Title: Priceless
Summary: Leon is a freshman in college with dyslexia, and his new Victorian Literature professor, Dr. Sephiroth, doesn't make things any easier for him. Desperate to help, Cloud considers Sephiroth's offer to pass Leon, but not without a price from Cloud. LC, RS, SephyCloud
A/N: First off, I'll have you know that I'm only a senior in high school, so I don't know much about college life. I'm also not an expert on dyslexia, but I did my best by doing a bit of research on it. So please excuse any inaccurate details that I may have.
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Chapter 1
A long, thin, metal indicator hit the edge of the desk with a sharp 'thwap!' and the room snapped to attention. The professor glanced about his small class of sixteen, serenely, and the corners of his mouth curled up in a slight, cold smile. He locked eyes briefly with a young man with blonde, spiked hair and a cut, toned form. Normally, any ordinary person would have felt himself shrink under Sephiroth's sharp, keen stare, thoroughly intimidated by those icy, pale emerald eyes. This particular individual, however, returned the stare calmly with persistent blue eyes, a small flare of defiance lit up in them. Sephiroth's smile widened, and he looked away to address the class.
"I see that Victorian Literature is not the most popular course here at Destiny Islands University, and with very good reason, as well." He began pleasantly. "Under my direction, this is a course that will challenge and push your limits to the extreme. I expect no less than the level of professionalism in conduct and effort in here, and I most certainly do not give any slack." His eyes glanced down at his desk for a moment before looking up again. "Mr Lionhart." He called out.
"Yes, Professor." Leon looked up. Sephiroth examined him for a moment before speaking.
"I have a notice here saying that one of my students is hindered with a disability. Dyslexia, specifically."
All eyes turned to glance at Leon, who did not even flinch, in curiosity, except from one pair. Cloud, who had attended high school with Leon, knew what to expect. Dyslexia was not well understood on the island and therefore, many had viewed Leon as an incompetent student.
"I will have you know now," Sephiroth said slowly. "That I do not give 'special treatment' to anyone. You took this course, knowing your own difficulties, and therefore I expect the result of your work to be no different than any other in here."
Yep. A complete ass. Cloud thought to himself feeling particularly bitter towards Sephiroth for the way he singled out Leon. Apparently Leon felt the same way.
"If I wanted special treatment, sir, there would've been no reason for me to seek it in a Victorian Literature course." Leon articulated coldly.
"Good." Sephiroth said softly. "Now, what are our goals for this course? Number one, know thyself. Self awareness is essential…"
Cloud glanced sideways at Leon who appeared to be listening intently, determined to prove himself worthy. Yet the angry, contorted eyebrows slowly relaxed as the professor continued to lecture. A tranquil expression found its place on Leon's face and Cloud could only study his softened features, enraptured by the sudden tenderness he found.
Cloud found an indicator before his eyes, and he slowly looked up.
"Mr Strife." Sephiroth said with some amusement in his voice. "Will you repeat our second goal? Or were you too busy staring at a potential lover? If anything, your attention should be on me."
A few excited titters came from the girls in the room. Leon raised an eyebrow at Cloud inquisitively, as well.
Cloud glared back with confidence and recited what he had just heard. "Know that which is greater than the ego. Better awareness of the world beyond the ego, beyond the conscious self, enables the writer…"
"That's enough." Sephiroth stopped Cloud, smiling in an eerie manner.
Cloud smirked.
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"My name is Vincent, and I will be your waiter this evening." A man with fashionably untidy black hair that was kept semi-long stood before the table of six.
Selphie giggled, "So I see you've gotten a job here, Vincey! You look so adorable in that little waiter getup! And wow! Looks like you've finally cut your hair! Any particular reason?"
"The manager told me it wasn't very sanitary." Vincent replied crossly, clearly irritated about the situation. "What can I get you?" He asked dully.
"Water." Replied the table in unison, except for one.
"I want the paopu slushy!" Selphie said loudly. Vincent shuffled off. "Isn't he just darling?"
"So…how are classes?" Tidus asked.
"Oh!" Aerith beamed. "We visited Sora's class at Palmville High!" She was studying to become a high school teacher.
"And how is the little twerp?" Cloud asked, toying with the cloth napkin. Aerith flushed, emerald green eyes blinking rapidly.
"I don't think it's my business to say…"
Cloud wrinkled his eyebrows. "What…? What are you—."
"Loud as ever, Cloud." Riku interrupted. A confused Cloud turned to look at Riku, who merely rolled his eyes. "You asked how Sora was."
"Well of course he's loud—I don't understand—."
"He means in BED, Cloud. BOY, are you clueless sometimes." Selphie giggled, twirling her hair.
"You mean you…" Cloud looked at Riku, who was wearing a proud smirk. "They…" He turned to look at the others. "Sora…" He turned back to Riku and let out a groan. "Ah…aw man…I'm getting some really disturbing images…oh god…tell me you guys aren't…Riku, I'm gonna—and Aerith! What did you see! Riku's in college now! How could he…!"
"If I'd give up the world for Sora, I could more easily give up a psychology course." Riku said simply with a shrug, as if it were the most logical thing ever.
"Well, what's the big deal, Cloud?" Tidus asked. "They're just normal teenagers with normal, raging hormones that do perfectly normal teenage things—."
"Perfectly normal?"
Selphie rolled his eyes. "Aw, c'mon Cloud! Don't play dumb! You know it happens. Just because it wasn't normal for you in high school doesn't mean—."
"Forget it." Cloud snapped. "My younger brother's sexual endeavors are NOT something I want to be discussing. But if Sora gets any STDs…" Cloud glared at Riku.
"Protection, Cloud. Protection." Riku grinned.
"Safer, but not safe." Cloud shot back.
"SO," Tidus cut in. A change of topic was definitely in order. "How's the gig at the café, Selph?"
Selphie proudly patted her saxophone case. "Great! Pays real well I'll tell ya…"
Cloud looked over at Leon who had remained silent the whole time. He had pulled out a clean sheet of paper and was holding a pen as if he was about to write. Something was wrong, however. Leon's hand wasn't moving, and he seemed to be experiencing a bit of inner turmoil, eyebrows etched in a frown and eyes that were lost in a stormy sea. It was one of those moments, and Cloud contemplated on what to do. He could intervene, but risk becoming the target of the brunette's anger.
"I'm not an idiot." Cloud guessed would be Leon's gruff response. However, he couldn't just leave the distressing scene as it was.
"Leon…" Cloud broke the staring contest between Leon and the paper, gently, and Leon looked up to meet warm, sincere blue eyes. Cloud quietly took the paper and confiscated the pen from Leon's hand.
Leon Lionhart. He wrote neatly at the top, and handed it back to Leon with a small smile, carefully watching Leon's unchanging expression.
Leon said nothing and studied Cloud's writing, as if he was trying to permanently engrave the memory of his written name into his mind. There were times when Leon suddenly just wasn't able to write his name. It was as if he had completely forgotten, or that he was simply nameless.
Funny how Leon was so intellectual, so capable of perception and insight in literary context, Cloud thought. But the simplest of things that Leon found himself unable to do seemed to confuse him more than the spelling of 'onomatopoeia' ever would.
"Thanks." Leon finally said with ease. Short and simple, it was all that Cloud needed to hear.
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"You know, Leon." Cloud began seriously, admiring his reflection in the mirror. "If you ever need help, I'm here."
Lying on the bed, Leon was reading a novel he had in hand and raised a doubtful eyebrow. "Sure Cloud, if I ever need help on my prissy-girl act, you'll be the first person I turn to."
Cloud rolled his eyes as he strode across the room and flopped down on his own bed. "You know what I'm talking about."
A sigh escaped from Leon as he continued to read. "Listen…don't fret your pretty little head over it."
"I don't know…" A touch of worry was present in Cloud's voice. "This guy…Sephiroth? Sounds like trouble."
Another sigh. He looked up from his reading. "Cloud…I didn't get this far in my education to let a prick stop me. It won't hap—what the hell are you wearing?" Leon ogled at Cloud as if he were mad. And it was possible that he was.
"Oh…this?" Cloud held out the sleeves that were slightly too long. Tiny chocobos and swords were printed all over the baby blue PJs that Cloud was donning. "Why?" He asked nervously, licking his lower lip. "You think it's too…girly?"
Leon nearly choked upon replying. "Well…no, Cloud. It looks very…macho man-ish. It uh…brings out the color of your eyes." Cloud beamed.
To be honest, Leon thought that Cloud was as cute as a button in his oversized sleepwear, although he would never reveal the fact. Cloud would've probably been disgruntled, knowing that he gave off such an image, so therefore, Leon could only assure Cloud that he still looked like a man in those clothes.
Shaking his head, Leon decided the end the conversation. "Right. So, like I said. None of your business, so go shove that spiky head of yours up someone else's."
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Leon bit his bottom lip, displeased. He had been staring at his laptop screen for a few hours now, and was nearly concluded with his assignment, but the red lines strewn throughout his work, as a result of spell check, troubled him greatly. He sighed, running a tired hand through shaggy brown hair. Even with the possibly correct choices that Microsoft Word would provide him, he still couldn't be too sure which ones were right, and which ones weren't. He wasn't one to plead another for help, however. Sometimes it was beyond his pride to do so, and as a result, he would not only see red marks on the computer, but red marks on his printed copy as well, once they were graded.
He desperately wished for someone to check his mistakes, loathing the thought of Sephiroth smirking at him as his paper was handed back. On the other hand, he also hated the thought of submitting to the aid of another. It made him feel as if his work wasn't his completely. But still…he wasn't sure.
"Cloud! Cloud!" The door to the dorm room opened abruptly and a boy stood there, out of breath. Leon turned to stare at Sora, whose excitement was replaced with slight confusion. "My brother's not here?" He asked.
"No." Leon confirmed.
"Oh…I see…" Awkward silence filled the room, as the two didn't know what to say to each other. Sora was usually intimidated by Leon's cool demeanor despite all the times that Cloud told him that Leon was really a softie on the inside. Leon was simply just a man of few words. Even if he did have any small talk to make, he was usually lost in the depths of Sora's blue eyes, in awe of their striking resemblance to Cloud's. The spiky hair was similar as well, only Sora's was a bit more boyish, just like everything else about him.
The gray eyes averted their glance and Leon collected himself. "What business do you have here?"
"I just…wanted to tell Cloud that I made the Blitzball team." Sora was grinning himself silly now.
Leon raised his eyebrows, nodding. "Impressive. I'll be sure to mention it to your brother."
"Hey…what's taking so long, Sora?" A rich, tenor voice appeared on the scene and soon, Riku was poking his head into the room and glaring at Leon comically. "Is the ol' grouch picking on you, Sora?"
"Riku…" Leon warned.
"Right, right, we'll be going now. Come along, Sory-poo …"
"I told you not to call me that!"
"Oops, forget. Sorry, sugar babe."
"Riku!"
The voices faded away down into the hallway. And Leon returned reluctantly to face the computer screen. For a while, he mindlessly right clicked away on all the marked errors to review the possibly correct choices he had. But it was utterly pointless, and he knew it.
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A door slowly clicked shut as a young blonde man stole into the room. Quietly, he set a full brown bag on the bed and softly treaded across the tile floor, making his way towards the brunette, who was now fast asleep in front of his computer. Kneeling down, the man rested his chin on his arms, which he casually leaned on edge of the table with while blue eyes silently peered at the slumbering face in earnest admiration. Mentally, he traced the flawless contours of the smooth face, handsome features perfected in every aspect. Vulnerable, was how the brunette appeared when all his defenses, which he so carefully built, gradually retreated in the wake of sweet oblivion, baring everything underneath. As far as the blonde could tell, there really was no reason to hide this natural tenderness. Perhaps Leon had always thought of it as a weakness, rather.
Brown eyebrows furrowed, and then relaxed. In a sudden motion, Leon pushed himself off the desk, sitting up straight, a look of slight bewilderment present on his face as if he had lost track of whom and where he was.
"…Cloud?"
Cloud lifted his head and smiled sheepishly. "Just got back." He stood up and walked towards his bed, unloading the contents of the bag and beginning to place select items in the mini refrigerator. "I did some grocery shopping." And he held up an apple as if to prove his point.
"I see." Leon looked away from Cloud and turned to find himself greeted by the Word document that he had been working on. "Oh." Realization dawned on him. "Your brother stopped by."
"He did?" The spiky-haired blonde looked up in interest.
Leon nodded. "Wanted you to know he made the Blitzball team."
A delighted smile graced Cloud's face as he reached into the bag for a carton of vanilla ice cream. "I guess that's no surprise. So what've you been doing?" Cloud was busying himself with sorting some yogurt by flavor and expiration date.
"Victorian lit essay." Leon replied dully.
"Want any help?" Cloud offered.
Leon thought about this. Did it really matter he had a myriad of spelling errors? Perhaps not. He felt that his thesis could stand well enough alone. "…No." He finally answered. "I'm finished."
"You sure?" Cloud raised an eyebrow at Leon's essay, noticing all the red marks.
"Positive." Leon said firmly, and clicked on the print button.
Frowning slightly, Cloud shrugged. "I'll slice you some apples."
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"Mmm…" Sora was sprawled over the couch, growing more excited by the moment, fingers trapped in silver strands as soft lips made their way up, lingering at the neck to plant brief, teasing butterfly kisses. "Ah…ahh…" Sora's breathing hastening dramatically and his fingers tightened their grasp as Riku smirked to himself, knowing the neck was one of Sora's most sensitive areas. He glanced up at half-lidded blue eyes, hazy with lust. "Rikuuu…" Came Sora's complaint. "Why'd you stop?"
"Well, why not?" Riku grinned mischievously. Sora pouted furiously, his wide, bright eyes full of accusation. "Sorry, love." Riku said softly, descending upon Sora's lips with newfound fervor.
"Forget it." Sora said flatly. "I'm not in the mood anymore." He pushed Riku away and sat up, irritated and half clothed. Riku groaned, knowing that he had brought this upon himself, and flopped down on the other end of the couch.
"You know, Sora…" Sora pulled a blanket over himself, giving Riku a look. "Cloud's always been something of a wimp—ow!"
Offended, Sora had kicked Riku. "What're are you talking about? Cloud's never been afraid of anything!"
"I'm not talking about just anything, Sora." Riku winced at the pain in his leg. "You ever notice he never had a significant other?" Sora frowned.
"So? He could probably have anyone."
"Except for me, of course, but I'm special." Sora snorted. Riku continued. "But he's never made an advance. He's never approached anyone. He doesn't even respond to those who do."
"Maybe he's just not interested." Sora shrugged.
Riku rolled his eyes. "No way could that thing be asexual."
"I wasn't suggestin—."
"He definitely has an interest in mind." Riku interrupted loudly. "But he just doesn't have the guts to do anything about it. You're right, Sora. He probably could have anyone he wanted, but he doesn't seem to know that."
Sora contemplated silently for a moment. "Well, who the heck is interesting enough to attract my brother?"
"Leon." Riku stated as-a-matter-of-factly. Sora's eyes grew so wide that Riku instinctively held his hands out to catch Sora's eyeballs, in case if they fell out.
"L-Leon!"
"Err...I guess Cloud's just a bit eccentric." Riku shrugged. "Cloud's a smart guy. I'm sure he sees something that we don't."
Sora stared down as if in thought. "Yea…you're probably right. But who would've figured…"
"We've all known each other since high school. I've had plenty of time to figure out what kind of look Cloud was giving Leon all the time. It came to me one day when I was watching Selphie's dog beg her for a bacon strip. I thought, 'Ah! It's a longing, puppy-dog look!' It's actually kind of cute to the point of sickening, really. I wonder if Leon just ignores it because it disturbs him or if he's just plain ignorant…"
Sora was laughing. "Well," He paused to catch his breath. "Are we supposed to do something about it?"
"No. We'll let them have their fun." Riku smirked, leaning over to kiss Sora all over again.
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First chapter finished! I would appreciate it if you told me what you thought of it. )
