Chapter Text 正文
They seemed to have landed some time ago, the ground suddenly coming up to meet them and punching the breath out of his lungs when their bodies hit it—hard. He must have blacked out for a moment, and when his senses returned, the world was still shaking like the whole underground facility was collapsing on them.
他们似乎已经坠落了一段时间，地面猛然迎面扑来，当身体重重砸向地面时撞得他几乎无法呼吸。他必定短暂失去了意识，当知觉回归时整个世界仍在剧烈摇晃，仿佛整个地下设施即将在他们头顶坍塌。
He ducked forward, instinctively seeking shelter in the body curved protectively around him, flinching at every too-loud crash near their heads that made his ears ring, rocks falling that threatened to crush them and bury them alive while they were helpless to do anything but wait it out.
他本能地蜷缩向前，在那具保护性环抱着他的躯体里寻求庇护。每次近在咫尺的剧烈撞击都让耳膜嗡嗡作响，坠落的石块随时可能将他们活埋，而他们只能瑟缩着等待这场灾难平息。
That large, solid body responded to his distress, rolling over to cover him more fully. A warm, gloved hand took his cheek, lips soft against his temple as a voice shushed him. Fingers wrapped gently around the back of his head to press his face into the crook of a neck. Cloud felt like a child as he clung to the body above him that kept him safe in the ensconcing darkness it cast.
那具高大结实的身躯对他的不安作出了回应，翻转身子将他完全笼罩在身下。戴着皮手套的温暖手掌捧住他的脸颊，双唇轻柔地贴着他的太阳穴，喉间发出安抚的低语。手指温柔地扣住他的后脑，将他的脸按进颈窝。克劳德像个孩子般紧贴着上方保护自己的躯体，在对方投下的黑暗庇护中汲取安全感。
When the world seemed to stop shaking, and it appeared like no more dust or debris would rain down on them, he finally dared to open his eyes, slowly, gradually.
当世界似乎停止震动，尘埃与碎片不再如雨般朝他们坠落时，他终于敢慢慢睁开双眼，缓缓地、一点一点地。
He found himself cradled in the warm alcove of a body, strands of hair framing the edges of his vision like a shield of silver. 重试 错误原因
Sephiroth had cushioned their fall, and although it had still rattled all of Cloud’s bones the man seemed to have taken most of the impact. 重试 错误原因
But what did someone like him have to fear from falling when he could fly? 重试 错误原因
Cloud’s nose was still buried in that long, pale neck, and somehow his fingers had come to curl tightly in the other man’s coat without his conscious knowledge, pulling him closer. A gasp escaped his throat and he rolled out from underneath the body above him. Sephiroth let him. He didn’t try to trap him as he had earlier and as Cloud knew he was capable of doing if he so wished. 重试 错误原因
But he didn’t seem to want to, and Cloud rolled to his feet in a crouch a few paces away, eyeing the man across a distance with the cautiousness of an animal. 重试 错误原因
Sephiroth merely smiled and got up from the floor. They were both covered in a thin layer of dust, and the other man shook it off easily, the dirt sliding off his smooth, gleaming hair, the dark leather covering his body, until he was perfectly clean again.
萨菲罗斯只是微笑着从地板上站起身。两人周身都蒙上一层薄灰，对方却轻易将尘埃抖落——那些灰尘从他光滑如绸缎的闪亮发丝间滑下，从包裹身躯的漆黑皮革表面簌簌剥落，直至整个人重新纤尘不染。
While Sephiroth’s elegant hands were still patting over his shoulders and arms, Cloud took the opportunity to take in their surroundings. Almost every free inch of the room was filled with debris. His heart sank when he saw they were alone.
当萨菲罗斯仍用那双优雅的手轻拍肩臂时，克劳德借机环顾四周。目之所及几乎堆满断壁残垣。发觉此处只剩他们二人后，他的心沉了下去。
“Where are Tifa and Barret?” he asked, still staring at the destruction in front of him.
「蒂法和巴雷特呢？」他盯着眼前满目疮痍问道。
“Who knows?” Sephiroth answered carelessly, and Cloud whipped around on him with blazing eyes.
「谁知道呢？」萨菲罗斯漫不经心地应道。克劳德猛然转身瞪向他，双目喷火。
“Why didn’t you try to save them, too?”
「你为什么不试着救他们？」
Cloud knew that Sephiroth had the ability to do so and more. It would have been easy for him, and yet he hadn’t. Cloud thought again of a god who gave and took, without rhyme nor reason. 重试 错误原因
Sephiroth pushed his hair back behind his shoulder, a deliberate motion as the razor-slits of his pupils cut into Cloud with lethal precision. “Well, why didn’t you?” 重试 错误原因
The words struck their target as intended, making Cloud jerk as though he’d been electrocuted. “I…” 重试 错误原因
What could he say? He hadn’t known it was going to happen, not like Sephiroth seemed to? He’d already had trouble saving himself and couldn’t really think of saving anyone else? 重试 错误原因
Having his own weakness and shortcomings laid out so bare… was nothing short of humiliating. As his trembling fingers curled into a fist, Sephiroth watched him lazily. 重试 错误原因
“Hmm, thought so,” he said, mocking him.
“嗯，果然如此。”他嘲弄道。
Then he started to walk around the room at a sedate, comfortable pace. It immediately put Cloud on edge and he automatically turned with the man to keep him within his sight. “But to come back to your question… Even if I could have saved them, why should I?”
接着他以从容不迫的舒适步调在房间里踱起步来。这立刻让克劳德神经紧绷，身体不由自主随着男人的移动转向，将对方始终锁定在视线范围内。“但回到你的问题......即便我能救他们，又为什么非救不可呢？”
That shook Cloud out of his dark, spiraling thoughts. “You are seriously asking me why? Don’t you care about anyone or anything at all?”
这句话将克劳德从黑暗的漩涡思绪中震了出来。“你居然真的在问为什么？难道你对任何人任何事都毫无牵挂吗？”
Sephiroth seemed unfazed. “I only really need one worshiper. The whole world and everything in it could perish and it wouldn’t matter to me so long as you and I would be left. I suppose that means I do care.” His head tilted, eyes glowing bright green through his lashes. “About you.”
萨菲罗斯神色如常。「我真正需要的信徒仅有一人。纵使整个世界连同其中万物尽数消亡，只要最后剩下的是你与我——」他偏了偏头，睫毛间流转着荧荧碧光，「便意味着我确实有所牵念。只在乎你。」
“Because I‘m your prophet, huh?” Cloud asked testily, eyes narrowing. “Is that it?“
“就因为我是什么狗屁先知？”克劳德暴躁地眯起眼睛反问道，“是这个意思？”
“You are my Chosen One,” Sephiroth affirmed, voice warm and full of dark affection. 重试 错误原因
Cloud swallowed tightly. “I think I’ll pass.” 重试 错误原因
Sephiroth looked at him knowingly as he purred, low and seductive, “But don’t you want to be special to me? Doesn’t it thrill you that I’m picking you out of everyone else and elevating you to a higher status?” 重试 错误原因
Cloud felt dizzy and light-headed the way he had in the hotel room back in Wall Market. “Not if it comes at the price of everyone else dying around me,” he managed to grit out through his teeth. “Not if it means you’d let the world burn just to save me.” 重试 错误原因
“What would you have me do then? I already assisted you and your companions in getting from Sector Six to Sector Seven. I fought alongside you and defended the pillar supporting the plate, preventing it from dropping and crushing everything you cherish underneath it.” 重试 错误原因
Cloud ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “I don’t know,” he growled.
克劳德烦躁地抓了抓自己的金发。「我不知道。」他低吼道。
I just wish you were human.
我只希望你是人类。
Sephiroth stared at him for a long, hard moment before shrugging, thankfully losing some of that dark gravitas and gravity around him that made Cloud want to fall and sink into him like an inspiraling star.
萨菲罗斯用坚硬如铁的目光凝视他许久，最后耸了耸肩。那股笼罩在他周身的沉重引力终于消散了些许——方才那种令人想要如坍缩恒星般坠落融化的黑暗庄严感，让克劳德几乎喘不过气。
“I’m not certain why this seems to bother you so much. Besides, I’m sure your friends are fine wherever they are. It takes more than that to kill cockroaches.”
「我不明白这为何令你如此困扰。再说，你那些朋友此刻定然平安无事。蟑螂可没那么容易被碾死。」
“You will not talk about them like that,” Cloud snarled. Sephiroth only smiled widely at him.
「不许你这样形容他们！」克劳德厉声喝道。萨菲罗斯只是冲他咧开嘴笑了。
“Or what? Will you hurt me? I know you wanted to, earlier.” Cloud flinched, as though he’d been slapped. “You could have, but you didn’t. Why?” Sephiroth sounded almost genuinely puzzled by this, as though he couldn’t fathom anyone not acting on their violent impulses. 重试 错误原因
Cloud snorted. The other man probably couldn’t. “Not everyone is like you.” 重试 错误原因
Sephiroth looked at him then with piercing, knowing eyes. “You want me to listen to you, obey you. But you want me to do so willingly,” he correctly recognized. Cloud’s mouth went dry, his heart in his throat as that predatory gaze pinned him to the spot. 重试 错误原因
“You dare,” Sephiroth said darkly, so low and deep it was almost a rumbling growl in his chest, making Cloud swallow tightly and take a fearful step back. 重试 错误原因
“You demand much from your god,” his voice like thunder continued. It made Cloud almost want to drop down to his knees and beg for forgiveness, legs shaking. Sephiroth’s eyes narrowed, then he smiled in pleasure, as though greatly satisfied and appeased by this display of fear, which he merely took as his due tribute. “Luckily for you, I am a benevolent god.” 重试 错误原因
Cloud had barely begun to piece together his shattered composure, mind still caught in a maelstrom of terror, when the other man, no, the god before him stepped into his space, his beautiful and divine form towering over him. 重试 错误原因
“What else would you have me do?” he purred, taking Cloud’s right hand to lay it against his own cheek. Cloud’s fingers twitched in shock against the soft warmth of skin.
“还是说——”银发暴君继续用甜蜜的毒液侵蚀他的理智，牵引着克劳德的手划过自己因后仰而绷紧的修长脖颈，滑过锁骨优雅的弧度，最终将整只手掌按在赤裸的、肌肉虬结的胸膛之上——恰好在皮质背带交叉的位置，“你想随时随地，占有我？”
“Is this what you want from me?” Sephiroth went on. “To touch me whenever you like?”
There he turned his face slightly to press a kiss to Cloud’s gloved palm. A sharp zing traveled down Cloud’s arm at the contact, all the nerves coming alive in the spots where Sephiroth was touching him.
And despite still feeling numb and shaken, Cloud brushed his thumb over those sensual, moist and dark lips, almost unable to help it. Sephiroth’s feline eyes narrowed in further pleasure.
“To have me whenever you like?” he continued mercilessly, dragging Cloud’s hand down the side of his long, bare throat that was arched obscenely as he leaned into the touch, down the beautiful, elegant curve of his collarbone until Cloud’s fingers were splayed fully over that broad and muscled chest, right above the intersection of the suspenders.
For a moment, Cloud just marveled at the contrast of his black gloved hand against that pale skin.
克劳德恍惚了一瞬，只是惊叹于自己戴着黑色手套的手与对方苍白皮肤形成的鲜明对比。
He also marveled at the sheer intimacy of it as he felt the beating heart against his palm, proving that the other man did have one, even if it was only in the purely physical sense.
他也为这种亲密无间的接触而震颤——掌心紧贴着搏动的心脏，证明对方确实拥有这样器官，哪怕只是纯粹生理意义上的存在。
And… it was all for him.
而这一切……都是为他准备的。
Sephiroth was offering this, and Cloud could have it if he had the guts to reach out and take it.
萨菲罗斯正在献上这份礼物，只要他有胆量伸手去拿，就能将之据为己有。
Almost without his conscious thought, he had started swaying closer, inexorably drawn to Sephiroth like a star caught in the pull of a singularity, hand stroking over that pale chest and slipping under the black leather edge of the coat, when the ground rumbled again. It was weaker than before, but it was enough to snap him out of his trance. Dust fell down from the ceiling and Cloud jerked away as though burned, ripping his hand away with the motion.
几乎是无意识的，他已然开始向对方倾斜，如同被奇点捕获的星辰般不可抗拒地坠向萨菲罗斯。手掌抚过苍白的胸膛，悄然滑入皮质风衣的黑色边缘时，地面再次震动。这次震颤比先前微弱，却足以将他从恍惚中惊醒。天花板簌簌落下尘土，克劳德像是被烫伤般猛地抽身后退，借着惯性将手狠狠抽了回来。
He didn’t meet the other man’s eyes as he ducked his head and pressed out, voice rough, “We—we should look for the others.”
他低着头避开另一个男人的视线，沙哑着嗓子挤出几个字："我们——我们应该去找其他人。"
“Hmm,” Sephiroth said, examining him closely before seeming to let it go. He straightened his collar and smoothed his hands down the front of his coat, then they left to do as Cloud suggested.
他们一路劈砍着前行，斩开堵路的岩层与零星出现的旋转大型工业风扇。显然怪物已接管了神罗遗弃的地下设施，此地早已沦为它们交配与繁殖的温床。
They slashed their way through the rocks blocking their path and the occasional large, spinning industrial fans. It was clear that monsters had taken over the underground facility Shinra had left behind, which had deteriorated into their mating and breeding ground.
Moth-like Bugaboos seemed to have become comfortable enough to build their nests here. They looked like tumors growing out of the walls, sticking to the clean, man-made structures left behind, mushroom-like shapes faintly glowing sickly green and purple as they surrounded eggs that looked like vesicles filled with pus. Cloud and Sephiroth had to destroy more than one such nest on their way. There were also Wererats and Varghidpolis, strange, bloodless creatures that lived in the dark, but nothing that was too difficult to deal with. Plenty of Bloodhounds seemed to also populate this abandoned place, and Cloud had to be careful of the whip-fast strikes of the tentacle-like limb sprouting out of their backs. But these creatures at least seemed to be a cut above the other monsters in terms of intelligence. After the first one was run through with Sephiroth’s sword, left to whimper as it bled out pitifully on the floor, the rest had cowered with ears flattened against their skulls as they growled and backed off, and they had stayed away ever since.
飞蛾状的巴哈姆特似乎已经适应了这里的环境，开始筑巢繁衍。它们的巢穴如同肿瘤般从墙壁上生长出来，黏附在遗留的人造建筑表面，蘑菇状的构造泛着病态的幽绿与暗紫光芒，包裹着状似充满脓液的囊泡虫卵。克劳德与萨菲罗斯沿途不得不摧毁了数个这样的巢穴。暗处还潜伏着狼人鼠与瓦尔吉德波利斯这类苍白无血的诡异生物，但都不算难缠。废弃建筑群中更有大量血猎犬游荡，必须提防它们背部触手般肢体鞭子般迅捷的攻击——不过这些生物至少比其他魔物多了些灵性。当第一只血猎犬被萨菲罗斯的长刀贯穿，在地面哀嚎着流血而亡后，剩下的怪物们立刻夹紧耳朵贴着头骨，在低吼中缓缓后退，自此再未靠近二人。
Sephiroth’s uncanny knowledge about these monsters came in useful again, and he overall proved himself to be a rather good fighting companion, guarding Cloud’s back and securing his blind spots, paying attention to when Cloud’s reserves ran low and he may need a healing spell to give him back some strength. After all, it had been a long night already, even for a SOLDIER. It seemed like Sephiroth had to be the best at everything, even in this.
萨菲罗斯对这些怪物了如指掌的能力再次派上用场，他整体而言是个相当优秀的战斗伙伴，守护着克劳德的背后，确保他的盲点安全，时刻留意克劳德体力透支的迹象，适时施展治疗魔法为其恢复气力。毕竟对于特种兵而言，这已然是个漫长的夜晚。看来萨菲罗斯无论何事都要做到极致，就连同伴支援也不例外。
During the fights, Cloud noticed Sephiroth’s eyes on the blade of his sword more than once, just as Cloud had caught them often being, over the last few hours. It was clear the other man had some kind of strange interest in the Buster Sword, though Cloud couldn’t say why.
战斗间隙，克劳德不止一次发现萨菲罗斯的目光落在他手中的剑刃上——过去几小时里这般场景已反复上演。显然，这个男人对破坏剑怀有某种古怪的执念，但克劳德无从揣度缘由。
Then the ground was shaking again, but not from the destabilization of the slums. There were the sounds of a fight not too far ahead of them. Cloud ran across the discrete plates that made up the floor and were lined with black and yellow stripes on the edges, Sephiroth following closely behind him.
地面再度震颤，但这次动荡并非源自贫民窟地基。前方不远处传来激烈打斗声。克劳德踏着布满黑黄警戒条纹的拼接钢板地面疾奔而去，萨菲罗斯紧随其后。
The walkway soon opened up to a large space. Cloud had already heard his friends’ voices from afar, but the relief didn’t really settle in until he saw they were alright and seemed to be handling themselves well.
走廊尽头豁然开阔。克劳德早就在远处听见了同伴们的声音，但直到亲眼确认他们安然无恙且应对自如后，悬着的心才真正落了下来。
But the foe they had cornered against the wall wasn’t quite defeated yet. Sephiroth’s knowledge would be of no use here; it was a huge monster that Cloud had never seen before, humanoid and with glowing symmetric lines on its skin, creating patterns like burning lava rising from the cracks of the black stone above it. This exoskeleton was shaped like sinew and muscle and bone, and there were several arachnoid tentacles protruding from its back.
但被他们逼至墙角的敌人尚未完全溃败。萨菲罗斯的知识在此毫无用武之地——那是克劳德从未见过的巨型怪物，人形躯壳上覆盖着发光的对称纹路，如同从上方黑色岩层裂隙中涌出的熔岩燃烧般的纹路。形似肌腱、肌肉与骨骼的外骨骼装甲包裹着它，背部还延伸出数根蛛形触手。
Cloud was almost certain that it used to be human, and felt grimness fill him. Before the Shinra-created horror could retaliate and strike out in one last desperate bid for survival, he jumped down, body twisting in mid-air as he raised his Buster Sword high, swinging it as he came down, the blade catching the experiment across the lower abdomen. It stumbled back into the wall, arms coming up to steady itself, mannerisms unnervingly, grotesquely human, as Cloud calmly straightened from his crouch and cleared the scene. To Barret he said, “You’re up.”
克劳德几乎能肯定它曾经是个人类，一股阴郁感涌上他的心头。在神罗制造的恐怖实验体做出垂死挣扎前，他纵身跃下，半空中拧腰发力，高举破坏剑向下劈砍，剑刃横贯怪物下腹。实验体踉跄着撞向墙壁，抬手试图稳住身形的动作诡异地残留着人类特征，令人毛骨悚然。克劳德冷静地从蹲姿起身撤离战场，对巴雷特甩了句"该你了"。
Barret grumbled about him coming late and then having the gall to give him orders, but he did as told, finishing the abomination in front of them with one powerful shot, a white-red ball of energy forming at the mouth of his barrel before hitting the experiment squarely in the chest. The inner glow of that lava went out at once, that giant, empty husk slumping down the wall and staying there, crumpled against the ground as green wisps escaped from the cracks. At least now the former human could return to the lifestream.
巴雷特骂骂咧咧地抱怨这小子迟到还敢使唤人，手上却利落地执行了指令。随着炮口凝聚出红白能量球，一记精准射击贯穿实验体胸膛。熔岩般的内核光芒骤然熄灭，巨大的空壳顺着墙壁滑落在地，蜷缩成团的残躯裂缝间逸出绿色幽光。至少这位前人类终于能回归生命之流了。
By then, Sephiroth had decided to join them, jumping gracefully down the walkway after having watched Cloud’s descent and attack on the humanoid creature with rapt attention.
此时萨菲罗斯已决定加入他们，他优雅地从步道跃下——先前克劳德俯冲斩杀类人生物的全程，他都在上方全神贯注地凝视着。
Even now, he was looking at Cloud with warm pride on his face. Cloud had to try hard not to shiver. Once, he had wanted nothing more than to have the great general‘s attention and be praised by him. To have his respect and approval. To have it now, after all that had transpired between them, was strange, but also not… entirely unwelcome.
即便此刻，他望向克劳德的眼神仍带着温热的赞许。克劳德竭力克制着不让自己战栗。曾几何时，他最大的渴望便是获得这位传奇将军的垂青与褒奖，得到他的尊重与认可。而如今，在彼此间经历了诸多变故后，这份突如其来的认同感虽显怪异，却并非……全然令人排斥。
“See?” Barret told Tifa, a welcome distraction that Cloud immediately latched on to. “He’s fine. After all, he had Mister Big Shot with him.” There he shot Sephiroth a snide glance who only looked back at him in silent amusement.
「瞧见没？」巴雷特对蒂法说道，这及时的打岔立刻被克劳德当作转移注意力的救命稻草。「他好着呢。毕竟有大人物先生护驾嘛。」说着他朝萨菲罗斯投去讥讽的一瞥，后者却只是以沉静而玩味的目光回望。
Tifa didn’t look convinced though. If anything, she looked more worried than before.
但蒂法并未被说服。相反，她的忧虑之色愈发深重了。
“I’m fine,” Cloud hastened to reassure her. “I’m a SOLDIER First Class. Nothing can take me down so easily.”
「我没事，」克劳德急忙安抚她，「我可是神罗一级特种兵，没那么容易倒下。」
It would have probably worked better, if Sephiroth hadn’t also been a First Class, the First Class in fact, but it seemed to appease Tifa, if at least for the moment, as she nodded and rewarded him with a small smile that he returned.
如果萨菲罗斯不是同样身为一等兵——事实上还是首席一等兵的话，这个说辞或许会更有说服力。但蒂法似乎暂且被安抚住了，她点了点头，回赠给克劳德一个浅淡的微笑，而他也以同样的笑容相报。
When Barret asked how Cloud had managed to track them down, he answered that he just had to follow the messy trail of bullet holes. Before the other man could find a retort to that, Cloud continued, “What about Wedge? Have you found him yet?”
当巴雷特问及克劳德是如何追踪到他们时，他回答说自己只是循着凌乱的弹孔痕迹而来。对方还没来得及反驳，克劳德便继续问道："威吉呢？你们找到他了吗？"
Tifa nodded while Barret stewed. “Yes. The cat led us to him. He’s fine, but we had to leave her behind that gate over there to fight these monsters.”
巴雷特生闷气时，蒂法点了点头。"那只猫带我们找到了他。他没事，但我们不得不把她留在那边的那扇门后面对付这些怪物。"
“Good thinking,” Cloud said.
“想得好。”Cloud 说。
“Damn loyal thing, that cat,” Barret said. “Who knows what would have happened to Wedge, if she hadn’t led us down here? He’d better thank her and give her lots of treats once he’s better again or I’ll show him.” 重试 错误原因
That was when they noticed the cracks in the wall where the abomination had been standing, only revealed when it slid to the ground. They exchanged serious glances, and then Barret was shooting at the unstable part in the wall until it became a hole large enough for them to peer inside. 重试 错误原因
Tifa gasped, hand coming up to her mouth. “Oh god, are those…” 重试 错误原因
“People?” Barret finished for her, stony-faced. 重试 错误原因
Cloud leaned his forearm against the opening, inspecting the room inside critically. “Yeah. That’s the Shinra I know.” 重试 错误原因
Large tanks filled the dark space in rows. His eyes were keener than his friends’ and he clearly saw the naked, emaciated forms slumped lifelessly in the empty glass tubes, humanoid and yet stripped of everything that made them human.
黑暗空间中排列着成行的巨型培养槽。他的视力比同伴们更为敏锐，清晰看见那些赤裸消瘦的躯体毫无生气地蜷缩在空荡的玻璃容器中——虽具人形，却已被剥夺了所有人类的特征。
His head started to ache again, images flashing through his head, too fast for him to get a hold on. He saw body parts like snapshots, a limp hand, legs stretched out like a ragdoll’s. The specimen in the tank raised their head, looking at him with his own face and bright blue eyes.
太阳穴又开始抽痛，记忆碎片如快闪般掠过脑海。他看见肢体残像：垂软的手掌，布娃娃般僵直的腿。培养槽里的实验体突然抬头，用与他如出一辙的面容和冰蓝色瞳孔凝视着他。
Cloud shook his head and the hallucination disappeared. When he looked back at the specimen again, they had returned to their previous state; dead, unresponsive, not sharing his features, or really displaying any features, at all.
克劳德用力摇头驱散幻觉。再度望向实验体时，它们已恢复死寂状态，既没有他的面容特征，甚至可以说完全不具备任何可辨识的五官。
It wasn’t him sitting in that tank, as though he had never escaped Hojo’s clutches.
被困在培养槽里的不是他，仿佛自己从未脱离过宝条的魔掌。
Taking a deep, steadying breath, he slowly released the tension in his shoulders.
他深深吸气稳住心神，缓缓吐息间放松了紧绷的肩线。
He still remembered bits and pieces of that time, but mostly the sensations had remained, the agony whenever that sick bastard tried something new on him, and the ever-present fear accompanied by a crushing sense of helplessness. His clearest memories were of when he broke out, a little longer than a year back now, but even then they were incoherent flashes of encountering troopers, the glittering of glass shards, the sensation of simultaneously drowning and burning alive, and again that impression of white feathers and a blinding light. He still had nightmares about being back in that tank, swimming in green, fluorescent liquid, as though it was his escape that had been the dream all along.
他仍记得那段时光的零碎片段，但残存最深的还是那些感官烙印——每当那个变态混蛋在他身上试验新花样时的剧痛，如影随形的恐惧与能将人碾碎的无力感。最清晰的记忆属于一年前那次逃亡，可即便是这段回忆也充斥着混沌闪回：与神罗士兵的遭遇战，玻璃碎片折射的冷光，溺毙与活焚双重痛楚交织的感官地狱，以及那道覆着白羽的刺目圣光。时至今日他仍会梦回培养舱，在荧绿色的液体中载沉载浮，仿佛逃亡成功才是黄粱一梦。
As he turned to look at his companions, he found himself stopping short, captivated by the utter lack of compassion reflected in Sephiroth’s eyes, their shade entirely too close to the mako haze of Cloud’s nightmares. His expression was cold, almost haughty, as he stood there, peering upon the same horrifying sight that left them all shocked and aghast.
当他转头望向同伴时，动作却突然凝滞——萨菲罗斯眼中折射出的绝对零度般的慈悲真空攫住了他的心神，那抹瞳色与克劳德噩梦中翻涌的魔晄幽光过于相似。银发将军正以近乎傲慢的冰冷神情伫立着，俯视着令众人肝胆俱裂的可怖景象，仿佛眼前只是场无关痛痒的拙劣戏剧。
Well, he had already said it earlier, hadn’t he? He didn’t care for anyone but Cloud, so why should he feel any compassion for these lowly specimens?
一个完美的怪物。
Cloud thought with no small amount of bitterness that Sephiroth didn’t know the pain of that, of being experimented on for years and being a test subject—though Cloud probably hadn’t been a very successful one, considering how he hadn’t noticed any great difference to before. If anything, he’d only felt weaker when facing off against the troopers blocking his way back to Midgar.
But... even if Sephiroth hypothetically did know what it was like to be a human experiment, he would probably only know what it was like being a perfect one. Cloud only needed to look at the man to see it. But it wasn’t just physical; it extended to other areas too, whether it be fighting or acting as support, his uncanny knowledge and his cool competence as he reversed that command initiating the plate drop, or the way he had to be the best at everything. He was perfect, in every way. Inhuman, beautiful...
A perfect monster.
Sephiroth had said that Shinra had lied to him too, earlier. But he wasn’t special. 重试 错误原因
Cloud just had to think of the secret injections SOLDIERs received of that creature named Jenova that Sephiroth called ‘Mother’, without either their consent or their knowledge. In a way, they had all been lied to and been human experiments for Shinra, Cloud being one of them, and becoming even more of one later on. 重试 错误原因
The number on Sephiroth’s hand… It probably only meant that he had gone through the same SOLDIER procedure, perhaps with a little extra, but nothing more than that. 重试 错误原因
After all, Cloud could still remember the preferential treatment the other man had enjoyed at Shinra back in the day, allowing him to refuse missions whenever he liked, leaving others to pick up the slack. No, the company would never treat its beloved general like a mere specimen. He was too precious for that. Even now, Shinra was still trying to recruit Sephiroth back into its ranks, despite the fact that he had joined Avalanche and crossed the company’s plans thoroughly, sending countless infantrymen to their deaths and destroying expensive weapons and machinery. 重试 错误原因
What would Sephiroth know of being betrayed by Shinra and being thrown away, turned into a specimen, when he no longer proved himself to be of any use?
当塞菲罗斯对神罗公司再无利用价值时，他怎会理解被背叛、被丢弃、沦为实验样本的滋味？
Nothing, Cloud thought darkly, viciously.
克劳德阴郁而恶毒地想着——他根本不懂。
At the same time, calm certainty filled him as they looked into the abandoned lab. He knew what they had to do now.
众人凝望废弃实验室的瞬间，某种平静的笃定充盈克劳德全身。他此刻无比清楚下一步的行动。
“We can’t stay here,” he said, getting the others’ attention. “There is no negotiating with Shinra or hoping for the best. Every second that Aerith stays there, she is closer to becoming like one of these specimens.” The thought of her bright light being reduced to such grayness and despair… Cloud tightened his jaw. “We have to save her.”
不能滞留于此，"他扬声唤回同伴的注意力，"与神罗谈判或心存侥幸都是徒劳。爱丽丝每多停留一秒，就越接近沦为这些标本的命运。"想到她璀璨的生命之光将湮灭成灰暗死寂的绝望，克劳德咬紧牙关："我们必须救她出来。
Tifa and Barret looked back at him with the same look of determination in their eyes that was reflected in his own. Then he was brushing past Sephiroth who turned to look at him, but Cloud didn’t spare him a glance.
蒂法与巴雷特回望他的眼神中，跃动着与他如出一辙的决绝。克劳德与转身欲言的塞菲罗斯擦肩而过，始终未投去一瞥。
He had more important things to think about than a beautiful, perfect monster.
比起纠结一头美丽又完美的怪物，他还有更重要的事情需要思考。
*
They went back to Elmyra’s, carrying Wedge along with them so he could get treated since Sector Seven likely already had its hands full on that front, and also to convince Elmyra to change her mind.
他们带着重伤的威吉回到艾尔美拉家接受治疗，毕竟七号区块现在肯定忙得不可开交。更重要的是，他们试图说服这位固执的母亲改变心意。
It went without saying that Sephiroth stayed outside. Cloud pushed and pushed, telling her about the underground facility and what they had seen there, what that son of a bitch Hojo was capable of, but she wouldn’t budge. The fear of losing Aerith had too tight a grip on her, though she eventually relented a little, tersely saying that she needed more time to think about it. Despite their disagreement, she offered them the bedroom upstairs to get some rest after the long day they must have had. Cloud almost wanted to continue arguing, but Tifa stopped him with a hand on his shoulder and a soft shake of the head, turning around with a smile to graciously accept Elmyra’s offer.
萨菲罗斯理所当然地被留在屋外。克劳德不断劝说艾尔美拉，向她描述地下实验室的惨状，细数宝条那个混账犯下的罪行，但这位母亲始终不为所动。失去爱丽丝的恐惧像枷锁般禁锢着她的灵魂，最终她只是生硬地表示需要更多时间考虑。尽管立场相悖，她还是把二楼卧室让给了这群伤痕累累的年轻人休息。克劳德几乎要再度开口争辩，蒂法却将手掌轻轻按在他肩头摇了摇头，转身用微笑礼貌地接受了这份善意。
Cloud didn’t like it, not when a fate worse than death awaited Aerith, but he conceded that it may be wiser not to keep pushing at the moment. All they could do now was wait for Elmyra to make her final decision.
克劳德厌恶这种妥协——尤其是当爱丽丝正面临着比死亡更残酷的命运时。但他不得不承认此刻不宜继续施压，眼下能做的只有等待艾尔美拉作出最终抉择。
As Tifa and Barret went up the stairs, he went out to retrieve Sephiroth. Cloud found him looking at the garden and the flowers again. “Hey. We’ll be staying the night.”
蒂法和巴雷特上楼时，克劳德出门寻找萨菲罗斯。发现他正站在花园前凝视那些花。"喂。我们要在这里过夜。"
Sephiroth inclined his head with a smile. “Are you sure I’d be welcome inside?”
萨菲罗斯微笑着偏了偏头："你确定我会受到欢迎？"
“Only if you behave yourself.” Cloud’s voice was stern, with an undercurrent of warning.
"前提是你安分守己。"克劳德的语气带着不容置疑的警告意味。
Sephiroth hummed then, sending a look of clear intent at Cloud. “You’ll find that I’m always on my best behavior, Cloud.” His voice was low, almost a purr.
萨菲罗斯低哼一声，用充满暗示的眼神看向克劳德："你会发现我一直都是最守规矩的，克劳德。"他的声音低沉如野兽喉间的咕噜声。
It did strange things to Cloud that he did not care to examine closer. “Well, you coming or not?”
这令克劳德心中泛起异样，但他不愿深究。"所以你到底跟不跟来？"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Cloud wanted to curse. Of all the things to say…
话音未落克劳德就想咒骂自己。那么多话可讲，他偏偏选了这句......
Sephiroth’s eyes glittered with mirth, his lips curving into a smile. “With pleasure.”
萨菲罗斯眼中闪着愉悦的光芒，嘴角扬起一抹微笑。"荣幸之至。"
Cloud huffed, ignoring how heat crept up his face, and turned on his heel without saying another word, heading back inside. Behind him he heard the other man chuckle in soft amusement before following him.
克劳德哼了一声，强压下脸上逐渐升腾的热意，一言不发转身走向屋内。身后传来男人被取悦的轻声发笑，随即脚步声跟了上来。
Upstairs, Barret and Tifa had already arranged themselves in front of the bed where Wedge lay unconscious, their backs pressed against the frame to take vigil. The guest room wasn’t very big, a desk with a chair and shelves, but it would do. Of course there were flowers here as well, Aerith’s little personal touch imbuing the room with some life.
二楼客房里，巴雷特和蒂法已经守在昏迷的威吉床前，背靠着金属床架守夜。房间不算宽敞，一张带椅子的书桌和几个书架勉强够用。这里同样摆着鲜花，爱丽丝的小巧思让病房也透出些许生机。
The others hadn’t turned on the light. It seemed like the glow of the lamps spilling inside from the hallway had been enough for them, and Sephiroth and Cloud could see well in the dark anyway, so they didn’t turn on the light either. Marlene and the cat were with Elmyra in her bedroom, seeming to have already retired for the night.
其他人没有开灯。走廊里漏进的灯光似乎对他们来说已经足够，况且萨菲罗斯和克劳德在黑暗中也能看得一清二楚，因此他们也没去开灯。玛琳和猫跟着艾尔米拉进了主卧，看起来已经打算休息了。
After closing the door behind him, Sephiroth settled himself down in the spot next to the door near the desk, positioning himself opposite the bed. It would be easy for him to slip away without anyone’s notice, to perhaps kill Elmyra and Marlene in the other bedroom. Cloud left the spot he had originally wanted to claim near the foot of the bed and walked up to Sephiroth.
萨菲罗斯反手关上门，在门边书桌旁的位置坐下，正对着床铺。他随时可以悄无声息地离开房间，溜进另一间卧室杀死艾尔米拉和玛琳。克劳德放弃了原本想占的床尾位置，径直走向萨菲罗斯。
“We should switch places.”
“我们换位置。”
Sephiroth just looked up at him for a moment, before smiling. “You still think I’m going to kill you all in your sleep?”
萨菲罗斯仰头看了他片刻，露出微笑。“你还是觉得我会趁你们睡着时杀人？”
Cloud didn’t try to deny it, staring back at Sephiroth in stoic silence. He watched as the other man smoothly slid to his feet, straightening to his full height before bending down until his lips were brushing the shell of Cloud’s ear. “What makes you think you could stop me, if I really wanted to kill you?”
克劳德没有否认，只是用冷硬的沉默回视对方。他看着银发男人从容起身，舒展挺拔的身躯后又俯身贴近，嘴唇几乎触碰到他的耳廓。“若我真想杀你，你凭什么认为自己能阻止我？”
The words were a hot caress washing over Cloud’s sensitive skin, but the content immediately froze all of his insides to ice. Before he could respond, Sephiroth had already made his way over to the other side of the room to take Cloud’s spot. It brought him closer to the others, to Wedge on the bed, but Cloud trusted Tifa and Barret to keep an eye on him.
话语如炽热的爱抚冲刷过克劳德敏感的肌肤，但内容却瞬间将他体内的一切都冻结成冰。克劳德还没来得及回应，萨菲罗斯已经走到房间另一侧占据了他的位置。这让他离其他人更近了——离床上的威吉更近了——但克劳德相信蒂法和巴雷特会盯着他。
After propping his sword up against the wall and finding a comfortable position on the floor with his elbow resting on his bent knee, his other leg stretched out in front of him, Cloud continued to stare at Sephiroth across the room, the other man’s words still echoing in his ears.
克劳德将剑斜倚在墙边，曲起一膝以肘支颐，另一条腿舒展于前，在地板上寻了个舒服姿势坐定后，仍隔着房间直勾勾盯着萨菲罗斯。那人方才的话语犹在耳畔嗡鸣。
Sephiroth met his gaze easily. This went on for a few minutes until Barret said, “Cut it out, you two! You have any idea what your creepy-ass eyes look like in the dark? Damn SOLDIERs…”
萨菲罗斯亦从容迎上他的目光。这般对峙持续数分钟后，巴雷特终于嚷道："收手吧二位！你们知道自己那双渗人招子在黑夜里多瘆得慌吗？该死的特种兵......"
“Close your eyes, Barret,” Cloud drawled sarcastically. “Maybe you won’t see them then.”
闭上眼不就好了，巴雷特。"克劳德拖长音调讥讽道，"眼不见为净。
“I’d still know they are there! Now put those creepy-ass glowing peepers away before I make you.”
老子照样能感觉到它们在发亮！赶紧把你们那对夜光灯笼眼收起来，否则老子亲自动手！
Cloud scoffed. “Didn’t peg you for such a scaredy-cat.”
克劳德嗤笑一声："没想到你胆子这么小。"
“Who you callin’ a scaredy-cat, you little shi—” 重试 错误原因
There was a deep sigh. “Guys,” Tifa said, quietly but firmly. “You don’t want to wake up Wedge, do you?”
一声深沉的叹息响起。"大伙儿，"蒂法的声音轻柔却坚定，"总不想吵醒威吉吧？"
They fell silent after that, though Barret grumbled a little about it. Cloud and Sephiroth continued their staring contest for another moment, but then the other man lowered his head. Cloud was quite sure it was a deliberate motion, as it caused his hair to fall over his face in wispy strands. The green glow of his eyes continued to be faintly visible before going out at last behind that silver veil. It was a lighter shade of gray in the monochrome darkness.
众人随即陷入沉默，尽管巴雷特仍在小声嘟囔。克劳德与萨菲罗斯又对视片刻，后者突然垂首。克劳德确信这是刻意为之的动作——银发如薄雾般垂落面庞，翡翠瞳色在发丝间明灭闪烁，最终完全隐没于这道银色帷幕之后。在黑白交织的暗色里，那抹银灰显得愈发清冷。
It made Cloud wonder if Sephiroth slept at all, if he even needed to anymore. The other times couldn’t really be called sleeping because he had been forced into unconsciousness by his newly reformed body. But there the other man was, leaning back against the wall on the other side of the room without moving an inch, the smooth fall of his hair hiding his face. Seeing this, Cloud himself tried to sleep. Exhaustion tugged at him, and still, his eyes refused to fall shut. He told himself that it was because he wanted to make sure Sephiroth didn’t try anything, but he knew that wasn’t quite the truth.
这让克劳德不禁揣测，萨菲罗斯是否还需要睡眠。此前几次昏迷不过是重塑身躯的副作用，算不得真正入眠。此刻银发男人正倚在房间另一端的墙面上纹丝不动，柔顺的发丝垂落遮掩面容。克劳德强迫自己合眼，倦意如潮水漫过身躯，眼皮却固执地抗拒闭合。他试图用"监视萨菲罗斯动向"的借口说服自己，心底却知晓这不过是自欺欺人的谎言。
Cloud wanted to look at him, if only for the simple pleasure of it. He had always found it hard to rip his eyes away from the other man; to resist his mesmerizing, hypnotic pull. It was only when Sephiroth was unconscious that he could allow himself to freely gaze at him and drink his fill, easing at least some of the hunger that gnawed at him. That wanted more, more, so much more.
克劳德想要看着他，哪怕只是贪享片刻的欢愉。他向来难以将视线从那男人身上撕开，抗拒不了那蛊惑人心、令人神魂颠倒的魅力。唯有在萨菲罗斯失去意识时，他才敢放任自己肆意端详这副容颜，饮尽甘霖，好歹缓解啃噬他内心的饥渴——那种渴望更多、更多、无穷无尽的饥渴。
Being angry with Sephiroth and thinking of him as a monster was better than whatever this was. It was easier, too; easier than remembering how the other man had held him close, shielding him with his own body, touching him so gently, so carefully, as if he was the most precious thing in the world.
对萨菲罗斯心怀愤怒，将他视作怪物，总好过此刻这般光景。这样更轻松些；比记起那人曾如何紧紧拥他入怀，用身体护住他，以那般轻柔、那般珍重的姿态触碰他要轻松得多——仿佛他是这世上最珍贵的宝物。
But then, Cloud had never done anything the easy way, had he?
不过，克劳德从来不走轻松的路，对吧？