"You've grown up a lot." Leon turned to see his adoptive father sitting at the end of the kitchen table.

"Thanks" he muttered as he continued to rinse the blood off his face.

"I guess that's your blood not his right?" Leon sighed as he turned off the water and leaned heavily on the kitchen sink. He could see now this would be a long father son conversation. Normally he'd think of this as a great milestone but at the moment he just was not in the state to speak…with anyone.

"Yea, most of its mine from where Roxas hit me over the head with that stupid key he calls a blade. Stupid kid. He thought I was Sephiroth trying to come inside. But this down here" he pointed to the knee cap of his jeans. "This is asshole's and I'll never let Aerith wash it out. I want it cut out and framed for the world to see."

Cid chuckled, "A little over theatrical for you isn't it?" The brunette smirked a bit. Cid was just about the only person he'd talk to like this and for sure the only person who would ever think to call him 'theatrical'.

"Normally, but I've seen the way this guy treats people. And, God, the way he looks at Cloud it's like he wants to rape him and beat him until the edge of life but let him live just so he can do it again tomorrow."

Cid looked thoughtful and the kitchen fell quiet. Leon looked down, a little embarrassed. No matter how easy he was to talk to that wasn't something he'd normally say in front of his dad. The two sat for a long while caught up in their own thoughts.

"Well", Cid finally interjects "I think I'm gonna go to bed." He stood with his coffee. Why the old man drank coffee at night was a mystery. Probably because he liked it too much to give it up but was too delirious when he woke up in the morning to tell coffee from motor oil.

"Is he still here?"

"Yea, I think Aerith called his dad, or brother, or guardian person. I dunno some guy named Zach. Decent guy. Was ready to rip through a few million assholes when he heard what had happened. I told him you were handling it though." Cid winked at his son. "Seemed to think that was rather amusing for some reason or another and left it at that."

"Hn." was Leon's only response he was already halfway up the steps and had only paused to wait for his father to finish.

"And Leon?"

The stoic turned to face his father again, this time a bit more impatiently.

"Be good to that kid he's had a hard life by the sound o' it." The old man downed the last of his mug and set it in the sink.

Leon gave a rare smile, "Hasn't everyone in this house?"

Leon slipped into the room silently and quickly stripped down to his boxers. Stopping to think how just boxers might be inappropriate just now he padded across the dark room trying to find his dresser. "SSSsssssssss!" He knocked his toe into some god damn piece of furniture that was not going to survive the morning once he could see what it was. It turned out to be his dresser. He reconsidered his previous threatening thoughts as the drawers yielded a pair of cotton pants on Tifa had gotten him last Christmas in hopes of getting him to wear something other than underwear to bed...and to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Sitting on the edge of the bed he cupped the angels small face in his hand running his thumb over a large bruise across the poor angels flawless cheek. With a hiss of pain Cloud's eyes flew open. Leon's hand was gone faster than Cloud could process what was happening. "Im sorry." He said quietly. "I didn't mean to wake you I was looking at your bruise."

"Don't be sorry." Cloud said sleepily. "It's your bed. I'll go." He was already pushing himself up out of bed when Leon pressed a firm hand against his chest forcing him to lay back.. "Go where? and how?" The brunettes voice was demanding.

'and rather alluring.' Cloud blushed at the thought.

"Home and I thought I'd walk." Cloud eyed the rough hand warily.

Leon jerked it back quickly. "Sorry." 'I'm not any good at this.' He thought desperately.

"It's fine." The smaller teen replied, though, he wasn't sure at all why it was fine.

"You don't have to leave. You can just stay here. I mean you really don't need to be walking around in your condition and I don't like the idea of you walking in the dark and Aerith already talked to Zach and stuff so ...I mean...you could just stay here."

As Cloud watched the schools star quarter back/stoic/"Major hunk hottie" he couldn't help but smile. Squall Leonhart stumbling over words, even more Squall Leonhart speaking words! At the fragment of 'and I don't like the idea of you walking in the dark' Cloud had blushed so furiously and clenched his mouth muscles so tightly to keep from grinning every bruise on his face had felt like exploding. When he drug himself out of his thoughts Cloud realized he had been staring at the larger man pretty intensely. Again he felt the heat in his face, "It's ok. I'll stay." He promised.

Cloud suddenly felt very aware of the fact that he was in Leon's bed and Leon's butt just so happened to be right next to his hand. …. He moved his hand quickly. Leon smiled at Cloud suddenly feeling much more confident. Picking up his angel Leon moved him gently to the side of the bed closer to the wall. Cloud eyed the brunette suspiciously. "You were on my side of the bed."

Cloud chuckled, "Great you have a 'side'."

"Yea, got a problem with that?" Leon replied poking Cloud playfully in the side evoking a small groan and an even louder laugh.

"No," He laughed again, "not at all."

With a very protective, very strong, very capable Leon behind him Cloud fell asleep easily. And with a very soft, very beautiful, very amazing Cloud in front of him Leon drifted off quickly as well.