Howling and Hollow (Cloud Catch-All)

[relativefugue]

WHO: Cloud Strife and YOU
WHAT: What does your heart desire? (A place for planned threads outside prompts!) Cloud is settling in.
WHERE: Around Town and the outskirts, depending!
WHEN: A week or more after arrival, ongoing.
WARNINGS: Probable mentions of mental health struggles and trauma.

SUMMARY: A catch-all for Mister Final Fantasy! Here he is, trying to...Leave. Inevitably, he will be settling in, whether he likes it or not. What are those weird bumps hidden in that chocobo fluff hair? He fell and hit his head, probably.

Comments

TW for mild gore mentions

[rhapscdos]

The first to move is the first to fall. A flash of red flickers above the monster's head before the long line of Rapier's blade comes down like the fall of a fated crimson arrow. It pierces straight through the beast's head, the blade singing through the air to meet the dull, wet thump of yielding flesh and bone. Genesis follows the blade a split instance later, his weight driving the blade deeper, and slamming the monster chin first to the ground. It isn't even given the grace of a final death wail as Genesis rises to his feet, drawing Rapier from the skull.

Flicking blood and gray matter from the edge, Genesis brings the blade to level with the second displacer beast, and watches the animal's surprisingly intelligent calculations. This prey isn't worth risking life and limb for. Not with the red one here, and its mate suddenly dead. The beast hisses, barbed tendrils flaring in threat, but it backs away. Then, its fur shimmers, and the beast vanishes back into the shadows. When the sound of its many footsteps falls to silence, Genesis exhales, and lowers Rapier's edge.

Gesturing with his free hand, Genesis sweeps his arm out towards the fallen monster at his feet.

"Well, well, well, I come for a lovely walk in the woods, and find a damsel in distress. How very heroic of me, no?" He laughs, and fully turns to Cloud with an air of exceeding smugness. "You're welcome for the rescue, Strife."

[relativefugue]

It all happens fast, but Genesis may as well be moving in slow motion as he descends from above with deadly, honed precision. Cloud's eyes go wide, electric sparks flashing from his mouth before ceasing as his uninvited, but helpful guest dispatches his target and scares off the remaining beast. Adrenaline absolutely thunders through the blond's veins, sending flashes of heat all throughout him- including places he doesn't entirely expect. The insufferable redhead is the single one of the three elite Firsts Cloud never got to see in action- and what a show, albeit brief, he gave. Graceful, in a unique way apart from Sephiroth and Angeal.

For all the guff and snark and disdain he tends to throw in the fellow SOLDIER's direction, even Cloud Strife cannot deny how incredible his form was. All to save him from a stupid mistake. That last part- stupid mistake- is what kicks the frustration in. Something pent-up, unhappy, angry, and...Something else the merc has yet to fully recognize, heightened by the rush of the danger of the situation. He's better than this- a god damn First, not some fragile thing to be bested by a pair of Planet-damned cats. Now all Genesis will think is he is just some wimp, and not the SOLDIER he thinks he is. It only makes him angrier that he cares at all about what this jackass thinks.

"Whatever," Cloud spits, though his voice is strained. There may even be a trace of red on his cheeks, if Genesis looks hard enough. He steps away from the rocky wall he was pinned up against, locking Genesis with what he hopes is a harsh scowl, but really is merely a wide eyed attempt at one. "Gonna go on and on about how great you are now? Yeah, you saved my life. Thanks. But it was a stupid mistake on my part. I knew better. I would have been fine."

Probably. Maybe. Not really.

[rhapscdos]

The scowl seems to do little to dull that cocky smirk Genesis wears. If anything, it may just widen it by a fraction. It certainly makes his fever-bright eyes shimmer with something akin to predatory delight. A tiger, finding its prey bleeding, instead of just unaware. He can hear the strain in Cloud's voice, see the deep, embarrassed flush under his skin. It's decadent.

If only this were his Cloud. Where he could lean in, take him by the chin, and tease and taunt him into a perfect frenzy of a storm. His lovely little thunderbolt-

Genesis has never been good with things like impulse control. His mind wanders, and his hand follows without hesitation. Catching Cloud along the jaw, he tilts his head up to have the blond look at him, despite the brewing resentment towards his own inadequacy in the face of someone that has no qualms with showing off. Ah, well. He's here now, isn't he?

"Oh, I do not doubt you'd have come out alive. But at what cost? A missing limb? Bleeding to death out here? As pretty as you look in red, Strife, I do prefer you alive. Alive, and lively." Genesis breathes out a low chuckle, thumb stroking Cloud's jaw. "The fight in you is truly the best part."

[relativefugue]

Cloud absolutely expects the insufferable, flashy First to egg him on- but he doesn't expect it to go like this. He may as well be wearing his embarrassed arousal on his sleeve, and that just makes the irritation and confusion around it all rise like heat from an open flame. The merc is most certainly not ready for what Genesis has planned. Or for what he will retaliate with in a few short moments.

His breath and his retort are caught in his throat as Genesis sweeps close in a fluid motion to hold his face up. To force him to look at those gleaming, admittedly beautiful eyes that seem to focus on Cloud with keen interest and something else he cannot entirely place. Whatever it is, it renders Genesis hypnotic. The blond stays put, stunned silent for a few beats, thoughts racing so damn fast he hasn't a prayer of keeping up.

Anger. Confusion. Lust. Loneliness. All of this and more swirl together in Cloud's mind, whipping him into a confused fury. His body moves before any of what happens registers, clearly working off of the emotions and not any kind of logic. He curls his lip, closes the gap between their faces, and kisses Genesis on the mouth with an intensity that sees him startling himself.

Oh, shit.

[rhapscdos]

Some part of Genesis thinks he should expect this. Cloud can be so unpredictable at times, a wild thing caught in his own head, but that's part of what has always fascinated Genesis about him. He's a surprise around every corner, and as that aggressive kiss happens, he grins against more teeth than lip, and indulges the spitfire by not drawing back immediately.

The hand along Cloud's jaw moves to tangle into the shorter hairs along the nape of Cloud's neck, tugging him up more to Genesis' height so he very nearly looms over the younger. A deep, echoing chuckle spills from his throat, against that twisted kiss, before Genesis breaks away first. He doubts Cloud has the control to. And as indulgent as he is, he's not one to take advantage of someone he cares about. Whether Cloud believes that or not, Genesis doesn't bother mentioning it, preferring his coy game instead.

"My, my. That certainly is a way to thank a man for saving your life." His voice is low and pleased, a predatory edge to the way his eyes slant with sly mirth. "There are no complaints from me, of course, but perhaps that was something you wanted off your chest, hm?"

[relativefugue]

Genesis is most certainly right in his assessment- Cloud probably would keep kissing him, given the opportunity. He's a mess of suppressed emotions screaming and clawing their way to the surface: pain, loneliness, isolation, frustration, worry. His past few months in this world have been a quiet struggle and an attempt to wear a brave face amidst painful changes beyond his control, and desperately wondering if his friends were surviving back home. Add in the confused feelings over Genesis himself, and one ends with a recipe for disaster.

The red bastard is really like a magnet to Cloud in ways he cannot fully articulate or understand. The smile against his lips, that low laugh, his fingers tugging at the blonde's hair so he can savor the kiss just that much more. As they part, Cloud knows one thing from Genesis' tone, and it turns his world sideways: Genesis enjoyed that.

and so did he.

What the hell was that?!

Cloud knows how he ought to act next. How he needs to respond to keep up his (to him) carefully-constructed front of being a tough guy. Yet he cannot find it in him to pull the front back up, so stunned from the kiss. The touch of another, something intimate, even charged with confused, racy anger as he was, brings his pain up from where he shoved it aside.

Cloud Strife wanted it off his chest, indeed. He needed it, even.

His expression shifts from stunned to more blank, but his eyes read of confused longing far too easily. Even his voice sounds a distinct touch smaller.

"I- I don't know what that was. Or why it feels familiar." Cloud's brow knits. "What the hell."

[rhapscdos]

It's because we've done this song-and-dance before. Across worlds. But you don't know that. You can't know that. Genesis thinks, a touch bittersweet in his own head. He doesn't bring it up, either. Cloud is confused by just the feeling of enjoying a kiss with him; there's no way Genesis can drop that sort of information on Cloud, and not expect him to sink with it.

Genesis is much better at acting than Cloud, thankfully, and doesn't drop his mask even a little. At least, not outwardly. The confused longing is met by that same powerful, predatory approval. And while he doesn't sink his fangs in right away, Genesis hooks a claw in him. Mirrored by the way he tugs Cloud by the collar, and brings himself lower and closer.

"Don't think too hard on it, little storm. It felt good, no harm came of it, and I won't even spill your secret if you don't wish." Again, in his own mind, Genesis privately sighs about the fact it's not a secret to plenty of people in their lives. But if the offer makes Cloud feel more secure in his impulses, so be it. "As for familiarity... well, isn't there plenty about your life that is a mystery to you? These sorts of knots tend to unravel themselves in due time."

[relativefugue]

The claw hooked into Cloud sinks in true, captivates him more than he already is as he basks in the heat of the kiss with a mixture of anger and longing. The taste of Genesis' lips rings familiar, blazing-hot like fire in a way that almost aches and confuses the merc further. Even the name of little storm sparks something besides indignance.

All it does is draw Cloud towards the red even more, especially with the stifling loneliness he's been forced to face in this world. The predatory glint in Genesis' eyes, the purring of his voice, and the promise of secrets kept combined see Cloud fighting with his own feelings.

It did feel good. It felt good in a way Cloud cannot put to proper words. His body leans in, without him even realizing it. Silently, wordlessly, wanting that spark again. Wanting touch, and wanting Genesis and not fully knowing why outside his ludicrous attraction. This feels like it runs deeper, brings even more aggrivating mysteries up to the fore.

He's so lonely. Hurting. Vulnerable to his own impulses more than ever before.

"You sure as shit aren't surprised. More of that crap where everyone knows my future, I bet," Cloud growls, pressing his body closer still, if only to feel that fire just a little bit longer. He can only hope his true buried emotions don't show in his eyes. Exhaustion. Sadness. Fear. Loneliness.

This is such a terrible idea. Yet the words come out anyway.

"So what if it happened again?"