Chapter 8
"Cloud Strife, your speech is next," Vincent drawled, already bored after listening to six speeches about how absolutely great it was living in the other person's life. "How long do you expect your speech to be?"
"Short and sweet," Cloud answered, walking to the front of the room. He placed up his visual aid, then turned toward the class and crossed his arms. "Squall Leonhart. He doesn't like being called Squall; bad memories, so don't do it." He turned to the poster and pointed to probably the largest picture on the poster, though most of them were large just the same. The picture was of Sora and Roxas, practicing passing a soccer ball.
"This is Sora and Roxas, his twin brothers. They're in eighth grade. The play soccer and take care of their older brother. Sora's always happy; Roxas is the level-headed twin. Sora has a box at the top of his closet where he keeps something that reminds him of each and every one of the people close to him. Apparently, the object that reminds him of me is a moogle--" At this, the class started laughing. "--And the object that reminds him of Leon is a little stuffed lion.
"And then there's Roxas. Roxas keeps a scrapbook filled with pictures not even Sora can get his sneaky little hands on. Whether the pictures are embarrassing or not, I have no idea. Only he gets to see the scrapbook. He's too terrified that someone will steal the pictures he's so attached to."
He pointed at a picture of Yuffie, who happened to be seated next to Leon, eating some cake that he'd just baked like some ravenous animal. She had frosting all over her face. Zack was right next to her, in the same frosty position. "This is Yuffie Kisaragi and Zack Fair. They're cousins. Yuffie and Zack are probably the first people to ever break through Leon's diamond hard exterior. Some say they did it for his cooking; others say they did it because they like to be difficult. Turns out, it's because their parents were good friends.
"Yuffie is always there for Leon, even if he chooses to ignore her, but she's okay with that. They've known each other since she was born. Zack is a totally different story." Here Cloud sighed. "He's the only person Leon looks up to besides his father, Laguna, and his boss, Merlin. And just so you know, Zack is the most manipulative person I've ever met; his heart's in the right place, though, so that makes everything okay."
He pointed at a picture of Riku giving Sora a noogie as they were walking from school. "This is Riku Koyami. You all probably know his snooty parents, but Riku's not snooty at all. In fact, he's pretty humble. That's because Sora whooped his ass when they were younger. He mooches food off of Leon whenever he can."
Next was a picture of Axel and Roxas, fighting over the last piece of chicken at the dinner table. "This is Axel Pyroki. ...In the end, Leon get fed up and gave the last piece of chicken to their cat, by the way." The class laughed again. "Axel lives next door with his brother and sisters. He mooches food off of Leon whenever possible as well. Because, believe me, Leon is an awesome cook. Axel is too-- Roxas and Sora mooch off him all of the time-- but he likes to be lazy. Leon doesn't mind.
"You're probably wondering why I've told you about Zack, Yuffie, Riku, and Axel, because they're not at all related to him. Well, I'll tell you why. They're as much a part of Leon's family as his cat. ...And God, he loves that cat." He jerked his thumb at a picture of his cat. "Name's Nanaki. He guards the kitchen while Leon's away because Sora and Roxas can't cook.
"You're also probably wondering why Leon, since he's got such an awesome family, is so cold and withdrawn. It's because he's so stressed all the time that he doesn't have the time or the energy to deal with all of the crap you all put him through everyday of his life. After he leaves school, he picks up his brothers and goes to work at the Book Bin, where he bakes. As cold and withdrawn as he is at school, at the Book Bin, he's a completely different person. He even smiles. It's really amazing.
"And as much as he tries not to care, what you people say about him hurts him. He's just so tired that he doesn't do anything about it. Which is why you should never say what you say about him in front of his brothers or his friends, because Axel will beat the shit out of you, Riku will have your head on a pike, Yuffie will show off the 'ninja skills' she always brags about-- which she does have, by the way-- and put you in the hospital, and Zack will personally shove your head up your ass and escort you to the nearest doctor so you can have your head extracted so he can do it again.
"And if you value your lives or limbs, for the love of God, don't do it in front of Sora and Roxas, because they will turn into rabid little weasels and maim you." The class laughed again. Cloud sighed and jerked his thumb at another photo; it was of Riku limping out of the emergency room, covered in bandages. "It's not funny. That was the work of one of the Leonhart twins. Do you really want two of them on you? No, because the probability of you coming out in one piece is one in a thousand--"
"Billion."
Everyone turned toward the door sharply; Cloud had been talking so seriously that everyone had been engrossed by his information.
Sephiroth shrugged, frowning. "It's actually one billion." He turned his gaze on Leon and frowned. "Leon, come on. It's an emergency."
Leon tilted his head, frowning as well, then stood up and gathered his things. Walking up to the taller man, his brows furrowed together in concern. "What's wrong?"
"I'll tell you in the car."
Leon turned one last, inquisitive gaze at Cloud, then followed him out of the room. "Okay."
Cloud blinked, frowning, then looked up at the class again. "...And he deserves nothing but your respect, because he's given up being a normal teenager to provide for his family. ...How many of you can say you'd give up time with your friends to work so your younger siblings could have spending money?"
-x-x-x-
"What's wrong with him?" Leon asked breathlessly, tears filling his eyes.
Roxas sobbed into side weakly, trembling. "I d-don't know! W-we were jog- jogging around the track, and then-- then he fell and just s-started shaking!"
"Sephiroth, could you watch Roxas for a minute?" Leon looked up at him pleadingly. "I'm going to try and get a hold of my dad."
Sephiroth nodded and pulled Roxas toward him. Roxas turned and latched onto him, never once stopping his sobs to question why he was switching people to cry on. He was too distraught to care, as long as he got to cry.
Leon spent the next half hour trying to phone his dad, but finally settled on leaving a message with the woman he'd be checking in with later that day. As he made his way back to his brother and Sephiroth, he felt a sense of panic; he couldn't lose anyone else. He'd lost his mother, and he'd had to make up for her. No one could make up for Sora if he was gone.
Sephiroth, who'd led Roxas over to some chairs, looked up from the blond who had coincidentally fallen asleep from crying so hard and sighed. "Are you okay, Leon?"
Leon sat down on his other side heavily, leaning his head against the taller man's strong shoulder. "...Why us?"
"Hmm?"
"Why does this always happen to us? We try... we try so hard..." Leon sniffed, then turned and started crying into Sephiroth's chest. "We try so hard to make things work and we're rewarded with this? It isn't fair!"
Sephiroth sighed and began rubbing comforting circles on the small of his back. "Everything will be okay, Leon. You'll see."
"...Riku... will want to..."
"I've already called Riku, Axel, Yuffie, and Zack. Zack will be here in about ten minutes and Axel will drive Riku and Yuffie over as soon as school's out." Sephiroth smiled soothingly. "Just close your eyes and rest your mind. Okay?"
Leon mumbled something inaudible and snuggled up to him, then sighed, a small, sad smile adorning his face.
Ten minutes later, Zack walked in, looking concerned. He blinked at the view of Roxas and Leon both asleep against Sephiroth, then raised an eyebrow and rested his hands on his hips. "...I knew there was a downside to you being warm and snuggly. Everyone wants in on the snuggly action." So saying, he walked over to them and planted a kiss on the silver-haired man's lips.
Sephiroth shrugged absentmindedly. "Sometimes, kids just need snuggled."
Zack smiled and crossed his arms. "You're so good with kids, Sephy. Maybe when we get married, we should adopt."
That seemed to snap Sephiroth out of his daze. "M-m-married!? Who said anything about marriage?!"
Zack shrugged innocently. "Well we're not just in this relationship for sex, are we?"
Sephiroth scowled. "Oh, don't be a bitch, Zack! You've never given me sex! You're taunting me now."
Zack smiled and knelt in front of him, gently running his fingers through Leon and Roxas's hair. "I like kids. If you don't, tell me now, and I'll find someone who does."
Sephiroth sighed and rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. "God... Fine. If we stay together and love each other unconditionally, and if we decide to get married, maybe we can adopt a child. Okay?"
"Yes!" Zack exclaimed, clapping his hands together happily.
Leon opened his eyes, smirking. "I knew it."
Zack blinked at him, then gasped. "You were awake that entire time?! Leon! You ruined the game!"
"I'm not gonna tell Roxas and Sora. They can find out by themselves. The game is still going," Leon answered, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "What time is it?"
"Twenty after two. Riku, Axel, and Yuffie should be here soon," Zack answered softly. "You okay? You want something to eat, or drink?"
"Mm... I want my dad," he mumbled, sighing, before leaning forward and wrapping his arms around the raven-haired man's neck. "But if you can't get him, I guess some coffee's okay."
"Hmm... You comin' with me, or are you gonna stay with Sephy?"
Leon groaned and fell back onto Sephiroth. Now that he had the chance, sleep was good. Sephiroth let out an 'ooph' before wrapping an arm around him and rolling his eyes. "This kid really needs more friends. He's still a twelve-year-old emotionally. He was right; it isn't fair."
"Life was never fair to the Leonharts," Zack muttered bitterly, standing up. "They've only accepted one loan, and that was from my parents. It was to pay the rent the first few months after their mother died. They're still trying to work it off."
"...Have you tried telling them no?"
"Leonhart. It means 'lion heart,'" Zack murmured, then shoved his hands in his pockets and looked down at his feet. "Lions are proud. They take what they need and no more. Laguna only accepted the loan because, even though he's the one Sora inherited his personality from, he's level-headed enough to know when he needs help. And they do all they can to make sure they help others. ...You know how Leon does that whole 'Salvation Army Can' thing?"
Sephiroth nodded. "Yes. Why?"
"...Laguna was the one that started that. My mom said that Laguna's done it since he was Leon's age. Like father, like son, huh?" Zack nodded as well and smiled sadly. "...I'm going to go get coffee."
"Don't take too long. As soon as Riku gets here, he'll be panicking, and Leon's going to be the one calming him down," Sephiroth ordered, sighing.
Zack glanced back at him and frowned. "Why Leon?"
"Because when Riku starts panicking, I have to take a walk or else I go all protective, and start mothering him, and it's just- blagh! I hate it and he hates it and we both get even more agitated."
"...So you do care," Zack cooed, smiling.
Sephiroth grabbed a nearby magazine and threw it at him. "Go get Leon's coffee, you jerk!"
Zack chuckled and hurried away before Sephiroth could unleash a bombardment of conveniently close things, which might just include Leon or Roxas. He didn't want Roxas or Leon to get hurt just because he had to tease his boyfriend.
-x-x-x-
Leon growled, heel tapping against the ground at an anxiously fast pace. Roxas had gotten up and started pacing for about an hour before slumping in the seat next to him to just stare into space as Axel stroked his hair. Riku was at the window, looking in at Sora in helpless despair. Yuffie was sitting in the seat next to him, for once not bouncing impatiently. Zack and Sephiroth were seated next to her, Zack stroking her hair comfortingly.
Leon blinked as the empty paper cup was plucked from his hand only to be replaced with a new one full of fresh coffee. Looking up in confusion, he frowned. "Cloud? What are you doing here?"
"Sora's my friend, too," Cloud answered, then looked down at Leon's still tapping heel. "...How many cups of coffee have you had?"
"Eleven. It calms me down," he muttered, taking a sip and reveling in the feeling of the warmth dripping down his throat.
Cloud rolled his eyes. "Oh, yes, your rapidly tapping foot evokes a feeling of great tranquility."
Leon paused, frowning, then scowled and looked up at Cloud again. "Shut up."
The blond sighed and crossed his arms, rolling his eyes slightly, before grabbing Leon's chin and tilting his face back up as he went to take another sip of coffee. Leaning down, he placed a soft, quick kiss to unresisting lips before standing back up and scowling. "I don't like being told to shut up." He leaned down and placed another quick peck on his lips. "And I don't like being rejected by someone I've been in love with since seventh grade."
Leon opened his mouth to respond, but all that came out was a... squeakish kind of noise, maybe? He closed his mouth and cleared his throat to try again, but again he failed. Damn. He'd never been this flustered before. Thankfully, he was saved anymore embarrassment.
"Squall? Roxas?"
Both Leonharts snapped their heads to the side before springing to their feet and sprinting at their father. The brown haired man laughed a little as they both crashed into him, nearly falling backward, then pulled them both close in a hug. His demeanor sobered, however, when he looked toward the window Riku was still vigilantly standing at.
"I came as soon as I heard. What happened?"
"They said it was appendicitis," Leon answered, frowning. "They took him in for surgery and we wanted to see him but the doctors said that we couldn't go in without your permission and now visiting hours are over!"
"Yeah, and I wanted to see him! He was awake for a while and he looked so scared and they wouldn't let us in to comfort him!" Roxas added, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Well, that won't do," Laguna murmured, frowning, before walking over the door and turning the knob. He gasped in mock surprise. "My gods! They've left the door unlocked! Anyone could get into this room!"
Leon and Roxas blinked at him for a few seconds before zipping into the room. "Thanks, Dad!"
Laguna smiled, chuckling to himself, before glancing at Yuffie. "Hey, you little Leon Shadow. You want to see Sora too?"
Yuffie burst into tears and ran into the room as well, quickly followed by Axel and Riku. "Sora!"
Laguna grinned lazily, sliding his hands into his pockets, before Cloud walked up to him cautiously and tilted his head. "Yeah, you go in too. I saw you kissing Squall," he stated, elbowing the small blond suggestively.
Cloud blushed and opened his mouth to object, but then sighed and trudged into the room as well. "Now I know where Sora got his personality..."
"...You know the doctors aren't going to be happy about that, right?" Zack asked, standing up.
Laguna shrugged and gazed through the window at the happy reunion, Sora having woken up after the commotion of everyone running in. "Then the doctors are just going to have to deal with me."
"God forbid," Zack muttered. When he received a confused frown from Sephiroth, he explained, "He's the one that Roxas and Sora inherited their protectiveness from. If the doctors want everyone out, Laguna's going to insist they go do something that not even I would repeat, even if I was pissed."
"You say that as if I'm terrifying." Laguna smiled at him innocently. "I'm not that scary, am I?"
"...Frankly, Laguna, you still give me nightmares," Zack answered, sighing.
Laguna rolled his eyes. "Gee, thanks, Zack. You make me feel glad to know I used to baby-sit you."
"How long are you staying?" Zack asked, getting right to the point.
Laguna chuckled and crossed his arms. "I'm not leaving again. That promotion? I got it. I've got a desk job. It pays a great deal more than what I was getting before, and they've got a house for us to live in quite close to the school and my job. ...Of course, the only reason they finally decided to give it to me was because I threatened to quit."
"Staying away from your family can do that to you," Sephiroth murmured, also gazing through the window, though at his brother rather than Sora.
"That means that Leon can take more time off, right?" Zack asked, tilting his head. "I mean, he works a lot..."
Laguna growled, turning a sharp look on his oldest son. "That little brat!"
"...Hmm... Now that I think about it, Seph, you were right..." Zack nodded to himself thoughtfully. "Which is surprising..."
Sephiroth tilted his head, then scowled as the words sunk in. "Me being right is surprising?!"
Zack laughed and waved his hands in front of him frantically. "No, that's not what I meant! I mean, surprising that you figured it out when I'm supposed to be the psychology major!" He smiled at the silver-haired man still glaring at him innocently. "I mean, I've known Leon since he was born, and even I couldn't figure out that he hadn't been growing emotionally!"
"That's because you've known him since he was born; your mind registered it as one of Leon's quirks," Sephiroth answered, sighing.
Zack scowled. "Stop doing that! I'm the psychology major!"
"Uh, incase you forgot," Sephiroth stated, scowling. "I was going to be a psychology major. That's how we met, stupid."
"...Oh, that's right," Zack answered, smile back in place.
Sephiroth rolled his eyes, obviously irritated by his boyfriend's mood swings. "Oh for the love of-- You said Leon started working after he finished fifth grade, right?" When he received a nod from both men, he sighed and continued his explanation. "Well, that was when he stopped spending time with his friends and spent all of his time working. His emotional level is still at the twelve-year-old standard, because without external stimulation, he's not going to grow emotionally."
"...I must have been absent that day," Zack sighed, crossing his arms.
"No, I went into class prepared," Sephiroth argued, scowling at him. "I took two years of psychology in high school."
"Really? Yeah, I gave up after that whole assignment Leon and Cloud just did." Zack frowned. "I was partnered with this girl named Elena. ...I think she had a crush on me."
"Really? I thought your gayness was obvious then," Laguna stated, crossing his arms.
"Shit, you knew too?! You guys are ruining my game!" Zack exclaimed, grabbing his hair and groaning to himself.
Laguna raised an eyebrow. "...I'm not going to tell Sora and Roxas. They can find out on their own."
"YES! THE GAME CONTINUES!"
Sephiroth frowned, then sighed in defeat. "And this is what I'm tied to."
"Oh?" Laguna tilted his head innocently.
"...I'm not having this conversation again," he stated darkly, scowling.
"He said, and I quote," Zack answered, grinning. "'If we stay together and love each other unconditionally, and if we decide to get married, maybe we can adopt a child.' Isn't he sweet!"
"...You sicken me," Sephiroth muttered, eyes narrowing.
Laguna chuckled and patted Sephiroth on the shoulder. "This one's a keeper, Zack. He's the pessimism to your optimism."
Zack giggled and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend's waist, nuzzling his chest happily. "Isn't he cute when he blushes?" he cooed, smiling up at him.
Laguna turned his gaze on Sephiroth's blushing face, then unconsciously took a step away. "I'd say yes, but then, he'd start glaring at me. I'm okay with not having a glare that rivals Leon's Ultimate Glare of Doom sent at me."
Zack scowled. "Oh, come on. Leon's Ultimate Glare of Doom isn't nearly as bad as his Glare of Imminent Death. ...I mean, come on! His Glare of Domestic Doom is the worst!"
Laguna shivered and nodded. "Ugh, I hate that one."
"...Glare... of Domestic Doom?" Sephiroth questioned, raising an eyebrow.
Zack gasped and clutched onto him tighter, terrified of just thinking about it. "That's the glare he gives you before he makes you do housework! Or worse! He cooks the meal you absolutely despise for the whole week!"
"...Somehow, I know that by dating you, I'll never be bored," Sephiroth stated, smiling.
