A lesson to learn, FFVII (Sephiroth/Cloud) Title: A lesson to learn Author/Artist:shimyaku Rating: NC17 to be safe Warnings: strapping, d/s, master/slave themes Word count: ~700 Prompt: Final Fantasy VII, anyone/Cloud: power issues - following orders Summary: Cloud confesses his disobedience A/N: Didn't quite turn out how I planned, but nevermind, they never do. And while I do have an excuse for my tardiness, I'll spare you this once. Late late late...
"What have you got there, Cloud?"
The General waited patiently as the blonde trooper shuffled forward hurriedly, his legs pressed awkwardly together, before kneeling at his feet like he so often did. Cloud's body seemed to tremble slightly as he hesitated a moment, but then his arms appeared from behind his back and he thrust his hands forward, presenting Sephiroth with a familiar-looking item of black leather. The General raised a brow in question.
"I've disobeyed your orders, Sir," the boy confessed in a whisper.
~~~
Bringing the strap down for the n-th time, Sephiroth watched with satisfaction as that particular strip of flesh became an attractive shade of deep pink, the skin swelling slightly from the sting of leather. The boy who's back it belonged to was forcing muffled whimpers into the pillow where he rested his head, his fists clenched on either side in effort to remain as still as possible. And although he was trembling, he had managed to do so thus far - such a leap from the frightened little animal he had once been, always unsteady, cowering, looking for means of escape.
This realisation pleased the General almost as much as the sight of Cloud's body - cross-hatched from shoulder to thigh with bands of welted skin - as it meant that he acknowledged his wrong-doing, was accepting his punishment and not fighting it as he had so often done before. If nothing else, Sephiroth would walk away from this session knowing that the boy was truly learning and growing more aware of him, and this pleased him most of all. But there was still this single issue that lingered, one that had presented itself previously, and if he didn't knock it on the head soon...
"I will always know, Cloud," he rumbled, voice seeming to echo within the room, "you realise this don't you? And you have no one to blame but yourself."
Sephiroth reached between the cadet's legs, wrapping his hand roughly around his cock - it was now hard and hot, not merely half-aroused as it had been when Cloud had come to him earlier. He gave one quick stroke of his palm, and just as the boy was about to cry out, his hips about to buck forward seeking further stimulation, the General circled his hand firmly around the base of the rigid flesh, squeezing hard. Cloud's cry became a wail of discomfort, pained and significantly loud, even through the pillow he'd buried his face in.
"See how it hurts Cloud? Any time this happens without my presence, you are betraying yourself just as much as you're betraying me. I will do whatever it takes to teach you this - that it's not worth it."
After one more squeeze for good measure, he withdrew his hand from beneath Cloud, taking up the strap once more and administering another short round of strikes. The cadet's whimpers escalated with each slap of the leather across his skin, until finally his voice broke into heavy sobs, body dropping from it's state of fixed tension to lie lax and spent upon the mattress. It was only then that the beating stopped, a sudden and heavy silence hanging over the room all despite the small choking cries being masked by the pillow.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Sephiroth pulled the blonde roughly onto his lap, watching as his eyes bulged when the tender flesh of his backside made contact with the heavy material of the SOLDIER's trousers. Fresh tears immediately sprang to those sapphire blues, quickly spilling over onto the already tear-stained cheeks, but neither of them seemed to take notice.
"Have you learned your lesson now?"
"Yes S-sir." Cloud's eyes were wide and imploring, breath catching as he tried to swallow his distress. "I'll nev-never let Lieutenant Fair touch m-me again, Sir. Thank you for... helping me realise m-my error."
"There's a good boy. You follow orders very well when you actually try - and I do so hate having to remind you this way, but you know it's for your own benefit." The General brushed blonde spikes from the boy's face in an unusually tender gesture. "Don't worry Cloud, you'll learn."