Love is nothing but a burden

Chapter 5 - The Sector 7 visit

Cloud awoke to the smell of the Slums.

Where am I now? Cloud thought to himself.

It's been ten days since Cloud knew where he was and why he was there. It has been so long now he can't even put in the effort to care. Instead he just layed there, blankly staring at the ceiling. These past ten days have been a rollercoaster of events and emotions for him, and he doesn't know how to process any of it. Cloud turns to his side, as usual, Sephiroth was right there beside him. Although, this time he wasn't carelessly sleeping near Cloud, but resting his head on Cloud's bed — as if he was waiting for him to wake up. Cloud stared at Sephiroth's resting face.

"When he's not talking he's actually quite...beautiful."

Cloud continued to observe Sephiroth when it dawned on him.

"Wait, what did I just say?" Cloud was shocked with himself.

Not in a million years did he think he would call a man beautiful. Cloud couldn't help himself, he was drawn to Sephiroth for some reason. He didn't know this reason, but it sure made him want to just...touch him. Cloud brushed his hand against Sephiroth's silver locks, slowly tracing his finger to his lips. But before Cloud could finish what he was doing, Sephiroth jumped up startling Cloud.

"Ah, it seems I have startled you again. I do that a lot don't I?" Sephiroth laughed.

Did he see what I was doing before? Cloud thought to himself.

"Why so quiet? Did you do something weird while I was sleeping~" Sephiroth said as he leaned closer to Cloud.

Cloud backed away but ended up pressing his back against the wall near his bed. Sephiroth kept leaning closer, and closer, until their lips were about to touch.

"Well I have business to attend to at the Seventh Heaven bar, would you like to accompany me?"

Cloud thought they were about to kiss but it was just Sephiroth teasing him again. Cloud was a little bothered by this. He couldn't tell if it was because Sephiroth didn't kiss him, or if the teasing pissed him off. But at the moment that didn't matter to Cloud, because he heard Sephiroth mention Seventh Heaven. Seventh Heaven is the bar Tifa (cloud's childhood best friend, referenced in chapter one) owns; meaning they were in the Sector 7 Slums. Finally, Cloud made it back to Sector 7; his original goal. Now, the real question is how to escape Sephiroth. Cloud's best bet was to accompany him to Seventh Heaven and hopefully seek help from Tifa.

"I'll come." Cloud said.

"Great, I'll make the arrangements now! Be back in a bit!" Sephiroth said cheerfully.

Just before Sephiroth was about to leave he turned around to face Cloud and said this –

"Also, try and remember what I told you last night. I know it will be hard, since I knocked you out and everything...but it was for a good cause. I didn't think you would have come to Sector 7 with me otherwise. Ok that's all, have fun waiting!"

Sephiroth told me something last night? Cloud asked himself.

The last thing Cloud remembers before being knocked out was Sephiroth barging into his room after he attempted to escape.

What could possibly be so important he had to tell me to remember it?

Cloud was puzzled. He tried to remember, but it was no use, he couldn't remember. All he could do now was wait for Sephiroth to bring him to the bar. Cloud was going to leave Sephiroth then anyways, so it doesn't matter what Sepiroth said to him last night...right?