A/N: So, this is my new story. I know I've been gone forever, but I had a TON of homework. God I hate high school. So, as a result, I wrote a new story that came to me while I was studying for midterms. I literally scribbled this idea down on my review packet, finished what I was doing, and got to work on it. I hadn't intended putting Tifa in this early in the story, but I love writing Tifa. Especially a Tifa at one in the morning. I know this story needs a lot of work, and it was mostly for fun thus far, but please R&R! I promise there will be a next chapter, and that the next chapter will be more in character, but then again, no one is in character all the time!
Summary: Cloud's parents get into a bad accident and he finds himself a seventeen-year-old orphan with now home, that is, until a certain Leonhart finds him one morning and takes care of him.
Ring! Ring! Ring! Cloud grumbled as the house phone went off. He glanced fleetingly at the clock under the television. It read one A.M. Cloud fell asleep watching some cheesy action movie. He remembered his parents telling him he could order a movie while they were out at a business dinner for his father. It was far enough away that they planned to stay overnight at a hotel, located about halfway home. Cloud vaguely noticed that it was pouring rain outside, and that it was the middle of a thunderstorm. In lieu of focusing on the weather, he picked up the phone, mid ring.
"Hello. Is this the Strife residence?" An unknown voice asked, solemnly over the phone.
"Yes, this is Cloud Strife speaking. May I ask who this is who has the audacity to call me at one in the morning?" Cloud couldn't believe that someone would call him this early, and not immediately state their purpose.
"This is Twilight Town Hospital, calling on behalf of a Mr. and Mrs. Strife. They are currently in critical condition, and in the emergency ward. This was the first number we located to contact. Seeing as you are their son, we urge you to get here as soon as possible. The situation isn't looking very good, and if they manage to wake up, we want you to be here." Cloud blanched. How did this happen? They were his parents. They seemed practically immortal.
"D-do you know what- how it happened?" Cloud whimpered into the line.
"It was a terrible car crash. There was a teenager drunk driving and speeding, and he crashed head-first into your parent's car. I must go now, but if you wish, enter through the main entrance of the hospital." Click. Cloud felt numb. He absently dialed Tifa's number. He needed a ride, and Tifa was the closest person to him.
"'Lo. Who the flying fuck is calling me at one in the god damned mother fucking morning?" Ah, Tifa, such a wonderful morning person.
"It's me." Cloud felt the gravel in his voice, and choked back a sob.
"Holy shit Cloud what happened?" Tifa asked, suddenly bright and alert. That was the great thing about Tifa. When there was a crisis, she'd drop everything to help.
"We need to go to Twilight Town Hospital now. I'll explain in the car." Cloud knew, based off the dead line he heard, that Tifa was already on her way. She'd be there in a maximum of five minutes. Based off the weather, they could be at the hospital in twenty minutes. Not fast enough, but it would have to do.
The next thing Cloud knew, he was running outside, in slippers, through the pouring rain, to Tifa's car. Before Cloud had even managed to close the car door, Tifa was speeding down the street.
"Explain." She blurted. That was all Cloud needed, as he noted how the sky matched his mood. He could feel the tears he had shed running down his face.
"They – my parents – got in a car crash with a drunk driver. They're in critical condition, and they want me there stat. They told me years ago that they wrote a will and keep it in the house, in the event any of this happens. I guess for legal work and whatever. The lady on the phone told me that it's not looking good for them." Cloud nearly sobbed several times throughout the brief summary and Tifa only sped up more after hearing the explanation. She didn't speak after that, and Cloud rested his head against the window and watched the rain trail down the window.
Cloud zoned in and out throughout the ride, and was at the Hospital before he knew it.
"Cloud. Listen, I have to go home. Vaan is home alone, and he doesn't even know I left. I'm not supposed to leave him alone, and if he wakes up, he'll freak out. It kind of passed my mind to bring him with me. I'm really sorry. Call me later?" Cloud nodded in understanding. Vaan was only five years old, and Tifa's parents were out in Edge on a romantic getaway.
Tifa pulled away, leaving Cloud behind. Cloud trudged into the hospital. He approached the front desk. "May I help you?" The brunette woman behind the front desk asked.
"I'm here for the Strife's, I'm their son." Cloud explained. The woman's face darkened in understanding and realization.
"I'm really sorry Cloud, but they both died about ten minutes ago. Mrs. Strife woke up briefly, said she loved you, and that she wants the house to be sold. I'm really sorry." She came around from behind the desk. "By the way, my name is Aerith." She led Cloud to a seat and sat next to him, soothing him as he sobbed. "It's okay. It'll all be okay. They'll figure out the legal work, and you'll be well off for the rest of your life. Don't worry."
"I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE MONEY!" Cloud exploded at Aerith, pulling his face out of his hands. "I just lost my parents! How can you discuss the money! Despite the fact that I just turned seventeen so I can't even take a claim to it! I've just lost the only people I love, I'm a fucking orphan, I have no home now, and all you can talk about is the fucking money!" Cloud shoved his face back into his hands, as another sob ripped through his body. He felt so helpless. His house would be put up for sale. He wouldn't be able to touch any of the money made, and he'd only be able to take his own belongings with him. At least he had his motorcycle, which was currently in the shop getting a tune-up. Thank God his parents always paid before, rather than after, or else he'd have an issue with his bike too.
"I'm really sorry. This – this is the first time this has happened while I was on the job, and that's just what I thought of first I really didn't mean to offend you or anything but it occurred to me that you have nowhere to go and you have no money and you'll probably have to take your stuff and leave your home forever and ever and you'll never be able to go home after that because it'll be someone else's house and I'm super-duper really sorry for upsetting you." Aerith rambled. Cloud stood up abruptly and shoved her hand off his shoulder.
"Whatever." Cloud, tears streaming out of his eyes, thundered and stormed out of the hospital into an actual storm. He didn't know where he was going to go. He didn't even consider calling Tifa. He just walked and walked until he couldn't walk anymore. He could see dawn peeking out over the horizon, painting the city a lovely orange color. He remembered climbing over a fence, chilled to the bone. He couldn't feel his legs any longer, and he wasn't sure if it was from the cold or just how much walking he'd been doing. He felt numb to the core. He tried to continue walking, but suddenly found himself short of breath. He stood still for a moment, and still couldn't breathe. He panted really hard for a few brief moments, and found himself at a lack of sight and hearing, and the last thing he knew, he could feel the soggy dirt and soaking grass against his face.
-X-X-
"Who is he?"
"I dunno! Let's poke 'im and see what happens!"
"Sora! You can't just poke him!"
"Ohmigawsh Roxas! You're right! What if he has ray-beams?!" The brunette boy shrieked. "Roxas! I have ray-beams! I'm going to die now! Get Leon! Get Mommy! Get Daddy! They hafta know I love them!" The brunette boy began to cry.
"Sora. First, you mean rabies, and second, if he had rabies, he'd be foaming at the mouth. All I see is spit." The blonde twin corrected.
"Ewwwwwie. What should we do then?" The brunette twin asked.
"Sora? Roxas? Where are you guys?" A deeper, male voice called.
"Oh no! Leon!" The brunette twin cried.
"Run!" The blonde twin called to his younger twin.
"Sora! Roxas! Come over here n-" The older boy leaned over the unconscious boy in his garden. "Sora! Roxas! Who is this? Actually, never mind! Go inside. NOW!" The older boy used his 'angry voice' as the younger boys liked to call it. It was the only way he could ever get his twin siblings to listen to him.
"Hey, uhm, guy. Wake up." He shook the strange, soaked boy, in an attempt to wake him, to no avail. "I'm going to have to carry you, won't I?" Leon sighed and picked up the blonde boy. He didn't look like he could be any older than sixteen. Even while he was sopping wet, he still looked absolutely beautiful to Leon. Leon kicked the back door open, and laid Leon down on their living room couch. He called to Sora and Roxas to get blankets for him. Leon covered the boy, and left a glass of water on the side table for him when he awoke. Leon sent his younger brothers up to their rooms until the stranger woke up. He didn't want to take the risk of some potential serial killer hurting his brothers.
Leon grabbed a book and settled down on the couch adjacent to the one the stranger was laying on. He figured this would take a while until he woke up, so he might as well relax.
It wasn't long until Leon had a reason to stop reading. The mysterious boy's phone began to ring, and he figured he might as well answer it and find out who this boy is. Too bad he didn't realize that was a terrible mistake as a strange female voice began to scream at him.
"Cloud! I called you at least five times last night! Where are you? What happened? Why are you only picking up now? Cloud? Cloud! Why aren't you answering me?"
"Mostly because I'm not this Cloud person." Leon replied to her incessant screaming. He would've pointed this out earlier, if she had actually given him the chance to speak.
"Well then, who are you? I know for a fact this is Cloud's number. I have him on speed dial."
"Would you mind telling me who you are first? I'm just going to guess that this blonde boy on my couch here is Cloud, and you're either his insane mother, or an overprotective friend."
"He's on your couch? HOLY SHIT! Where are you? I'll come get him! I know I shouldn't have left him alone! Damn it! Damn it all to hell!" The girl continued to screech and ramble. Leon glanced at this boy named Cloud on his couch. The boy began to grumble and Leon shushed the girl for a moment.
"Firstly, I still don't know your name, and secondly he's waking up, now please shut your mouth." Leon snapped at the girl.
"Don't tell me what to do! Now give Cloud back! I need to talk to him! Why did you kidnap him? Do you have something for seventeen year old blonde boys? YOU'RE A PEDOPHILE AREN'T YOU?!"
"Mmmmm. Shaddup Tifa." Cloud mumbled from the couch. "Too early. Head hurts. Go home." The boy rolled over and curled into a ball. Leon noted that this was especially cute, and that he'd bring it up later.
"Tifa, that's your name right? He just mumbled it. I'll have him call you back later. Okay?"
"WHAT? NO! PUT HIM ON THE PHONE NOW! CLOUD? CLOUD!" Click. Leon went over to the boy. He shook the boy gently.
"Cloud? That's your name right? Cloud wake up. Your clothes are soaking wet." Leon shook the boy again, and the boy rolled over and looked at him.
"Who are you?" The boy mumbled foggily. "Why are you in my house? I just had a nightmare mister, and boy, you look really pretty for a guy." Cloud then rolled back over and went to sleep. In about three seconds he snapped back over, looking at the boy dead in the eye, and he sat up sharply.
"Ow! Fuck! Wait-" Cloud looked around. That wasn't his house, he didn't even know where he was, or even who this boy was. "Who are you? Where am I?"
"I'm Leon Leonhart. You are in my house, after what I assume you went out drinking or something and passed out in my back yard. Didn't you see the news? Seifer Almasy got drunk last night and killed two people. You probably came from the same party didn't you?" Leon inquired. The last thing he wanted was a delinquent in his house when his parents got home.
"Oh shit. Oh no. No. No. No! NO! NO!" The boy hid his face in his hands, and began to cry.
"Hey, kid. What's wrong? You alright?" Leon asked. Now he had an emotional delinquent in his house.
"Those two people wouldn't happen to have been the Strifes, would they have?" Cloud asked, briefly lifting his face from his hands.
"Yeah, I think so. Why? You know them? It's kinda tragic what happened to them."
"They were my parents." Cloud snapped, an animalistic sob tearing its way through his throat.
"Oh, Jesus. I'm sorry. So why were you passed out in my back yard then?" Leon inquired, hoping he wasn't pushing the topic too far.
"They t-told me at the hospital that they died, and I just couldn't handle it. They're gone. They just left me here. They want to sell the house, I'm too young to inherit the money, and now I'm an orphan with no home." Cloud sobbed into his hands again, his hands now covered in salty water that originated from his eyes. He felt so helpless. He was cold to the bone, he was sure Tifa was freaking out, and he lost everything he's ever loved.
"Wow. I know I'm not really in any place to offer this, but if you want, you could stay here. My family is kind of rich, and I'm sure we could accommodate for you." Leon said, feeling guilty that he couldn't do more for the poor boy.
"You'd do that for me? How old are you anyway?" Cloud sniffed. Surely he couldn't accept such a gracious offering, could he? He knew that Tifa's family couldn't take him in. They barely had enough room for their family. Cloud would have to share a bed with Vaan, and Vaan was a bed-wetter. Leon eyed Cloud warily. He wanted to know his age rather than his name? What a strange boy.
"First off, the name's Leon. Second off, I'm seventeen. Your friend Tifa seems convinced I'm a forty-year-old pedophile though. And that I kidnapped you." Leon told Cloud.
"You talked to Tifa? Is she on her way over already? And sorry that you had to deal with her. She's kind of like a momma bear. She's the one who drove me to the hospital last night and I said that I'd call her but I um, I kind of forgot." Cloud felt the blood rise to his face. Who knew what Tifa could've told Leon?
"She's not on her way over, but you might want to call her soon. She sounded about ready to tear my head off. And yeah, if you want to stay here, feel more than happy to. It's been kind of empty around here for a while." Leon added at the end. Ever since Zack ran away from home, at the young age of fifteen, Leon felt as if the house was empty. "Oh shit! I almost forgot! SORA! ROXAS! YOU CAN COME DOWN NOW!" Leon turned and called up the stairs of the house. Leon tossed Cloud his phone. "Now you get to deal with the terrors, since I got to deal with your friend Tifa. Oh, and now that you're going to be living here for a while, you might want to head back to your home before it's sold and collect your stuff. Oh, and by the way, you're 'really pretty for a guy' too." With that, the two young boys charged down the stairs, and Leon went to make them breakfast.