Author's Notes: Um, right. Nothing of importance to put here. has been buggy for the last several days, I guess that's important.

Turn My Back on the Hazy Sky

Chapter 2

"It'd be easier if you hadn't placed all of those boxes right on the kitchen counter like that."

"Well, if you think you can do it better, come do it yourself, Leon." Bright blue eyes challenged cold, gray ones.

Grey eyes narrowed, amused at how his friend was easily riled up. "Cloud, I'm paying most of the rent until you get a job. I think it's only fair that you put away all the kitchen goods," Leon replied, idly fingering his can of soda as he sat and watched Cloud fumble with putting cups and plates into the kitchen cabinets. One of the first things he did as soon as they arrived at the new house was move the kitchen table and chairs inside. "And I also want you to go call the movers and ask them where the rest of our stuff is at before the day is over."

Cloud 'hmphed' before placing an empty box on the floor, ready to open the next. He had to put away all the silverware, along with the pots and pans. He looked straight ahead, and asked, "Did you buy any curtains for this window right above the sink? I don't want anybody starin' at me while I wash dishes." All Cloud could see out of the window was the side paneling of the neighbors' house, but still. He didn't know if their neighbors were crazy yet.

"Yeah, they might be in the box on table right here," Leon tapped the box right next to him. "... And quit being paranoid. This neighborhood is pretty much in the suburbs, there are no stalkers all the way out here." He thought of when they lived in the city, and he couldn't help but smile a little.

Cloud noticed.

"That incident was far from funny, and I thought we agreed to never bring it up again," Cloud slammed the silverware drawer under the sink shut.

"I thought it was cute," Leon teased. "The girl was quite persistent to be chasing after a blockhead like you."

Cloud scratched his nose, saying, "Tifa herself was cute, but God, the girl pretty much glued herself to my arm. And she wouldn't let go." 'Like that time you managed to get clay in my hair during our sophomore year of high school.'

"And she really took a liking to you in senior year. I told you that wearing a Speedo for the swim team was just going to make her come after you more." The brown haired man eyed his friend carefully while he polished off the last of his soda. 'Thank God the crazy ones never came after me.'

"You're lucky that I already put the knives away," Cloud scowled. "And where the hell is the phone? We're going to have to order out pizza tonight."

Leon shot his empty can into the garbage can across the room from his seat at the table. "... Look in one of the boxes in the living room. And don't forget what I said about calling the movers."

"Bored," was all Riku said before standing up off his seat on the porch. The sky was now dark, more like black, and the fireflies had come out. He wasn't one for catching them simply because bugs were never his thing, but Sora had taken to startling them from wherever they had managed to land on his front steps.

Sora watched Riku stretch before seizing one of the tiny, glowing flies. "Well, there's nothing I can do about it."

"What are you two doing?" A sweet voice asked a few feet away.

Sora and Riku took notice of Kairi as she made her way up the walk towards Sora's house.

"Sora's enjoying his six-year-old self by catching and shoving bugs up his nose," replied Riku as he gave his best friend a hearty slap on his back. Sora flinched immediately and accidentally let his firefly go.

Kairi ran her hand through her red hair in an exasperated manner. "Riku, you were the one who accidentally ate that house fly when we were kids!" She flicked Riku in his nose for his remark.

Snickering, Sora remembered that they were in Riku's kitchen with fly swatters, all three of them. Kairi and Sora were only nine, while Riku was ten. Sora couldn't remember how, but he could still picture the mess they'd made in the kitchen, and the flour he had in his hair. Riku was yelling at them about how they knocked over the canola oil and the pesky fly took the opportunity to buzz its way right into the oldest child's mouth.

"That wasn't funny," Riku dead-panned.

"You're right!" Kairi said enthusiastically.

"It was more like hilarious," Sora finished. "If you want to taste bugs again, I could always just catch a firefly for you." That earned him a swift, yet painful, punch in the arm from the silver-haired teen.

"Now Kairi's making fun of me. I don't understand why I'm friends with you people." Riku sat himself back down on the steps, blowing his bangs out of face. Kairi stuck her tongue out before seating herself right down to Riku.

"Because I'm cute?" Kairi cooed.

"Because I'm adorable?" Sora asked excitedly.

"Cute and adorable my ass."

Sora soon sat down as well, content with watching the night sky. "What time is it?"

"It was seven o'clock when I came out." Kairi stretched and yawned, throwing one arm around Riku, the other around Sora. "I was supposed to go up to that place where Selphie works, but you guys were outside."

A car was coming down the more or less empty street, its head lights gleaming. It pulled to a stop infront of the pale blue house nextdoor. Its deep red exterior and the giant sticker that read "Cid's Pizza" plastered on the passenger side's door pretty much told the trio the neighbors had ordered out pizza. A teenage girl stepped outside of the driver's side, leaning back inside of the vehicle to pull out a flat cardboard box.

The teens recognized her instantly.

"Yuffie!" Kairi called out, waving her hand to make sure she caught the delivery girl's attention. The girl turned around bewilderedly, and cracked a smile.

"Hey, kiddos! I thought the address looked kinda familiar. Didn't occur to me that it was close to Sora's house," Yuffie walked over, pizza box in hand. Her work uniform was the same shade of red as the car she drove; short red shorts and a short sleeved button up with the cheap restaurant's logo imprinted on the back.

"Can we get a free pizza?" Riku asked. "I can make it worth your while," he continued, following by wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Um, no, I'm sure your neighbors want their pizza." Yuffie 'tsked' and whirled around towards the house next door. Her walk was brisk, and she made quick work of the stairs.

Yuffie knocked, only to be flustered when the door flew open and was greeted by shoulder-length brown hair and narrowed grey eyes. "Yeah! I got a large pepperoni and sausage for this address." She regained her composure, but 'GAWWWWDDD, who just opens their door so rudely?'

"Yeah, that's for this address. And you're late," Leon kept his tone flat as the delivery girl knitted her eyebrows together. "How much is it?"

"Fifteen dollars and fifty-seven cents," Yuffie replied, trying to keep the attitude out of her voice. 'If this ass doesn't tip me, I swear...'

Leon dug through his wallet to discover he had no twenty dollar bills with him. He peered back inside of the house, "Cloud, you got a twenty?!"

Yuffie sighed boredly as she watched a cranky blonde guy make his way to the front door, holding out a twenty dollar bill. She took it, and she handed over the pizza to Leon.

"Keep the change," was all Cloud said before closing the door on her face.

Kairi, Sora, and Riku all watched the scene play out. "Since when did people live in that house?" the red haired girl asked.

"Since earlier today," Sora and Riku replied.

"Oh. Well, they seem really rude," she frowned.

"Better than pedophiles or fat women," said Riku, a bit enthusiastically. "And they're not painful to look at."

"Gawd! People these days are rude," they heard Yuffie scream before getting back into her delivery car and slamming the door shut. She started her car and peeled off, her tires screeching in protest at the sudden start.

"Should that crazy old bat who owns the only place in town who delivers at night let a girl like Yuffie drive?" Riku looked at Sora, "Hell, does she even have a license?"

Sora thought for a moment, "Yeah she does. Failed the driving exam a few times, but at least she got it."

"Though she probably shouldn't have it," Kairi used her hand to cover his smile. As much as she liked Yuffie, even she didn't trust that girl with a little red wagon, let alone a car.

Sora heard the screen door open, and looked around to see his mother peeking through the screening.

"Sora, dinner has been ready for while. Would you like to eat now? You don't have to, I just need to know because I'm about to to put the food away," Claudia smiled politely.

"Hi, Claudia," greeted Kairi.

"Hey Kairi," she responded. "So are you going to eat or not?"

"I'll eat later, Mom."

With that, Claudia left the screen door, humming some nameless tune.

"That was pretty rude," Leon said while plugging in the cord to his television. He let Cloud have the pizza box to himself after he himself ate three slices.

"She was late, I was hungry. It's not Lent, I shouldn't have to wait eons until I get to eat the foods I like," the blond managed around a slice of pizza. "And I let her keep the change. I pretty much paid her to let me to slam the door in her face."

Leon looked up from what he was doing, and gave Cloud his most unimpressed expression. "Hn, whatever." He reached around to the front of the television, and pressed the "ON" button.

"When do we get cable installed?" Cloud asked as he got up from his position on the floor. "And I'll be glad once we get furniture tomorrow. Sleeping on the floor is for when you're drunk, not when you're completely sober." He picked up the empty pizza box, and walked from the bare-looking living room into the kitchen.

When Cloud returned with a can of Pepsi in hand, this time sitting closer to the television, Leon answered. "Your brain's already rotten, cable will only make it so fungus grows out of your skull."

"... Anyway, our first day on a strange new island, in a strange new neighborhood. What does the ever observant Squall Leonhart have to say about it all," the blond drawled as he watched Leon push buttons on the television set to change the channel.

Leon thought about it. It seemed quiet, which he liked. Quaint, though the general populace seemed a bit slow, if the pizza delivery girl was any sign. "Seems like a nice place. Don't know about the neighbors though." He didn't bother doing any research about the city before he packed up his stuff and moved. The only times he came to the island before hand was to check out the university and find a place to live.

"I've only seen those kids next door, and the woman I can only guess is a mom. Big blue eyes and a nice rack, a soccer mom from Heaven."

"That's some kid's mom, jeez," Leon blanched. "If you were that desperate, you should've stayed back in the city with Tifa." He scooted back to get a better view of the television screen.

"I'm pretty sure older women aren't stalkers. But what would you know? You don't interact with the fairer sex, let alone the human race," Cloud scoffed. He sprawled himself across the hardwood floor. "But, kids next door? Has me slightly worried."

Leon quirked an eyebrow, "Why?"

"Remember when we were in high school?"

"No, I remember when I was in high school, doing everything I needed to do in order to graduate. It was you and all your friends that were out there getting drunk and partying," Leon said sarcastically.

"Well, Mr. Boring, assuming that those kids we saw next door have any lives, they're going to quite possibly make a lot of noise. When the mom isn't home, anyway," said Cloud with a lack of interest as he opened his Pepsi. Ugh, when you were under eighteen, partying is all you really did. And maybe that second semester of freshman year if you were not socially awkward. But once you hit twenty, you have to be sober for the mandatory part-time job. Or at least that's how Cloud saw it. Fuckin' college books were expensive, and he knew Leon wasn't going to feed him everyday without some kind of fee.

From the few glimpses he got of the teenagers, they didn't seem too bad in Leon's eyes. "I think you're over thinking it, Cloud." 'If he's not going on about stalkers, it's something as equally stupid.'

"Fine, if you come to me saying we're going to move with in the next month because of too much noise; don't say I didn't warn you." Cloud knew he could sleep through anything, including a party, but Leon was one antsy sleeper if he ever saw one.

'I hate TV so much, but there's nothing else to do,' thought Leon as he pushed buttons on the television set's interface. 'Well, that's a lie. I could open a few more boxes and put things away.' "Strife, just shut up. Your endless paranoia and general idiocy boggles my mind constantly."

Cloud acknowledged that insult with a flippant grunt, watching as the brunette flipped through the channels. "... We are not watching the news. The news is boring."

But Leon had made up his mind and sat himself down next to his room mate. "Don't you want to find out if this island is riddled with stalkers, Cloud? I mean, it would be horrible if we just lived in ignorant bliss until we found someone peeking in through your bedroom window." He smirked when the blond visibly choked on his soda.

"... Fine, leave it on."

"It's 7:35 PM on this lovely Saturday night. Current temperature reads 72 degrees Fahrenheit, clear skies, and no signs of rain..."

Leon watched the news with disinterest, and he wasn't surprised at the information on the latest robbery and fire. Those types of things just came with living with civilization. However, one thing did catch his attention.

"Professor Sephiroth of Destiny Isle's prestigious University is under investigation for have relations with one of his students ---"

Cloud set down his soda can, clearly thinking over that piece of news. "Well what do ya' know..." he said more or less to himself.

"What?"

Cloud sighed before looking at Leon with a bored expression, "I met that guy on the tour they gave of the college campus. He's pretty much in charge of the school's Chemistry department."

"And..." Leon didn't get where this was leading.

"He seemed like a creep to me."

'... Right. We picked one winner of a school, didn't we?' Leon stood up from his seat on the floor and walked to the front door. Cloud looked up, quirking an eyebrow. "Outside. Porch. Bored."

With that said, the blond followed. Closing the rickety screen door behind themselves, they sat themselves down on their concrete porch. The news was right about one thing; it was indeed rather nice outside. Cloud scoped the street, and took notice of the kids next door outside.

It was the first real good look Cloud got of them, and his first time seeing the red haired girl. The tall silver haired teenager was obviously the leader, judging from the way he acted around the other two. The scrawnier boy whose hair looked like a mess must've been the leader's right-hand man. And the girl was their token... girl.

"Teenagers these days," is what Cloud said off handedly.

"What about them?" His companion inquired as he looked at the group of three. They seemed normal.

"I don't ever remember teenagers being boring."

Before Leon could say anything, he was taken off guard by yelling. A girl yelling, but it wasn't coming from the red head next door. It was coming from up the street, and was getting closer.

"KAIRI!"

Sora, Riku, and Kairi looked up the sidewalk several houses away to see Selphie coming, and her walk and voice reeked of anger. Her bright yellow work uniform was jarringly bright due to the streetlights illuminating it, but as she grew closer, her face was visibly panged with annoyance.

"You said you were going to come down to the restaurant to get me," Selphie seethed. She drew closer to her friends (and that one guy she couldn't stand).

"Err, well," Kairi began, "… It was dark, and walking all the way down there by myself wasn't exactly safe."

Riku jumped in, "Oh, Kairi, you know nothing ever happens here. We've been voted the safest city in the country." Kairi shot him the 'Death Glare.'

"Well, it doesn't matter." And just liked that, Selphie didn't push the issue any further. She figured that Kairi was on her way, but these two guys probably side-tracked her. "I see we have some new neighbors though," she nodded to the two men sitting on the porch just several feet away.

Sora hushed his voice, "Yeah, they just moved in today. I think they're college students." He hadn't noticed that the two guys had come out at all before Selphie mentioned it. He noted that they both had vacant expressions and were staring right at him. '... Eep.' Sora quickly turned his focus to Riku. "So! Riku, any predictions?"

Riku looked over both of the older men, coming to the conclusion both were rather good looking. The blond one had spikes in his hair that could give Sora's a run for their money, and a fitted light blue short sleeved shirt. The more intimidating one with the greyest eyes Riku had ever seen sported a plain white t-shirt with black jeans. His hair was brown and well-kept from the looks of it, which was surprising; most college students looked as if they couldn't afford a comb or brush.

"Well... I'd say they aren't going to risk going to jail over some jailbait." This earned him a smack on the back of his head from Selphie, and a scowl from Kairi. 'A shame really, I wouldn't mind getting to know them.'

"Riku... please don't hit on the new neighbors," Kairi sighed, but her voice was teasing nonetheless. "The neighborhood needs eye-candy."

"What? Aren't I good enough for the ladies?" Riku smirked.

"No, and you never will be good enough," Selphie answered.

"You're not a lady, so my quest--mmpbbthh!!" Sora quickly covered his best friend's mouth with his hand, but it was too late at the damage was done.

"Some violent little fucks over there," Cloud noted. "Wanna move yet, Squall?"

"Har har, Strife," Leon replied as he watched the girl called Selphie attempt to pull all of the silver hair out of that one kid's head. Well, they made noise, but not enough to truly bother him. And they were all rather charming to look at in a nostalgic way. 'You only get a set number of years to be a teenager.'

"You know, I kind of wish the two guys over there had cute girls to hang out with. Jailbait to look at isn't too much to ask for."

'For God's sake, Strife.' "Cloud, hands off underage teenagers. You're twenty years old, and it doesn't seem like much of an age difference, but in the eyes of the cops, it." Leon rubbed his temples tiredly. If it's not one thing with Cloud, it's another.

Cloud bristled at that. "I said to look at, not grope. Nothing is wrong with looking."

Leon gave Cloud the best 'you flippin' idiot' expression, before turning back to look at the group of friends. Things seemed to have calmed down over there, with Riku checking to make sure all of his hair was still on his scalp. 'The oldest one over there is the ring leader,' Leon thought idly. He looked over him before assessing that the kid, apparently named Riku (he heard the teens say it), must've been a good seventeen or eighteen judging from his physical appearance. The other three looked like they were still clinging to sixteen.

"Well, us girls better get home," Kairi said, and Selphie nodded in agreement. "Maybe we'll see you guys tomorrow or something."

"Maybe, ladies," Riku said. "We'll try to find Tidus and Wakka and see what the hell those two are up to in the morning."

"Good idea and good night." Selphie and Kairi bid farewell to their friends and headed to their respected homes up the street.

"So now what?" Sora asked dazedly.

Riku looked over at Sora, and then at the two over on the steps not too far way. "I say we introduce ourselves to the new neighbors. It's only polite," he smirked.

'Seems kind of weird to introduce yourself to older people, but okay.' Sora stood up and stretched, and Riku followed suit.

"Psst, Leon, look. They're coming over here." Cloud looked at the teens as they crossed yards.

Leon took notice. And he really noticed Riku's over confident swagger. Most people would look ridiculous if they walked like that. Well, men anyway, but it suited the kid just fine. Maybe it was because the kid had more hip than most guys, and maybe because the swag looked more subtle with his hands jammed into his pockets.

When the two teenagers stopped in front of their porch, Cloud asked, "Can we help you?"

Sora wasn't one for introductions at all, so Riku took charge of this operation. "Hello, me and my friend Sora here couldn't help but notice that you guys just moved in."

"We did," Cloud dead panned. Leon gave the two young men his attention, showing only mild interest.

'Blondie here is quite rude, isn't he.' Ignoring Cloud, Riku continued. "I'm Riku, and this guy behind me lives next door." Sora waved nervously.

He hated introductions.

Leon smirked. 'He just met Cloud and has already mastered ignoring him.' "I'm Squall Leonhart, and this asshole next to me is Cloud Strife." Cloud grunted, showing his distaste for being called an asshole. "We're college students."

Sora finally took some initiative. "Oh, is that so? Riku and I are only in highschool still. I'm a Junior." He held out his hand for Leon to shake it.

Leon hadn't expected something so... mature, from a high schooler, but he took Sora's hand shook it anyway.

"I'm a Senior," Riku announced.

"That's nice. Leon and I are Sophomores." Cloud decided to be nice and converse after all. Though he wasn't really interested in the conversation, he figured he'd attempt to be polite. "Sora's your name right?" He looked at the brunette directly.

"Yeah."

"Is that your mom over there in that house?" the blond asked.

"Goddammit Cloud, no hitting on the neighbors," Leon sighed agitatedly.

Riku laughed at this. "Oh, his mom wouldn't mind at all, to be honest. She was planning to come over and introduce herself anyway!"

Sora blushed. It would be horribly awkward if his mom and some college student did start flirting with each other.

Awkward.

Speaking of the woman, Claudia stepped out from her house and called over. "Sora! Time to come in! I don't want you running the streets like some delinquent. And Riku! Your parents called and they're looking for you." She stood behind her porch's banister, hands firm on her hips.

Cloud looked away. 'Can't have Leon scolding me anymore.'

"Well, that's our cue, Sora," Riku said, firmly swatting his frailer friend on the back. "Maybe we'll see you guys later... or something."

As Sora and Riku jogged onto Claudia's porch and into her house, Leon mumbled, "Yeah, not too bad at all."