Leon walked through the Bailey, intending to get some more work done on the security system. Tron was helpful mind you, but the computer sometimes just grated on his nerves. Once he entered what everyone liked to call his 'office', he stopped at seeing a now familiar sight. Cloud was leaning against the wall, staring at him.
They both took a moment to look over the other for injuries or new scars, it was by now a habit between the two. Leon noticed that Cloud seemed to be a bit rundown, but nothing serious. He himself hadn't fought any Heartless for several days, thanks to their security. Finally, the brunette broke eye contact and asked, "Did you find Sephiroth?"
Cloud shifted a bit, but responded with shaking his head. He followed the other with his eyes, as Leon moved to start working on the computer. The blond gave the smallest of sighs, and of course the other warrior heard it.
Leon looked at him with one eyebrow raised in question and his gunmetal eyes intent. Cloud was really not in the mood to discuss his darkness, so he said the first non-Sephiroth thing he thought of.
"Every time I come back you are always in the same spot," Cloud commented casually.
Leon raised the other eyebrow in surprise., "Are you saying I'm predictable?"
"You do get up before everyone else every day, most people don't know that six thirty exists on a clock." Cloud explained.
"You're the one who takes off at the slightest hint of your other without a word and then shows up a couple weeks later acting like you were never missed. Like clockwork," Leon added no longer amused.
"I'm not the one who is trying to work himself into exhaustion, because rebuilding the town is all I care about." Cloud shot back. He couldn't stand it when anyone assumed they knew all about his relationship with Sephiroth, it was not something to be discussed and Leon damn well knew it.
The Gunblade wielder narrowed his eyes in irritation. This was the kind of mood Cloud was in, huh? For being standoffish and moody Cloud's emotions were unpredictable. He had given up long ago trying to guess how the blond would react when he came back from his self imposed missions.
"And I am not the one who pushes everyone away when they want to help. I know you don't ever tell the girls where you've been, or how long you'll be staying for. You don't even want to help with the restoration!" Leon snapped.
Glowing blue orbs shined with anger and their owner wasted no time replying, "Now you're being a real hypocrite Squall, you ignore everyone just as much as I do. Staying out of the way when Aerith throws a party, not interacting with anyone. You tell her and Tifa that you're fine when they ask, that you're just tired," Cloud's tone was sarcastic but neither one had raised their voice at all.
"You're the one who hides away when Yuffie is looking for you, you avoid Cid like the plague in case he actually needs your help for something. You saying I'm predictable is a laugh Strife really," Leon said, stormy eyes focused on Cloud's expression.
"You do the same thing every day, Leonhart. Get up early, drink your coffee with two sugars then head out to the site. You hardly ever eat the lunch Aerith packs you, and you only take one ten minute break through the whole day. You come back just in time for dinner, but don't make any conversation with the others unless they ask you a direct question. Then you spend several hours pouring over old maps and blueprints trying to make sure you've perfected everything, before you finally to go bed, only to get less sleep than you need."
Leon's expression went blank with mild shock. It took him a moment, before he could actually respond to Cloud's rant because honestly that was the most he had ever heard him speak at once.
"How do you know how I take my coffee?" he asked, partly in accusation and partly in wonderment.
Cloud blinked, as if he hadn't meant to say all of that out loud. His eyes darted around the room and he visibly steeled himself.
"You're the only other one who eats the sugar cubes. I notice there's always two less than the day before," he gave a small shrug.
"I knew you counted the steps to the Bailey and things like that, but not sugar cubes," Leon muttered.
"How do you know I count the steps to all the buildings?" Cloud returned. Their mutual anger had slowly slipped away, to be replaced with honest curiosity.
"You always wrap the bandages on your sword counterclockwise," Leon said, side stepping the question. "You never speak verbally unless you have to and it's always a one word answer if you do. You say 'fine' to Aerith, 'no' to Yuffie, and you only ever give Tifa a special look and she drops it. You-"
"Are you following me or something?" Cloud asked, at a loss how Leon knows all these very true things.
"How can I when clearly I'm at the Bailey, or some such place all day after drinking my coffee with two sugars." Leon said, his tone dry, "I'm merely stating that I am not the only predictable one around here."
The staring contest started again, and it occurred to both of them at the same time ,that they did notice lots of little things about each other no one had seemed to pick up on before. Cloud had no idea anyone else knew and probably guessed, his reasons for counting steps to all of the places that, with a flinch of realization, Leon was known to be. Why would anyone pay attention to the way he takes care of his sword? Being a fellow warrior might be part of it, but the others showed no such interest.
Leon was equally interested and mildly confused. Cloud was always in the other room when he looked over the town's blueprints at night. He was sure the blonde didn't actually follow him around all day, so how did he know Leon didn't eat his lunch? Why would he care if Leon didn't eat, or sleep as much as he was probably supposed to?
The very similar swordsmen seemed to reach the same conclusion, after a span of minutes. The only reason they would know the others' habits was if they payed a lot of attention. A lot of attention neither one gave to anyone else, out of their group. A lot of attention usually meant...they cared about the other. Intense blue eyes blinked at equally intense grey.
In almost the same movement, they stepped forward to grab a shirt and hips covered in too many belts, their lips meeting in a bruising kiss. A hand ran through blonde hair, internally congratulating themselves on guessing at its softness. Mako enhanced arms wound snug around a lean muscled torso, delighted at being allowed to touch. They parted the kiss, only to use tongue and teeth elsewhere.
The computer never came out of standby. Aerith was pleasantly surprised, to find the lunch she had packed for Leon was actually gone today. If someone noticed the two warriors sporting red marks on their necks the next day, they wisely kept quiet.
Just a though I had running around. Hope you liked it.