The next day, Rinoa had already left and Leon walked into the dark house. He thought it was a bit strange but assumed either Sora had gone out or was asleep. He put down his satchel and rested his head against the back of the chair to catch his breath before making his way up to bed. When he got to his room he noticed that the bed was empty so he assumed he was elsewhere. Although it suddenly struck Leon that Sora didn't ever go anywhere unless he was at home.

Leon went back down stairs and looked in the fridge. The milk hadn't been touched now that was weird. He was forever telling Sora to put the lid back on the milk and there it stood untouched. Leon started to get a horrible feeling in his stomach and decided to call Vincent.

On the other side of the town Cloud had finished explaining everything to Aerith who looked rather disappointed with her young blond friend.

"I won't say you shouldn't have led him on but from what you've said it doesn't sound like either of you planned it anyway. My advice is go and speak to Leon, I'm sure that as long as you explain to him like you have to me then he's bound to understand."

Cloud looked at Aerith sceptically but had to admit that the chances were that she was probably right. He sighed and stood up then picking up his jacket he went outside and started making his way over to Leon's. After a few minutes Aerith grabbed her coat and followed.

"Hello."

"Hi, Vince its Leon, you haven't seen Sora around have you?"

"No, actually I was going to call you and ask if you'd seen Cloud."

"No, I've been away for a few days with work and stuff, although I'm sure even you have to admit that you're not surprised?"

"What do you mean?"

"Aw, come on Vince, you hardly say a word to the guy let along touch him."

"We ha…"

"Sex isn't everything Vince, you need to go and find him and tell him you love him, if you do. Or to leave and forget you if you don't it's not fair on him Vince."

Vincent went quiet for a while, Leon was right he never ever told Cloud about his feelings towards him, or ever touched him in public.

"You win Leon, I'll go find him and tell him."

"Good and if you see Sora on your travels tell him to come home soon I have a surprise for him."

"Will do." And with that they both hung up and Vincent went off looking for Cloud.

A few moments later there was a knocking on Leon's door, he dashed out of the kitchen still with his little piny on and answered the door to Cloud and Aerith. Leon blushed wildly and ducked quickly behind the door as Cloud and Aerith covered their eyes.

"Oh Leon…Go put some clothes on man jeeze."

"Sorry I thought it might be Sora." A lump quickly formed in Cloud's throat

"Can we come in?" Asked Aerith in her gentle tone.

"Ah, yeah sure just have a seat I'll be right back." Cloud and Aerith stepped inside and took a seat on Leon's couch. Cloud couldn't stop fidgeting he was so nervous about what Leon might do when he finally told him what happened.

A few minutes and Leon was moderately dressed and sat in the chair opposite the sofa, "You know Cloud Vincent's looking for you, I was just on the phone to him about five minutes ago."

"Really, well I guess I'd better go looking for him then." Cloud went to stand up but Aerith pulled him back down again. "NO, Cloud you have something you need to get out in the open." Leon looked at his female friend confused then back at Cloud who looked very troubled.

Cloud sat back down heavily and took a few breaths before looking up at his friend. "I came round the other day to talk to you and Sora about Vincent and you weren't home, Sora asked me if I wanted to have pizza and spend some time with him and watch a movie or something."

Leon looked at the spiky blond thoughtfully, "Yeah that sounds like Sora alright."

Cloud bowed his head and looked back up at Leon, "Leon please let me finish."

"Sorry." Answered Leon.

"As I walked in there was this strange smell, I can't describe it, it was so out of the ordinary, anyway it gave me strange feelings towards Sora but I knew...know he's with you and I pushed it out of my mind. We had the pizza and watched the movie and well..."

"Well?" Quizzed Leon who by the looks of things knew what the next sentence was and looked annoyed but understanding.

Cloud sighed in defeat of trying to think of a way to soften the blow to Leon. "We slept together."

The look on Leon's face was one of hurt, confusion yet also of complete understanding, Aerith decided to quickly jump in with her piece before anything else happened.

"Another thing though Leon is the strange smell, Cloud described, when he smelt it and looked at Sora, Sora had a glazed look in his eyes, I can't explain it."

"I can." The voice came from the doorway and in stepped Vincent. Cloud looked up at the cloaked man in shear horror before throwing himself to the floor at Vincent's feet.

"Oh Vincent I'm so sorry I didn't mean for any of it to happen it's just that you didn't act like you loved me and something strange came over me and Sora and and and."

"Be quiet and stand up already..."

Cloud looked up at Vincent who was looking directly at Leon who by now had stood up into a thinking posture.

Cloud continued to stare at the taller red clothed man waiting on his next scalding. "I'm not mad at you, So there's no need to go grovelling at my feet." Vincent looked down at Cloud and gave him a small gentle smile which Cloud slowly returned.

"Leon, what Cloud described is pheromones, remember I told you about that when we last spoke and I..."

"Yes you told me to keep him away from other people. What I don't understand is what happened when I called Sora I was sure I told him all that on the phone."

Cloud looked over at Leon, "Your call did seem pretty short at this end"

Leon looked up at Cloud, "Are you sure, the operator clocked twenty minutes at my end."

"No more than at least ten here." Answered Cloud.

"Leon we can work all of this part out later first we need to find Sora." Said Vincent in a commanding tone.

Leon snapped back into reality from his thoughts and grabbed hold of his coat. "Let's get going then."

"Aerith you stay here in case Sora comes back here." Said Vincent as the three men walked off down the street.

As the three left Rinoa came bouncing and skipping along the street and stopped where Aerith was standing at the gate watching the three men on their way.

"What's up Aerith?"

"Oh, hi Rinoa, Sora's run away we think and Cloud, Leon and Vincent are away off looking for him."

Rinoa gasped slightly she hadn't expected things to go this way, "That's awful." She said hoping to sound genuinely concerned

"Yes, We just don't understand why?"

"It's nothing to do with Cloud is it?

Aerith gave Rinoa a questioning look, "Now why would you think that?"

"Oh, no reason." Rinoa mentally slapped herself for nearly tripping up, "It's just I had been talking to Cloud and suggested he go talk to Leon and Sora."

Aerith looked at Rinoa puzzled she never did anything for anyone else,

"Well no, it's nothing to do with Cloud; this is between Leon and Sora."

"Oh dear, trouble in paradise huh?"

"Maybe you should just keep out of other people's business missy." Aerith looked along the street a little relieved to see Cid walking along.

"Well yeah I'd better get going anyway, bye Aerith."

Aerith looked at Cid kindly, "Thanks."

"Hey no problem, that gal makes my skin crawl anyway, So what's this about Sora and Leon?"