Amazingly.... you people liked this story. So I updated it. I would have had this up last night, but much to my disappointment, the document uploader wasn't working. So here I am throwing it up there now. Figures....

Anyway... Disclaimer: I. Own. Nothing.

"Ah! Leon! You're home! Oh! Where are my manners? Leon, this is Tifa, Axel, Cloud, and his cousin, Roxas. They'll be staying with us for a while." Aerith started, grinning happily as she clapped her hands together in excitement. Leon blinked and managed to tear his gaze away from those eyes long enough to take in the others.

"Uh... hi?" he finally managed to get out awkwardly. Zack slumped against him, laughing.

Take it from you Grandmother. I been Round.

Fret II: Dust comes in

"I can't believe it! There! In front of you! Is possibly one of the finest pieces of ass! And all you can say is 'hi'!" Zack laughed, snorting as he slapped his leg, falling onto his back and rolling around in the dead grass. Leon frowned, glancing down at his so called best friend.

They were seated on the banks of what would eventually be their river... but only once the rainy season hit. Until then it would be nothing but a tiny creek that thought it could... and obviously couldn't. The brunet sighed and flopped back as well, glaring at the clear blue sky above them. The days were getting slightly more humid and he could feel the rainy season approaching sooner than expected. That was good. It meant a slightly longer growing season. Maybe the farmers wouldn't bitch all the time this year... nah.. too hopeful.

"Shut up, Zack..." the teen growled, Zack sitting up on his elbow and using a finger to wipe the tears from his eyes.

"Oh... that's great, Leon... but seriously... who were you staring at? And why!?! I mean! Why would you want to look any where else but that brunette babe! Damn! She could give even Rinoa a run for her money!"

Leon snorted. "If that's what you think, why not tell her?"

"HA! Are you kiddin' me? Dude, Seifer dared to say that and she sucker punched him! And the scary part about it is, it took that skinny blond chick to hold her back from killing him!"

Leon blinked. "Wow.. wait... skinny blond chick? Zack... there aren't any blond girls around here..."

The black haired teen waved it off and grinned. "I know. Talkin' about that blond kid that arrived with them. The older one... you know, eerie blue eyes and crazy blond hair."

Leon arched a brow slightly higher. "He held her back? He looks like he could barely lift a barn door, let alone that guitar he carries around..."

"Tell me about it." Zack replied, laying down as well, arms folded behind his head to act as a pillow while watching the "invisible clouds". "He's so... scrawny....."

It was silent for a bit until Leon smirked. "Bet he could kick your ass...."

"Thirty bucks says he couldn't..."

"You're on."

"Come on, Cloud. It can't be that bad..." the voice of... Roxas, was it? Drifted towards them and Leon sat up, looking down "river" slightly. Sure enough, there they were: Roxas and his cousin... Cloud. The taller blond snorted.

"Right... believe me, Roxas... you're not going to like it."

"Just say it, Cloud..."

"Fine." the taller blond stopped and took a deep breath before sighing heavily, as if accepting some horrid fate. "You... sing....." Roxas blinked and looked up, intrigued slightly. "Like a girl." Cloud finally finished. There was silence as the words sunk into the younger's head before he snapped.

"WHAT!?!"

"I'm just saying that a kid your age shouldn't be singing in the range you do..." Cloud muttered with a calm nod, completely unfazed by the outburst. Roxas twitched.

"WHY I OUGHTA!!! CLOUD YOU BASTARD!"

"I told you you wouldn't like it... the truth hurts, I know..."

"FINE! IF THAT'S THE WAY YOU'RE GONNA PLAY IT! YOU LOOK LIKE A GIRL!"

"Get new material, kiddo. Heard it before."

"GAH!!!!!!"

Leon blinked, watching the teasing exchange between the cousins. Zack was watching as well, both brows arched high in amusement. The insults continued for a bit, slowly growing softer and then silent. The two blonds just stood, looking out passed the river and towards the expanse that stretched out... barren... lifeless...

"Hey, Cloud?" Roxas finally asked, voice sounding like a soft whimper, reaching even Leon's and Zack's ears from where they say. Cloud grunted, letting him know to continue.

"I thought you said we'd never come back here...."

"So did I..."

"Oh... Hey, Cloud?"

"Yeah..?"

"...Do you think he's still out there?"

Against his better judgment, Leon leaned towards them slightly, wanting to know what they were talking about. Their tones of voice just sounded so... alone.

Cloud sighed and shrugged, turning to face Roxas and freezing, his eyes locking on the figures of both Leon and Zack sitting a ways away.

Leon blinked, suddenly feeling shame sweep over. He flinched and looked away, down at the ground ahead of him. Zack fidgeted, able to feel the blond's gaze on them as well.

"Clou-" Roxas was cut off as the blond made his way over, the shorter following in his steps. They took their time, both most likely thinking over what they could say. Leon was thinking up a good excuse, Cloud, meanwhile, was thinking on how to approach the subject without the awkward pauses.

By the time Cloud reached them, Leon and Zack were both on their feet.

"Cloud I didn-"

"Sorry you had to-"

They both stopped, blinking and offering small, awkward smiles to one another. Roxas sighed and shifted from one foot to the other. Cloud sighed and rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"Sorry... about that. We just... kind of over heard." Leon muttered weakly. Cloud blinked and shrugged.

"We weren't exactly being quiet..." The blond muttered, his smile growing ever so slightly. "So.. just try and... forget you heard anything?" he asked, voice weak as if he were doubting or worse... expecting a fight. Leon blinked and nodded.

"Yeah..."

The blond relaxed a little and nodded a quick farewell, Roxas trailing behind him a few seconds later. Zack watched them go before looking to Leon, blinking.

"What the hell was that?" he asked, quirking a brow.

"What the hell was what?"

"That! What was that!?" Zack grabbed Leon by the shoulders and forced him to turn around and face him. "You NEVER smile at other guys!"

"Zack... I smi-"

"NO! You don't! You either smirk or sneer! NEVER SMILE!!!! and what'd you do!?! You smiled at him! It was like.... some sick, convoluted, and demented form of sadists flirting!!!"

Leon merely rolled his eyes and smacked Zack over the back of the head. "Shut up. You're making a fool of yourself with your mouth gaping like that. And I know there's a few lovely ladies that won't want to see the back of your throat."

Zack Fair, promptly snapped his mouth shut.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"You like him..." Roxas purred as he skipped alongside his cousin. Cloud glanced at him and shrugged.

"He's got a nice ass... and he isn't all that hard on the eyes either...." The taller blond thought aloud, mulling over the younger's implications. Roxas sneered.

"I'm willing to bet my entire savings that you don't have the balls to ask him out..."

"And what if I do more than ask him out?"

Roxas blinked, eying the smirk forming on the blond's lips. "Depends... what you talkin' 'bout?"

Cloud smirked and winked, the action almost wolf like. "I bet ya anything he's dying to get out of this god forsaken town..."

"What makes you think that?" Roxas asked, kicking a rock in his path. Cloud shrugged.

"The way he carries himself... it's a lot like we did... The only thing holding him back is his family... he thinks they need him around."

"You gonna change that?"

"If he lets me..."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Wow... this looks delicious!" Axel stated, staring in awe at the feast laid out before him. Aerith giggled and offered a small, modest smile.

"oh.. this? This was nothing..." she stated, waving the compliment off.

"Mom... you slaved over the oven for hours, tittering to yourself...." Sora dead panned. Aerith paled and smacked Sora upside the head.

"Hush you!"

Roxas giggled slightly and Cloud merely nudged him. The younger blond shut his mouth, looking down to keep himself from any further giggle fits. Leon glanced at the two from where he sat, directly across from Cloud. Those blue eyes suddenly turned to him and the blond offered a smile, that of which Leon returned ever so slightly. Sora noticed, much to Leon's horror and hooted.

"WHA! WHA! WHA!!!! MOM!!! LEON SMILED!!!!! THE WORLD'S AT IT'S END!!!"

'Shut up, Sora...' Leon grumbled, glaring at his younger brother.

"Why? Make me-"

"Boys!" Aerith snapped, silencing her sons effectively. "Now... Leon... did you see Rinoa today?" Leon groaned, rolling his eyes and slumping his shoulder. Why him? "Yes? No?"

"No, mother..."

"But why? You should really consider her, Leon. She comes from a good family and everythi-"

Leon shoved away from his plate, his chair scrapping against the floor. "I'm not hungry..." he muttered before leaving. Aerith blinked, stuttering.

"L-leon?"

"Squall's being pussy, mom... he'll be fine." Sora stated, digging into his meal, noticing the pair of blue eyes that watched the door Leon had disappeared through.

-0-0-0-0-0-

"Come out here often?" Cloud asked, causing Leon to jump slightly and turn to face the blond. They were at the creek, the water rising slightly, another sign the rainy season was on it's way. Leon blinked, slightly shocked that the blond was even there talking to him before he shrugged.

"Need something?"

"Not really... just came to check on you... no one else seemed to be worried enough to get off their asses...." Cloud replied with a shrug, seating himself beside the other. Leon snorted.

"You'd be a first then..."

"Really? I'm guessing I'd be the first in stating you don't exactly like this Rinoa, either?"

Leon snorted once more, tone sarcastic when he spoke next. "That obvious?"

"Just a little..." Cloud paused to look Leon over once more. "You're not into women... are you?"

Leon froze before looking towards the blond. "Wh-what?"

Cloud smirked slightly, leaning forward, a little closer. "You aren't turned on by the idea of a woman lying under you..." he said almost too calmly.

"What gives you that idea?"

"The fact that you've been eying me and not Tifa." Cloud replied with a shrug. Leon blushed. He'd been caught red handed and here he was, the blond not even bothered by it. Most people in the town would think he was insane. "Not that I mind..."

Leon blinked, confusion setting in. "What?"

Cloud chuckled and leaned back, resting his weight on his palms. "I'd prefer sleeping with a man..." He glanced at Leon, looking him up and down. "The towns people here... they don't accept that... do they?"

Leon sighed and shook his head, finally admitting the blond was right. "No... they'd much rather kill us than have us expressing our sexuality..."

Cloud glanced around and shrugged, leaning closer to Leon. "Well... no one's here to see..." He whispered into the other's ear. The brunet blinked ad turned his head to face the blond, their faces mere inches apart. They locked gazes, cobalt blue meeting storm grey. Slowly, Cloud leaned in, pressing his lips to Leon's in a soft, tender kiss.

It took a moment for Leon's brain to realize what was happening and kick in. Once it registered, he leaned into it, slipping his tongue across the blond's lower lip. Cloud hummed softly and opened his mouth, their tongues twining. The "dance" continued for a bit before Cloud pulled back, breaking the kiss as he finally released Leon's tongue, of which he'd been sucking on slightly. Again, they locked gazes.

"Welcome to freedom..." Cloud whispered against Leon's lips, the slightly taller teen captivated by the way the moonlight reflected off those blue orbs. From there on... Leon knew.... he was completely and utterly under Cloud's spell.. and he had the feeling he was drowning in a pool way over his head.