Author's note: Okay this story kinda wrote itself. I hope you like it :) watch out for the boyxboy loving :D Marluxia's my favourite teacher :P
Disclaimer: I don't own anything :)
Zack sat at his desk with his chin resting on his folded arms, staring ahead at something.
Aerith came up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"What's the matter Zack? You're being very quiet."
Zack looked up at her. She wore the regulation school uniform. White shirt with a black bow, black skirt and white socks with black shoes. Her brown hair was in its usual ponytail with a pink ribbon in it. Her huge blue eyes blinked at him. He looked back.
"I'm Cloud watching." He said with a cheeky grin.
Aerith followed his gaze to the blonde boy stood talking to a tall red head. She rolled her eyes. Zack was mad for his boyfriend Cloud. She had to admit though. Cloud did look very good in the uniform and glasses he wore.
The boy's uniform was much the same as the girls. A white shirt with a tie, trousers instead of a skirt and black shoes. Cloud also wore the sleeveless jumper that was an optional part of their uniform. It was a dark blue. He had glasses over his sparkling eyes which were the colour of waves on a tropical shore. His golden blonde hair was stuck in its usual spikes.
He pulled his glasses off and put them in their box, laughing and talking to his best friend Reno. Reno had his shirt untucked and unbuttoned save for the middle button. He wore a black t-shirt underneath it like Zack did and he had long red hair which was styled in soft spikes on top and then was back in a long thin ponytail. The tattoo's under his eyes were red and accentuated his bright green, emerald eyes.
Aerith grinned at Zack before ruffling his long black hair and walking off to find her girlfriends.
Zack sighed. He could sit and stare at Cloud all day. But he knew something that was better than staring at Cloud.
He pushed his chair out and walked over to Cloud and Reno. He slipped an arm around Cloud's slender waist and pulled him into a kiss. There, that was better than staring at him.
Cloud smiled his melted sunshine smile and leaned into Zack's arms.
"What've you been doing?" Cloud asked.
"Cloud watching." Zack answered innocently. Reno chuckled.
"Oh really?" Cloud raised one eyebrow. "Did you have fun?"
"Oh yeah, there was one really gorgeous Cloud that I just had to catch."
Cloud smiled and tightened his arms around Zack.
"Well, you did catch it."
Reno placed his hands behind his head.
"Well I'll leave you two lovebirds to bask in each other's company; I'd better go before Miss Larxene blows her top at me again yo!" he said striding to the door.
"Okay Reno, see you later." Cloud called. They watched him walk away.
"Did you see how he held his right arm?" Cloud asked Zack.
"Yeah, d'you think…" Zack started.
"Yeah, his mum got him again last night. I heard as I walked past, I think she got Axel too."
Cloud hated Reno's mother. She would spend all their money on booze, get drunk and lay into her sons. Reno took it, he was used to it. She'd been like that since he was five, when their father left. Then he'd come back, she'd got pregnant with Axel and when he was born, their father had left again. Now Reno did everything he could to save his little brother. Reno was seventeen and Axel was eleven. Reno couldn't wait for his eighteenth birthday. Because then he could leave and take Axel with him.
The classroom door opened again and in walked Tifa. She wore black boots with her uniform and had the tank top on. She caught sight of Zack and Cloud and bounced over.
"Hey guys! I just seen Reno, sounds like he's in trouble with Miss Larxene again!" she said, hugging Cloud and then Zack. Her smile and voice dropped a few levels. "And it looked like he'd been roughed up again."
"Yeah he has been."
Tifa frowned.
"That bitch, bet she got Axel too!" she said punching one hand into the palm of the other. A crunching sound, like paper being crushed, came from her hand.
"Oh yeah," she unfolded the piece of, rather crumpled, paper and handed it to Cloud. "Exam timetable, was told to give you one."
Cloud looked at the timetable. Zack put an arm around his boyfriend's neck and looked over Cloud's shoulder.
They were silent for a time.
"Crap… is that timetable right?" Zack asked.
"Of course it is!" Tifa protested her hands on her hips.
"You'd better get studying." Cloud said.
Across the town was Twilight Primary School. Their uniform was the same as Twilight High's except it was light blue and white plaid instead of black.
In a small classroom sat by the window was a boy with blonde hair like rays of the sun. His eyes were sapphires and his skin was like ivory. He was in the last year of the school and eleven years old.
He was sat at his desk with a book open in front of him. Silently he turned the page, enjoying the fantasy world of elves, dwarves, men and magic rings.
The classroom door burst open and in jumped a small boy who was identical in looks to the blonde only with brunette hair instead, and two taller boys one with long silver hair and one with a mane of bright red spikes.
"Roxas!!" the brunette yelled throwing his arms around Roxas' neck and hugging him from behind.
"Hey Sora, Riku, Axel" Roxas greeted them. Riku sat on the desk next to Roxas' and Axel placed himself on Roxas' desk.
"Still reading this book?" the red head asked flipping the pages with one hand.
"Yes I am." Roxas said pulling the book from Axel's hands with an adorable pout.
Sora sat on the desk next to Riku.
"So ready for the exams?" asked the silverette. Sora groaned and pulled a face.
"I hate exams." He said.
"Pfft exams whatever, I'll either pass or fail." Axel shrugged.
"But these determine which school you can go to! Surely you wanna get in to Twilight High!" Roxas exclaimed.
"I reckon we'll have a better chance of getting in cause our brothers are in." Axel said.
"I don't think it works that way Axel." Said Riku.
The door opened.
"Hey guys!" said a girl with red hair, trailing behind her with a sketchpad under her arm was another girl with white-blonde hair.
"Hey Kairi!" Sora called.
"Hey Namine." Said Roxas.
"Hello." Namine greeted them in a quiet voice.
Kairi sat on the chair by Riku's desk and Namine sat next to her.
"So, ready for exams yet?" Kairi asked.
Sora groaned again and dropped his head into his hands. Kairi tilted her head quizzically at Riku.
"He's worried about the exams." Riku explained. Kairi nodded understandingly.
"They are very important," Namine said. "They determine which high school's you can apply for."
Sora groaned even louder and buried his face in Riku's shoulder. Riku patted his back, trying not to giggle.
The door burst open again and a whirlwind entered followed by Zexion who had an armful of books. The whirlwind came to a halt in front of Axel and yelled,
"AXEL!! Mister Haylen's looking for you."
Axel blinked at their friend.
"Woah Demyx, d'ya have to shout?" he asked the dirty-blonde boy.
"Demyx is Demyx and he always shouts." Said Zexion in his quiet voice flicking his lilac hair out of his eye. It simply flopped back over his right eye, concealing it.
"Quit talking about me like I'm not here!!" Demyx yelled, he grabbed Axel's arm and hauled him up. Axel hissed in pain and Demyx let go immediately. The friends were all silent, watching the red head. His fist was clenched and a frown was deepening on his face. After a minute or two he took a deep breath and let the tension dissipate.
"Mister Haylen right?" He asked Demyx.
"Yeah." Demyx confirmed, biting his bottom lip as he did. Axel grinned and ruffled Demyx's mohawk/mullet hairstyle before walking out the classroom.
Demyx sighed and collapsed into the chair in front of Roxas' desk.
"Wow I thought he was really angry for a second there." He said dropping his head into his folded arms.
"Yeah, he must have had a bad time of it last night." Riku said.
"I hate his mum, she has no right to do this!" Kairi said virtually exploding with anger.
Roxas nodded. It was known among their friends that Axel's mother would beat Axel and his older brother Reno. Axel had even once come to school with a broken arm and said it was from falling down the stairs. Roxas knew that Reno got it just as bad despite him being seventeen.
Zexion sighed sadly. Then he reached into his pocket.
"Hey guys, sorry to add to the gloom but I got our exam timetable here." He said passing the neatly folded piece of paper to Roxas.
They all crowded around Roxas and peered at the timetable.
"Oh my GOD!! This SUCKS!!!" Sora yelled, throwing his arms into the air and slumping into a chair.
"Hmmm that's fine Sor you just gotta study some more." Riku said.
"I'm with Sora, it sucks!" Kairi stated flinging herself into a chair beside Sora.
"Well how about we get together tonight and study." Zexion suggested.
Silence greeted that statement until the bell rang shrill and loud through the corridors.
Zack stared at the last question he had to do before he was finished with his work. One last question then the bell would ring and then they could all go home. He tapped his pencil on his head. He really didn't get it. He reread the question. Nope not ringing any bells.
He was sure Mister Marluxia, their biology teacher, hadn't said anything about this. He thought back through the lesson. Oh wait, he did talk about it. Zack had been too busy staring at Cloud as he sucked on the end of his pencil. Damnit but Cloud had looked so hot! And Zack had completely missed that particular part of the lesson.
He groaned quietly and dropped his head on the table. His friend Leon, who sat next to him in this lesson, looked down at him with one eyebrow raised. His scar cut across his face harshly, making his cornflower-blue eyes appear soft and gentle. He brushed his chocolate brown hair out of his eyes and leaned down to whisper,
"Miss that part huh? To busy staring at Spiky?"
Zack nodded unhappily.
"Heeeey Leeoon," he whined quietly. "Can I copy? Pleeeaaase?!"
Leon rolled his eyes.
"Nope." He said turning away from the puppy dog eyes that Zack was turning on him.
"Oh come on!" Zack protested.
"Come on nothing! You're not copying!"
"Pleeeaaase!!"
Wham!
Both boys jumped as a thick biology text book was slammed down on the desk top. They looked up at their tall, pink haired teacher.
"Would you care to share your conversation with the rest of the class?" Marluxia asked with a smile that suggested severe bodily harm to any who dared to interrupt the silence. Zack gulped and Leon looked at him in annoyance.
"Well?" Marluxia prompted.
"Eeerrm…" Zack started. But he was saved by the ringing of the bell which signalled the end of the day.
"Saved by the bell, eh boys?" Marluxia said before turning to face the whole class. "For homework you will read chapter six in the textbook and answer the questions, I will know if you cheat and you will be severely punished, you may go."
Zack shoved his stuff into his bag and joined the rush of people heading to the door.
"Wow I thought you two were so busted yo!" said Reno as he caught up with him.
"So did I! Marly's way scary!" said Zack, using the nickname they had for their favourite teacher.
"Next time Zack, actually pay attention instead of staring at Spiky." Leon chastised his best friend.
"Who's staring at me?" Cloud had caught up with them, his wide eyes looking from one friend to another inquisitively.
"Zack is staring at you rather than listening in class." Leon explained. Cloud looked up at his boyfriend.
"Really? Is that what you were in trouble for? Let me guess you missed something cause you were staring at me and Leon wouldn't let you copy?"
"Isn't it usually that?" Tifa said appearing at Reno's side. Aerith appeared at Zack's, smiling knowingly.
"Aww come on guys! You make it sound like all I do is stare at Cloudy!" Zack protested as they walked out the front doors.
"But it is Zack!" Aerith laughed. Everyone laughed and even Zack cracked a reluctant grin. They crossed the yard, waving occasionally at other friends.
They were all just laughing at something Zack said when Reno gasped with pleasure. He started towards the school gates with a huge grin plastered on his face.
Cloud smiled gently when he saw who was waiting.
A tall, well-built man was there. He wore a black suit and was wearing sunglasses. The most obvious feature, however, was that he was bald. The man's name was Rude and he was only two years older than them. He had left school when they were in fourth year.
Reno drew level with him and they could see him greet his friend. Rude was another one of the few people Reno let into his 'screwed up' life. Rude laughed at something the red head said and ruffled his soft spikes.
"Waiting for him again huh?" Tifa said with her hands on her hips. "This has gotta be more than friendship!"
"Can a guy not have a best friend who likes to meet him after school in your eyes?" Leon asked looking sideways at her.
"Come on does that look like just friendship?" she said gesturing towards the pair. Reno was leaning very close towards Rude and Rude very nearly had his hand on Reno's hip.
"Okay okay so they're close," Leon said, Tifa gave him an incredulous look. "Okay very, very close." He amended.
They laughed and then Tifa and Aerith reluctantly took another path to go further into town to their homes and Cloud, Zack and Leon caught up with Reno and Rude.
"Hey there big guy!" Zack said slapping Rude on the back. "How go's it in the world of work?"
"Very well thank you Zack, and how's it in the world of easygoing school?" Rude replied as he and Reno took a step back from each other.
"Easygoing!?!?" Zack yelled. "Easy?? We have exams like next week! And I have almost all the teachers on my back about my stupid homework!"
Cloud knocked him on the head.
"Well if you did your homework on time they wouldn't beon your back!"
Zack pouted at the blonde.
"S'not just me! Reno never does his on time either!"
"Oh thanks Zack! Just tell the world why don't you! Anyways I do it a helluva lot more often than you do, yo!" Reno countered. Rude laughed and ruffled his red hair again.
"Whatever hedgehog, I believe you!"
"Gah suddup! We gotta go get the brothers yo!" Reno protested walking down the road towards Twilight primary.
They walked to the smaller school tossing witty banter and clever comments back and forth. Cloud was pushed against a brick wall and kissed senseless for one comment about Zack. He came away from it feeling a little light-headed and he swore his lips were swollen.
It took them about fifteen minutes to get to their younger sibling's school. When they reached the gates they saw them sat on a bench laughing. Axel spotted Reno and then called attention to the older boys waiting for them.
Axel ran over to Reno and grinned up at him. Reno grinned back the exact identical grin and ruffled Axel's red mane.
"Did'ya have a good day yo?" Reno asked his brother.
"Yeah it was okay, got into a little trouble with Mister Haylen, I forgot to do the homework he set."
Reno frowned.
"I thought you did it yesterday?" he asked. Axel bit his lip and looked down.
"Well I thought I did but…" he self-consciously rubbed his sore arm. There was silence, no one knew what to say.
"Hey Cloud!"
Cloud looked up to see his twin brothers, Roxas and Sora, approaching. He pulled them into a hug when they were close enough and then held them at arm's length to look at them.
"Hey you guys okay? How is it at school? And with Mrs Cross?" he asked them.
Roxas and Sora didn't live with Cloud. As their mother had died when Cloud was eleven and the twins were five, they had gone to a foster mother called Mrs Arabella Cross. When Cloud was fourteen he had moved back to his childhood home. The twins however, had to stay with Mrs Cross until they were old enough to leave or until Cloud turned eighteen and could legally take custody of them.
"Everything's great Cloud! School's fine. We got exams coming up though," Roxas said, Sora groaned at the mention of exams. "And we're fine at Mrs Cross'."
"Leeeooon!!" A whirlwind flew past them and attached itself to Leon's waist. "You've been aaaages!! I thought you'd forgotten me!!"
Demyx clung to his brother. Leon chuckled at his over-dramatics.
"We haven't been that long, Demy!"
"You haaave! I thought the world would end before you got here!"
Leon sighed and then noticed something was missing.
"Demy, did you get your guitar?"
Demyx gasped then dashed back to the bench. He jogged back to them with a sheepish grin on his face, clutching a guitar in a soft case.
"Sorry Leo, thanks for reminding me."
Leon shook his head and rolled his eyes.
"Hey, I don't know about you guys but I could murder a shake!" Zack said leaning his chin on Cloud's shoulder.
Demyx, Sora, Roxas and Axel cheered.
They were crammed into a booth in a little café in the shopping centre. Zack was against the wall with Cloud leaning on him, next to Cloud was Reno and Rude. Leon was opposite Zack and Demyx was next to him with the twins and then Axel on the outside.
The café was currently full of students, some were laughing with friends, some had their work open on a table and some were sat on their own enjoying a smoothie or milkshake.
Cloud nestled closer to Zack's warm chest. He took a sip of his banana milkshake and then closed his eyes as he listened to Demyx tell Leon about his guitar lesson, the twins talking animatedly to Axel, Reno and Rude talking about Rude's job and Zack's gentle breathing. He sincerely wished they could stay like that forever. Not worrying about the empty home that awaited him or the broken home that his friends feared . Just being happy in each other's company.
He felt Zack's lips ghost over his cheek.
"Falling asleep baby?" he whispered in his ear.
Cloud smiled up at him.
"You know, if I were to die, right now, then I'd die happy."
Zack raised an eyebrow. He leaned down until his lips were brushing Cloud's.
"I wouldn't let you die." He said his lips forming the words against Cloud's mouth. Then he closed the miniscule gap and captured Cloud in a soft, chaste kiss.
"Well, see you tomorrow yo." Reno said to Cloud. Everyone else was home, Cloud lived furthest from the school. Cloud gave his best friend a hug. He could feel him trembling and yet tense. Cloud pulled away and smiled at him and Axel.
"You'll be okay." He said before turning with a wave and walking down the street.
Reno sighed almost silently and turned to face the front door of his home. If you could call it a home. The paint on the door was peeling and the bricks themselves looked dirtier than any of the other houses. But what made it simply somewhere they lived as opposed to a home was that they weren't safe there. Their mother was inside.
Axel grabbed Reno's hand, something he wouldn't do when around his friends. He needed the reassurance that Reno was there.
"Let's go." Reno said and they reluctantly walked up the drive to the door. Reno cautiously twisted the door handle.
"Remember Axel, if she looks bad, then go to your room and lock the door okay?" Reno reminded him. Axel nodded. He knew what to do.
The door swung open. The hall was dark. They took a careful step inside, Reno letting the door swing shut behind him.
"Okay Axel, it looks like she's not…" Reno began. He stopped when Axel's eyes widened. He looked around behind himself. Just in time to receive a stinging slap across the face. The force of the blow snapped his head to one side. His eyes were squeezed shut and his fists were clenched to stop himself from crying out. Axel stared up at his brother, he blinked when a drop of hot, thick, crimson liquid dropped on his upturned cheek. Blood. Reno was bleeding. Their mother had torn the skin on his cheek with her long red nails.
Reno whispered to Axel.
"Go…go."
Axel looked terrified. He swallowed shakily. Then he rushed past Reno and to the staircase. He felt his mother's nails bite into his wrist, leaving little, red, crescent moons on his white skin. He smelt the alcoholic reek that emanated from her. He saw her bleached blonde hair and dark eyes clouded with anger. Then her hand was snatched away and he ran up the stairs with his bag beating a rhythm against his back, hot tears running down his cheeks and his hands over his ears to erase the banging and crashing from downstairs.