Author Notes: I'd like to thank everyone for always being so nice and to RoxasIsLove, because you rock!
Disclaimer: Square-Enix is my God...
Story Notes: Shounen-ai, yaoi and anything else boy love related. I have no idea where this is going, I just write...
Glory
Act.3: For Friendship.
She was always prompt, never one to be late, else the person she was meeting worry about her. Of course, she could take care of herself rather well, but she just adored the way people worried about her. People just seemed to always want to take care of her, even though she didn't need it. Even if he didn't show it on the outside, she knew he worried over her, and although there had been no exchange of times, she still made her way to his apartment as early as she could.
Aerith had her own personal way of knocking.
The door was closed, but she could hear the voice on the other side shouting, then the sounds of something hitting the floor and shuffling around until the door was finally opened to reveal a tall, gangly youth with wild red hair and a black t-shirt with the words 'This orgy sure is off to a slow start' printed in white lettering on the front.
She stared at him for a few moments before breaking out into a sweet smile. "Afternoon, Axel," she said sweetly, attempting to peer around him to see into the small apartment. "Is Leon home?"
Hand reached up and rubbed the back of his neck while he moved to one side to allow the young woman to enter. "Shower," he said, jutting his thumb towards one of the doors leading off from the kitchen. "Least I think so. I heard the water running."
Another smile as she entered, placing her pink purse onto the table beside a discarded tomato. It had taken her about an hour to get to the building since she had to explain to Yuffie that she didn't want her to accompany them on their little shopping trip. Aerith understood just how much effort it took Leon to put up with the bubbly female and thought it best that she not come along. "How was school?" she asked, looking over at the youth that was now attempting to find something in the refrigerator that he could eat; rather than it eating him.
"Same as ever," he said, straightening up and sniffing the contents of a plastic container. "I got Roxas' number though. I don't think he expected me to ring him though, at least it seemed that way," Deciding it best not to even taste the strange brown mousse-like substance in the container, he placed the lid back on and returned it to it's home near the back. Green eyes watched in intently for a few moments just incase the other 'things' in the fridge decided to welcome it home.
Nothing happened though, so he reached out for a yoghurt pot, lifting it to read the label.
On her stool, Aerith smiled, nodding her head as she listened to him. "I'm sure that he was just surprised. I think his cousin is staying over for a few weeks and they household has been pretty busy" she said, trying to reassure the teenager. "And I don't think you should eat that, it looks rabid"
Axel smirked as he looked at the now open yoghurt pot. It said strawberry on the label, but he wasn't so sure strawberry was supposed to look – or smell – anything like it did. So he set it down on the kitchen counter. "There might be an undiscovered life-form somewhere in here..." he mused. "I wonder if it tastes good?"
She chuckled in reply to his comment. "That poor, undiscovered life-form. Being eaten by you. How do you think it would feel inside your mouth?"
There was a huge smirk on his face. "I dunno. I haven't had many complaints from other people that I've had in my mouth!"
Aerith tried hard to fight off the blush, gasping at Axel's rude comment. "Axel!" she scolded. "How rude!"
He chuckled as he closed to refrigerator door, giving up in his search for something edible and leaned against it. "I'm sorry, Aerith. I'm really a sweet and innocent little boy and I don't know anything about sex or blow jobs."
"I should hope not," she said, folding her arms upon the counter top. Her green eyes soon spotted something tall standing in a now open doorway and she smiled brightly. "Lovely to see you, Leon!"
He nodded his head briefly to her before making his way into the small kitchen. His brunet hair was still damp and strands clung to his forehead. He wore his usual clothing of leather pants lined with many belts, heavy black boots and a white tank top. Once he was close to Aerith, she could smell the various soaps and shampoos the male used when cleaning; the main scent being lavender. "Axel's not bothering you is he?" he asked her.
Shaking her head in reply, she smiled up at him. "I take it grocery shopping has been put on hold lately, or are you waiting for the things in your fridge to do it for you?"
Axel sniggered. "He went early, and bought a tomato," he explained, reaching out for the fruit that was still sitting on the counter, only to once more have his hand swatted away by Leon's own hand.
Aerith kept the smile on her face, watching the two interact. Well, Axel interact and Leon ignore him while he pulled on black gloves and his fur trimmed jacket. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting," she said as she stood up, fingers curling around the handles of her purse and making her way towards the door.
"Not at all," Leon said softly as he held the door open for her. Shooting an icy glare back at the red head he lived with before closing the door, he walked at Aerith's side as they walked down the corridor. "How did you get here?"
"Vincent gave me a lift," she said warmly, reaching out and looping her arm with Leon's. She enjoyed his company, and she noticed just how much something as simple as linking arms affected the cold Leon. She could feel some of the ice he'd built up to protect himself melting away as his shoulders fell into a more relaxed position and he just seemed more alive. "So how are you feeling?"
He gave a slight shrug, once more opening a door for her. "I'm not sure..." he began, tongue slipping out from between his lips to moisten them. "I don't feel so alone anymore,"
She sighed softly, shaking her head. "You could be surrounded by a thousand people and still feel alone, Leon. I'm glad I can help you though,"
Free hand reached up to rub the back of his neck, eyes glancing to his side where she walked happily, a beautiful smile upon her soft lips. "It's better that way."
"Is it?"
He sighed, eyes falling to the tarmac ground of the car park as they walked to his car. "I don't know..." he said after a short silence, holding the door open for Aerith so that she could slip inside. "I used to think it was, but now I'm not so sure."
Aerith knew that she was the only person Leon ever truly opened up to, and she was curious as to why. He had many people that considered him their friends, but for some reason none of them were able to open him up as much as she did. Yuffie had once said that it was because Leon had a crush on her, but Aerith didn't seem to think so. It seemed to be something other than him being in love with her.
As the car started up and pulled out of the car park, Aerith glanced over at the brunet, hand pushing back some of her hair behind her ear. "Leon?"
"Hmmm...?"
"What do you think of me?"
"Pardon?"
"Well, you only seem to open up as much as you do with me, and I want to know why," she explained, watching him as he drove the car with the usual cool and composed demeanour that he had when he did anything.
He shrugged. "I just feel like I can't not tell you things," he explained, turning a corner. "I don't like having to depend on other people, I don't want to become used to things so that when they go, I won't have to miss them," Leon continued. "I want to be strong, but with you I feel like I'm able to simply tell you things because you'll understand. You don't try to get me to open up."
She listened intently, nodding along. "So you're not worried if I ever go that you won't miss me?"
"I already miss you when you're not around anyway, Aerith," he said, glancing over to her. "I must sound like an idiot,"
Quickly shaking her head, she reached out and placed her hand lightly upon his arm, before giving it a firm, comforting squeeze. "Not at all, Leon. Infact, I think it's wonderful that you can open up to me."
He gave her a slight smile, pulling into the car park of the large grocery store. "You just have the ability to make me feel like I'm human. I've never really felt like that for a long time"
"Really?" she asked, climbing out of the car and closing it behind her. She quickly caught up to the driver, once more linking their arms together as they walked towards the large entrance.
He nodded. "I'm glad you don't think I'm an idiot, Aerith."
She reached up, brushing away strands of hair from his forehead, a warm smile upon her face. "Never, Leon. Never." Maybe it was love, or maybe it wasn't. Aerith didn't care right now, because Leon thought of her as something special, and she didn't want to loose that by asking any questions that might get him to think about why he opened up so much to her.
With Aerith at his side, shopping seemed to be much more interesting and an enjoyable experience, instead of the boring and mind-numbing task of walking along the isles and choosing things from the mass selection of brightly coloured packages that sat on their shelves going 'Buy me! Buy me!' He pushed the trolley along, watching as she walked infront, choosing the different things and placing them in neat piles inside the cart.
He even had a bright smile on his face.
"You're smiling," she mentioned as she placed a large round tin of cookies inside the cart.
"Am not," he said, doing nothing to hide the bright smile upon his pale lips.
"You are!" she said, pointing an accusing finger at his face. "I can see it right there. Don't make me get my camera out!"
Arms folded on the handle, back bent as he leaned forwards, Leon did something so very un-characteristically Leon and something that Axel would do.
He smirked.
Gasping at him, she rummaged through her purse in search of her cell phone, and quickly flipping it open, she took a picture of the smirking Leon. "I never thought I'd see the day..." she said as she saved it.
"Don't you dare show any...one..." he said, voice drifting off at the end.
"Hmmm?" Her own eyes followed the icy blue gaze down the isle to a figure dressed in the ugliest and unflattering green apron she had ever seen. Even the male's attempts to make himself look better with the nice and snug fitting black pants and the navy turtle neck did nothing to improve the tarnished image that the evil green apron did. Blond hair was spiked in a gravity- defying style, and there was a lion style earring in his ear.
She knew instantly whom it was staking shelves.
Walking over, she tapped him on the arm, and smiled up brightly at his face when he looked at her with surprise washing over his features. "A-A-Ae-Aerith!?"
"Hello, Cloud," she said warmly.
"Aerith? What are you doing here?"
"I'm shopping, what else would I be doing here?" she asked, glancing back at Leon who's gaze was still transfixed upon the spiky haired blond in the horrible apron. There was even a badge with the wonderful and helpful words of 'My Name Is: Cloud' fixed to one of the straps. "Well, I'm helping Leon with his shopping," she motioned to the male pushing the cart with a wave of her hand.
Blue eyes could not help but stare. The apron did nothing to hide the beauty beneath it. Golden blond hair, a soft satin like skin that must feel like satin to the touch. Eyes so blue that Leon could feel himself being pulled into the ocean depths of the eyes that looked over at him. There was a smile on kissable lips, and a hand waved at him. Leon could feel his stomach in his throat.
"Hello, Leon," he said in greeting, before looking back to the young brunette female. "I was going to say, you don't shop here, you don't live anywhere near here."
Aerith continued to beam brightly. She'd noticed something in Leon she had never seen before. Trying her best to ignore the stinging of her heart in her chest at the look Leon had given the blond, she tried to keep a positive out look on things. "Had I of known you worked here, I might of started," she said sweetly.
Cloud pouted. Leon felt like melting. "I'd rather not have everyone invading the place where I work. Especially Yuffie, so no telling her I work here. Got it?"
With a firm nod, and a salute, Aerith agreed not to tell the girl in question about Cloud's work place. "So when do you finish?"
"Another hour," Cloud said sadly. "Then Seph is gonna come and pick me up,"
"Oh really?" she asked curiously. "Where is the great Sephiroth right now?"
Cloud smirked evilly. "Babysitting"
Hand flew to her mouth as she gasped in surprise. "What?"
Out of the conversation that made him feel like a third wheel, Leon picked up two names. One involved Yuffie, and was ignored, but the second name perked his interest. "Sephiroth? You know Sephiroth?"
There was a slight nod from Cloud. "Yeah. Do you know him too, Leon?"
Every time he heard his own name coming from the gorgeous creatures mouth, Leon felt his heart skip a beat. He'd never been infatuated by anyone before, but somehow, this Cloud just captivated him. "He's in my English Literature class at university," Leon explained. "He sleeps a lot,"
Aerith chuckled, and for some reason that Leon couldn't quite fathom, Cloud blushed. He had nothing against the amazing rosy tint to the cheeks of such a beauty, but Leon was curious as to why he had done such a thing. "My, my, Cloud," Aerith said in a sing-song voice. "Looks like you've been a very naughty boy!"
Reaching up, Cloud scratched the back of his head. "It's only natural, Aerith. We don't just hold hands you know."
In his head, Leon was slowly piecing things together. "Wait, Sephiroth and you...Are a...?"
"A couple, Leon," Aerith said, looking over at him and watching a hurt expression appear in the icy blue eyes of the scarred man's face. She sighed softly, noticing something about Leon she had neglected to see before. "Two years is it now?" she asked, looking over at Cloud.
He nodded. "Nearly. Two years next week. He said he's going to do something special. Oh, he also says he won't be able to make it to that party tomorrow night, he has to go visit his family for the weekend."
"Oh yes, I completely forgot about it!" she said, realising why the silver haired male in question wouldn't be attending the welcome home party she was throwing for Stiltzkin. "Tell him I wish him well, and to say hello to his brother's for me"
"Will do," Cloud said, smiling. "So are you going to let me get back to my work before my boss shouts at me for slacking?"
With another bright smile, Aerith nodded sweetly, then walked over to the shopping trolley and Leon, reaching up and patting his arm to pull him from his own thoughts. "Come on, Leon, let's leave Cloud alone, shall we?"
He merely shrugged and with a wave to the blond, began pushing the cart along once more. Aerith gave Cloud a hug goodbye, and waved as she trotted after the brunet that now seemed to have fallen into one of his quiet moods. She had done so much in opening him up, but now he seemed to be the same Leon again.
"Leon...?"
"..."
She sighed once more, walking at his side. "Do you like him?"
There was a nod.
"I never knew you were..."
"I'm not," Leon said, running his hand through his now dry hair, eyes focused forwards. "Well, in a way. I don't know, I never really thought about it,"
Tilting her head to the side, arms linking hands behind her back, she watched Leon intently with a soft smile on her face. "Is that why you're so closed off? You never thought about it before?"
Then came another of Leon's generic shrugs when he couldn't really think of a good enough answer, but was often agreeing with whatever it was the other person had said. He'd been feeling so good too, but now he just wanted to build up that protective shell and hide for a few hours. Unfortunately, the one able to tear down his shell was still around, and he couldn't hide. He just wanted to talk to her because she made him feel that way.
"You're a strange one," Aerith giggled. "But I guess that's what I like about you so much!"
Leon smiled at her. She was wonderful and always seemed able to brighten his mood, no matter what had happened to make him feel depressed and down. Reaching out with one arm, he pulled her close into a light, one-armed hug. "So, do you think I'm his type?"
- - - - -
Author's Notes: I was going to have Sephiroth as Cloud's boss, but decided not to x3
A whole chapter filled with Leon-ness.
Next up, Roxas calls Axel back and Sephiroth talks teaches a parrot to talk dirty!