Title: A Stray Child
Rating: R
Pairings: Yuffie-Leon, AerithxCloud, eventually LeonxCloud
A/N: If anyone's curious, I got the title for this story from the .hack//sign song "A Stray Child." Yay.
I want to warn yaoi fans, this story is going to lean towards het (gasp!) for a few chapters. So just bear with and I'll make it up to you in the end. XD Besides, really now, Leon/Yuffie isn't THAT bad is it?
Also, I just thought I'd say, just so everyone knows, every other chapter of this story will be a flashback, starting with before Ansem went all kooky, to Cloud and Sephiroth's fight in 'Showdown of Fate.'
And lastly, Kingdom Hearts doesn't belong to me. Blah blah blah. Neither does the song 'A Stray Child.' Yadda yadda yadda. Really now. If I OWNED Kingdom Hearts, do you think I would waste my time WRITING about Leon/Cloud yaoi luvvin'?!
Chapter 1 - If You Are Lost In Your Way
--------------------------------
Beautiful.
Cloud had always found the rising falls beautiful, even when he was a small child. He remembered sitting on the little ice ledges just outside the Hollow Bastion, spending hours watching them. He'd often found himself falling asleep, lulled into peaceful slumber by the gentle roaring of the falls.
Most of the other residents of his homeland scorned him for this, thinking it weird for a child to spend all his time just admiring the scenery.
But that didn't really matter to Cloud. He'd always been the outcast, always the odd man out.
To everyone. Everyone, except her.
Yes, her. Always the first to come to his defense, always the one to smile at him when the others would scowl. Aerith…
Cloud felt another hiss of pain in his side, remembering that despite the nostalgia of it all, this definitely was not the best time to be reminiscing.
He looked ahead. He had a long ways to go. And with this wound, it wouldn't be easy. He looked down at the gash Sephiroth had made, deep in his side. Already his shirt was soaked in blood.
Now, now. This shouldn't be so hard. One foot after the other, right? Just move slowly…
He began to walk again.
Cloud knew he was growing weaker. His legs felt like weights, and it took at least two seconds to move either one at a time.
It took him a minute or two, but he managed to make it to the end of the first ledge. He looked up at the next, raised a few feet above the other, and frowned.
… Well, it had to be done. He would've much preferred going through the channels built underneath, but now? He looked down and mentally estimated. At least a twenty foot drop. Such a fall in his condition could kill him. And he had to get there.
He had to get home.
He reared up, and threw himself at the ledge, gripping at the side. His mind seemed to scream with pain, and he let out a howl of agony. It was a wonder he didn't let go.
But he didn't. Instead, he managed to pull himself up, even though it seemed his body would tear itself in two, right at that gash. He felt blood begin to trickle down his leg, heard it dripping on the ice below. He bit his lip, as hard as he possibly could, to distract himself from the pain.
It didn't work as well as it usually did.
Once he'd made it to the next ledge, he tried to get to his feet again.
Big mistake, cape boy.
The second he started to force himself up, the pain in his head intensified, to the point where it felt like twenty little chocobos had just stomped on his skull at once (If such a thing were possible. Give the man a break, he's in pain.)
Cloud collapsed, huddling up into a ball for warmth. No, he'd have to move slower. There was no point in pushing further if he'd keel over dead before he got there. Just rest… just for a few minutes, right?
He felt his vision start to blur as the pain gave way to numbness.
Yeah… just a few minutes.
And then he closed his eyes, and the world faded to black.
------------------------------------------------------------------
"This sucks."
The only words Leon had uttered all day.
He got out of his chair, stretching his aching back in such a manner that it seemed he'd been sitting there a while. He turned, leaning against the desk in his room, looking out the window.
"This really, really sucks."
And it sure as hell did.
It had been a week since they returned to the Hollow Bastion. The place was practically empty now, except for four people. Cid Highwind, Aerith Gainsborough, Yuffie Kisaragi, and himself, Squall Leonhart.
… Yeah. Leon.
Despite Yuffie's none-too-subtle suggestions ("Say, Squall--I mean, uh, Leon… wow, that's still so tough to remember? How do you do it? I can't believe you never slipped with it either. Why don't you just change it back--" "Yuffie?" "Yeah?" "Shut up."), he hadn't changed his name back. Not yet. After all, even if the Hollow Bastion was safe now, he hadn't been able to protect it, all those years ago…
Besides, he hadn't been able to save those who had been lost forever at the hands of HIM.
Ansem. That bastard… Leon's fists clenched when he thought back to the man he once admired and trusted. That they all had trusted. He had been their leader. They'd thought him a wise and noble man.
They'd been wrong.
But perhaps not at first. Before his obsessive study of the Heartless, Ansem had been a good man. One who had been worthy of their respect.
Then the research began… and something changed.
Leon didn't know exactly what happened to Ansem. Only his reports could say for sure, and Sora had taken those with him.
He just didn't know who to blame. Ansem or the Heartless. Maybe both.
Leon sighed, flopping back in his chair.
"Maybe Yuffie's right…" He muttered to himself, slumping a little. "Maybe I do think too much."
He canted his head to the side a little, looking out the window. So boring… save for minor castle upkeep and training, there really wasn't much else to do around here. A sigh passed his lips, as he got out of his chair. He circled the desk, heading towards the door. Well, a walk may do him some good. Better than rotting away in here.
---------------
So how was it? ^_^ Please be kind, alright? This is my first time posting publicly (skerred.). Anyway, the next few chapters should be up soon, so check back. See ya.
Rating: R
Pairings: Yuffie-Leon, AerithxCloud, eventually LeonxCloud
A/N: If anyone's curious, I got the title for this story from the .hack//sign song "A Stray Child." Yay.
I want to warn yaoi fans, this story is going to lean towards het (gasp!) for a few chapters. So just bear with and I'll make it up to you in the end. XD Besides, really now, Leon/Yuffie isn't THAT bad is it?
Also, I just thought I'd say, just so everyone knows, every other chapter of this story will be a flashback, starting with before Ansem went all kooky, to Cloud and Sephiroth's fight in 'Showdown of Fate.'
And lastly, Kingdom Hearts doesn't belong to me. Blah blah blah. Neither does the song 'A Stray Child.' Yadda yadda yadda. Really now. If I OWNED Kingdom Hearts, do you think I would waste my time WRITING about Leon/Cloud yaoi luvvin'?!
Chapter 1 - If You Are Lost In Your Way
--------------------------------
Beautiful.
Cloud had always found the rising falls beautiful, even when he was a small child. He remembered sitting on the little ice ledges just outside the Hollow Bastion, spending hours watching them. He'd often found himself falling asleep, lulled into peaceful slumber by the gentle roaring of the falls.
Most of the other residents of his homeland scorned him for this, thinking it weird for a child to spend all his time just admiring the scenery.
But that didn't really matter to Cloud. He'd always been the outcast, always the odd man out.
To everyone. Everyone, except her.
Yes, her. Always the first to come to his defense, always the one to smile at him when the others would scowl. Aerith…
Cloud felt another hiss of pain in his side, remembering that despite the nostalgia of it all, this definitely was not the best time to be reminiscing.
He looked ahead. He had a long ways to go. And with this wound, it wouldn't be easy. He looked down at the gash Sephiroth had made, deep in his side. Already his shirt was soaked in blood.
Now, now. This shouldn't be so hard. One foot after the other, right? Just move slowly…
He began to walk again.
Cloud knew he was growing weaker. His legs felt like weights, and it took at least two seconds to move either one at a time.
It took him a minute or two, but he managed to make it to the end of the first ledge. He looked up at the next, raised a few feet above the other, and frowned.
… Well, it had to be done. He would've much preferred going through the channels built underneath, but now? He looked down and mentally estimated. At least a twenty foot drop. Such a fall in his condition could kill him. And he had to get there.
He had to get home.
He reared up, and threw himself at the ledge, gripping at the side. His mind seemed to scream with pain, and he let out a howl of agony. It was a wonder he didn't let go.
But he didn't. Instead, he managed to pull himself up, even though it seemed his body would tear itself in two, right at that gash. He felt blood begin to trickle down his leg, heard it dripping on the ice below. He bit his lip, as hard as he possibly could, to distract himself from the pain.
It didn't work as well as it usually did.
Once he'd made it to the next ledge, he tried to get to his feet again.
Big mistake, cape boy.
The second he started to force himself up, the pain in his head intensified, to the point where it felt like twenty little chocobos had just stomped on his skull at once (If such a thing were possible. Give the man a break, he's in pain.)
Cloud collapsed, huddling up into a ball for warmth. No, he'd have to move slower. There was no point in pushing further if he'd keel over dead before he got there. Just rest… just for a few minutes, right?
He felt his vision start to blur as the pain gave way to numbness.
Yeah… just a few minutes.
And then he closed his eyes, and the world faded to black.
------------------------------------------------------------------
"This sucks."
The only words Leon had uttered all day.
He got out of his chair, stretching his aching back in such a manner that it seemed he'd been sitting there a while. He turned, leaning against the desk in his room, looking out the window.
"This really, really sucks."
And it sure as hell did.
It had been a week since they returned to the Hollow Bastion. The place was practically empty now, except for four people. Cid Highwind, Aerith Gainsborough, Yuffie Kisaragi, and himself, Squall Leonhart.
… Yeah. Leon.
Despite Yuffie's none-too-subtle suggestions ("Say, Squall--I mean, uh, Leon… wow, that's still so tough to remember? How do you do it? I can't believe you never slipped with it either. Why don't you just change it back--" "Yuffie?" "Yeah?" "Shut up."), he hadn't changed his name back. Not yet. After all, even if the Hollow Bastion was safe now, he hadn't been able to protect it, all those years ago…
Besides, he hadn't been able to save those who had been lost forever at the hands of HIM.
Ansem. That bastard… Leon's fists clenched when he thought back to the man he once admired and trusted. That they all had trusted. He had been their leader. They'd thought him a wise and noble man.
They'd been wrong.
But perhaps not at first. Before his obsessive study of the Heartless, Ansem had been a good man. One who had been worthy of their respect.
Then the research began… and something changed.
Leon didn't know exactly what happened to Ansem. Only his reports could say for sure, and Sora had taken those with him.
He just didn't know who to blame. Ansem or the Heartless. Maybe both.
Leon sighed, flopping back in his chair.
"Maybe Yuffie's right…" He muttered to himself, slumping a little. "Maybe I do think too much."
He canted his head to the side a little, looking out the window. So boring… save for minor castle upkeep and training, there really wasn't much else to do around here. A sigh passed his lips, as he got out of his chair. He circled the desk, heading towards the door. Well, a walk may do him some good. Better than rotting away in here.
---------------
So how was it? ^_^ Please be kind, alright? This is my first time posting publicly (skerred.). Anyway, the next few chapters should be up soon, so check back. See ya.