as he fled, one terrifying realization chased him harder than Sephiroth ever did: He didn’t want to be let go.

Not really.

------

Back in the present...

Cloud curled deeper into his blanket of shame. “I’m in temporary relocation,” he grumbled.

Aerith snorted. “Sweetie, you’re in a panic nest made of bar rags.”

“It’s dignified.”

“It’s pathetic,” Tifa corrected. “But in a very ‘I support you’ kind of way.”

-----

“Okay,” Cloud snapped suddenly. “But can someone please explain how the entire Planet knows I went Omega?!”

Aerith perked up. “Oh! You’re trending!”

She turned her phone toward him, smiling way too much.

BREAKING NEWS: Local Beta reportedly goes Omega after one sexy stare-down with Sephiroth.
Midgar scientists say: “We have no idea how this is biologically possible and also we’re afraid.”

Cloud screamed into the blanket.

Tifa scrolled further and winced. “There’s also a meme.”

Aerith gleefully showed it:

Image: Cloud unconscious on a gurney.
Caption: ‘When an Alpha looks at you and your DNA just gives up.’
RIP Beta Cloud, 2XXX–2XXX.

“I’m never going outside again.”

“You weren’t really doing that before,” Tifa said gently.

----

Meanwhile: Somewhere in Shinra HQ

Sephiroth stood in his private office.

Alone. Silent. Dangerous.

Behind him, a massive wall was covered in red string, maps, tracking data, and a large printed screenshot of Cloud’s latest meme captioned “DNA just gave up.”

A Shinra soldier crept in, looking terrified.

“Uh... sir, you’ve been staring at that same photo of Cloud for over an hour.”

Sephiroth’s eyes flicked over slowly. “I let him go,” he said.

“…Right.”

“I shouldn’t have.”

The soldier nodded awkwardly.

“I could have taken him.”

The soldier took one step back.

Sephiroth turned back to the wall. “He ran from me. While in heat. And I let him.”

“...Regret?”

“I’ve never regretted anything in my life,” Sephiroth said.

He stared at the map. A glowing pin blinked where Seventh Heaven was.

“Find him.”

-----

Back at Seventh Heaven.

Cloud was sweating.

Not just from embarrassment, or the blanket, or the emotional whiplash of the past 48 hours.

Nope.

From actual heat.

Tifa, ever the bloodhound, sniffed once.

Paused.

Then turned slowly, wide-eyed. “Cloud.”

Cloud looked up. “…What.”

“You smell weird.”

Aerith's grin widened like the sun. “Ohhhhhh no.”

Cloud blinked. “I do not smell weird—"

Aerith stood and pointed. “Oh, sweetheart. You’re heating up again.”

Cloud went still.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No, no, no—”

“Cloud.” Tifa held up a frying pan. “Do not make me sedate you with this.”

Cloud began to panic.

Because somewhere out in Midgar, an unreasonably attractive Alpha was plotting.

And Cloud had a terrible, awful, no-good, very horny feeling...

He wasn’t going to be able to outrun him forever.

Chapter Text

Denial Is a River Called Cloud Strife

Cloud was a man of logic. A man of control. A man who absolutely refused to believe that his body was betraying him.

So when Tifa gently told him he needed to start preparing for his first heat, Cloud did what any stubborn ex-Beta would do.

He laughed in her face.

“I’m fine,” Cloud said, arms crossed, sweat visibly beading on his temples.

Tifa raised a brow. “You’re literally shaking.”

“I run warm.”

Aerith, sipping tea on the counter, grinned. “And flushed. And irritable. And currently smelling like a bakery.”

“It’s called cologne.”

Aerith leaned in dramatically. “It’s called heat.”

Cloud scowled. “I’m fine!”

Tifa closed her eyes like she was praying for strength. “Cloud. Look, I know this is weird and overwhelming, but we’re here to help you. You need to take suppressants, drink water, and—”

“I said I’m fine!” Cloud snapped louder than he meant to. Sweating, pale, clearly not fine.

Silence.

Tifa blinked. Aerith raised a brow.

“…Sorry,” Cloud muttered, wiping his forehead. “I just— I can handle it, okay? I don’t need you two babysitting me.”

Aerith exchanged a look with Tifa.

Then she slid off the counter, leaned down, and gently pinched Cloud’s cheek.

“Ow—what—”

“Okay, sweetie,” Aerith said with mock cheer. “Since you’re so grown-up and independent, we’ll let you sweat this one out solo.”

Tifa crossed her arms. “Are you sure, though? Your scent is already—”

“I can handle it.”

Tifa sighed and glanced at Aerith. “Okay. Fine. If you're so sure, we’ll give you space.”

“Wait—seriously?”

Tifa grabbed her coat. “We’re going upstairs. You want us to trust you, right? So we’ll trust you not to melt into a hormonal puddle in the next hour.”

Aerith winked. “We’ll be one floor up. Shout if you spontaneously combust.”

Cloud, too tired to argue further, curled back onto the couch with a weak grunt.

He was bundled in blankets, cheeks flushed and damp with sweat. His breaths were shallow, his entire body trembling with need.

He didn’t notice the quiet buzz of a phone in Aerith’s pocket. Or the way her eyes flickered at the name.

He didn’t see her reply.

Sephiroth: Is he safe?

Aerith: He’s burning up. We can’t help him anymore.If you’re serious about this, now’s the time.

-----

Upstairs, Tifa stood like a guard dog, arms crossed, jaw tight.

Aerith was more relaxed—concerned, yes, but not hostile. She sat on the arm of the couch, glanced at her phone.

Then the door buzzed.

Tifa’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t move,” she said to Aerith, and marched down to check the front entrance.

Aerith glanced toward the stairs, her gaze curious. A few seconds passed.

Then she hummed, softly, “Oh… interesting.”

---

Downstairs, Tifa flung the door open. Her scowl deepened. “Absolutely not.”

Sephiroth stood tall and unbothered, dressed in something deceptively casual—black shirt, sleeves rolled up, no coat in sight. He didn’t even blink at her hostility. “I’m not here to fight,” he said smoothly.

Tifa crossed her arms. “Then leave.”

“I just want to talk. One minute.”

“To manipulate him into crawling back into your bed?”

A pause.

Sephiroth smiled faintly. “Not unless he wants to.”

Tifa’s fists clenched.

But behind her, Aerith appeared, voice soft. “Tifa.”

Tifa turned. “He doesn’t deserve to see Cloud. Especially not now.”

Aerith looked at her, calm but thoughtful. “Maybe not. But if anyone can help Cloud through this… it’s probably him.”

Tifa’s mouth opened in protest—then shut. She clearly wanted to argue. Her eyes flickered with doubt, but she held back.

That’s when Sephiroth went in for the kill.

Calm. Gentle.

“There’s a specialist Alpha physician in Sector 6. I arranged for a consultation. Just in case his heat becomes dangerous.”

Aerith blinked. “Wait, really?”

He nodded. “I figured it was the least I could do.”

Tifa faltered.

Sephiroth leaned forward, voice low. “Just check. Go together. It won’t take long. I’ll stay here. I won’t touch him.”

Tifa hesitated.

Aerith touched her wrist, her voice steady.“Let’s go. We can be there and back in about 50 minutes if we hurry. The doc’s probably waiting.” 

“…Fine,” Tifa muttered. “But if anything happens—”

“I’ll take responsibility,” Sephiroth said smoothly.

The door clicked shut.

Sephiroth waited. Listened. Felt the space still and silent.

Then he climbed the stairs like a man on a mission.

---

Cloud couldn’t breathe.

His body was lava—every inch of skin hypersensitive, every nerve screaming, need need need. He was drenched in sweat, the blanket sticking to him like a second skin.

His thighs pressed together instinctively, trying to quiet the ache.

It didn’t work.

His instincts were winning. And they only had one solution:

Find an Alpha.

Find him.

Find Sephiroth.

No. No, no, no.

He bit down on a whimper.

This wasn’t him. He wasn’t—

The door opened.

Not knocked.

Not creaked.

Opened. Quiet. Intentional.

Cloud looked up through heavy lashes, body trembling.

And there he was.

Sephiroth.

A walking furnace of Alpha energy, cutting through the air like a sword through silk. His coat was gone, hair loose around his shoulders, Mako eyes glowing like twin suns.

Cloud’s mouth parted involuntarily.

“…Tifa?” he croaked.

“No,” Sephiroth murmured, kneeling beside him. “She stepped out.”

Cloud blinked, dazed. Then his body jerked—because that scent, that overwhelming Alpha scent, filled the room like fire.

“…You,” Cloud whispered.

“Me,” Sephiroth said softly, brushing damp hair from his brow. “And you’re burning up.”

“Cloud,” Sephiroth said softly.

And oh, he smelled so good.

Like everything Cloud needed.

Sephiroth stepped closer. Slowly. Carefully. But his power hummed in the room like thunderclouds on the verge of breaking.

“I find you,” he murmured.

Cloud’s breath hitched. “W-Why are you here?”

“You’re suffering,” Sephiroth said simply. “And I can help.”

Cloud’s body screamed yes. His brain screamed don’t you dare.

“I—don’t want your help,” Cloud whispered, but his voice cracked halfway through.

Liar.

He couldn’t stop the way his hips shifted.

Sephiroth knelt beside the couch, eyes searching Cloud’s flushed face.

“I’ll only touch you if you ask,” he said.

Cloud’s lashes fluttered.

“I’m not going to force you. I just want to make you feel better.”

The words were gentle, but the heat behind them wasn’t.

“You’re in pain. You’re burning from the inside out. Let me fix it.”

Cloud whimpered.

And when Sephiroth leaned in, so close his breath touched Cloud’s cheek, he whispered. “Just say the word.”

Cloud’s lips trembled. “I—I don’t know how…”

Sephiroth’s hand hovered near his cheek, not quite touching. “I do. Let me take care of you.”

The dam cracked.

“Please,” Cloud breathed.

That was all it took.

Sephiroth kissed him.

It wasn’t soft.

It was consuming.

Teeth and tongue and heat—Sephiroth devouring every broken sound Cloud made, pressing him into the couch like he was his, kissing him like Cloud was the last drop of water in a desert.

Cloud arched into him, gasping, every nerve alight.

His body recognized this.

The Alpha he’d tried so hard to forget. The one his instincts had chosen the moment they met.

Clothes started to shift.

A hand on his waist.

A growl in his ear.

“You smell so good, Cloud.”

And all Cloud could do was hold on.

Because Sephiroth wasn’t going anywhere.

And neither was the heat.

Chapter Text

Cloud’s body was a traitor.

One second he was wrapped in blankets, barely hanging on to self-control, and the next—Sephiroth stepped into the room—and everything snapped.

The heat. The scent. The Alpha.

It hit him like a punch to the gut.

Cloud’s breath hitched sharply. His thighs pressed together, but the pressure only worsened the ache between his legs. His cock throbbed against damp underwear, already stiff and leaking slick—too much slick. Soaked straight through.

He was hard.

Desperate.

His body screamed yes while his brain whispered no.

But then Sephiroth knelt beside him, calm and precise, brushing his sweat-stuck bangs back with a gentle hand.

“Still think you’re fine?” Sephiroth murmured.

Cloud opened his mouth to lie—but moaned instead.

Because Sephiroth touched him.

Fingertips ghosted along his cheek. His jaw. Down his neck. Featherlight strokes that somehow burned.

Cloud whimpered and squirmed, but there was nowhere to run—not from the Alpha scent curling around him, or the heat of Sephiroth’s body hovering inches above his.

“You’re flushed,” Sephiroth murmured, voice low and intimate. “Soaked. Shaking.”

He leaned closer. “You’re aroused.”

Cloud turned his face away, shame blooming red-hot across his cheeks. But Sephiroth followed him—nose to throat, inhaling slow and deep.

“Mmm. Gods, you smell good. Sweet. Needy.”

Cloud was trembling.

His fingers clutched the throw blanket like it could save him. His skin was flushed, his breath shallow, and his cock—aching. Straining hard and angry against sweat-soaked briefs, leaving a dark, messy stain that grew with every second Sephiroth lingered in the room.

And that scent—fuck.

Sephiroth’s Alpha scent poured out like wildfire: musky, rich, magnetic. It wrapped around Cloud like a second skin, curling into his lungs, thick on his tongue, settling low in his gut like hunger.

He couldn’t breathe.

He couldn’t think.

His logic burned to ash.

His Omega instincts were roaring awake like a beast in a cage.

Cloud whimpered again, hips shifting.

A pause. Then:

“Let me help you,” Sephiroth whispered. “Say yes.”

Cloud’s mouth moved. His voice didn’t work.

Sephiroth brushed a finger down his chest, to the hem of his shirt. “I’ll make it feel good. So good, you’ll forget your name.”

Still no answer.

Sephiroth leaned in, lips brushing the shell of Cloud’s ear. “Let me touch you.”

Cloud gasped. “…Yes.”

---

That was all it took.

Sephiroth didn’t waste time.

His hands were suddenly everywhere—sliding under Cloud’s shirt, stroking up his trembling stomach, palms hot and large and confident. He pushed the fabric up and over Cloud’s head in one smooth motion, exposing flushed skin slick with sweat.

Cloud shivered violently.

Then Sephiroth lowered his mouth to his chest, and licked a long, slow stripe over his nipple.

Cloud arched. “Oh—fuck—”

Sephiroth smiled against his skin.

“You’re so sensitive,” he murmured. “So responsive.”

He licked again, then sucked, just hard enough to make Cloud cry out. His fingers pinched the other nipple, teasing in perfect rhythm. Cloud writhed, cock pulsing wildly in his briefs.

“I can smell you,” Sephiroth whispered, dragging his hand down slowly, fingers skimming the waistband of Cloud’s soaked underwear. “You’re hard. Wet. Practically begging.”

Cloud whimpered. “Please—please touch—”

Sephiroth hooked his fingers into the waistband, but didn’t pull down. Instead, he leaned back and—started unbuttoning his own shirt.

Slowly.

Deliberately.

One button at a time, exposing perfect pale skin and sculpted muscle.

Cloud stared.

Sephiroth’s chest was smooth, defined, every muscle etched like marble under candlelight. A light trail of silver hair ran down the center, disappearing beneath the band of his trousers. His waist tapered, narrow and firm, his abs flexing as he tossed the shirt to the floor.

“You’re drooling,” Sephiroth teased.

Cloud flushed, wide-eyed. His cock twitched helplessly, a fresh trickle of slick soaking through.

“Can’t help it,” Cloud breathed. “You look... you’re so—”

Then he felt it—the Alpha’s arousal, thick and hot and real, brushing against his own leg.

Sephiroth had a boner.

Big. Hard. And unmistakably for him.

Cloud’s hips bucked before he could stop them. “Fuck,” he whispered, voice cracking.

“You feel that?” Sephiroth murmured, mouth brushing his ear. “You did that.”

Cloud swallowed thickly. His cock was painfully hard now, slick dripping out of him like his body was begging to be touched. The pressure between his legs was unbearable—damp fabric clinging to the curve of his ass, his thighs sticky and wet.

And Sephiroth was smiling.

“You’re overwhelmed,” Sephiroth whispered. “I can smell it.”

He leaned in, nose grazing Cloud’s throat. “You’re melting, sweetheart.”

Cloud whimpered and instinctively tilted his head to the side, exposing his neck like prey.

“That’s it,” Sephiroth crooned, voice silk and steel. “Let me take care of you.”

His mouth brushed the curve of Cloud’s jaw. Then lower. Down his flushed chest. And when his hand finally slipped under the waistband of Cloud’s soaked briefs—

Cloud gasped out loud.

He arched hard, breath shuddering as Sephiroth’s fingers wrapped around his slick-coated cock. “Seph—ah—!”

“Shh.” Sephiroth kissed down his belly, slow and unrelenting. “You’ve been aching for this.”

“I c-can’t,” Cloud whimpered. “It’s too much—”

“Yes you can,” Sephiroth whispered, licking just above the waistband. “You’ll take it. And you’ll thank me.”

And then Sephiroth pulled down his underwear.

The fabric peeled away sticky and wet, and Cloud’s cock sprang free—hard, red, leaking. Sephiroth hummed low in his throat, satisfied.

“So fucking pretty.”

He didn’t wait.

He dipped his head, and took Cloud into his mouth.

Cloud screamed.

The sensation was overwhelming. Heat and slickness, tongue swirling around the tip, lips sealing over him in a perfect pull of suction. Sephiroth sucked him slow, deliberate, dragging his tongue along every sensitive ridge like he was savoring it.

Cloud’s hips jerked. “Fuck—fuck—don’t—stop—”

Sephiroth didn’t.

His hands pinned Cloud’s thighs open, holding him down as he licked, sucked, and swallowed around him. One hand slipped lower, slicking between Cloud’s legs, stroking his entrance with practiced fingers that teased but never entered.

“You’re dripping,” Sephiroth murmured, pulling off with a sinful pop. “Do you even know how badly you’re presenting for me?”

Cloud moaned, high and desperate. “Please—please—I need—”

“You’ll get what you need,” Sephiroth promised, going down again.

Cloud lost it.

He twisted, cried out, fingers clutching the cushions like he was drowning. His body was so close to the edge, slick pouring, cock twitching in Sephiroth’s mouth as the Alpha expertly sucked him into oblivion.

Sephiroth moaned low and deep as he worked, the vibration shooting straight through Cloud’s spine.

“I—I’m—gonna—fuck...” Cloud gasped.

And then he came, hard and fast, with a loud, shattered cry. His body seized, hips stuttering as Sephiroth swallowed everything he gave—every drop—with ease and obscene satisfaction.

Cloud collapsed back, chest heaving, thighs shaking uncontrollably.

But Sephiroth didn’t move away.

He climbed up slowly, licking his lips, eyes still glowing with lust. His hands slid over Cloud’s body, possessive and gentle all at once, tracing the tremble in his muscles like he was learning him by touch.

Cloud blinked up at him, glassy-eyed and wrecked.

“I—” he tried to speak.

Sephiroth kissed him.

Not soft.

Claiming.

His mouth tasted like heat and salt and Cloud, and his hand pressed gently to Cloud’s lower belly like a promise.

Then, breath warm against Cloud’s lips, Sephiroth whispered:

“I’m not done with you yet.”

Chapter Text

Sephiroth’s teeth sank into the soft curve of Cloud’s neck.

Cloud gasped, body arching instinctively, a sharp hiss escaping his lips as a wave of heat seared through every nerve ending.

His Omega instincts flared uncontrollably, reacting to the bite, the Alpha’s scent, and the pressure of Sephiroth’s cock pressing against his slick, aching core.

He tugged desperately at silver hair, trying to regain even a shred of control, but it was hopeless. Every inch of his body was betraying him, desperate for touch, for dominance, for the heady, consuming possession of his Alpha.

“You’re mine,” Sephiroth murmured, voice low and rasping, lips brushing along the shell of Cloud’s ear.

His hands were ruthless in their precision, gripping Cloud’s hips, trailing down the curve of his thighs, brushing over the slick, sensitive entrance already eager for him.

Cloud moaned, a helpless sound that rose from deep within. “…Seph… ah—please—”

Sephiroth hummed, the vibration traveling straight into Cloud’s spine. His teeth grazed the tender skin again, eliciting a shiver that made Cloud arch further, pressing involuntarily into the Alpha’s length. The scent of his Omega, rich and heavy, mingled with Sephiroth’s musky Alpha pheromones, making every nerve ending thrum with fire and need.

“You’re ready,” Sephiroth whispered, lips grazing over the flushed hollow of Cloud’s throat. “So desperate… so soft for me.”

Cloud’s vision blurred with heat, with longing, with shame.

His body trembled, leaking slick and wet from the pressure of the Alpha against him. Every instinct, every nerve screamed for release, for claiming, for the Alpha biting down harder, marking him fully.

Sephiroth lined himself at Cloud’s entrance, tip pressing against him. Cloud gasped sharply, heat coiling tight in his stomach, thighs trembling as he tilted back into the pressure. His Omega instincts roared, begging, urging, demanding the release he could barely hope to contain.

“Now,” Sephiroth murmured huskily, and the first, slow, deliberate thrust into Cloud’s slick heat made him cry out, body bucking, muscles tightening.

His breath was hot against Cloud’s neck as his hands roamed — reverent, assured, making Cloud arch like a puppet on strings.

“You’re trembling,” Sephiroth murmured, lips grazing Cloud’s throat.

“I’m not—ah...” Cloud gasped, as sharp teeth grazed the curve of his neck.

Sephiroth chuckled, dark and satisfied. “No. You’re melting.”

Cloud dragged his fingers through silver hair, yanking hard enough to make Sephiroth growl.

“If you quote one more smug thing about my biology,” Cloud hissed, “I swear to god—”

Sephiroth cut him off with a kiss that stole every last word out of his brain.

It wasn’t just sex.

It was a slow, devastating unraveling. Fingers teasing over heat-flushed skin. Thighs parting on instinct. That tension in Cloud’s stomach coiling tighter with every brush, every grind, every whispered “mine.”

And just when Cloud was starting to break—

Click.

The door opened.

-----

“Cloud, we’re back!” Aerith’s cheerful voice rang out as the front door swung open.

Cloud froze.

Sephiroth didn’t.

He was still kissing Cloud, tongue and teeth involved.

Cloud’s soul left his body.

Tifa appeared in the doorway a beat later, holding a paper bag. “I got the suppressants—”

She stopped.

Her eyes widened, jaw dropping as she took in the scene: Cloud flushed and trembling, hips already pressed into Sephiroth, the Alpha’s sculpted body looming over him, teeth at his neck.

The paper bag slipped from her hand and crumpled to the floor. “What the hell?!”

“Oh…” Aerith blinked, tilting her head. “…Well.”

Sephiroth didn’t pause. His hands gripped Cloud possessively, cock still buried, hips pressing in slow, deliberate strokes that made Cloud’s body convulse.

“Welcome back,” he said smoothly.

Cloud scrambled for a cushion, trying to cover himself.

“THIS ISN’T WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!” he shouted, voice cracking as hips spasmed helplessly with every thrust.

Tifa’s entire aura darkened.

Aerith blinked. “Actually, I think it’s exactly what it looks like.”

“SEPHIROTH,” Tifa snarled, eyes blazing. “YOU SLIMY, SLICK-HAIRED SNAKE. I’M GOING TO RIP YOUR—”

“Cloud,” Sephiroth murmured, palm pressed possessively to the small of his back, guiding him, whispering in a tone that dripped heat, “relax. Let me handle this.”

“I—can’t—” Cloud gasped, hips jerking, cock throbbing, Omega instincts screaming as every nerve ending lit on fire. “…Everyone’s here.”

Tifa’s hand curled into a fist. “Cloud. Explain.”

Cloud panicked. “I—He—We—HELP?!”

Sephiroth looked to Aerith. “A little help?”

Aerith raised an eyebrow. “What, you want me to lie?”

“Preferably.”

Sephiroth, absolutely no help, draped an arm across Cloud’s waist. “He was in distress.”

“You’re in distress,” Tifa growled, stalking forward. “About to be in the emergency room.”

Cloud grabbed a pillow and used it as a shield. “Can we not do this while I’m shirtless and dying of horny fever?!”

Aerith sipped her drink calmly.

“…He doesn’t seem that unwilling,” she saidsoftly, voice teasing but perceptive.

Cloud’s eyes shot to her, wide and panicked. “AERITH—”

“You’ve moaned his name at least four times,” Aerith grinned. “I counted.”

Tifa took a step forward, heat radiating off her in waves. “Why are you on his side?!”

“I’m not on his side,” Aerith said sweetly. “I’m on the side of… science. Pure observation. And extremely obvious sexual tension.”

Cloud groaned, collapsing further into the couch, completely at Sephiroth’s mercy.

His body betrayed him entirely—slick, trembling, leaking, burning, responding instinctively to the Alpha’s touch. Every thrust drove fire through him, making his core coil and uncoil in torturous, exquisite need.

Sephiroth pressed closer, teeth grazing the hollow of Cloud’s neck again, lips brushing, biting lightly, and the Omega pheromones escaping Cloud’s body thickened the air like a living, hungry thing. Cloud’s own scent mingled with Sephiroth’s Alpha musk in a heady, overwhelming cloud that made his brain go liquid, leaving only instinct: submit.

His thoughts tumbled, incoherent.

So hot… too much… I’m burning… he’s inside me… oh gods, he’s going to take me… I’m his… I can’t stop…

Sephiroth, still annoyingly composed, tucked Cloud closer like they were already mated. “You should all leave,” he said. “He needs rest. And me.”

Tifa’s glare cut through the haze. “…You. Alpha.  monster!”

Sephiroth’s eyes flicked to her, piercing and cold.

“Patience,” he said smoothly. “He’s almost ready. Don’t ruin the moment.”

Tifa lunged.

Aerith physically held her back.

Cloud whimpered, hips jerking, soaked with desperation. Every thrust seared him further, every brush of teeth, every press of lips, every possessive hand made his Omega instincts roar louder. His body was screaming, begging, pleading to be claimed fully, and he couldn’t stop it.

Aerith’s eyes softened slightly as she leaned closer to Tifa.

“Cloud’s overheating,” she whispered. “If we don’t leave him with Sephiroth for a few minutes, he might actually burn up.”

Tifa’s eyes narrowed, fists still trembling, but she reluctantly stepped back.

“This isn’t over,” she growled through gritted teeth. “He will pay for this.”

Aerith gave her a soft nod. “For now… it’s about saving our friend.”

Cloud moaned helplessly, lost in the sensation of the Alpha fully claiming him. His body felt like it was on fire from the inside out, every nerve ending buzzing, every instinct screaming in pure, helpless need. The bite, the scent, the friction, the unrelenting thrusts—it was too much. His mind was gone, replaced with burning, aching, exquisite surrender.

Sephiroth leaned over him, teeth grazing, lips pressing, hands roaming possessively.

“Mine,” he murmured, low and intimate. “All mine. Every inch. Every thought. Every drop. You belong to me.”

Cloud shivered, arms shaking as he clutched the cushions, nails digging in. “…Yes… yes… I’m yours… I’m yours…”

Aerith quietly guided Tifa toward the hallway. “Go. Let him handle it… or he won’t survive.”

Tifa glared at Sephiroth one last time. “You hear me, Sephiroth? This isn’t over. Not by a long shot.”

Sephiroth’s lips curved into a faint smirk, eyes never leaving the Omega trembling beneath him.

“I look forward to it,” he said, voice dripping with promise and threat both.

Cloud’s voice broke into helpless moans as every thrust, every brush, every bite consumed him entirely.

His Omega instincts, his pheromones, his body—all were on fire, responding to the Alpha with complete, unthinking submission.

Every sensation was magnified, every nerve ending alive with desire, every tremor of his body a declaration: I’m yours. Take me. Claim me. I need you.

Sephiroth’s hands roamed, mapping every reaction, every twitch, every shudder. He bent lower, teeth grazing the sensitive hollow of Cloud’s neck once more, marking, claiming, intensifying the heat coursing through him. Cloud’s moans spilt into the air, desperate, ragged, melodic in their need.

And as the door closed behind Tifa and Aerith, leaving them in a tense silence down the hallway, Cloud’s mind shattered into nothing but sensation and possession, completely, irrevocably his Alpha’s.

Chapter Text

The room was a haze of heat and pheromones, the air thick with the uncontrollable pull between Alpha and Omega.

Cloud’s body burned with need, each breath sharp and shallow as he lay against Sephiroth’s chest, overwhelmed by the scent of his Alpha, so rich, so intoxicating. He could barely think, his body swarming with desire. The sharp ache of his first heat was nothing like he expected. It was… unbearable. His skin was a furnace, every inch of him hyper-aware of Sephiroth’s presence.

Sephiroth’s fingers were like fire on Cloud’s skin, moving deliberately—teasing, caressing—each touch setting Cloud’s body aflame. His hands glided down Cloud’s arms, slow, almost possessive, feeling the tremors that rippled through him with every movement.

Cloud couldn’t stop the soft whimper that escaped him as Sephiroth’s hand traced down his spine, fingers drawing little circles against his skin. It felt so good, so damn good. The way Sephiroth’s touch was both rough and tender at once, like he was marking Cloud’s skin, preparing him for something inevitable.

“Cloud,” Sephiroth’s voice was low and intimate, his lips brushing over Cloud’s jaw. The way Sephiroth’s mouth moved against him made his chest tighten with need. “You’re so responsive. So beautiful…”

Cloud’s breathing quickened, chest heaving. The heat that was burning through him intensified with every passing second. Sephiroth’s mouth, too familiar and yet too perfect, trailed along Cloud’s jawline, nibbling, kissing, tasting. His lips were gentle, yet there was a possessive edge to the way he kissed, like he was taking ownership, marking every inch of Cloud’s body.

Cloud gasped as Sephiroth’s mouth found the curve of his neck again, his breath hot against Cloud’s sensitive skin. Sephiroth’s teeth scraped lightly over the delicate flesh, making Cloud’s pulse spike with a rush of electricity. His body jolted, desperate for more, yet he was frozen in place, caught between wanting Sephiroth’s touch and the overwhelming sensation of heat that made him want to scream.

The Alpha’s hands moved lower, tracing the line of Cloud’s waist, his fingers dancing lightly over his abdomen. Sephiroth’s touch was so deliberate, so controlled.

Cloud couldn’t think. His mind was so clouded, so overwhelmed by desire. He was drowning in the heat of it all, the way Sephiroth’s hands seemed to make every nerve in his body flare to life. His chest tightened when Sephiroth’s fingers brushed lower, just barely grazing the navel. Cloud’s breath caught in his throat. The desperate ache between his legs grew unbearable.

“Sephiroth…” Cloud moaned, his voice thick with need, but it came out more like a plea. His fingers gripped the sheets, his body trembling with anticipation. “Please… don’t stop.”

Sephiroth’s lips curled into a slow, satisfied smile as he kissed his way down Cloud’s throat.

“You want more?” he whispered, his breath hot and teasing as it fanned over Cloud’s skin. “Beg for it, Cloud. I want to hear you.”

The power in Sephiroth’s voice, the commanding tone that sent shivers down Cloud’s spine, only made the need in him grow more intense. He moaned again, feeling his entire body clench, a desperate plea caught on his lips.

“Please,” Cloud whispered, his voice barely a breath, “please… more, Sephiroth…”

Sephiroth’s hand moved lower, his fingers slipping underneath, grazing the sensitive skin of Cloud’s lower stomach. His touch was slow, deliberate, making Cloud gasp and arch beneath him, desperate for the contact. His hands trembled with the effort of holding himself together, but it was no use. His body was too far gone.

“Good boy,” Sephiroth murmured, his voice dark with satisfaction. “You’re already so needy for me.”

Cloud’s body jolted at the words, the heat inside him nearly overwhelming.

Sephiroth’s fingers continued their slow, maddening path,, his touch gentle but relentless, until finally—finally—his fingers grazed over the head of Cloud’s cock, and Cloud screamed.

The sensation was so much—so overwhelming—that Cloud felt his body go limp for a moment, unable to hold himself up. He wanted to resist, but it was like every part of him was telling him that he needed this.

He needed Sephiroth.

Sephiroth’s mouth found Cloud’s again, kissing him with an intensity that nearly took his breath away, as his fingers continued to caress and tease Cloud’s most sensitive parts, making him moan louder with each passing second. The heat inside Cloud was building rapidly, his body trembling with need. He thrusted against Sephiroth’s hand, seeking more friction, his mind a swirling mess of desire and desperation.

Sephiroth chuckled darkly against Cloud’s mouth. “You’re so eager, Cloud,” he murmured, biting down gently on Cloud’s bottom lip. “I think you’re ready for me, aren’t you?”

Cloud moaned again, his eyes half-lidded as he nodded helplessly. “Yes… please…”

His body was practically begging for it.

But Sephiroth, ever the tease, pulled back just as Cloud thought he was going to get what he wanted. Instead, Sephiroth ran his thumb over the slickness at the tip of Cloud’s cock, sending another shockwave of need through his body.

Cloud whined, the sound so desperate, so broken, that Sephiroth couldn’t help but smile at how far gone Cloud was.

“You want me to mark you properly, don’t you?” Sephiroth whispered, his voice low and possessive. “Make you mine.”

Cloud barely registered the words, his thoughts a tangled mess of lust and need. “Yes, yes… please…”

But before Sephiroth could act on his desire to claim Cloud completely, Cloud’s body faltered, his eyes rolling back as the sensations became too much. His body couldn’t handle it. The first heat had taken its toll, and Cloud’s body finally gave out.

He passed out, his body going limp in Sephiroth’s arms, leaving the Alpha with no choice but to hold him gently.

Sephiroth’s hand stilled, a small frown pulling at his lips.

“Well, that was… anticlimactic,” he muttered, as Cloud lay unconscious in his arms, too far gone in heat to understand what had just happened.

-----

But the chaos was far from over.

Tifa, outside the door, had been pacing nervously.

She could feel it. The tension. The overwhelming heat in the air.

Sephiroth was up to something, she knew it. But what she found when she barged into the room was far worse than she could have ever imagined.

Cloud, lying unconscious in Sephiroth’s arms, marked and still recovering from the intensity of his heat. The scent was unbearable—the unmistakable, primal Alpha scent marking Cloud as Sephiroth’s.

Tifa was furious.

“WHAT. DID. YOU. DO. TO. HIM?!” she screamed, her eyes burning with rage.

Sephiroth didn’t even look up from Cloud. He just smiled, calm as ever. “I’ve been taking care of him, Tifa.”

“TAKING CARE OF HIM?!” Tifa’s fists clenched. “HE’S OUT COLD, AND YOU’VE MARKED HIM LIKE A DOG!”

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic,” Sephiroth said with a chuckle. “It’s only a temporary mark. He’ll be fine in the morning.” His voice was so calm, it only made Tifa angrier.

And just as she was about to launch herself at Sephiroth, Aerith strolled into the room, munching on popcorn, the perfect image of casual indifference. “Tifa, sweetie, don’t break anything just yet. There’s still a show to watch.”

Tifa spun around, eyes flashing. “Aerith! This is not the time to be eating snacks!”

Aerith shrugged, tossing a piece of popcorn into her mouth. “I know. But, honestly, Cloud looks really comfy, and Sephiroth’s definitely enjoying himself. Just let them be.”

Sephiroth gave Aerith a look.

Tifa’s jaw nearly hit the floor. “ARE YOU SERIOUS RIGHT NOW?!” she yelled at Aerith, who just tilted the popcorn bag toward her, like that would calm her down.

“Popcorn?” Aerith asked sweetly.

Tifa smacked the bag out of her hand. “No, Aerith! He’s MARKED Cloud! He—he—he put his gross Alpha mouth on him—”

Sephiroth, smug as sin, interrupted: “And teeth. Don’t forget the teeth.”

Tifa saw red. “YOU—!”

She lunged at him.

Sephiroth casually leaned back in the chair, Cloud draped across his lap like a fainted Victorian maiden, and raised a hand like she was just another fly buzzing too close.

“Careful,” Sephiroth drawled, stroking a thumb across Cloud’s flushed cheek as though he wasn’t about to get his face smashed in. “You’ll wake him.”

“Oh, don’t you dare—” Tifa’s punch flew, sharp and fast.

Sephiroth caught it with two fingers, still cradling Cloud with his other arm.

“Tifa,” he said smoothly, “you’re being very loud.”

“LOUD?!” she shrieked. “LOUD?! YOU—MARKED—HIM—”

Aerith, still on the sidelines, sighed like she was watching her favorite soap opera spiral.

“Sweetheart,” she said gently, wrapping her arms around Tifa’s waist to drag her back. “It’s just a temporary mark. Not forever.”

“NOT FOREVER?!” Tifa whirled on her girlfriend, horrified. “Aerith! Whose side are you on?!”

Aerith hesitated, smile just a little too calm. “Yours, obviously… always yours.” She kissed Tifa’s cheek quickly, a peace offering. “But…” Her eyes flickered, just briefly, to Sephiroth. Something Tifa, mercifully, didn’t notice.

Sephiroth noticed, though. His smirk widened.

Tifa tried to lunge again, but Aerith held on tight. “Baby, no, listen,” Aerith soothed, like calming a wild animal. “You’ll just get madder if you hit him. He’s… he’s Sephiroth, okay? Punching him is basically cardio.”

“Good exercise,” Sephiroth agreed with infuriating calm.

“SHUT UP!” Tifa roared, thrashing against Aerith’s hold.

“Sweetheart,” Aerith murmured, dragging her back toward the doorway, “Cloud’s fine. He’s fine.”

She gestured with her chin at the limp blond in Sephiroth’s arms, utterly out cold, covered in kiss marks and bite trails. “Okay, maybe not fine, fine… but alive. Look, he’s breathing. That’s something.”

Tifa’s nostrils flared. “I can smell it, Aerith. I can smell his scent all over the room. Do you know what that means?!”

Aerith popped another piece of popcorn into her mouth. “It means Sephiroth works fast?”

“IT MEANS HE’S CLAIMED HIM!”

Sephiroth chuckled. “Not yet.” His voice dropped low, deliberately provocative. “But soon.”

That was it. That was the moment Tifa lost all composure. “I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!”

She broke free from Aerith’s grip and charged. Sephiroth finally sighed, stood up slowly—with Cloud still slumped against him, bridal style—and dodged her kick like it was child’s play.

“Tifa,” Sephiroth said silkily, “you’re embarrassing yourself.”

“EMBARRASS THIS!” She swung again.

He leaned back, letting her fist cut air an inch from his nose, all while smirking like he was untouchable.

Cloud, still unconscious, let out a soft little whimper and shifted against Sephiroth’s chest.

Instantly, Sephiroth’s expression darkened, protective and possessive, his grip tightening. He shot Tifa a glare sharp enough to cut steel.

“You woke him,” Sephiroth hissed.

“Oh, you’ve GOT to be kidding me—”

Aerith dragged Tifa back again before blood could be spilled.

“Okay, okay, timeout! Babe, timeout.” She gave Tifa the most innocent smile she could muster. “You know you’re my favorite person in the world, right?”

“Then WHY are you defending him?!”

“I’m not defending him,” Aerith said quickly, batting her lashes. “I’m just saying maybe don’t destroy the furniture while Cloud’s fainted naked on it.”

“Na-” Tifa whipped her head back to glare at Sephiroth. “DID YOU UNDRESS HIM?!”

Sephiroth smirked. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Tifa screamed.

Aerith barely managed to hold her back again, muttering through her teeth as she smiled sweetly at Sephiroth, “You’re not helping.”

Sephiroth’s smirk shifted, something flickering in his eyes. He inclined his head ever so slightly, a silent acknowledgment only Aerith caught.

Aerith quickly turned back to Tifa, kissing her temple like nothing happened. “Babe, please, let’s just go outside. I’ll explain later.”

“You’d better,” Tifa growled, still thrashing.

“Promise.” Aerith tugged her toward the hall again, shooting Sephiroth one last look over her shoulder. Something sharp. Then the door slammed behind them.

Sephiroth let out a low chuckle, gazing down at Cloud’s flushed, unconscious face. His fingers brushed tenderly over the temporary mark on Cloud’s neck, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes.

“Well,” he murmured, “that went about as expected.”

From the hallway, Tifa’s furious shouting echoed through the walls, followed by Aerith’s calm, sugary reassurances.