Cloud is a werewolf AU. Strifesodos week "Rot". @strifesodosweek
Warning, if you do the math, you'll notice there's an underage relationship, but that's not what story is about at all, thank you.
TW: cannibalism, death of secondary character, child neglect mentioned
Werewolfs are old almost extinct race with a curse on them left by Gaea for their traitorous nature. Strifes are the last family alive. To be precise, Cloud is the only one left. Cloudia died few years prior as a lone wolf without her mate. Even after she burnt her fur coat to stay with Cloud and grow him up, she couldn't live for too long. Cloud is traumatized by his mother's death and own wild nature, he is gloomy and sarcastic.
This has consequences for every SOLDIER with J-, S- or G-cells. All Genesis' clones die. Many of SOLDIER first and second class die too, most are in coma. The whole company is in chaos.
Date: early Autumn. Cloud as his initiation into adulthood kills Jenova completely (details later).
Genesis himself flew to help Jenova from the Eastern continent at her first call but was too late. He fell before an abnormally large black wolf and fainted from psychotic pain caused by Jenova dying.
Genesis condition was terrible. He wasn't tending his wounds properly after Angeal's death. Cure was barely working on him and most of his regenerative abilities depended purely on J-cells which all were mutated, similarly to cancer. With Jenova's death all Genesis unhealed or mutilated wounds opened anew.
Genesis wakes up in a cosy house in a small room with old but well kept wooden furniture. It's warm and smells with dry fur, which is a lot around him.
Through a headache, foggy feeling and hurting in the whole body, Genesis finally realises what have woken him up. The commotion outside, well heard even through a closed window. People fighting and screaming but two persons in the centre of attention: a blond man with a heavy looking black wolf fur on his back and much older one who looks like a victim and a villain in the same time.
The crowd is forced apart and people leave, what seems to be, the main square. The blond man with the coat comes closer to the house, accompanied by a beautiful woman of the same age.
Genesis finally meets Cloud properly. He's overwhelmed with how heavenly Cloud looks, and the man's aloof attitude doesn't worsen the situation but gives some exceptional charm. Genesis himself doesn't notice how he calls the man an angel. Cloud, though, looks like he's used to it - Genesis couldn't memorize his name during past weeks and was calling him this way.
The name "Cloud" is so unearthly that Genesis see it as a sign from Goddess.
Cloud tends Genesis' wounds and says the SOLDIER is lucky he wasn't killed by the black wolf. Or that Cloud found him earlier than any other predator.
Cloud have taken Genesis in and with help of local medics and nurses, he was able to heal the SOLDIER at least a bit. Cloud isn't going to release Genesis anywhere, until Genesis won't be able to leave the place through Cloud (physically fighting him).
Cloud explains the commotion that was outside: one of a local drunkheads, a widower, the last night almost lost a daughter to the local wildlife because he was too drunk to properly close his house. Cloud is full of killing intent talking.
Nibelheim is dangerous by itself with aggressive and powerful creatures roaming in mountains and in the mansion. O-whisps, hypnotic lights, make locking up in a house for a night a mandatory, especially for families with children.
The worst thing around Nibelheim however is the black wolf. The creatures have been seen only at night. There's always one in each generation. They are big, strong, drink mako like it's water, can use magic (presumably because of mako), and they eat people. There was no a generation in Nibelheim that not suffered from the bad wolf. At least, they rarely eat children for some reason.
Genesis has to stay for a few more days. Genesis learns more about Cloud, his family. Cloud is a hunter but he also watches the town's children in his free time which is a lot (the hunting isn't main priority for the town and Cloud earns enough money for a small/average family while living alone in his family property).
Both man find each other enchanting, but despite absolutely shameless flirting atmosphere between them, both proceed with care. Genesis doesn't stop calling Cloud an angel. The SOLDIER can't help but feel happy and needed when Cloud respond to his poetry reciting as if Genesis talked normally, even if there's so much salt and poison in the sarcastic responses that it makes Genesis wonder.
To the deep amusement of the Cloud's only friend, Genesis trains Cloud to use active-effect materia who is really bad at it. Cloud's problem, to Genesis' surprise, is that he tries to fully skip materia while drawing at the livestream. Cloud himself refused the training, knowing how bad he is. Genesis persuaded Cloud, though, promising to gift one of his summoning materia if he won't hate the time spent.
However Genesis wouldn't be himself if he would have not messed up here too, being a product of ShinRa, albeit not of the sorts they needed him to be.
The life with Cloud would be a good end for still gradually physically degrading Genesis. Cloud wouldn't hold him in the house or near, as soon as he is healed enough. They proved already that they are fine in mundane life together. And obviously for anyone staying around, Cloud and Genesis are romantically attracted to each other.
But it wasn't enough for Genesis. The SOLDIER, the Bloody General of Wutai craved revenge. And he hated himself for this.
With time Genesis was becoming more and more agitated, especially with rumours about few ShinRa SOLDIER first class sent to investigate the reactor.
So Genesis left. Slipped into the night during one of Cloud's hunting hours and decided to not to return until he'll make a hell for ShinRa.
Genesis is flying above Nibel mountains when he hears human screams and gun shuts. Genesis comes down. And he sees it.
The black wolf. A big, coal black creature, could easily bite off Genesis' head by the neck. Enraged. Blue mako eyes were glowing in the night. How much mockery of the "SOLDIER visit card".
The beast's nuzzle in blood and flesh. Seconds ago it had half of its head deep into some Nibelheimer's guts. Its paw, as soaked in blood, is on the place where the victim's hip bone should be. Judging by mess around the paw, the beast just squashed human there with its weight, maybe not even intentionally. The beast snarls.
The man's friend was now behind Genesis' back, and Genesis stops the other from firing again. The situation changed for the townfolk to act as mindless before. The morning is close and the beast might run away but to give the civilian a chance to escape, Genesis would have to engage it into the battle. Well, it's something Genesis is famous for.
The beast snarls warningly the moment Genesis gets out the rapier. The snarl intensifies when materia in the weapon start resonate. They launch into each other. Fire and blizzard power fill the air immediately.
In pure kill or die situation, Genesis would have died. Luckily for him, he just needs to hold off the beast long enough and this means he has enough power to spare on defence. They lock again and again. Air full of magic: smell of melt water, ozone and fresh dirt.
Finally Genesis sees an opening and slashes harshly at the beast's front. The creature howls agonizingly. It looks even more enraged now and somehow betrayed.
The beast runs away.
Genesis sinks down to the ground. The healed wounds hurt from the inside. The bitch on his shoulder burns especially viciously.
Genesis looks down. The beast's dead victim is the drunkhead from the scandal at the first coherent day in Nibelheim. Genesis wonders if Cloud will take his daughter in now, when both of her parents are dead.
Cloud. Should Genesis see him? Panting the SOLDIER gets up. He should've said his goodbyes properly, not fleeting like with Angeal.
The thought of Angeal makes Genesis get up, panting from the pain, and go back to the familiar house. The light from morning sun isn't warm but pleasant.
Genesis lands in the backyard. He opens the door and goes inside. There's so much blood. A lot of it. Too much. It was as if Cloud returned with a deep injury. Genesis doesn't like his conclusions.
A click of Cloud's gun. A grunt to get the fuck out and never return. A sound of a slight uncharacteristic for Cloud trembling in the hand, as if fighting with himself.
Genesis finally rises his eyes at Cloud. Yes. Deep shoulder-chest cut of his rapier is there and still bleeding even through rapid healing - Genesis isn't "Bloody" for his hair colour. Genesis laughs hystericaly and leaves. Of course, he fucking would. Injuring his dear people engraved into his soul like a rot that started from a seed.
Genesis gets on Cloud's roof to finally say his goodbyes. In autumn air of Nibelheim some red orb slips to the flue of Strife's house. Genesis sets off into the brightening sky.
P.S.: Okay, knowing it's a much shortened version of what I planned for a first of seven chapters, I really was too harsh on myself expecting me to write it all in a month, planning included.
P.p.s.: Yay! I'm finally not late for the event, even if it less than what I was hoping for