Sorry it wasn't updated at my usual time but here it is now.
Er, sorry for the cliffhanger last chapter?
Many pairs of eyes glanced around at the different people in the area in confusion or anger or both.
Sephiroth's Masamune was on the ground next to its owner's feet; that must've been what Leon heard! Leon looked up from the sword and saw Sephiroth's left arm stuck against the wall with a spiky weapon Leon never saw before.
"Don't move or this is going to your neck!"
Leon's head snapped behind him to see Axel holding his second chakram, reading to throw.
"Dad!" His eyes next snapped to Cloud to see Sora knelt down next to him and a few feet away he saw Roxas helping Vincent. Leon wasn't sure at that moment whether to yell at them for coming or yell at them to run.
"What's this, Cloud? I don't remember you having so many…acquaintances...that I've never met before," Sephiroth eyed the new group of people and then his focus landed on Sora.
"Another child…" Sephiroth muttered and looked from Sora to Roxas, then to Cloud causing a big smirk spreads across his lips.
"Aerith…They're his children!" Sephiroth reached for the chakram to pull it off but Axel immediately threw his second one, intending to keep the man trapped, or dead, whichever comes first. But the silver haired man jump, using the chakram that he's stuck with to keep his body suspended in the air or the few moments before the second chakram missed and attached itself to the wall. Axel's hands flew into his hair in panic after realizing his mistake. Sephiroth pulled the chakram off and threw it back at Axel who fell to dodge it as Sephiroth threw to too hard and fast to catch. He picked up his sword in time to stop Leon's supposed-to-be-sneak attack.
"I still don't know who you are or what your relationship with Cloud is…but I would avoid him if you plan to live in the near future," Sephiroth warned before jumping and using the wall behind him as a boost to jump forward, forcing Leon back as he blocked constant slashing from Sephiroth.
"I should be warning you about your life in the near future!" Leon threatened back as he fought.
"Oh really?" Sephiroth taunted, "Shouldn't you be protecting that boy over there than fighting me?"
Leon's eyes widened and Sephiroth took that chance and kicked Leon in the gut, sending him flying back,
"I can't believe you fell for that…" Sephiroth commented before walking over to his real target.
Roxas looked over to see his new worst-fear walking towards Cloud and Sora.
"SORA!" Roxas shouted and was about to run to him if that cold stare from Sephiroth made Roxas's legs go numb again and if Vincent didn't grab onto him.
Sora looked up and like Roxas before him, saw the cold bloody eyes of Sephiroth.
"Sora run!" Cloud ordered but Sora didn't freeze up or run. He stood up and ran to stand between Cloud and Sephiroth with his arms out,
"Don't you dare hurt my family!"
"SORA!" everyone exclaimed in the midst of their activities.
Sephiroth and Sora glared at each other, and in that moment, Sephiroth felt a familiar feeling arise.
The two stood merely a few feet from each other, the tension between them was almost as if they were ready to fight each other despite the teenager being weaponless.
"You don't fear me, boy?"
"Of course I'm scared!" Sora admitted but his face didn't break or showed signs of fear, "But I'm more afraid of losing those I love than someone like you! You hurt my father and my little brother! And even Uncle Vincent! You're even trying to hurt my father's boyfriend, Leon! I will never forgive you!"
Sephiroth found himself lightly flinching.
Those same blue eyes that Cloud has…Sephiroth almost thought it was Cloud for a split second that made him feel something that the man hasn't felt in a long time. After all…when was the last time someone was truly courageous when standing up to him? When was the last time someone can actually fool him that he or she is actually scared on the inside?
Sephiroth at first wanted to question what he just heard on the 'boyfriend' part of that sentence but instead he sliced his sword through the air, earning cries of panic.
Sora didn't move, he continued to glare daggers at Sephiroth and his body remained in position. The sword stopped right at Sora's neck, drawing out small drips of blood. Sephiroth blinked, never meeting something, or someone, so…different than what he's ever used to. Was it because this was a child? Cloud's child? Why? What is it? What is it about him that's so different? And so strong?
"What's your name, boy?"
"…Sora," he replied firmly as if he didn't have a weapon right at his neck.
"Sora…" Sephiroth repeated. Sora…the sky…clouds are in the sky; and Sephiroth understood.
"Sora…light…"
Sephiroth drew back his weapon only to find 3 being threatened against him: A blade against his neck, a gun to his head, and a chakram ready to slam down on him.
"You dare touch Sora again…" Leon growled,
"It will be the last thing you will ever do…" Axel hissed,
"And I will make sure of it," Vincent added, his gun clicking.
"…Sora…" Sephiroth repeated, getting used to the name leaving his mouth while ignoring the threats, "Cloud…next time we meet we'll end it once and for all…but bring Sora if you even want to stand a chance of defeating me." Without an explanation or warning, the three attackers got blown back and Sephiroth was surrounded himself and Sora in a veil of black feathers.
The man looked down at Sora. It felt as if time was going past slow for Sora as Sephiroth cupped Sora face and knelt to the boy's height so they were staring into each other's eyes with nothing else around them. The one-winged angel wanted to examine Sora for these last few seconds.
"…If you want your family to live in the future…then make sure when I see you again that you'll have those same pure, innocent, pools of blue…Sora." The man backed away as Sora stared at him in confusion.
"Be Cloud's light…for the sake of both of us…"
And Sora was the last person to see him; Sephiroth disappeared with only black feathers remaining.
Sora slowly knelt down and picked up a single long and perfect black feather.
"Sephiroth…" Sora said the name for the first time in his life and ironically, the name made him feel nervous.
When everyone was positive Sephiroth was gone, Roxas and Axel held onto Sora tightly and Roxas immediately ripped a part of his clothing off to wrap around Sora's neck much like Sora did earlier when Roxas came home with that cut on his hand. Leon and Vincent rushed to Cloud, both trying to figure out how to get Cloud out of his situation. It didn't take long as Vincent just decided to start shooting the brick wall until it collapsed.
A few hours later-Hospital:
"What do you mean you won't let me see Cloud? Why should I even take orders from you?" Leon exclaimed as he followed a topless Vincent, his chest covered in bandages, through the hospital (and causing a few nurses to swoon in the process),
"Simple: I blame you for the entire incident," Vincent answered and walked up to Sora, Axel, and Roxas sitting outside the E.R.
"WHATt?" Leon exclaimed, causing a few passing nurses to hush him.
"Uncle Vincent! You shouldn't be up!" Sora stood up and went up to the man who only patted Sora's head,
"I'm fine…"
"I was going to visit in a few," said Roxas, standing up as well and walking over to Vincent, the twins giving the injured man a hug.
"I told you I'm fine. And there's no way I'm going to lay around doing nothing when I should be taking you boys home."
"But Uncle Vinceeeeeent!" Sora whined,
"We want to wait until Dad comes out!" Roxas followed Sora's act.
"It's late and I don't want you to-"
"Come on! They have every right to wait here for their father!" Leon cut in and Vincent turned around, giving Leon a glare.
"You stay out of this. You have nothing to do with this. I don't even trust you…or you," Vincent turned to point at Axel before facing Leon again, "And I won't let anyone else hurt Cloud. Not without going through me!"
"I'm not here to hurt Cloud! He's important to me! I met him through the kids!"
Vincent only raised a brow,
"D-Don't get the wrong idea! I met the kids through Tifa!"
"I already know that and that doesn't mean anything. I find it suspicious how Sephiroth came here and you happen to come into Cloud's life around the same time…"
"Who do you think you are anyway? I don't want to trust you but I do only because the twins and Cloud do! I'm not exactly happy that you just accused me of possibly working with Sephiroth!"
"Well I don't know that…" Vincent folded his arms, "You are a stranger. I know more about Cloud than you and all honesty: I wouldn't have cared if you died back there because I wouldn't even have tried to save you if you were about to die."
"Uncle Vincent!" Sora exclaimed, appalled, "Leon is a good person! He really is!"
"Sora," Vincent stated the boy's name firmly, "Stay out of this. Not everyone is good just because you say so!"
Sora flinched from the tone Vincent used on him and he withdrew into Roxas's arms.
"Hey!" Axel jumped up and walked up to Vincent, ignoring Roxas's silent protests and warning looks, "Sora would actually know what a good person is at least! You probably would never know what a good person is even if it crawled up your pant leg and died!"
Vincent's focus left Leon and turned to glare at Axel who lightly flinched at the glare he received but he didn't move.
"You…" Vincent closed in on the small distance between the two of them, "You are no exception. I don't even know who the hell you are other than the fact that you're acquainted with Sora and Roxas. And I don't care if you so-called 'helped' us back there because to me, you didn't. You even irresponsibly brought Sora and Roxas back there! And you are really testing my patience right now, if you don't leave now I will throw you out the window without hesitation!" Vincent pointing to the closed window near them.
"…No," Axel folded his arms, "I will not leave Sora! Oh and uh Roxas…not when he's, I mean they, are upset!"
"…How old are you?"
"Why should I tell you?" Axel challenged.
"Because if you're over 17, there's going to be a bullet going into your skull if I catch you touching Sora or Roxas."
"Pth! Too late! I'm Roxas's best friend! I technically already 'touched' them!"
Roxas held in a scream, officially mad at Axel for just giving away information that will ground him for a good year. Vincent was only supposed to believe they're friends and acquainted! When Vincent looked at Roxas, the blonde was tempted to shake his head and lie about it.
"Erm…i-it's true…" he muttered under his breath, unable to lie to Vincent.
"Does your father know about this? You being 'best friends' with this thing?" Vincent asked, almost in a warning voice and pointed at Axel.
"Thing?" Axel exclaimed but Vincent ignored him.
"Um…he knows him…kind of…no…at least until earlier today..." Roxas's head dropped, he fears lying to Vincent than to his father. Vincent only crossed his arms as he stared Roxas down and the boy could feel it,
"Is there anything else you hid from your father that he should know?"
Roxas wished Vincent would just pull out a gun and pull the trigger on him. Answering that certain question asked by Vincent was a nightmare.
"Not exactly…maybe…kind of…"
"Uncle Vincent!" Sora stepped between the squirming Roxas and Vincent, "Can you please understand that Roxy IS a teenager with raging hormones and the usual stupidity for being an adolescence before you decide to punish him?"
Roxas's mouth dropped at what Sora just called him.
"You know he's got a point," Leon added only to receive a quick glare by Vincent.
"Exactly what has Roxas done that you would have to give me that information?" Vincent asked in a calmer tone with Sora.
"Eh, I'm not sure because it's his business but again…he's a stupid teenage boy with raging hormones and you just have to know that him doing bad things WILL happen!"
"What about YOU?" Roxas exclaimed and Sora shrugged,
"I don't know, I've probably done stupid things too. I just don't lie to Dad."
"Sora…you're making me sounds worse that I actually am…"
"Not really…" Axel shook his head, "Especially after you and I-OW! What the hell was that for?"
Roxas kicked Axel in the shin to shut him up and forced the man to move to sit down.
"…Ok then. Hey! Whatever-your-name is! Take Sora and his…friend away from here while I talk alone with Roxas…" Vincent ordered.
"…It's LEON! And don't tell me what to do!" Leon exclaimed but went over to take Sora's hand anyway, "I need a break from him…We'll come back, Sora. Want to go out and get something to eat? We can get something for Roxas too."
"Okay! Axel can come too right?"
Leon looked at Axel trying to look innocent but failed anyway and then Leon looked back at Sora,
"…Fine…" he gave in to Sora's cute face over Axel's attempt at an innocent face. After the three left, Roxas felt himself sitting down and Vincent sitting across from him.
"Explain how you met that man exactly?" Vincent asked in a tone that Roxas thanked for not being so scary.
"Well…A few friends of mine took me to a party and I met him there…we just sort of clicked."
"Your father let you go to a party?"
"Not exactly…"
Vincent shook his head at the boy,
"I give you credit for keeping the good boy act for so long but I just can't believe you'd keep this from Cloud."
"Are you kidding me? You and I both know Dad would never let me go to a party let alone the fact I'm friends with an adult! I did try to get him comfortable to the idea when Sora and I decided to bring Leon over to our place…but Dad wasn't happy with the idea at all. He hates almost all my friends!"
"…Roxas," Vincent motioned the boy to sit next to him so he did, "Is there a particular reason why you started doing all of these things behind your father's back?"
"I don't know," the teen shrugged, "I guess it's because…I didn't want him to be disappointed in me. I rather do these things behind his back than for him to know about it. I mean…Dad likes Sora more so I already know I can't be good enough for him. But I don't want to be bad either…"
"…I'm quite surprised, Roxas. Although I probably can't hold this against you," Vincent placed an arm around Roxas, almost in comfort.
"…Really?"
"You're a good kid…just stay good. I still think you should talk to your father about everything you've done."
"Why? So I can be grounded for a good 3 years of my life?"
Vincent only gave Roxas a look before the blonde agreed.
"You and Roxas did WHAT?" Sora exclaimed while Leon was getting some food and the two were told to wait so they did as they sat outside a fast food place.
"Roxas never told you that we dated?" Axed in surprise,
"He did! Not the sex part! Oh my gosh! Roxy's not a virgin! He's only 15! What's this world coming to?"
"You're the one that told that crazy gunman that Roxas is a stupid teenager with raging hormones! I thought you knew!"
"I didn't actually believe Roxy was out there having sex! I just knew he's doing stupid things! Oh wait…having sex was stupid!"
"Well, look at it this way: I didn't take his virginity so you can't get mad at me. Plus: No one can get pregnant. It's okay!"
"I can't believe Roxas hid that important information from me!"
"Well he probably knew you'd react like the way you're acting now," Axel shrugged and slid down the bench so he neck has something to lean on.
"…What else did you and Roxas do?"
"What else? I don't know, I mean…we did everything a couple would do."
"Who ended it?"
"…Roxas."
"Oh! I'm sorry…" Sora quickly apologized but Axel only chuckled,
"It's nothing. Roxas was my bestest bud. That hasn't changed. Sure I was upset that he left me like that but he was one of the few people that made me feel like I wasn't so empty inside. Like I was somebody…somebody important and mattered even though we both agree I fail at life. Sure, we may not always act like the best of pals but I feel really great around him. That's why I make exceptions for him. I can be myself around Roxas and he doesn't care…" Axel turned his head to look at Sora who was staring back, "You make me feel…the same."
"Wh-Wha? Me?" Sora pointed at himself.
"Yeah!" Axel sat himself up straight again, "That's probably why I like hanging around you. I mean…I knew of your existence but we didn't talk much even after we met. It wasn't until Leon started going to your place that we started talking to each other so I gotta thank the guy sometime!"
"But Roxy and I are so…different."
Axel tilted his head as he examined Sora.
"Not really," he shook his head, "Roxas is a good guy, and so are you. You guys are kind and caring and have the most awesome blue eyes ever!"
Sora only pouted,
"You know what I mean!"
"Sora, I look at the bigger picture with you two. You two may not have the same personality but you have the same heart…"
Notes:
-Axel obviously wasn't dying so I had to create something else to say along the lines of what he said in the game when he was dying. Bottom line was: "You make me feel the same"
-If I saw a real-life shirtless Vincent walking around I may faint for the first time in my life lol. Of course that may happen with a shirtless Cloud or Squall as well…or Sora…yeah my list can go on
Please R and R!
And Happy Thanksgiving!
