Haunted by dentedsky

Chapter Four: Horizon

Cloud stepped into the room.

It was draped in darkness and stale air, the walls lined with wide shelves and on those shelves –

Cloud stopped walking and stood still, his eyes scanned the room and his mind refused to believe. On the shelves and on the ground were coffins; grey, cobwebbed, dusty coffins. Oh god, thought Cloud – and even in his mind he hated to swear but he did it now - it’s a fucking tomb!

How bizarre, that the key to a room in the lowest part of the mansion be in the highest part of the mansion. This place was not to be found – but it was also not to be lost forever.

The most gruesome thing about the tomb was that the majority of the coffins were open, at least part way. Cloud brought his hand up and ruffled the hair at the back of his head in hesitation as he stepped forward to inspect the coffins in the right wall. One on the floor was large and the lid was all the way off. The skeleton inside grinned up at him, its body a twisted mess. At least whoever this person had been had died before they had been locked in the room – Cloud could not say the same for the person in the coffin on one of the shelves. The carcass was locked in a position of leaving: its arm and head were curling out of the coffin, the hand gripping the bottom edge of the coffin and the mouth open in a long-dead scream. The person had pushed their way out of a nailed coffin only to not make it all the way before they died.

Cloud kept one hand in his hair as he stepped back away from the scene. One coffin contained a person who seemed to have been mummified rather than rotted – it was obviously a pregnant woman.

There was so many, each one unique from the other. Cloud wondered about them, their lives, if they had deserved these horrid deaths. It was obvious most had been buried alive and it was no doubt that –

Cloud clenched his jaw.

Hojo, he thought.

Cloud turned to leave. It was turning out to be a pretty crappy day.

As he walked towards the still-open doorway, a breeze blew past him from within the room. Cloud froze and exhaled as the breeze ruffled his hair against the back of his neck.

He slowly turned his head around to catch the source, keeping his body still as he looked wide-eyed over his shoulder. He felt the wind turn on him and twist around him, summoning him back into the room like the pull of the ocean tide. He exhaled in quiet fear as the back of the room lit up slowly, like the ghost of a spotlight.

There was magic in the room, thick and inviting. Cloud’s fear melted away and his eyes fluttered. He felt so sleepy, suddenly, as he turned towards the light and slowly walked towards it, back into the tomb. The light lit the only coffin in the room that had colour and was particularly well made.

There were whispers on the wind and Cloud shivered. He came to the strange coffin and stared down at it, then laid his hand on the lid and caressed the smooth surface. He pushed the lid so it slid away, and clattered loudly to the stone ground.

Cloud’s breath quavered as he leaned forward and peered inside. A man lay in the coffin, perfectly formed and perfectly beautiful, his hair black and long, his face sharp and pale and his body wrapped in red.

Cloud leaned forward to get a closer look. It was him it was the man from his dreams - !

The man’s eyes snapped open.

Cloud gasped and jumped back as the man flew out of the coffin and hovered in the air. His head was tilted back, his long ebony hair undulating from the magic in the air. Cloud saw part of his throat not obscured by the red cape buckled around his shoulders. Cloud stood mesmerised.

“It’s you...” said Cloud hoarsely. He cleared his throat. “Who are you?”

He slowly lowered his head to look at Cloud, his eyes sharp and focussed. “My name is Vincent Valentine, formally of the Turks.”

Cloud nodded at him slowly, tentatively. “It’s nice to meet you. My name’s – “

“Cloud,” interrupted Vincent. “I’ve been watching you.” And before Cloud could respond or even react, Vincent was there suddenly in a flash, right in front of Cloud. Then he had Cloud in his grip – his left arm around his waist and his golden claw pressed sharp against his lower back. Cloud inhaled on a gasp, mouth open as Vincent caressed Cloud’s cheek with the soft fingers of his right hand.

Their faces were close. Vincent stared at Cloud’s face openly, seeming to try and memorise every part of his face from eyebrows to chin. Vincent’s hand curled into Cloud’s hair just as Cloud curved his body into Vincent’s. Cloud’s breath was coming out in fast gasps, his eyes fluttering and his lips swelling with blood. Vincent’s claws dug tighter into Cloud’s lower back and Vincent’s red cloak, as if with a mind of its own, curled around the two of them, the ends gently caressing Cloud’s thighs and buttocks.

Vincent spoke. “You’re everything I dreamed you to be, Cloud,” he said softly. He moved his hand around back to Cloud face and pressed his thumb to Cloud’s lower lip. He turned Cloud’s head to the side slightly and leaned forward to whisper into Cloud’s ear. “You are my Light, Cloud. You have brought me freedom and I will never let you go.” Vincent dragged his lips against Cloud jaw, reaching Cloud’s lips and kissing the corner of his mouth. Cloud blinked, trying not to faint.

“Oh,” Cloud breathed, “you’re so warm.”

Vincent hummed against his mouth. “Did you suspect otherwise?”

There was a noise behind them, suddenly – the creak of the other door opening and closing – somebody whimpered. Cloud could not see behind him, Vincent would not let him. Vincent gripped Cloud so hard that Cloud could not move.

There was a growl from the tomb doorway. “Step away from my brother,” threatened Loz. There was chink of metal and Cloud struggled in Vincent’s grip. Vincent reluctantly lowered his right hand away from Cloud’s jaw to allow Cloud to look over his shoulder.

Loz was glaring at them, eyes Mako bright. He held his gunblade aloft and pointed straight at them.

“Step away from my brother!” Loz repeated. Cloud was feeling such an array of emotions then: love for Loz for calling him my brother, irritation towards Loz for interrupting him and Vincent, and anger at Loz for having a gunblade.

Anger won over. “I thought you told me you got rid of that gun, Loz!”

Loz gritted his teeth. “I don’t think this is the time or place to be having another domestic, Brother!”

Someone whimpered again. Out in the corridor, in the shadows, Kadaj and Yazoo had their arms around each other like two scared little children. Cloud told himself to re-evaluate the situation – they were scared for him, all three brothers; so they loved him after all!

Vincent was curling his arm around Cloud’s neck. Cloud glanced at his hand and inhaled sharply – Vincent was holding a gun of his own, pointing it at Loz. He had drawn it while the brothers were distracted.

Loz undid the safety on his gun. It clicked loudly in warning. “Let go of my brother or I’ll blow your fucking head off.”

There was no physical reaction from Vincent. “I don’t think you have the authority to say that. Do you not know who I am?”

Kadaj whispered, “The greatest assassin that ever lived...”

Cloud looked at Loz pleadingly. “Loz, please, stand down.”

Loz ignored him, his eyes trained on the ex-Turk. “I don’t give a shit who you are. Step away.”

Cloud turned back to Vincent. “Please,” he whispered. “He’s my brother.”

Vincent glanced down at Cloud. His expression changed subtly to resignation. He kissed Cloud, quickly, softly, and sadly.

Cloud stepped away when Vincent lowered his revolver and loosened his grip. As soon as Cloud was one step away, Loz grabbed him; but Cloud could not tear his eyes away from the dark, still figure.

“Get behind me, Brother,” Loz barked. “Kadaj! Take Yazoo, now.”

“But – “ Kadaj protested.

“Run, now!”

Kadaj did as he was told. He and Yazoo ran down the stone corridor and half-scrambled up the winding staircase. Vincent watched calmly even as Loz yanked Cloud through the door. They ran, following the younger brothers up the stairs.

Kadaj was breathing harshly in fear and exertion. Yazoo was sniffling. Loz, pumped with adrenaline, half dragged Cloud away from the basement, his expression a twisted scowl of fury. Wind blew from the basement, blowing up the chamber and ruffling their clothes and hair.

They made it to the study. Then they were running through the house and down the stairs. “The door’s open!” Kadaj shouted in relief, but just as he was a metre away, it slammed shut.

They were standing frozen in the foyer, all was silent.

Almost as one all four brothers turned slowly and looked up at the top landing of the staircase. Vincent was standing there calmly.

Cloud stepped forward towards Vincent, though he was hindered – Loz still had a grip on his arm.

“Open the door!” Kadaj screamed at Vincent.

“Let us go,” Loz agreed.

“Let me go,” countered Cloud to Loz, yanking his arm away.

Vincent slowly started to walk down the stairs towards them, his eyes glowing red. Yazoo whimpered and Kadaj held his hand tightly.

Cloud smoothed down his jumper in nervousness and gave Vincent another pleading look. “Vincent, please let me brothers out; it’s me you want, not them.”

“What!” Kadaj shrieked at the same time Loz shouted “No way!”

“Let my brothers go,” said Cloud, “and I’ll stay.”

Vincent stopped on the stair; he seemed to be considering. Then with a deliberate nod, the door opened with a creak.

“Leave,” Cloud commanded.

“No way,” said Kadaj, “I’m not leaving without Big Brother!” But his protests went unheard as Loz, reconciled, steered Kadaj and Yazoo out the door.

Just as he was about to step outside, Loz looked over his shoulder at Cloud. “We won’t be gone for long.”

Cloud nodded at him.

And then the door was closed, and Cloud was alone in a dark mansion with a man who had previously been sleeping in a coffin.

Cloud looked up at him. He really was beautiful, in a dark, gothic way. Cloud suppressed the thought of sex and magic red cloaks and claws made of gold that could bring pain and pleasure to bare skin... Cloud swallowed.

“So,” Cloud ventured, “how long have you been down there – er, I mean, how long have you been in the basement - ?”

“What year is it?” Vincent asked.

Cloud told him.

“Almost thirty years,” said Vincent.

“Wow,” wibbled Cloud. “Um, so I guess you must be pretty hungry. I’ll go make us something to eat.” He abruptly pivoted and headed for the kitchen.

He opened the fridge and pulled out two ready-made sushi lunch boxes. He heard Vincent walk into the kitchen. He placed the lunch boxes on the bench and felt Vincent press up against his back. He gripped the edge of the bench and exhaled shakily as Vincent put his arms around him.

He pressed his lips to the blonde’s ear. “Could you show me... what it’s like to be outside?”

“Of course,” said Cloud softly turning in the circle of Vincent’s arms. He looked up at him and placed his hands on his chest.

Vincent leaned down –

There was a knock at the front door. “Hey Cloud, it’s me, Zack!”

Vincent growled and made to step away, but Cloud held on.

“I just wanted to tell you,” continued Zack through the wood of the front door, “that I haven’t left for Gongaga yet – well obviously, otherwise I wouldn’t be here talking to you – “

“He’s an imbecile,” Vincent grumbled.

“I heard that you were kidnapped by some monster or something...? Well anyway, just want to let you know that your brothers are at my town house so, don’t worry too much, though the skinny one with the long hair is looking a bit green. Um, yeah. Also, sorry we haven’t spoken much since our little outing; been a bit distracted, I guess. Yeah so, catch you later!”

After a moment, in which it was obvious by the silence that Zack had left, Cloud let go of Vincent. “Did you make all those things in the house happen?” asked Cloud, referring to the lights and wind and blood coming out of the taps.

Vincent’s eyes flickered down to the floor, looking abashed. It was kind of... cute. “Maybe.”

“And did you come into my dreams?”

“It was a power loaned to me by the Crisis from the Sky.”

Cloud pulled a hand through his blonde hair. “You mean Jenova?”

Vincent nodded.

Cloud bit his lip to prevent his smile. “Were you jealous of Zack?”

Vincent sighed.

“You needn’t be; it was only one date.”

Vincent turned to the window and looked outside. “One date too many.” He abruptly turned again and walked out the kitchen and into the foyer, then headed for the back door under the stairs. Cloud wrapped the two lunch boxes in material and followed Vincent outside.

“I’d forgotten how beautiful snow could be,” murmured Vincent when Cloud came to join him. “So blinding white and consuming, yet sparkling silver and pure.” He turned to Cloud. “Grab onto to me and hold on tight.”

“What?”

Vincent put his arms around Cloud once again and Cloud held on. Like magic Vincent’s red cloak expanded and wrapped around them, flowing. And then Cloud realised that they were airborne, even if he could not see the sky. It was like being in a thick read compartment flying through the air.

They landed and Cloud was rewarded his vision again. They were on a grey cliff: Mount Nibel.

“The thing I most missed while sleeping,” said Vincent softly, stepping to the edge, “was the sunset.”

It was stunning, Cloud considered. All gold wash and red streaks. It was even more beautiful to look at from up high in the mountains.

He sat down on the ground and opened his sushi lunchbox. “Are you hungry?”

Vincent glanced at him, hesitating. Then he came over, sat next to Cloud and accepted the food.

“If I were you,” said Cloud, gesturing with chopsticks, “I’d be starving, what with being stuck in a coffin for three decades.”

Vincent cautiously took his chopsticks and picked up a nori roll. Then he ate it.

“So why were you in there, anyway?” asked Cloud.

“I knew a beautiful lady,” said Vincent enigmatically.

Cloud had not thought it was possible for him to meet someone who talked less than he himself did. He raised his eyebrows. “And?”

“She was experimented on by Hojo, I intervened, he did this to me... and put me to sleep.”

Cloud turned towards the sunset in regret. “I’m sorry. He was my father – “

“It’s not your fault. You are nothing like him, and are therefore slowly but surely reversing the sins of the father.”

“I suppose you could look at it like that. So, what happened to your ‘beautiful lady’?”

“She died fifteen years ago.”

“Oh... but how do you know that if you’ve been asleep for longer than that?”

There was a pause. “I got the information from your brother’s mind,” Vincent said eventually.

“What – which brother? And what was her name?”

“From Yazoo. But Cloud, it no longer matters who she was and how she died. What matters is that she and Hojo are in the Lifestream.”

- - -

Cloud had wanted to walk back to the mansion, though he had briefly regretted the decision half-way down the mountain when he shivered from the cold. Vincent wrapped him in his cloak and kept him warm after that.

They silently entered the mansion. Then Cloud kissed him hard and passionately.

He took Vincent’s hand and led him to his room. They kissed again, then Vincent pulled off Cloud’s jumper and shirt, leaning down to kiss the sensitive skin of Cloud’s neck.

The fingers of Vincent’s right hand lingered on the waistband of Cloud’s trousers before Cloud pulled away. “Wait,” gasped Cloud, “wait right here. Don’t move, I’ll be back in a moment!”

Cloud half-ran out of the bedroom and into the bathroom. There he stopped and braced himself of the sink, eyes wide and breath coming out in gasps. He looked into the mirror and barely recognised himself. He was flushed, lips red and hair more dishevelled than usual.

“Okay, Cloud,” he whispered to himself, “you can do this, you’re twenty-three, it’s about time you lost your virginity, Loz has been teasing you about it for ages. Argh! Don’t think about Loz! Right, gorgeous man in bedroom, gorgeous man in bedroom...”

Cloud looked around for something that could be used for lubricant and spotted Yazoo’s extra strength (and extra creamy) hair conditioner. It was expensive stuff but Yazoo had loads of it at his hair salon back in Midgar, surely he wouldn’t miss it...

He went back into the bedroom. Vincent had not moved, as per Cloud’s request. Cloud silently placed the hair conditioner on the bedside table, then slowly walked back to Vincent, who was watching him intently.

Vincent gently pulled him close and kissed him again. He did not ask where Cloud had gone; he kissed and touched, and undressed. A little later he gently placed Cloud on the bed and made love to him.

The sunset burned like fire before dieing down behind the mountains. Even in winter, and with the reactor amongst the cliffs, one wild flower grew on Mount Nibel.

It was lush and fragrant, its petals soft and creamy and the stem hard, quivering in the breeze. In the centre was a dusting of gold pollen, soft to the touch and even sweet to the tongue.

- - -

“Brother!” Kadaj burst into a sleeping Cloud’s room and jumped on top of him, hugging him tight. “I missed you! Oh, I was so worried!”

Loz and Yazoo walked in. “The door was open when we went to check this morning,” Yazoo told Cloud. He frowned. “What is my hair conditioner doing on the floor?”

Loz raised his eyebrow. “Come on Kadaj, you better give Cloud some privacy so he can get dressed.”

Cloud sat up. “Where’s Vincent?”

Loz shrugged. “Long gone; well, he’s not in the mansion, we checked.”

Kadaj kissed Cloud on the cheek. “Merry Christmas, Brother,” he said, before getting off the bed and following Loz and Yazoo out.

Cloud stared at the wall for a moment.

Vincent was gone.

Cloud bit his lip and tried not to cry.

- - -

They exchanged presents over breakfast. Cloud had gotten CDs from Kadaj, a Materia box from Loz, and an indoor flower growing kit from Yazoo. There was also a very large present under the Christmas tree that was from Zack. It was the unmistakable shape of a large sword.

It was mine, used in the Wutai War, the card said. I have no real use for it now, but I have a feeling you’ll enjoy it. Yours, Zack. Cloud unwrapped and picked up the Buster Sword, admiring its weight and hard edge.

There was no present, or even a note, from Vincent. Cloud choked down his disappointment.

“This house feels so peaceful, suddenly,” said Loz.

“Really?” said Kadaj. “It just feels empty and boring to me.”

Later, Cloud and Yazoo prepared Christmas lunch. “Do you want to talk?” asked Yazoo.

Cloud put down his carving knife. “I want to know what happened to you yesterday.”

There was a pause as Yazoo washed and dried his hands. He finally stopped fiddling and got the courage to look Cloud in the eye. “I always thought,” Yazoo began softly, “that Loz was weak because he could not remember, that Father had done such a good job of erasing his memory. But I realise, I’m the weak one, because I can’t let go, I can’t get on with my life.

“I can’t let go of the fact that, because of Father, we’re not completely human. You... hear her voice, don’t you?”

Jenova, thought Cloud. Her voice was quiet and feeble, yet resentful. He had always thought everyone could hear her – his brothers could, anyway, so weren’t they normal?

“We’re not normal,” said Cloud slowly.

“No,” agreed Yazoo. “Hojo grew us up in labs and we slept on lab tables. You rescued us from a military school for clones.”

Cloud closed his eyes. “We’re not clones.”

“Then what do you call us? What are we?” He looked at Cloud with eyes imploring and wet with unshed tears.

“We’re... us, Yazoo. We’re you, me, Loz and Kadaj. We don’t need a label to make us who we are.”

“That’s very wise,” said Yazoo. “It sounds like something Mother used to say.”

“Jenova?”

Yazoo laughed bitterly. “No, my real mother – Lucrecia.”

Kadaj walked in. “Lunch ready yet?” he whined. “I’m starving!”

“We sleep, we argue, we get hungry,” Cloud told Yazoo. “Seems pretty normal to me.”

Yazoo smirked at him, Cloud half-smiled back.

To be continued