As the boys walked towards the cafeteria Cloud couldn't help but notice the people staring at them. By the time they had their lunches- Leon had insisted on buying Cloud's as well- people were gawking and whispering shamelessly. A nervous Cloud began to subconsciously duck back inside his hood only to be followed by a bold Leon who kissed him full on the mouth before adding, "Don't hide. You'll give them fuel for the fire."
"I think that's what you just did." Cloud replied glancing around worriedly. There was a group of girls in the courtyard giggling endlessly. When he turned back Leon looked worried as well.
"Are you ashamed?" He asked softly. He may not of said it but Cloud heard the silent 'of me?' at the end. He quickly grabbed Leon's hand twining their fingers together.
"Not at all." He said reassuringly. "I just don't like confrontation." Leon squeezed his hand before leading him to the spot under a tree where his friends were sitting. Riku and Tifa glanced at them cautiously while Sora ignored Cloud's existence all together- pointedly saying hello only to Leon. Axel soon joined them and whined unceasingly until his boyfriend Roxas let him lay his head in the boys lap. Cloud ate quietly while the rest of the group chatted until Roxas, with his larger than life smile, ask Cloud how his day had been.
Cloud looked up returning the smile and replied weakly "Exhausting." Everyone stopped eating looking for some kind of que as to how to continue with the situation. The looked very much like lost puppies afraid to tread on the wrong person's toe.
"It was his older brother." Leon said without looking up from his potatoes. Everyone accepted this quietly except Axel who sat up abruptly gawking.
"You still hold hands with your brother in high school?!" He said loudly.
"Only when he wins a bet." Cloud replied laughing. "I'm sorry if our weirdness caused anyone to worry. He just knows what buttons to press and enjoys pressing them. That was how he chose to embarrass me that day." Everyone laughed but Sora looked at Cloud with tears in his eyes.
"I am so sorry, Cloud!" He threw himself into Clouds lap and began to cry. "I thought you were hurting Leon and I got so mad I didn't even ask what had really happened!" the boy continued to sob and Cloud looked around begging with his eyes for help. None was forthcoming. He quietly patted the boys back until he caught sight of Riku who had become rigid and was obviously exercising a lot of self control. Which lasted a whole three more seconds before he hauled Sora off of Cloud and into his own lap. Sora gave him a sweet smile and continued to sniffle as he clung to the silver haired teen.
"Well, someone's showing their jealous streak today." Tifa giggled.
"That's nothin'" Everyone jumped as Yuffie dropped down from the tree. She was hanging from a branch by her knees as she continued. "I heard that a certain ice prince all but molested Cloud in front of Mr. Saix AP Biology class today." Roxas stopped fiddling with Axel's hair as the red head laughed out loud. Tifa's jaw dropped as she flushed bright red and Riku snapped his head quickly glaring at Leon. Leon had stopped eating and was staring intently at a piece of beef. "Leon." Riku said threateningly. Leon stared harder at the beef as though it might move if he put enough mental pressure on it. "Leon, you need to control yourself."
"You're one to talk." Leon snapped at his friend.
"I'm sure Leon must have had SOME sort of reason." Tifa sounded more like she was trying to convince herself than anyone else.
"Saix wanted to dissect me." Cloud offered. No one seemed too surprised. Mr. Saix was known for being pathological.
"Leon," Roxas chimed in "I highly doubt Saix would have actually dissect Cloud in front of the class."
"And I really don't see that as a reason to…" Sora stopped short "Well, what exactly did you do to him?" Cloud's ears got warm as he started remembering and he nearly died when Yuffie tossed her cell phone into the grass in the middle of the group. Someone had had the presence of mind to record EXACTLY what Leon had done to Cloud. They all sat and watched the video silently with the exceptions of a few gasps from Sora and Tifa and some chuckling from an immature red head. Cloud had to look away as the Leon-in-the-video's hand brushed the video-Cloud's jeans. His diverted eyes were met with a heady gaze from Leon who's breathing had become shallow. Cloud was sure he wouldn't survive the duration of the video but seconds later when it ended it was Axel's turn to comment. There was a low whistle before:
"I think Ice prince here was just fired up at the thought of someone else touching Cloud." He snapped his fingers causing a small flame to flicker into life. His grin was as impetuous as always. Roxas quickly bit the finger the flame was dancing on causing the flame to go out and Axel to lose all interest in teasing Leon.
"You know if you get caught playing with fire on school grounds you get suspended and I'm not missing classes just to keep you occupied while you stay home." Axel laid his head back down comfortably in Roxas' lap looking more and more like a tamed animal. The fact that Leon was still glaring at Axel gave Cloud the feeling he'd hit the nail right on the head.
"Is that what that was all about?" Cloud smirked.
Leon's eyes flashed playfully and the corner of his mouth curled up as he replied. "Maybe at the start but, I never knew you enjoy being dominated so much. Guess I got caught up in the moment." The larger man shrugged and casually went back to his ever so intriguing beef surprise. For the millionth time that day Cloud felt his entire body blush as he recalled every wonderful second of being pinned to the wall by Squall Leonhart. And if he was perfectly honest with himself he did enjoy it. Immensely.
"Didn't you read the sign, Cloud?" Yuffie called from the tree top. "Don't tease the lion!"
"Unless you want to get bit" The rest of the group chimed in. Everyone laughed and Cloud felt happy to have found such a great group of people. Happy that their teasing was light hearted and loving even to a stranger.
