uhmani | TDM #6

If the main hub and its features don't appeal to you, that's perfectly fine. This is the perfect time to configure your Digitized Technical Friend or your DTF status. A DTF is similar to a dæmon from His Dark Materials in that it is connected to and a reflection of a character's soul. These DTFs take shape accordingly and are projections similar to the NPCs. Think of them as your own personal Clippy except less annoying. Hopefully.

Once that's set-up, there are other locations of the main hub to investigate! You can visit the training grounds, music lounge, library, and onsen. Also, feel free to leave an offering for the resident deity of sleep (Hypnos) at his shrine! You can even visit The Peacekeeper themselves on the second floor. They're always happy to have visitors! They're also conveniently where you might place a complaint about that status of the main hub and its amenities. Even if you do complain, The Peacekeeper will encourage others to set off and find their own place to live out in the simulation.

Granted, the housing market in the afterlife isn't exactly robust. It doesn't help that every place you find has a leaky roof or broken window. No, unfortunately that will need to be fixed the peaceful way. If you'd like more lighting or even cozier clothes, simulation inhabitants are reminded that 'peaceful interactions' are very important!

It might be a good idea to stick close to someone you know, for now, since even the smallest amounts of intimacy might see subtle changes occurring where they're staying. Perhaps that broken window is now fixed, the grime and dust seem a little less, or the floor doesn't creak quite as loud.

Larger changes, however, will only come after demonstrating the more powerful peaceful interactions. If you want new hardwood floors or a fresh coat of paint on the walls, you're going to have to demonstrate how well you 'get along' with others against them first.

SHAKING THINGS UP

"Hello, inhabitants," greets The Peacekeeper. "I apologize for all the tremors lately in the simulation," it starts, just as one rattles through the setting. "I promise I'll be done working soon." They've been occurring for days now but have been nothing more than a subtle rumbling.

Until now.

"Making final geographical adjustments... Please, hold on to something." There is less than a moment's pause before the warning needs to be heeded. A large earthquake suddenly jostles the entire simulation harshly along with a deafening noise to the east; however, the cause will be apparent. Where before there was nothing but plains stretching out infinitely past the simulation's 'barrier,' there is now a large mountain range. It has snow-tipped peaks, plenty of pine trees, and- "After the trial that was Hiromitsu, The Creators decided to allow me the resources to upgrade and add to the simulation! This is only the beginning, actually, but the rest will take a little bit more time. Until then, I hope you don't mind exploring the mines and helping me test some new features."

There is a brief pause where it seems like that might be all. "And I hope that... it makes up a little for me not being there for you during Hiromitsu." The usual chipper, simulated voice sounds just a touch melancholy. Instead of the regular chimes to signify a broadcast ending, there is instead a small click and nothing but silence.

THIS PLACE ROCKS

For those that do decide to investigate the new addition to the simulation, they'll find a sign above a large cave entrance that reads "Dymuniad Mines." Entering the cave will lead people to a series of underground tunnels akin to a labyrinth with as many metaphorical twists and turns as there are literal. Don't mind the mild tremors that continue as some of the pathways shift and change while The Peacekeeper works. They are now, thankfully, localized to just the mines.

So grab a torch, go for a joy ride in a mine cart, or set out on foot through the deep dark. Either way, here's what inhabitants can expect to find...

Hemimorphite

Population: Common
Biome: Dymuniad Mines
Danger: Mild

This strange, soft-looking rock formation draws people in with a sweet scent similar to cotton candy. The closer someone draws to it, the happier they will become. Should one lick it, they will find that it tastes rather sweet; however, it will leave one with more than a candy aftertaste. It is a psychedelic that will cause hallucinations - both visual and auditory - as well as intense feelings of euphoria.

Honey Calcite

Population: Common
Biome: Dymuniad Mines
Danger: Mild

If feeling one's way along the dark tunnels, don't be surprised if there comes a spot where you suddenly stick. Trying to pull away will only find one even more stuck than before. The only way to pull free is by using heat but too hot and it'll become a sticky, syrupy mess and be a nightmare to get off. The body heat of two people seems to be just right the temperature to free anyone stuck but... make of that what you will!

Iris Agate

Population: Common
Biome: Dymuniad Mines
Danger: None

If you get a little lost in the mines, don't fret! This stone will guide your way when shone under the light correctly. Oh, it won't show you the way out. Rather, it will guide you toward someone you need to talk to. Whatever that may mean! You'll be directed towards them whether you want to actually speak or not.

CREEPY CRAWLIES

In addition to the new geology, there is some new fauna to be found. The Peacekeeper is still adding to the mines as far as flora (beyond basic moss, mushrooms, and other fungi). For now, these creatures hopefully help it feel a little more alive.

Miniature Cave Golems

Population: Common
Biome: Dymuniad Mines
Danger: None

Don't be too alarmed if that mossy bundle of rocks starts to move about. Held together and animated by a magic of an unknown origin, these tiny golems 'awaken' when anyone gets close. While golems are usually used for manual labor too large for the average person, it's hard to say what these miniature ones were made for or by who. They are, however, extremely cute and will happily follow or ride along with you through the tunnels.

Rock Slimes

Population: Common
Biome: Dymuniad Mines
Danger: None

If you happen to come across small bites taken out of the Hemimorphite, the source likely isn't far behind. These slimes are immune to the psychedelic effects of the formation but still get the euphoria from it. This results in them making tiny chirps and happy noises that may sound suspiciously like 'woo hoo' or 'yay.' They are friendly and docile but can only survive in the dark, dank conditions of the mines. Trying to remove them is ill-advised.

Zubats

Population: Common
Biome: Dymuniad Mines
Danger: Mild

These creatures make their home in gloomy caves. Atrophied eyes have left this Pokémon blind, so they scan their surroundings via sound waves that they emit from their mouths as they fly. Their skin is so thin that they'll be burned if sunlight hits them. When it gets cold out, they gather together to warm one another's bodies. While they will not attack inhabitants, they may use high-pitched sound waves to confuse and disorient if they feel threatened so they can escape.

WHO IS THAT I SEE, STARING BACK AT ME?

Lucky (or unlucky, if you're lost) inhabitants may find their way to the crystal lake. This large, underground pool of crystalline water is lined with large chunks of cubic fluorite and larimar covering the bottom. It holds an ethereal glow although there doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary that would cause the shine.

If one goes to the edge of the water, their reflection might not be what they expect. Instead of what it should be, it's instead what the person looking into the water most desires. This could be interpreted in many different ways. Do you look like you'd always dreamed of, is someone next to you, or is it someone else entirely staring back into your eyes? Whatever the case may be, it isn't always easy to be faced with our most secret desires unexpectedly.

look away

accept

tiny crystal flask

Trying to take the water by any other means will see it evaporate. Drinking it will have no effect. Bathing or swimming in it will also do nothing special... though it is quite cool and refreshing!

SEXY STAMP CARD

If you're wondering about these 'peaceful interactions' that keep being mentioned or what the kinks of the month are for... Here's your answer! Upon arrival, all characters will receive a digital copy of their very own sexy stamp card.

Sexy Stamp Card

Issued by: The Peacekeeper

1 2 3 4 ♡

6 7 8 9 ♡

❤

<div style="width:100%;padding:10px 10px 0;font-family:garamond, georgia, serif;font-size:20px;font-style:italic;letter-spacing:2px;text-align:left;">Sexy Stamp Card</div>
<div style="width:100%;padding:0 10px 10px;">Issued by: The Peacekeeper</div>

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<div style="max-width:300px;width:100%;margin:-10px auto 0;text-align:right;font-size:10px;"><a title="code credit!" href="http://10billionghosts.dreamwidth.org" style="text-decoration:none;color:#eee;">❤</a></div>

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Completing peaceful interactions (i.e. kinks) will reward characters with stamps that they can turn in for re-gains and many other things! While the example one here is the standard issued card by The Peacekeeper, players are more than welcome to customize it how they see fit. Have fun with it! NOTES

★ Due to the shifting tunnels, characters will only find themselves eventually back at the start of the mines rather than anywhere new. ...For now, anyway!

★ The effects of all the influences can, as always, be as heavy or light as you'd like! It can be chalked up to differences in resistance, non-humanity or not, etc. etc.

★ The flora and fauna page will be updated (as well as the locations) as soon as possible to reflect these changes and recent ones! It's also still open for player suggestions! All you need to do now is link your check-in (or player claim) comment to make a submission!

★ Why not check out the ATP/EMP Meme now up? See who others want to try out, enable your friends! Fun all around!

★ Make sure to dunk your questions/feedback in the thread below!

NAVIGATION

F.A.Q. ★ RULES ★ CHARACTER CLAIM ★ LOCATIONS ★ MAIN NAVIGATION

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

1. Heart's Desire

At first, when Cloud peers into the lake and glances idly at his reflection, he doesn't notice anything odd. But then he does a double-take, and a startled noise escapes him as he sees it. The person reflected in the water isn't Cloud Strife.

It's Claudia Strife.

He takes half a step back from the water's edge, but his eyes are fixed on the image, and instead of finishing what he started to back away he simply sits down right where he is. He pulls his knees up to his chest and rests his arms atop them, hunched over as he stares, as though he's trying to memorize every detail of it. Anyone who tries to get his attention may need to try a few times.

2. Guess I Live Here Now

So there's this ledge jutting out of the cave wall, here. And on top of this ledge there's a little pile of rocks with some moss covering it. And just as Cloud is about to pass under the ledge, the little pile of rocks suddenly stands up on tiny legs and blinks open tiny eyes and looks down at him. And he can practically hear Aerith saying Ooh, look how cute it is! and he just knows she'd want one...he sighs, because he also knows it's his job to go up there and get it and bring it back for her. Could he just ignore it? Yep. Is he going to? Nope.

It's not too high up off the ground - not for his ability to jump up there, anyway - but he doesn't want to startle the creature away by just leaping straight up there and landing right beside it. So instead, he jumps up to grab the edge, planning to pull himself up quietly. But as soon as he grabs it, he can tell something's wrong. Sure enough, when he tries to shift his grip...he can't. His hands are stuck fast to the rock, and he can't even get any leverage to try to pull them off because the ledge is just high enough that he can only reach the ground with the tips of his toes.

Well, shit.

He sends Fenrir off to find help. The chocowolf races toward the first person he sees and skids to a halt right in front of them. Help! he says, and promptly grabs onto their pants or whatever else he can reach with his beak and tries to tug them along.

3. Wildcard

[feel free to just toss me a starter for whatever or plot with me on discord if you want! I'm down for using the iris agate to justify him running into anyone, even people he hasn't met yet. XD]

[A beautiful vision for a beautiful pool. The pair in the reflection look so happy that he just can't help but smile back; it's hard not to think of the little flask that washes up by his feet as a gift from them as well, or at least a gentle gesture of encouragement. Seteth's wyvirrel perks up on his shoulder, chittering in surprise to see the stranger who's come to join them stagger like that. Is he okay? He doesn't look okay.

It flutters off to land on Cloud's head as the man sits, tiny paws gripping spiky hair as it peers down at him in concern. Seteth follows a moment later, puzzled but willing to trust his DTF's judgment.]

What seems to be the trouble?

[Cloud startles at something suddenly landing on his head, and he very nearly knocks it flying; only its weirdly concerned look as it leans over his bangs to meet his eyes stops him. He frowns at it. Might have otherwise ignored it if someone hadn't come along immediately to follow up.

He doesn't look up, at first.]

...nothing. I'm fine.

[If Seteth peers into the water to see Cloud's 'reflection,' he will see a woman who does look an awful lot like him, but is clearly not him.

A little crystal flask surfaces from beneath the water and floats over to Cloud just then, sending ripples through the image. He reaches down and plucks it up out of the water, curious despite himself, and only then does he glance up at the stranger. He blinks and tilts his head thoughtfully.]

You Seteth?

[If nothing is the matter, why is he brooding and refusing to make eye contact? The wyvirrel dangles precariously from a spike of hair, one little paw bracing against Cloud's eyebrow so it can mlem his nose. Did he really think he was going to escape without getting harassed? Think again!

The reflection Seteth catches a glimpse of is odd, subtle enough that he finds himself questioning it. Was that a relative, or simply a female version of the man. If it had happened to Byleth, what was keeping it from happening to anyone else? That aside though, how does he--?]

Yes, that's right. I'm sorry, have we met?

[Listen, maybe sometimes a guy's just gotta brood!

The little thing in his hair is actively pulling, now, by virtue of gravity, and then it licks him. What is happening? He plucks the wyvirrel off his head in one hand and holds it up to glare at it.]

Stop.

[He gets to his feet and tosses the DTF to Seteth, still holding the little flask in his other hand. He shakes his head.]

Rose described you. Figured there can't be that many guys around with green hair. I'm Cloud.

[He gives Seteth's DTF a look, part curiosity and part warning.]

What is that thing? Never seen an animal like that before.

Lazard is aware that there's something going on with the pool. He tries not to look at it, turning away from the water and focusing on Cloud. When he sits he mirrors Cloud's posture but with his back to the water and his focus on the blond. He's quiet for a long while, content to let Cloud study the water, let him organize his thoughts. After a time he moves one hand, letting it settle on the younger man's thigh, just past where his arms cross over his knees.

"Cloud...?" Soft concern but nothing pressing. There's... a weight to all of this now that wasn't there before, he thinks. Living through the end of the world (again) lends a different sort of perspective to it all and Lazard has found himself more contemplative since it happened, less able to set things aside and focus only on the good. Cloud seems even more prone to melancholy and introspection, it's little wonder he is also caught up in whatever this is.

It takes Cloud a little while to notice Lazard's there, though he doesn't react once he does until Lazard speaks, touches him lightly. His eyes remain on the water even as he responds.

"...can you see her? Or am I just seeing things again?"

The woman in the water looks a lot like Cloud - or rather, he looks a lot like her. He doesn't think about who he's talking to when he says 'again.'

The "again" part is somewhat concerning, yes, but mako poisoning can have a number of effects on a person so he does not question it. Hallucinations would hardly be the sort of thing one wished to discuss anyway especially not when-

Lazard finally dares to look at the water, steeling himself for what he might see. The charming blonde is not what he expects, exactly. Not that he had any ideas what he did expect. Still he simply observes her quietly, nodding softly to himself.

"You have her nose." Most people would probably say the eyes but those have been affected by mako and Lazard is still well aware of the changes that can happen because of the experiments. Sephiroth only recently restored his vision, after all. He wouldn't want to draw attention to that. But they both have the sort of small cute nose that's really best for playful disapproval. It makes him wonder if Zack gets Cloud to wrinkle his nose in distaste sometimes, more than anyone else might be able to get that sort of reaction out of him.

Well. Genesis could but Cloud would pretend very hard to be genuinely put off by it.

Lazard has no way of knowing, but he's right on both counts - both Zack and Aerith are sometimes ridiculous enough to prompt him to make that kind of face, and he definitely would pretend to be more annoyed with Genesis than he actually was.

"Yeah." At least he has confirmation that Lazard sees her, too. It's not just in Cloud's head. Which means it's something to do with this lake, but why would it show him his mother? "She's my mom." Which is probably obvious, but whatever.

"...was."

"Is." Lazard corrects gently, hand settling once again on Cloud's arm, steady, reassuring. "Whatever may have happened. That doesn't change."

Past tense is an obvious enough answer to what happened. She's gone too, like so many of those they care for. The details don't change how morose Cloud looks just at seeing her again. It's not fair, that spark, the sassiness Lazard has caught glimpses of here and there... the more he learns about what Cloud has been through the more he wonders at the younger man's ability to persevere at all.

Cloud glances up at Lazard, but only for a moment before his eyes return to the water. He makes a quiet, affirmative noise, accepting the correction in the spirit in which it was meant.

"She...was killed. By--" He cuts himself off, squeezing his eyes shut as the looming figure of Sephiroth - no, Jenova - walks untouched through the fire that fills his mind, Masamune dripping with blood. "...nnh. In...in Nibelheim."

Seeing the way Cloud struggles with the words Lazard shifts closer, lifts an arm in offering. He won't hug the younger man if he doesn't want that comfort, if it's too much. But the offer is there, if Cloud would like to lean on him. Perhaps less comforting than Zack's broad chest but... an offer all the same.

It takes him a moment to connect the dots, however. Nibelheim is the source of so much pain and even if the staff had been perfectly pleasant to him he doesn't have any particularly fond memories of the place. But there's a deeper implication there, one that Lazard has only had scraps of scrubbed documents and a hint of Genesis' mad ramblings to really bring together a picture of what actually happened. He's not sure what is accurate but... all he needs to know is that both ShinRa and Genesis, at the height of his descent, were involved.

And that it turned into Lazard having to track both Cloud and Zack down in the rebuilt manor years later.

"I'm sorry, Cloud." What else is there to really say?

Cloud doesn't notice Lazard's offer, at first, eyes shut tight against the faint pounding in his head. Between the image of his mother in the water and the memory of her death surfacing in his mind, he struggles to ignore the intrusive sounds of crackling fire and pleading and screams.

But Lazard's voice cuts through them, chases them a bit further away, and he blinks his eyes open. He's a little surprised to see that outstretched arm, but only a little; after all, it was Lazard who helped him out in that dream they shared, too. Ordinarily, he probably wouldn't accept the gesture. Too vulnerable, too private, too close to actually breaking down. He can't do that. People need him. People have expectations of him. He won't go back to being that pathetic weakling who moped about everything.

But the vision in the water persists, and a little vial drifts up from the depths to wash up right in front of him, and as he picks it up he can hear clearly his mother's voice speaking to him. Being a silly goose again, are you? And here I thought that nice girl with the flowers would have taught you better by now. Go on and let someone else take care of you for a change, okay? Just this once.

"Just this once," he echoes in a low mumble, barely loud or coherent enough for Lazard to make out, as he looks at the vial in his palm. Finally, he relents and slumps over to lean against the other man, head bowed and resting on his shoulder. A bit more audibly, he says, "...thanks, Director."

"I know it isn't the same. It never will be, it can't be." Lazard shakes his head softly, arm curling around the other blond and encouraging him to just rest against him. "You wouldn't be the first SOLDIER to need a shoulder to lean on."

It is an offer without implying any failing on his part, nor acknowledging the deep hurt that comes with such loss. He has stood in for more than a few men who had no family, had lost their family, had no idea how to adapt to life in the vastness of Midgar. Has told his men of losses and lost them in turn. There's any number of intimate, vulnerable moments he has been privy to over the years. He's good at being a steady shoulder to lean on while still maintaining enough distance to cement his authority.

So he will remain there beside him, a steady sympathetic presence, for as long as Cloud needs.

It's not weird to find mysterious caves full of strange rocks and crystal formations fascinating, Genesis tells himself. It's not weird that this is the second time in his life he's been inexplicably drawn to such a place either. The Banora Underground had eventually becoming something of a home, though he's hoping the sudden appearance of these caverns here will not pull him in the same way. He's quite fond of living in civilization, thank you very much.

And while he's distracted with looking over the glittering stones, Fenrir manages nearly bowl right into him. Genesis makes a soft sound of surprise when he begs for help, and starts tugging on Genesis' sleeve. Immediately, the redhead is at the strange wolf's heels to follow. The fact Cloud's DTF has come to find him does trouble him a bit. He doubts Cloud would send the beast off for him specifically, which likely means he's in some kind of trouble, and Fenrir just grabbed the nearest person.

What kind of trouble is a whole matter Genesis isn't quite prepared for. He has Rapier in hand when he rounds the corner after Fenrir's feathery tail. But there's nothing for the blade to cut, and Genesis tilts his head noting the precarious position Cloud is in. Almost stretched out over the rocks, and oddly not moving despite it. Like he's stuck.

"Cloud?" Genesis steps closer, a brow arched. Interesting. "Care to explain just why you're DTF came racing to find me? Or why you're prostrating yourself so?"

Oh, great.

Cloud twists as much as he can to glare at Genesis. "He wasn't looking for you, just...anyone." Y'know, unless Fenrir was deliberately trying to find someone who would definitely tease and embarrass him about it. Which he would not put past his DTF at all.

"This rock is...an adhesive or something." When he was younger, he used to wish he were taller. It hasn't bothered him lately that he isn't, until right now - he has to stand on tiptoe to avoid just dangling, and the ledge juts out just far enough from the wall that he can't even swing forward to push off it with his feet even if he were willing to risk that being sticky, too. He's just too damn short. Ugh.

"You gonna help me or what?"

Genesis leans on Rapier's hilt, looking smug for a long moment. That glare is hardly intimidating to begin with, and even less when Cloud is in such a position.

"An adhesive? In a rock?" Genesis' tone drips with skepticism, but it'd hardly be the weirdest thing about this place. So he sighs, and picks Rapier up to approach Cloud. "Ah, I suppose it is always a SOLDIER's duty to help those in need."

Raising the blade, Genesis means to cut the rock away just above Cloud's hands in the hope the shattering impact will free him. Except when the blade meets stone, it stops so suddenly it sends a shock up the redhead's shoulder.

"What in the-" he tugs at the runeblade, and finds her stuck fast in the honey colored stone. There's no damn rock that should ever be stronger than a SOLDIER; this is ridiculous- but sure enough Rapier refuses to come free, and Genesis has to dismiss the blade back into her summoning materia to get it back. "Fine, I'll give you that: the rocks are peculiar."

Leaning forward, he sets a hand on Cloud's back. Not touching the stuff is imperative, but he needs to be able to see around him. Cloud is already stuck, so using him as a separator is surely fine, right? Don't mind the fact Genesis is overly warm, and intimately close. As close as he dares to try to observe if there's any hint of some trap or triggering mechanism that has caused the rocks to be like this. But he can't spot anything damning.

"What have you tried in attempts to get lose?" Genesis asks, warm breath against Cloud's shoulder.

"Told you," Cloud mutters, looking up to watch Genesis' blade fail utterly to cut into the rock effectively.

The hand on his back is warm, and Genesis' proximity makes him feel even warmer. That breath ghosting over his bare skin sends a little shiver down his spine, and when he turns his head to answer the question, he realizes just how close Genesis' face is to his own.

"Does it look like I could try much from here? Pulling and swinging hard is about it. Didn't want to risk getting more stuck."

That said...something subtle has changed, he thinks, since Genesis touched him. He's still just as trapped, but there's a slight...moisture, maybe, under his fingers that wasn't there before.

...oh for fuck's sake.

"Ugh. Pretty sure I know what'll work, actually." His face flushes slightly. "You're...making me warmer. Think it's melting a little."

"Yes, yes hush, brat." This close, he can't possibly miss the telling signs of the way he's effecting Cloud. Which, if he weren't currently in need of help, would delight Genesis to no end. That's not to say that he doesn't enjoy himself privately, but it does dampen what might be outright arousal from Genesis himself.

"Likely wise of you," Genesis notes as he takes in just how firmly stuck Cloud is. There's a quizzical sound in the back of this throat when Cloud trails off, but a second later, it all snaps into place. There's something to be said for the consistency of this world's problems. In that nearly anything can be solved by intimacy... because the body heat of two people is probably just the right amount of give needed.

However, there's a small hurdle to clear. There's absolutely nothing that could make Genesis cross a line of doing something like that to Cloud without his want. Trapped as he is, Genesis doubts he could stop him if he so desired, and that doesn't sit well with the redhead.

"I'm fairly certain I do as well, given how even the ecosystems of this place seem to operate." A brief pause as he summons Minerva from the earring on his right side. The tigress tilts her head as she materializes, curious what her master has called her for.

"I can have Minerva fetch Zack or Sephiroth if you so desire. But it will likely take a considerable amount of time for either to arrive, if they're even able to. Or I can help free you myself. That choice is entirely yours."

Cloud arches a brow. Did Genesis just call him brat? And tell him to hush? "Pot, kettle, much?"

He tilts his head to regard Genesis as best he can from here. It doesn't surprise him to hear it - Genesis is a lot of things, but a creep isn't one of them - but it surprises him a bit that Genesis seems to have assumed Cloud wouldn't want his help by default. Which is kinda funny considering what happened between them at the party, but understandable, if wrong. So for once, Cloud doesn't sass him over it.

"Appreciate the offer, but...you can do it. I don't mind."

Genesis waves off the obvious comparison. He is not a brat, thank you very much. That said, Genesis does regard Cloud with less airs about the whole thing in favor of a content almost-purr.

"Good to know," he drawls, the hand on Cloud's back sliding down to his hip. He leans over the blond, resting his chin on his shoulder to regard what exactly of Cloud he has access to. After all, Genesis hasn't brought his arsenal of straps today, given he hadn't considered the idea of the rocks trying to get people to fuck. That's certainly a new one.

"Mm, where to begin though?" It's mostly musing aloud, his hands already roaming from back to front, and slipping beneath Cloud's top. Running overly warm has its perks as he appreciates the lines of muscle along Cloud's torso: no icy touches here. Just the very slight scrape of his nails and heat of his palms.

Cloud would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous at the idea of doing this with anyone while he's more or less helpless, but he trusts Genesis a lot more than he'd trust a random stranger. Still, it's got his heart racing a little in more ways than just the good way as those warm palms roam unhurriedly over his body. It's not that he even minds Genesis taking his time about it - sure, it's annoying to be stuck for longer, but he wouldn't want to rush a nice time with Genesis. It's just...a kind of sourceless anxiety, for reasons he can't place.

He takes a slow breath and lets it out, in and out quietly through his nose. It's fine. This feels good, and it's just Genesis, and it's only temporary.

It probably doesn't take enhanced hearing to pick up on Cloud's accelerated heartbeat. He can feel it under his hands where he settles over the blond's chest where he's rucked up his top to feel warm skin beneath.

"Easy now, little storm. I wouldn't hurt you," Genesis drawls, breath warm against Cloud's ear. It's not necessarily that Genesis thinks that in particular is what Cloud's anxiety stems from. More so that he has a better idea on the source, a form of helplessness that unsettles even brazen things like Cloud. Because unsettles brazen things like Genesis himself. But forcing him to admit it out loud feels... cruel. Some part of him knows that if the situation was reversed, the show of weakness would sting. So he gives Cloud an easy out, while his hands roam and press and admire.

One hand ends up at Cloud's hip, teasing between his thighs over fabric. The other works at a nipple with clever fingers.

Right. Of course Genesis noticed - it would be impossible for him not to. It's frustrating, but even as Cloud is shuddering a little at the tingling Genesis' breath in his ear sends through him, he nods. "I know."

The more Genesis works him up, the harder it is for Cloud to keep still, but he doesn't have much of a choice. His body wants to grind against that hand between his legs, arch against Genesis' fingers at his chest, but he can't brace his feet against the floor to do either. So he's left to squirm ineffectually as it dawns on him that he's entirely at Genesis' mercy for his pleasure...and as anxious as he is, there's something intensely arousing about that, too. Something that only makes him want it more when he tries, with a breathless noise, to push his hips forward for more friction against Genesis' hand, and only accomplishes a helpless little wriggle.

It rouses the predator part of his brain that isn't quite human to have squirming, helpless prey under him. Cloud might feel where teeth graze against his pulse as Genesis smiles wickedly against warm skin. He breathes a low, throaty laugh there, just barely holding back from biting down deep. The urge is hard to fight, but he manages to keep his fangs gentle down into the crook of his neck and shoulder. Not enough to leave the mangled bruises he usually likes to imprint, but enough to contradict the soft tease of his hands that roam Cloud's body.

"Mm, that's cute," he purrs, grabbing Cloud's hip as he struggles for friction. "Is that what you want, little storm? Here?" And just to tease, he slides his other hand lower, grazing beneath the fabric of his pants. "Tell me what you desire."

TDM #6

Cloud Strife | FFVII Remake | OTA

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