Chapter Text
Looking for the actual story? Skip to the next chapter. Or keep reading and roll your eyes.
THIS IS...
A Rufus Shinra x Cloud open-ended story in which Mr. President takes possession of the blond twink in many ways. Cloud is captured while impersonating a Shinra infantryman in Junon and trouble ensues—the good or the bad kind, depending on your perspective. The story will alternate between...
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The present, in which Cloud becomes Rufus’ pet
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The recent past, which covers Cloud’s mercenary work for Avalanche, including bumps along the road such as Don Corneo’s incident; here I follow FFVII Remake’s plot, except when it matters for smut
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The distant past, in which Cloud joins the Shinra ranks and is sent on missions, taking cues from Before Crisis, Crisis Core, and the original FFVII plot (of course, Cloud’s past is... colorful, if you know what I mean)
THE THEMES
When I first played FFVII Remake, one of my first impressions caught me by surprise: Cloud is both strikingly handsome and, pardon my French, one hell of a sexy mofo. As I made progress in the game, the fact that all characters—male and female—hinted at it in one way or another confirmed my perception. The thirst is real: he is hot, I thought so, and so did everyone else. So it’s canon. (I must say, however, that Biggs might bag the trophy for Most Handsome Man in FFVII Remake, even if he’s less of a bishōnen and more of a biseinen. What do y’all think?).
Unsurprisingly, some crucial moments for Cloud’s reputation as a heartthrob are his encounters with other Shinra men: Reno, Roche, Seph, and even Rufus. For anyone with a keen eye for homoerotic innuendo, the dialogs between these guys are somewhere between hilarious and “naaah, gimme a break.” If you browse the A03, you will see that I’m not the only author whose BL fire has been rekindled by the remake: while Sephiroth x Cloud still reigns supreme (“a touching reunion”), the blond hero now sleeps with damn near everyone, usually as the bottom. Cause you know, he’s a pretty boy. (PS. Big kudos to “Tread Softly” by TheGoldenAppleofAsgard. While that story diverges sharply from mine in terms of tone and characterization, it has been a great source of inspiration. Go read it, y’all).
The title can be read in several ways. I tend to go for long, inscrutable titles—so I changed it up. First, “swap” relates to the fact that Cloud’s male antagonists seem interchangeable, all of them spouting homoerotic tropes during battle. Second, there is a very noticeable swap in Cloud’s past—I’ll leave it at that to avoid spoilers. Third, Cloud changes twice into different attires: a dazzling girl for Don Corneo, a Shinra grunt for Rufus. In a wider sense, Shinra’s politics are predicated by the trading imperative. Everything can be bought and sold: people, mako, materia, the Planet itself. Am I saying that FFVII is a critique of late capitalism? Well—that’s up to you.
But there is yet another swap that will take place in this story; something that might or might not happen between Rufus and Cloud... And someone else. “FORESHADO-WIIING!,” as HCBailly would say.
Where was I? Oh, sure—Cloud and thirsty men. The fight with Rufus gave me (and others, I assume) the idea: what if the president legally owned the ex-SOLDIER, beyond the taunt? Even better: if we consider Cloud’s storied past, as well as the large volume of fanfics that put a collar on this cutie (“poor Cloud” is a tag, folks), we can have even more fun. My Cloud likes guys and often finds himself sleeping with them, sometimes because he wants to, other times because they take advantage of him, and even because they gag him and ask later.
Which merits a disclaimer. This story speaks about a Master/slave~pet relationship in which Cloud becomes the president’s sex toy. Thus, their relation is not always sane—Cloud is under duress—, not always safe—Rufus’ only concern is to keep his property in optimal condition for its use—, and most definitely not consensual, regardless of whether Cloud can derive enjoyment from sex with Rufus. The blond has no agency in his relation with his Master. Cloud’s past will introduce similar situations, where consent will be the exception more than the rule. If that trope is a dealbreaker for you, then please don’t read this story. But if you fancy this sort of fantasy, stick with it. Sometimes, that’s what smut does: it fleshes out ideas that must stay in the realm of fantasy. If you think I’m advocating for Rufus and Cloud’s relationship to be a model for anything in the real world, I think you might be taking fiction too seriously.
Last but not least, in the event that this story gives you ideas for actual sexual activities, beware: I do not write BDSM-related content as a guide or inspiration to follow. Get information, get consent, speak with your partner(s) before anything happens. You know how it goes. I do too, as I am a practicioner.
Finally, a mantra: write the story you want to read. (Praised be Toni Morrison!) If you liked it, tell others, get some inspiration, and get writing (and please, do credit).
THE PROCESS
There are many stories that present Rufus and Cloud’s relationship in terms not too dissimilar from mine. I have read a few of them, but I hope that I can offer something distinct, if not unique. (Uniqueness is a high bar for FFVII fanfics, I’m afraid—it’s all been written already). The impression that the Cloud/Rufus remake boss fight left on me is responsible for the mess you are about to read, though. I didn’t really pay much attention to Rufus x Cloud when I played the original game, nor read any fanfics with this pairing until I was done with FFVII Remake. I guess Unreal Engine 4 planted the seed.
As mentioned before, the main story, written in the present tense, will be interspersed with glimpses from the past, mostly related to Cloud’s chaotic sexual history—none of it canon, of course, unless you stretch the Corneo episode and read between the lines. (No one ever does that. Right?) There’s a lot in store for our hero: some of it fairly romantic, but most of it abusive, humiliating, degrading, and downright savage. Poor Cloud.
I am still unsure as to which pairings will take the spotlight next to Rufus x Cloud (you can bet your fudanshi/fujoshi heart that they will not be exclusive). Interestingly enough, Sefikura—a tried-and-true classic—might or might not be there. I am willing to take suggestions: whether I can actually fit them in the frame I have is hard to answer. I am a plot junkie, even when the emphasis on plot complicates actual smut and sends the writer headfirst into a blockade. Weeeeee!
When writing, I take into account both the original game, which remains my favorite game of all time, as well as the Remake and Rebirth duo. Cloud and Rufus’ new 3D models are the ones I take as canon for this fanfic. Nothing else would do. If only we could see more skin... Why so much clothing, Square? (PS. As of 2024, we do see more. Yay!)
I have also incorporated Crisis Core to the background of the story. Zack’s polygonal washboard abs deserve a shout-out. I watched a full let’s-play of Before Crisis, the Last Order OVA, and the ending of FFVIIR Intergrade. As of March 2024, I am also playing Rebirth. However, my approach to the FFVII compilation lore is loose: sometimes I take the time to document things and insert obscure references, sometimes I say “nope, no way,” sometimes I bullshit. If there is something I missed—especially things that could make the story more interesting—, drop a line in the comments. I am a sucker for feedback.
I also overexplain things. (Shut up already, Sebastian). Let the show begin!