Part II

March 9, 2001

Dear Cloud,

I admit I was pissed at you the day you broke up with me. I promised myself I would never forgive you, and here I am, writing an apology to you. I don't blame you for wanting to leave me. I see you every day with Stoneface, and I see how happy he makes you. And he can smile, apparently. But that's not what I should be writing about. I guess, what I should be saying is that I'm really sorry, and I mean it. You really deserved so much better than what you had with me. It probably doesn't interest you to know, and I don't blame you for this either, but what you did that day helped me out so much.

I told Angeal the whole truth. That I was the one who wanted to keep seeing Sephiroth. But my father still blamed him. He said Sephiroth shouldn't have been taking advantage of me. I know there's no one else to blame but myself. I never thought I would be hurting so many people. Angeal lost his friendship with one of his closest friends. Sephiroth's reputation has probably been damaged. And I'm sure you were the one that was hurt the most. I've been going to a counselor to talk about everything that happened and it's really helped me put all this behind me. I haveyou to thank for that Cloud. I can't say I don't get jealous when I see you with your boyfriend because I still care deeply about you, but I'm glad you have someone who can give you what I couldn't. I wish I hadn't let things get so out of hand, and I wish we could have worked things out. I know I don't deserve it, but all I'm asking for is your forgiveness, even if it takes some time. I understand if you never want to forgive me. Even if you don't believe me, I want you to know one thing. I never, ever used you.

With Love,

Zack Fair

Cloud read and reread the note about three times over. He was sitting in his physics class, not being able to listen to a word the professor was saying since finding the note discreetly hidden in his notebook. Each time he reread the words he found a new emotion being stirred up inside him. 'How could he? Why would he? Urgh! He's such an asshole! He expects me to buy this? But... how can I not? When he sounds so... sincere? Damn him.' He spent the rest of the time in the class thinking about what he should do about it. 'Should I talk to him?' He hadn't spoken to him since that night over a month ago. They would avoid each other as much as possible in school. They would never see each other if they didn't share a literature class together. 'I should ask Squall what he thinks of it. He'll probably tell me I shouldn't trust Zack after everything he did. I know I shouldn't. But I can't help it. I need to talk to him.' Cloud's mind was made up. The minute class was over he went looking for the boy in question.

"Zack!" Cloud caught up to the raven-haired boy just as he was leaving his locker.

"Hey?" Zack was surprised to see him.

"What the hell is this?"

"That... oh, um. I see you got my note. I wasn't expecting you to come see me so soon."

"Well, I'm not here because I'm accepting that pathetic excuse for an apology!"

Cloud saw Zack flinch a little when he yelled at him, making him feel all the worse and wanting to believe him even more. "I get it... nothing I do will change the fact that I hurt you. I said it's fine. Hate me all you want."

Cloud sighed. "I don't hate you, Zack. If I hated you... I would have just ripped this up and ignored you altogether. Truth is... I want to believe you so badly. But I'm not sure why I should."

"Fair enough. I probably wouldn't believe me either."

Cloud lowered his voice to a whisper. "It's not like... it's even your fault."

"What?"

"That man... he was completely out of line. He took advantage of you."

"That's what everyone keeps telling me," Zack said, shaking his head. "But that's not the way I see it."

"How do you see it then?"

"I dunno... I feel like... I brought it upon myself."

"Zack... after I broke up with you I blamed you for what happened between us... but I've had time to think about it and... I'm not so sure... it doesn't feel right. I was so angry with you for making me cover for you whenever you'd go out to see him. You made me lie to your dad. Sometimes you'd lie to me. Even when it was obvious you'd been with him. You'd act like you were happy to see me, but I could tell you were worn out... and you wanted me to leave you alone."

"So you have every right to be angry at me. I'm the one that led him on."

"No, that's what I thought. But it's his fault, Zack. It's always been his fault. I think , I've always known that, and... that's what made me want to stay with you. Then I realized that I'd never be able to help you if I stayed with you. But... I should never have done things the way that I did... I can't accept your apology because... I'm the one who should be asking for forgiveness."

"Too bad... you've already been forgiven," Zack said, a smile forming on his face as he did so.

There was that unforgettable feeling Cloud got whenever he'd see Zack's smile, only this time the feeling was accompanied not by happiness, but by a deepening sadness. It came from knowing that the love he had once felt for him was gone. Cloud was in love with Squall, and nothing would change that. In response to Zack's words, Cloud pulled him in for a quick hug. "This feels so much better than being mad at you..." It earned him another smile from Zack.

"You're telling me! I hope this means... we can still be friends?"

"Yeah." Both boys were relieved, a weight lifted off their shoulders. Perhaps they had always been meant to be friends, nothing more. Things seemed less complicated this way, anyway. "I should get going. Squall's waiting for me."

"Right."

Cloud would've stayed and talked a while longer, but it was the end of the school day and he wanted to hurry up and meet up with Squall already. Zack watched the blonde leave, mixed emotions running through him. It felt good to be a step closer to rebuilding his friendship with Cloud, but then again, things would never be the same between them. That was the part Zack regretted the most.

The Hollow Bastion High school uniform consisted of black slacks, a blue blazer over a white button up shirt, and a tie. Cloud didn't mind it, but Squall never liked the idea of wearing any sort of uniform. He liked the rebellious look of his leather, and of course Cloud loved to see him in it. Once they were out of school, Cloud had gotten used to taking Squall's tie off, unbuttoning his shirt down to where you could see the silver lion pendant, and pulling out the shirt from where it was tucked into his slacks, all while kissing the brunet.

Today they decided they'd visit Valentine's Sweets, a popular pastry shop among the locals. It had been around for decades, perhaps around the time Hollow Bastion was known by a different name, and the owners were a couple who were thought to be vampires because they never seemed to age. The sweets shop was usually busy, especially in the afternoon hours when kids and teenagers were out of school.

Among the variety of intricately designed pastries, Squall chose a bun in the shape of a cute kitten's head, filled with a fruit jelly, while Cloud took a small box of heart-shaped sugar-dusted cookies with a fruit filling. They took their after school snacks to eat at a spot that had become their favorite place to spend time alone.

"I'm sorry kitten, but I'm going to have to eat you eventually. Farewell friend." Cloud was tickled by Squall's silly remark. He felt special. He was sure the brunet had never let anyone else see this playful, childish side of him. He knew Squall had a soft spot for animals, particularly of the feline and canine variety, and it was simply adorable. Squall split the bun in half and ate the piece that would be the cat's ear. "Have a piece."

"Thanks." Moments like these were the ones the couple cherished most, just happy to be in each other's company. The radiance of the Crystal Fissure was unlike anything else they'd seen around Hollow Bastion. Since the first time Squall brought him here, Cloud insisted on coming here at least once a week just to sit and enjoy the relaxation that was brought on by the tranquility of their surrounding. "Oh, I wanted to show you something," Cloud said breaking their silence. He fished a folded piece of paper out his pant pocket and handed it to Squall.

Squall opened it up and read the words on the paper. "Hm? Zack gave this to you?" he asked, after a moment.

"I found it in a notebook today. I'm not sure if he put it in their without me noticing or had someone else do it. What do you think?"

"Hard to tell... but he sounds sincere enough."

"That's what I thought. Think I should talk to him?"

"If that's what you want."

"Good. 'Cause I already did."

"Oh." Squall looked at Cloud with a puzzled expression.

"I just wanted to know what you'd say. I'm glad you're not the kind of person who gets jealous easily."

Squall raised an eyebrow. "So you were testing me?"

"Sort of."

"Cloud, you know I'd never stop you from talking to someone."

"I know. I was just making sure. I wouldn't want to do anything that upset you either." Cloud had a light dusting of powdered sugar on his lips from the cookie he had just eaten. Squall leaned forward, tasting the sweetness of Cloud's lips. A light breeze swept over the area. As early as it was, they were beginning to feel the effects of winter turning into spring. The air no longer stung, and the sun's rays were warmer and brighter.

Squall brought up the piece of paper to read again. "So what happened?" he asked after another silence.

"Not much. I told him he didn't need to apologize to me. And I said I was sorry for the way I broke up with him, but he said I'd already been forgiven. We agreed to keep our friendship, and that was the end of it."

"Hn. Well, now that your friends again... can you tell him to stop calling me Stoneface? It's really annoying."

Cloud let out a little laugh. "Sure. Who started that anyway?"

"I don't know. Kids have been calling me that since... middle school."

"Well, it's not so bad. They probably just thought you should smile more often. Your smile's gorgeous."

"I never had anything to smile about before I met you." His words made them both smile. Squall started to dig around his backpack for something. When he found it, he pulled out a tiny black velvet box. "I was saving this to give to you as a gift, but I think now's as good a time as any. Here." He opened the little box. "A small token of my love for you. Happy whatever day, Cloud."

Inside the box was single earring. It was silver, intricately hand-carved into the shape of a wolf's head. Squall watched Cloud's face light up in excitement. "Holy... It's absolutely beautiful. I love it, Squall! I mean gods... thank you..." Squall was taken by surprise when Cloud tackle hugged him, making him fall back on the ground. Cloud got off him and immediately removed the stud he was wearing to replace it with the silver wolf. He turned around to look at his reflection in the crystal wall behind him, admiring how the earring looked on him. "I'm never taking this off."

"Glad you like it. It looks, so good on you. Sexy. I found it at the same place I got my Griever pendant. I was looking for something that reminded me of you. When I saw this, I knew this was it."

"You couldn't have made a better choice. You know me too well..." Their lips met again, for a long, sensuous kiss this time. Cloud's hands roamed around the inside of his boyfriend's shirt, teasing touches on the small of his back made the brunet let out small sounds from the deep inside his throat. Cloud relaxed himself a little, stopping before he took Squall on the cold ground. They had done it there once before, and to say the least, it hadn't been very comfortable. So they laid together, Squall resting his head on an arm, Cloud with his head on Squall's chest. "Squall?"

"Hm?"

"I love you."

"I love you, Cloud."

As they relaxed in silence, Cloud listened to the sound of Squall's heartbeat. There was a question he'd been meaning to ask him, but was unsure of how to say it, or if it was too soon to ask. Squall sifted his fingers through his boyfriend's soft blonde spikes.

'I want this. Forever,' Cloud thought. 'I should just say it... He isn't Zack. I can talk to him about anything.' He was a bit nervous when he began. "What do you think of spending the rest of your life with the person you love?" Cloud thought he felt Squall's heart flutter.

"As in... matrimony?"

"Yeah... would you ever consider, sometime in the future... getting married?"

"I would. I'd marry you in a heartbeat."

Cloud got up to face him. "You mean it?"

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it."

Cloud's eyes searched Squall's for any sign of wavering. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Cloud clamored up to hug Squall again. "You don't know how happy it makes me to know you want the same thing I do."

Squall looked at him and flashed him a smile. "No, I have an idea. I know exactly how you feel."

Cloud rested his head on Squall again, feeling more at ease now. "Cloud Strife Leonhart. No, how about Cloud Leonhart Strife. It has a nice ring to it."

"Squall Leonhart Strife? Yeah, I could live with that."

The month of June signified the end of the school year for students in the public school system. One month of vacation was given, then it was back to school in August. Over the summer break, Squall and Cloud's love had grown stronger, more permanent than ever before. Squall spent the majority of his time at the Strifes' home, which meant he'd spent a lot of time looking after Sora and Roxas as well. He treated them as if they were his own brothers.

This school year marked the end of high school for both Cloud and Squall. Neither was absolutely certain of what path they wanted to take afterward, but they were both sure of one thing; they'd be together no matter what. Once fall came around, the days went by faster, and schoolwork took up most of the couple's time.

On one of those autumn afternoons, Squall and Cloud had agreed on meeting at the school's gym to spar as they had done on occasion, whenever they had free time.

Squall came into the empty gym after he'd changed into his usual clothing. There was no sign of Cloud, but a familiar raven-haired boy was in the middle doing what appeared to be strength exercises.

"Yo, Squall! Here to build up some muscle?"

Squall wasn't in a talkative mood at the moment and considered ignoring Zack, but decided it was best if he tried to be nice, if only for Cloud's sake. After all, Cloud still considered Zack to be his best friend.

"I'm supposed to meet Cloud here. Has he come by?" Squall asked, even though he knew he was early and Cloud would probably be a while longer. He just wanted to let Zack know he wasn't going to be in there by himself.

"Nope, haven't seen him. Are you guys sparring?"

"Yeah."

"You know, I hear you're pretty good with that gunblade of yours. Mind if I test my skills against yours?"

"I suppose I could use a good warm-up," Squall said, as he took his weapon out of its case.

"Don't sound so sure of yourself. I'm no pushover, man. My sword might be small, but there's a lot of power behind it." It was true, Zack's sword was tiny in comparison to Squall's gunblade, and even smaller compared to Cloud's massive weapon, but he had had training far beyond that of theirs.

"Whatever. Enough talk."

The two teens, who had become something of a sort of rivals, took their fighting stances. In moments, they were at each other, metal against metal, blade deflecting blade. If anyone had been watching, it would have been difficult to keep up with the battle, as they were moving around so fast one could only hear the clanking of the swords clashing and see flashes of light.

"Your slowing down, Leonhart. Tired already? We can take a break if you want."

"Not a chance. Just because you can't take anymore."

"Trust me, I've endured a lot more than this."

Twenty minutes must have gone by, but neither would give in. It looked like the score was even. There was a point where they had each sent the other flying into the wall and it took a while to regain balance so it looked like they were both conceding, but they were able to continue. Just as they began again, Cloud walked into the gym watching the scene before him. He'd never seen such determination in either Squall or Zack's eyes before. Perhaps they were trying to prove something to each other. In any case, Cloud wanted to interrupt before anything got too serious. He let his presence be known by whistling.

Squall and Zack stopped immediately, glad for the interruption, and turned their attention towards the blonde. "Oh-hey, Cloud," Zack greeted. His exhaustion was evident in his voice. "Your man's not half bad at this." He was finally starting to catch his breath. "He actually made me break a sweat."

Squall was over a little further off, using his gunblade to support himself a bit while he caught his breath. Hearing Zack talking to Cloud like he wasn't in the room was starting to irritate him.

"Yeah? That's not the only thing he's good at, you know," Cloud said, a bit suggestively.

Squall gave Cloud a warning look. He didn't like where this conversation was going.

"Riiight... anyway... I would've asked your opinion on who you thought was winning, but then I remembered your opinion would be totally biased, so... whatever. It doesn't really matter anyway. I'm gonna hit the showers so you guys can go ahead and do what you do. Later!"

Cloud nodded in acknowledgment. Squall waited for Zack to be out of the gym before he spoke up. "That wasn't necessary."

"What? Can't I brag about my boyfriend?"

"You know you were implying something else."

"So what if I was? There's no reason to hide it." Cloud walked over to Squall to give him a kiss. "I hope you're not too worn out to spar with me."

"No, I'm fine."

"Feeling a little grumpy today?"

Squall rolled his eyes.

"Come on, Squall, you can tell me what's wrong. If you'd asked me who was winning, I would've been honest and said you two're evenly matched. You weren't trying to prove anything by it, were you?"

"No... okay, maybe a little. I guess, I just let him get to me. He's really annoying sometimes. Let's just forget about it. Ready to spar?"

"Ready when you are."

And so they began. Whenever they sparred, they pushed each other to their limit making sure their training was worthwhile. They were both gifted fighters in their own way. Cloud relied on speed and the power of his First Tsurugi, while Squall relied on his own strength and tactics using his gunblade. It was an experience much like dancing. Their hearts raced faster, the adrenaline rushing through their bodies. Each movement was graceful. Sometimes the lightest touch was the most arousing. This training session didn't seem to last long enough.

With one final clash of metal, Cloud knocked Squall's weapon out of his hand.

"Lost your grip there, babe." Cloud went over to his exhausted boyfriend, who was down on one knee steadying his breathing. "Don't worry about it. I didn't give you a chance to rest. You must still be tired from sparring with Zack."

"Guess so. Didn't think he would wear me out like this."

Cloud helped Squall up, wrapping an arm around his waist for support. Squall's cheeks were slightly flushed, his shirt was semi-transparent with the moisture of perspiration, showing off his muscular figure. It was times like these the brunet could be completely irresistible.

Squall looked at his boyfriend feeling the same urge. Cloud was always beautiful to him, and even more so when he had that look of desire in his eyes. His hot, sweaty body was all too similar to when they had long nights together.

Their lips met, and Cloud took the initiative to undo their pants.

"Wait, not here." Squall didn't want to have someone walk into the gym and see them in the middle of their romp. They left their weapons on the gym floor as they kissed, stumbling over to the entrance into the boys' locker room.

"Better?" Cloud asked, as he sat the brunet up on a two-sink counter. It was hidden behind a wall lined with lockers, perpendicular to the sink's mirrored wall.

"Yes... gods, Cloud it's been too long."

Cloud was busy unbuckling Squall's belts. "Hn, a couple of days hardly counts as too long... but I'm not complaining." Cloud spread his boyfriend's legs further apart and brought him close enough to the edge of the counter for their bodies to make contact. He slipped one hand inside Squall's underwear, stimulating him further at the same time he massaged himself. "You like that?"

"Yesss..." Squall lifted his shirt up, feeling himself harden while Cloud ran his tongue over his hardening nubs. Cloud was being particularly rough, making Squall moan loudly in the empty locker room. The sound carried throughout with an echo.

"I'm gonna make you scream, baby." Cloud's voice was playful, so low and sexy it sent shivers down Squall's spine. He pushed Squall flat on the counter, pulling leather and underwear off completely. "Put your legs up on my shoulders."

On the other side of the sink's mirrored wall was the open shower room. Zack had been drying himself off in there when he heard Squall and Cloud come in. As soon as he figured out what was going on, he started to think up a plan to avoid an awkward situation. 'Great... what are my options?' he thought. 'If I go out there, they might hear me... my best bet is if I stay in here... and hope they don't decide to take a shower. Ohhh! Why? Why now? Why here? If they find me here they'll think I'm the biggest pervert in the world. Cloud will probably never want to speak to me again.' Zack was naturally beginning to feel aroused from listening to the intense lovemaking the other two were currently engaged in. It felt so wrong, especially after all the progress he'd made rebuilding his friendship with Cloud. He didn't want to picture it, but he couldn't help imagining himself with Cloud again.

Under the shaky gasps and moans coming from Cloud, he heard the soft whimpering sounds Squall was making. 'Ugh... he sounds like a fucking porn star.' He knew he was exaggerating, but not only was he boiling with jealousy, he was frustrated at not being able to come up with a better plan. He shut his eyes and covered his ears as a last resort, trying not to think about them.

With a final thrust of his hips, Cloud spilled his seed inside of his love. Squall slowly recovered himself, putting his pants on and straightening up his clothes.

"That was so worth the risk of getting caught... we're lucky nobody came in," Cloud said as he washed his hands.

Squall splashed cool water on his face in the sink next to him. "It was definitely... thrilling. Do you think anybody heard us?"

"I doubt it. The building's pretty empty."

Squall dried his face with a paper towel and fished in his pocket for his cigarettes, lighting one up. "The shower room's empty," he said pointing his head in its direction.

Cloud smiled and shook his head. "Glad you're feeling better, but we'd better skip it. I've gotta get home. I promised I'd watch Sora and Roxas today. You're welcome to come with me if you're not busy. Once they're distracted... we can have some fun of our own."

"Like I'd say no to that."

Zack, as embarrassed as he was, felt relief when he heard the two finally leave the locker room. 'Horny bastard.'

Things were better than ever for Squall and Cloud. They were steadily planning for their future together as winter once again enveloped Hollow Bastion, and the year came to a close. Squall felt like he truly belonged with Cloud and his family. His winter break was spent almost exclusively at the Strifes' home. During the New Year celebration he even had his guardians over for a small dinner party that Cloud had proudly prepared himself.

They were approaching the one year anniversary of becoming a couple.

'Everything's perfect,' Squall thought on one chilly January morning. He was alone in his room, not having any desire to leave his warm bed. 'So why have I been feeling so off lately?' He wanted to shake it off as stress from the long nights of studying for midterm exams, but it didn't seem to work. He opened the window next to his bed a crack and lit up one of his cigarettes. As much as he'd been struggling to quit smoking for the sake of his own health, he'd been unsuccessful at every attempt. He'd settled on keeping it to a minimum by smoking only when he was alone. The time he spent with Cloud was too precious to waste on his habit, knowing Cloud was put off by it.

Just as he was flicking ash out of the window, a sickening sensation came over him. Nausea. Throwing out the stump he was holding, he ran for the bathroom.

The motion was quick and effortless. His stomach had been empty. What came out was only water and bile. As soon as the feeling had washed over him, he held his head, a headache beginning to develop.

After washing out his mouth, he went back to his room. He picked up his carton of cigarettes, thinking perhaps that was what had caused his sudden upset stomach. Without hesitation, he threw out the box, promising himself he wouldn't buy another.

Today was going to be a long day.

"... so my professor said I could get that apprenticeship right out of high school. I'll be earning some money so we can get a place of our own. And I'll have my dream bike at the same time." Cloud had been so excited telling Squall the good news that he hadn't noticed when the brunet started to fall behind him as they walked home from school. Then, a soft thud on the snowy ground made him turn around. "Squall!"

Squall quickly came to, looking around dizzily.

Kneeling at his side, Cloud's expression was full of concern. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"Yeah... I... think I just fainted." Cloud helped him up carefully, brushing snow off of his clothes.

"Has that ever happened to you before?"

Squall closed his eyes and held his head. "Not that I can remember."

"Maybe you should see a doctor."

"No... I'm fine. I just... I guess I haven't been eating properly, that's all."

"Come to think of it, you didn't want to eat anything for lunch today... or yesterday. And the days before... all I saw you eat was crackers. Have you been feeling okay?"

Squall started walking again. "We should hurry up and get home."

"Hey, don't just brush me off! I need to know if you're alright. Why haven't you been eating?"

Squall stopped, but didn't turn around to face Cloud. "I-I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"Look, I- don't know what's been going on with me. But if I eat... I can't keep it down. It started last week. I just randomly threw up one morning after I smoked. I thought it was because of that... but it just kept getting worse. Sunday, after I had dinner at your house... as soon as I got home... I threw it all up."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't want you to worry. I thought it would pass."

"Squall... you know better than to keep things from me. Especially something that concerns your health."

"I know... but-"

Cloud cut him off before he could protest, "I'm taking you home and we're setting up an appointment with your family's doctor as soon as possible. What if it's something more serious than you thought?"

Cloud took hold of Squall's hand and didn't let go all the way to the house.

"Have you felt anything else out of the ordinary?" the doctor asked. Cloud had gotten Squall an appointment for the following afternoon, and he was currently in the waiting area while Squall was in the doctor's office.

Squall contemplated whether or not he should tell the doctor the one thing that had been bothering him. "Yeah... there is something. I've been vomiting even though I haven't been eating a lot... for about a week... but... for some reason... I've gained weight."

"How much?"

"Not much. I'm up almost five pounds."

"Hm... that is definitely strange, but it doesn't sound like cause for alarm. Perhaps your measurement wasn't accurate before. You said you've been getting a lot of headaches for the past few months and you've been feeling lightheaded all the time, so I'm going to have you go to the lab for a few blood tests in case there's any underlying illness."

"Like what?"

"Well, those are some of the symptoms of anemia. But no need to worry, the tests are only a precaution. You're a very healthy young man and I doubt the tests will come back positive. I'm writing you a prescription for your upset stomach. Take it for three days and come back and see me on Thursday. Oh and make sure you drink lots of liquids. I'll have the results of your blood tests next time you see me. If the symptoms worsen, come back and see me sooner. Take care, Mr. Leonhart."

"Would you like me to go in with you, dear?" Today Squall was at the doctor's office with his guardian, Edea. She looked at him, seeing the nervousness through his blank expression.

"No, I'll be fine." He stood up following the nurse into one of the patient rooms.

The nurse routinely took Squall's vital signs and measurements. He took note of the numbers the nurse jotted down. It looked like his weight remained the same. The nurse told him the doctor would be in to see him shortly, leaving him alone in the stark room. He started to feel a bit of anxiety.

The doctor came in after a few minutes and greeted Squall cheerfully. "Mr. Leonhart. Good to see you again. How have you been feeling?"

"Better. I've stopped vomiting."

"Ah, good, good." The doctor looked over Squall's file, seeming a bit distraught. "Listen, Mr. Leonhart... there's no easy way for me to say this. You may have a problem... and it's something I've personally never seen before. But... I want to ask you some questions first... just to make sure there hasn't been some sort of mistake. I wanted to call you in as soon as I got the results from your tests, but I decided to give myself a little more time to prepare."

Squall's heartbeat was beginning to race, although he didn't show it in his face. "That bad?"

"Not necessarily bad... it's all depending on you I suppose. Do you mind answering a few questions? They're completely confidential, I promise you that."

"Sure..."

"Are you, or have you ever been sexually active?"

Squall's eyes widened. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Please, it would really be helpful for me to help you if you answer me honestly."

"Yes... I am."

"Okay... with another male?"

This time Squall didn't hesitate. "Yeah, with my boyfriend. What is it doctor? Do I have some sort of STD?"

The doctor looked down at his papers, avoiding eye contact with his patient. "No. It's a little more complicated than that."

Squall tried to think what could be more complicated than a venereal disease.

"I may not be able to explain this to you fully, but I know a doctor who can. His name is Dr. Dewise. He's a good friend of mine who has his practice in a town not far from here. Like I said... there's no easy way for me to tell you this... but what we found out is that... it seems that you can... become pregnant."

"Wait... what?" Squall closed his his eyes and shook his head. Was this doctor completely insane?

"You are... pregnant, Mr. Leonhart."

"You're a sick person... what the hell are you talking about? This isn't the way a professional is supposed to act!"

"I'm not pulling a prank on you Mr. Leonhart. I was just as surprised as you are when the lab department called me to see the results, but it seems this has happened before. It's highly improbable, but not entirely impossible. I certainly have never seen this in all my career."

"No. You're crazy. This can't happen." Squall stood up to leave.

"I know this isn't easy for you to understand. I don't fully understand it either, that's why I'm referring you to a doctor who had experience with patients and studied this before. You came here with your mother, yes?"

"She's my guardian."

"Right, sorry. If it's alright with you, I'd like to speak with her too, seeing as you're a minor still under her care."

"You're really serious then?" Squall sat down, his shaking knees not being able to support him.

"I'm afraid so."

Squall sat hugging himself on the examination table in a daze, half tuned into to what his doctor and Edea were talking about.

"Squall, dear..." Edea began, addressing the brunet for the first time since coming into the room.

He looked up at her with a unchanging expression.

"When you were put under our care... the child welfare people gave Cid and I little information of what happened to your biological parents."

"Yeah... I know. My mother died giving birth to me... and my father was a soldier. He died in battle."

"There were rumors a few decades ago about soldiers who were experimented on," the doctor interjected. "It seems, your father was one of them. I spoke to Dr. Dewise about the matter and he explained to me that there was some gene mutation being experimented with. For what reason, he couldn't tell me. He's taken care of two cases that have occurred within our area so far, so he will be able to help you. Mrs. Kramer, it is imperative for your boy's health that he sees this doctor."

"I understand."

"Mr. Leonhart. If you don't mind, I'd like to do a quick examination of your abdomen. Lie back for me." The doctor put on sterile gloves as Squall did as he was told. The doctor lifted Squall's shirt, feeling around the abdominal area. "Amazing..." the doctor exclaimed. "I can feel it. It's not in the normal place a woman would carry a child. That definitely solves your mysterious weight gain and the upset stomach. As for the headaches and the fainting, I also received a bit of bad news from the lab tests. It seems you did develop acute anemia, but it was caused by the pregnancy so with good treatment and a good diet you should be able to recover. Alright, you can sit up again."

"Doctor..." Squall's voice came out slightly raspy. "If I'm not the first man that this has happened to, why hasn't anyone ever said anything about it before?"

"As medical professionals, we aren't allowed to give out our patients' information. Everything is completely confidential, unless you choose to go public about it. When I spoke to Dr. Dewise, he said neither of the two patients he treated wanted other people to find out. However, he did tell me, that one of them didn't carry the baby to full term. I'm certain he can enlighten you as to what your options are."

Squall simply nodded, letting all of the information sink in.

"What are you thinking, Squall?" Edea asked. Squall had been silent since they left the doctor's office.

"Nothing..." He didn't move his eyes from where they were fixed staring out the car window.

"I can only imagine, what you must be feeling, dear. This is most... unexpected... most shocking. But don't worry about it. We'll figure it out in time."

"How long have I been..." he trailed off, not wanting to say the word.

There was silence between them for a while.

"What about Cloud?"

It took a while for Squall to respond. "What about him?"

"Will you tell him?"

The next morning Squall prepared to see the doctor he had been referred to. His office was in the next town over, one smaller than Hollow Bastion in size, but just as populated. Traverse Town was about a two hour train ride away from Hollow Bastion. Squall had decided to go by himself because he didn't want Edea or Cid to have to miss work because of him.

Today wouldn't be the first time Squall stepped into this town. As a child, he had lived here for several months before moving back to Hollow Bastion to be placed with a new foster family. The town was just as he remembered it. Crowded and lit up by too many neon signs. He didn't have much trouble finding Dr. Dewise's office, as the town was neatly divided into three districts, and he quickly went to check in for his appointment.

Squall didn't have to wait long to be seen by the doctor. When he came in, the doctor was looking over files preparing to meet with his new patient. "Squall Leonhart? Just the patient I've been waiting for. Pleased to meet you." The doctor held out his hand for a quick handshake. "As you may already know, I am Dr. Ansem Dewise, and I'll be guiding you through this difficult and most surprising situation, whatever you decide to do. Have a seat please. I'm certain you had quite the shock yesterday. How are you feeling today?"

"Okay, I suppose."

"Your family's doctor has sent me your medical records via facsimile. Has the morning sickness subsided?"

"For the most part. I've started eating normally again."

"Wonderful. Alright, let's begin. Now I'm sure you have a plethora of questions running about your mind, so I'll start by explaining how this pregnancy was possible in the first place."

Squall nodded, preparing to give the doctor his full attention.

"There is very little research on the matter, so most everything I've concluded is from my own experience with my previous patients. What you have inside is something very different than female reproductive organs. You obviously don't menstruate. That's because you go through a cycle called estrous, similar to that of an animal's. There is a certain time in a year that you are more likely to conceive. That's why, even though you might engage in unprotected intercourse throughout the year, you won't conceive until that particular season. From what I've seen so far, those are the autumn months beginning from September to early December. During those months you might feel an increase in your libido. Was that the case with you?"

Squall thought back to fall months of last year. Had he been any different? He remembered all the times and places he and Cloud had run off to for a quick lovemaking session, but at the time, it hadn't seemed like a lot. He supposed it must have been true. "Yeah, I think so. Does that mean... I've been pregnant for that long?"

"Unfortunately yes. Usually you don't start feeling the signs of pregnancy right away. A woman would normally know because she misses her period. You on the other hand have nothing but your instincts to go by. And since you didn't know you inherited this gene which caused you to develop those reproductive organs... you may have felt something was amiss, but you didn't know what it was."

The doctor gave Squall time to take it all in. "So... what can I do about it now?"

"Let me begin by asking you this," the doctor paused briefly thinking of how he should word his question. "This pregnancy is... something you certainly weren't expecting, and something you certainly aren't prepared for. You are... seventeen years old, correct?"

Squall nodded.

"I know it's very soon and you've barely had any time to process everything... but have you thought of what you want to do as far as your child is concerned?"

Squall thought it sounded strange. He had only thought about it as a pregnancy. Yes, there was a life growing inside of him, but this wasn't something that would eventually be born and become his child. "I have. I don't want it."

"I'm sorry, I don't know if I understood you correctly. You want to give the child up for adoption? Or did you mean-"

"I don't want to go through with the pregnancy," Squall stated flatly.

The doctor sighed with an air of disappointment. "Very well. It is... your decision. I don't want to intrude into you personal business, but... have you discussed this with your partner?"

'Cloud? What about him? Is it absolutely necessary for Cloud to know his boyfriend is a freak of nature?' Squall had thought he'd terminate the pregnancy, forget it ever happened, and that would be the end of it. Cloud would never have to know until the time was right to tell him. "Not yet."

"Well, I would advise you do eventually. And you know the importance of using protection, even without the risk of pregnancy."

"I know. How soon can we get this over with?"

"First I have to know how far along you are. There are drugs you can take to induce the abortion, but they aren't effective after a certain time, and honestly, they've only been tested once before on a human male. Your next option is to have the embryo surgically removed. You're most likely passed the first stage of development, so that may have to be the case. Would you be willing to go through with that?"

"Fine. Whatever it takes."

Squall went out on the town for lunch. He had scheduled the appointment for an ultrasound for later the same day, and Dr. Dewise had asked him to come in with a full bladder. Naturally, he decided to have a soup and a salad at a local cafe, along with plenty of hot tea. He sat at the cafe for a while, thinking over what had happened, and what he was about to do. The past day had felt like some sort of bizarre nightmare. Nothing made sense to him. How could this happen? What was the purpose of genetically modifying male soldiers to give birth? He'd heard the stories before, but this was beyond belief. Were there other things done to them? Those were some questions not even the doctor could answer. Squall tried not to think about it too much or else he'd end up with a headache. He tried thinking of the positive aspects of the whole matter. One day, he and Cloud might actually want children of their own, although that day was certainly a long way off.

Right now he was trying to resist the urge to go into the nearest drugstore and buy a pack of cigarettes. He was starting to cave in to his stress and he wanted some quick relief. He decided to walk around a bit to shake off some of the stress before going back to the clinic. On his walk there were street vendors of every kind, and Squall found himself craving a sweet treat, particularly something covered in chocolate or fruit filled, despite not usually being very fond of sweets. He ended up buying different things from three vendors, and after he had indulged his craving for sweets, he felt a little guilty for having done so. He thought he was either eating for a temporary feeling of satisfaction, or this had something to do with him having a baby inside him.

'A baby? Did I just... call it a baby? It's... a thing. A thing that's not supposed to exist. How was I supposed to know... that this was going to happen to me? If I had known, I would have at least been more careful.' Squall thought back to a time when one of the families he had lived with had another foster child, a teenaged girl. Like most of the kids he knew who had lost their parents, she was a troubled girl who gave herself away easily to boys who would use her and abandon her. At fifteen, she became pregnant, and Squall remembered how stupid he had thought she was for bringing yet another unwanted child into the world. 'I'm no better than that girl... but, how could I have known?'

Back at the clinic, Squall sat on the examination chair, watching the doctor preparing for the ultrasound. The doctor politely asked him to pull off his shirt and proceeded to put a cool, jelly-like substance on his abdomen.

"Alright, my boy. Let's begin." The doctor used a small handheld electronic device over Squall's abdominal area. His stomach was still very flat, and unless everyone was completely insane or conspiring against him, Squall wouldn't have believed for a second that he had a human life growing inside him. He had noticed, however, with the slight weight gain, he had lost some of the definition on his abdomen. The doctor moved the device around, getting different angles of the womb. "And there... is your baby. He's... definitely a handsome little boy," Dr. Dewise said, trying to sound optimistic, although he knew there wasn't much to be happy about.

Squall had gone stark pale. 'A boy?' He was afraid to look at the monitor, but just as eager to see with his own eyes, the truth about his physiology. His eyes finally met the screen; a grainy two-dimensional image of a partially developed baby boy inside of a womb. His womb. He could see the heartbeat on the monitor. "That thing's really... really inside me?" Squall all but fainted at the sight. His eyes wide, he was intrigued so that he couldn't look away.

"Yes, he really is. It would be a very cruel joke, indeed, if he wasn't. I'm going to take a few measurements, and we'll know just how many weeks old he is."

Squall felt his eyes gloss over, a lump beginning to form in his throat. He hoped the doctor wouldn't notice the emotional breakdown he was having. He looked up, keeping the water from spilling from his eyes. 'This is-He's our... son. He is the ultimate symbol of our love. Cloud. I can't give him up. I wouldn't be able to live with myself, knowing what a selfish act I've committed.'

"Despite the lack of prenatal care so far, he looks to be developing rather well... but it was your decision that it would be in your best interest if you didn't carry the child to full term. A bit of bad news, for you. He is at the least eighteen weeks old, which means, you will have to have the fetus surgically removed."

Squall could only imagine what that process involved. After seeing the image on the screen, his cold heart towards the matter was shattered. "No." Squall's voice came out in a shaky whisper.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you."

"I said..." he didn't want to say it. After thinking what it would mean for him and Cloud to raise a child at seventeen, and having thought there would be no way they would be able to do it, his only option had been to end the pregnancy. It had all made sense. Cloud would never find out what he did, and the next time the risk was present, he'd take all precautions to make sure it didn't happen again. But that would mean... this baby never had a chance. "I said no. I change my mind."

"Are you absolutely certain?" the doctor asked, becoming somewhat less melancholy than before.

"I- I am."

"Squall, do you understand what you're saying? You are still seventeen years old. I'll admit, I was not personally very supportive of the abortion, but a child is a huge responsibility... unless of course, you were thinking you'd like to give him up for adoption?"

Perhaps if it were anyone other than Squall, that would have been the next best option. But the pain of a childhood not having a stable home, being shuffled from one town to the next like some sort of pet dog nobody really wanted to take care of, and living with complete strangers who expected him to be the son that they lost, or had always wanted, was too much for Squall. "No. I want to take full responsibility. He deserves a chance at a good life with a family that wants and loves him. He won't suffer for a mistake I made... even if it was out of my control."

"Well, that is wonderful to hear. You know, I was really hoping you'd have a change of heart. And now, I have some good news for you. As with my previous patient, he of course didn't plan on having children either. So given his circumstances, I was able to get all of his and his child's medical care subsidized, seeing as he was a direct result of the secret operation the government allowed to be conducted on soldiers a few decades past. Not only that, but it gave me an opportunity to further my research to be able to help others like him. It's win-win for both doctor and patient!"

"So, you're saying everything will be free?" Squall hadn't even begun to think of the financial aspect of it all, and this was definitely a relief to hear.

"Every last thing. Even after your baby is born, to ensure you both maintain good health."

"Thank you."

The ultrasound was saved on a disc, and Dr. Dewise gave a hard copy of the image to Squall. He still felt like the whole thing had been surreal. They were back at the office to discuss the other issues that needed to be addressed, now that Squall was keeping his baby.

"It says on this questionnaire that you smoke and drink?" the doctor asked, furrowing his eyebrows together.

"I've been trying to quit smoking. And I only drink on certain occasions."

"Have you smoked or consumed alcoholic beverages in the past five months?"

"Yeah..."

"Is that a yes to both?"

Squall nodded, feeling a little guilty.

"Oh, that's not good at all."

"I haven't smoked for the past week. It's the longest I've been able to go without a cigarette so far. I've had a drink every now and then. But never enough to be completely intoxicated."

"Well, let's pray that it hasn't affected your baby. The ultrasound looked very normal. Regardless, from today on, I forbid you from consuming any alcohol and smoking."

Squall thought the doctor was being too demanding, but understood it was for the good of the baby, and for his own health as well. "You can count on me."

"Wonderful. On to the next issue. It says here you developed a case of acute anemia related to the pregnancy?"

"That's what my doctor told me."

The doctor went on explaining what caused it, and what the treatment entailed. It wasn't a big deal, and he told Squall he'd recover with a proper diet. They covered a number of things that would help Squall through the pregnancy to ensure his baby's development continued normally. Dr. Dewise explained to Squall that the safest way he could deliver his baby was through a caesarian section, showing him a diagram of what his internal reproductive organs looked like. Any other way would put both his and the baby's life at risk, as his body was probably meant to be artificially inseminated and used in a laboratory. The date was finally set for the last week of May.

"Any other questions?" The doctor asked before he dismissed Squall.

"Yeah... but... it's kind of embarrassing."

"Oh, don't worry about it. I've heard everything."

"I won't start... lactating or anything like that will I?"

"My dear boy, no! You're still a man after all. You're a man with the ability to reproduce with another male. You're not a woman with... well, male parts. I assure you, you have nothing to worry about."

Squall was relieved, and thanked the doctor for all of his help. Dr. Dewise returned the gratitude and wished Squall a safe trip home, hoping he'd see him soon for his next appointment.

Squall was spent after the overwhelming day in Traverse Town. He had to stand on the train ride home to keep himself from falling asleep. Once he was back in Hollow Bastion, his mind wandered back to Cloud. He still hadn't made up his mind about how he would even begin to explain things to him.

He slowed his pace as he neared his house to take out the grainy image the doctor had given him. He hadn't looked at the picture since he left the clinic. How long would it take for it to feel real? 'A handsome baby boy he said... I can't even tell where his legs are.' Squall squinted to examine the image more closely. He noticed something that looked to be hands with tiny fingers, and feet with tiny toes. 'It's unbelievable... but he really is going to be... my baby... our baby.' Squall entered through the front gate of his home, replacing the picture in his jacket pocket.

"Squall."

Squall was startled, dropping his house keys on the porch. "Cloud? Where did you come from? I didn't see you."

"I've been waiting for you. Over there." Cloud pointed at the bald tree in front of the house. He looked like he had been out in the cold for a while.

"How long?"

"Since I ditched school."

"Are you insane? Cloud, it's freezing out here."

"It's forty degrees, not subzero temperatures, Squall."

Squall led him into the house immediately. "Why were you out there?"

"Never mind that. What happened at the clinic yesterday? I called you to see if everything was okay, but you didn't bother telling me anything. And then you didn't show up for school today. Did you expect me not to care?"

Squall looked away from his boyfriend, almost shamefully.

"Why don't you want to tell me what's going on? I'm only going to be even more worried about you if you keep me in the dark. Now spit it out Squall!"

"I needed some additional tests, that's all."

"That's all? And you couldn't have just told me that yesterday? What happened, did they find something wrong with you?" Cloud's tone was frustration laced with concern from not knowing what was going on.

Squall kept silent. He couldn't face Cloud right now and decided he needed to rest. He walked passed the blonde to his bedroom without saying another word to him.

"Squall, I'm sorry I yelled at you. I know you haven't been feeling well-" Cloud stopped talking upon entering Squall's bedroom. Squall must have been exhausted. He was lying on his bed, on his side, slightly curled up. He hadn't even bothered to remove his shoes or cover himself with a blanket. He had already fallen asleep.

Cloud went over to the bedside to cover his boyfriend with a blanket and take off his shoes. He knelt beside him, brushing the bangs from his face.

"I hope you feel better soon," Cloud whispered. He planted a gentle kiss on his cheek.

Squall awoke, feeling disoriented. He had no idea what time it was, or how long he'd been asleep. His room was dark. The only light in the room was coming in through the window from a lamppost outside. He looked up at his dresser, spotting the red numbers of his clock. 'It's passed eight? I must've slept over four hours.' He felt Cloud's warmth next to him.

"Babe? Are you awake?" He heard him say in the dark. Squall supposed he hadn't been asleep.

"Yeah. You stayed," Squall said as a statement more than a question.

"Of course. I wasn't gonna leave you alone, after dealing with so much the passed couple of days."

"What do you mean... did someone tell you something?" Squall asked, sounding a bit nervous.

"Hm?"

"I mean... did you talk to Edea and Cid?"

"Yeah, they came home and asked if you were okay. I told them you were probably just tired and... they left. They said they were going out for dinner."

"Oh."

"Squall..." Cloud lingered a moment. He hesitated, wondering if he should ask him if he was hiding something. Something about the way Squall had acted when he came home didn't seem right. If Squall was withholding something from him, he'd rather wait for him to open up on his own terms. Cloud trusted him, and he didn't want to be overbearing. Squall was a lot like himself, and he knew prying would only make Squall push him further away.

Although Cloud couldn't see his face in the dark, he knew Squall was giving him a questioning look, waiting for him to continue.

"...I... made you a sandwich." Cloud decided to move to a safe topic that wouldn't end in some sort of disagreement.

Squall nearly jumped at the feel of Cloud's hand on his stomach. Cloud circled his hand around it once, lifting his shirt up slightly. 'What is he doing? Shit... he knows.'

"I couldn't help but notice... your stomach was grumbling while you were asleep."

"Was it?" Squall was relieved. There was nothing behind the touch, other than Cloud being his usual concerned self. "Weird. I don't feel very hungry."

"Well, we can share it."

"Sure..."

"So... what did they do to you today?" Cloud asked. They had the light on now, and they were eating on top of a breakfast tray while sitting on the bed.

Squall thought a moment. He hadn't come up with a story in case Cloud asked. "Well, they drew some more blood... and examined me. Asked me some questions. Actually... I went to see a doctor in Traverse Town. That's why I had to miss school."

"Traverse Town? What for? Why couldn't they just see you here?"

"Don't know. My doctor told me I had to see this guy... who specializes in... rare medical conditions."

"What?"

"They just wanted to rule out any possibilities. I'm sure I'm fine."

"You should have told me to go with you. I mean... I ditched school anyway."

"Well, you shouldn't have. I can take care of myself."

This was probably the first time Cloud had truly felt shut out from his boyfriend. He wanted to leave without saying anything, so that Squall would know what he felt like at the moment. Maybe he shouldn't have even brought up the subject. After all, he had already decided to leave it as it was until Squall decided to talk to him. But why was Squall putting up a wall to begin with?

Squall noticed Cloud immediately start to withdraw. "I didn't mean... Cloud... I'm sorry if it sounds harsh, but... you did exactly what I didn't want you to do. And you put your own health at risk by standing out in the cold for that long. The best thing you can do for me right now is focus on finishing school, and let me handle this thing on my own. "

"And what about you? You should be focusing on the same thing. But you can't because there's something wrong with you. Guess what? I can't either. Why do you expect me not to care about you all of sudden? Nothing is more important to me than you."

"There are more important things than me. You have your brothers... your family. You future is already looking bright. You have that apprenticeship after graduation. You don't need me to burden you, with my... illness."

"What are you saying?"

"If you don't see me, or I miss school one day... I don't want you to ditch because of me. You can't fall behind."

"So what... you have some incurable illness and you don't want to tell me?"

"Cloud... I don't know anything about this yet. I don't want to scare you, but I'm not sure what's going to happen to me."

"You're already scaring me... you're talking like... like you're..."

"Dying? I'm not dying. I told you, I'm sure I'm fine... but if I'm not... I don't want you to go and do what you did today."

"I... can't make that promise."

"Cloud... please..."

Cloud left early that night. If what Squall wanted was some space, then that was what Cloud would give him.

Squall felt terrible about having to lie to Cloud. He wasn't prepared to tell him the truth. Up until now he had been honest about everything in their relationship. But for something as life-changing as this, he had to make an exception.

He spoke to his guardians when they returned home. They were surprised to hear the decision he had made and immediately offered to become the guardians of his child, if only until he was stable enough to take care of the boy.

"I don't think so," Squall had said in disagreement. "Don't get me wrong. You two were the best foster parents I ever had. You weren't in the least bit like the others. You gave me the freedom that no one else would. It's not you I have a problem with. It's just that... this is ultimately my responsibility. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I dumped this on you without any consideration."

After much deliberation, and much convincing on Squall's part, Cid and Edea agreed that Squall would take care of his child on his own.

Squall listened to himself, finding it hard to believe that he felt so strongly about his decision. Never in his wildest imagination had Squall thought he would ever be faced with such a decision, especially when it meant he would have to sacrifice everything he had with Cloud.

The next week went by as if nothing had occurred that Friday night. Squall went to school as usual, not feeling any of the symptoms he'd felt the weeks prior. The weekend came, and each had his surprise for the other for that Sunday. January, 27th. It was their one year anniversary of becoming a couple.

They returned to Cloud's bedroom late that night with a bag full of merchandise from a couples' shop they had been to earlier.

"This is where it all started," Cloud announced lying back on his bed.

"Actually... it all started in your uncle's car. Not the most romantic place to remember."

"True. That's why I suggested... we move our party up here. So it really started here. Unless we get really technical... then it started at Reno's place."

Squall sat on the edge of Cloud's bed, which had become more their bed over the past year, remembering how sure he had been that first night that his relationship with Cloud would last forever. He had trusted Cloud with every fiber of his being, even after only having known him for a few hours.

"Squall?" Cloud sat up when his boyfriend didn't say anything for a long time. "Squall, what's the matter?" Cloud widened his eyes in amazement. "Babe, what happened?" Squall's head hung low, his hands gripping the fabric of his pants. He wouldn't turn around to face Cloud. There were wet drops on his leather. It had become apparent to Cloud; Squall was crying.

Cloud was unsure of what to say. He had never seen his boyfriend cry. So he offered him comfort the only way he knew how. He moved closer to Squall, wrapping his arms around him from behind.

'I hate this. I hate... not being able to talk to you about this. But I can't deal with rejection. I don't know how you'll take it. No matter how bad I want to, I can't tell you... Even if you are completely accepting of me... I can't mess up your life, too. I love you, Cloud.' Perhaps it had been all the excitement of the day, the overexertion from walking around the town, the keeping of an overwhelming secret. The reminiscing of the days when he thought things would never change between him and his love. The fatigue. The stress. The pregnancy. Something inside Squall made him snap, and he could no longer hold back the tears. At the same time, he felt something physically move inside him, and it was becoming all too real. "Cloud..." Squall finally turned to face the blonde. "I'm sorry."

"What do you have to be sorry for?" Cloud asked, keeping his voice at a soothing whisper.

"I'm sorry I'm such an emotional wreck." Squall said the first thing that came to his mind at the moment.

Cloud was a bit taken aback by his answer. "You're not. Squall... it's okay to cry. Just... tell me... what are you feeling?"

"I... don't know."

"Have you been feeling sick again? It's okay to tell me. Maybe you haven't recovered. We might've overdone it today."

"No... maybe. I didn't mean to ruin our night." What he wanted to say was "I didn't mean to ruin our lives."

"Why would you say that? You're not ruining anything."

"Cloud. I know I say this a lot. But you have to know. I really mean it, when I tell you... that I love you."

"I know. I do, too, Squall." Cloud wiped away the liquid flowing from his boyfriend's eyes. He gave him a kiss on the lips, taking his time to pull away. "We can call it a day if you want. An anniversary isn't really a big deal. Any day we're together is special, you know that right?"

Squall rubbed his temples, the feelings from before starting to wash away from him. "You're right." He cleared his throat trying to recover from his breakdown. "Still... it's nice to commemorate the event. I know you wanted to try out some of the things we just bought."

"That can wait. We have our whole lifetime ahead of us."

'...if only that were true.'

As Squall fell asleep that night, Cloud wondered what was happening to his love. He seemed like he was becoming more distant than ever. He knew there was something Squall wasn't telling him. It was painful to see him cry today. And it hurt even more that there was nothing he could do about it because Squall continued hide his real feelings from him. Whatever challenge Squall was facing, Cloud wanted to be a part of it, and support him all the way. After all, wasn't that what love was all about?

February came and went, as it always did, being the shortest month of the year. School was starting to become a bore to Squall and he longed for the days to be over. As hard as it was for him to admit it to himself, the pregnancy was actually starting to take a toll on him. He wanted to make it all the way to June, so that he could graduate with his class. But as the weeks went by, so did the development of his baby. At twenty-four weeks, he was definitely starting to see a change in his body. The morning he awoke and got ready for school only to find that his black uniform trousers wouldn't close around his waist, was the first in a series of days he started to miss school. Cloud had already been warned not to ditch class and go looking for him, and they continued to pretend like everything was fine.

Squall was beginning to feel embarrassed about his body. He stopped wearing his leather, replacing it with loose fitting pants and hooded sweatshirts. He would avoid having sex with Cloud, unless Cloud was the one who initiated it, so that he wouldn't get suspicious. But Cloud knew something wasn't right, and he eventually stopped trying to get Squall into bed.

As the due date got closer, there were more appointments in Traverse Town. The traveling from town to town every other week was starting to wear Squall down. So he came to another decision.

"Cid. Edea. Can I talk to you?"

"Sure," and, "Of course dear," they said in unison.

"I can't stay here."

"What?"

"I want to move to Traverse Town. I know you two started a trust fund for me with the extra money you were receiving for foster care. I found out about it... a while ago. Please, I know I'm not supposed to touch that money until I'm eighteen... but... I could really use it now. August is only a few months away, there's no reason why I should have to wait."

His guardians were surprised, to say the least. They argued that that money was meant for him to continue his education. Nevertheless, they trusted him enough to let him have his money before his eighteenth birthday. He had proved that he fared well on his own.

"Where were you yesterday?" Cloud was annoyed. He didn't face Squall when he asked the question, continuing to put his books away in his locker. Squall had slid down the locker next Cloud's, and sat on the floor, apparently doing past due homework.

"Out."

"And the day before that?"

"Around."

"And the day before that?"

"..." Squall continued to write.

"You're not even gonna try to make up an excuse?"

"..."

"I'm beginning to forget I even have a boyfriend. I think Zack's still available. Maybe I should see if he wants to do anything later." The sarcasm was dripping from Cloud's voice.

Squall flinched when he heard the locker above him slam shut. He finally looked up at the irritated blonde. "You know you don't mean that. Quit being so difficult."

"You're being difficult."

They had both been moody as of late. Squall wasn't sure if he was acting like that on purpose. Their may have been a part of him that wanted Cloud to stop caring about him so much and focus his attention on other things. The truth was that, for those three days he had been absent from school, he had been looking for an apartment in Traverse Town. What he found was a small one-floor, two bedroom house with all the essentials. The rent was affordable, taking into account that he had more than enough money to pay monthly rent for up to a year, including other living expenses. He would be moving in by April.

Knock, knock. "Cloudy! Can you come out and play with us? It's really warm out! It feels like summer!" Sora had been worried about his brother. Cloud had been locked in his room the whole morning.

"He's not comin' out Sora. Come on. Just leave him alone."

Sora pouted at his younger brother. "He's stupid. He never pays attention to us anymore," Sora said to Roxas. "Guess me an' Roxas are just gonna hafta go to the park all by ourselves!" He shouted to Cloud's door in one last attempt to get his older brother to come out of the room.

On the other side of the door, Cloud sat, eyes wet, staring out the attic window. His younger brother's pleas had fallen on deaf ears. Squall hadn't been to school that whole week. Cloud could only continue to wonder what he did wrong. Was this all his fault? Would he ever see his love again? Why would Squall leave without saying anything to him? Cloud had been over to Squall's guardians' house several times that week, only to find no one home. He had even snuck into the house once, looking for any clues as to Squall's whereabouts. His bedroom still looked the same, but all of his clothes were gone. Could that have meant that Squall had left somewhere, permanently? Cloud couldn't bear to think about it. The thoughts went around in circles in his mind, each time he grew sadder, and each time the tears fell harder.

Note: Part 3 is nearing completion, but I'm a slow writer. Next parts may take a while to update.