Pairings: Riku/Sora, Leon/Cloud, Axel/Roxas, more pairings later?

Warnings: AU, I guess spoilers or something for people who haven't seen all the way through the end of the game, medieval stuff, possibilities of violence and bloodshed and sexiness

Author's comment: Yay finished it just in time kinda. I need to head to bed. Anyway posting this one up a little early than the usual because I'm going to be out of town this weekend (yay convention!). So yeah...Hope it isn't too insane sounding, I was a bit rushed in doing this.

Princely Garbs 38

He'd be lying if he said he wasn't excited about this festival. It's been years…literally over 15 years since he'd last experienced the thrill of a Kingdom Hearts festival. He felt special attachments for the festivals and he had no doubts that nostalgia overtook him this night. If he closed his eyes he could see his King and Queen dancing away and enjoying the festivities. He missed them dearly…but he was lucky to be able to protect their children for them.

"Excited?"

Cloud glanced up at the voice seeing Auron beside him before he gave a nod of his head. Yeah…he was excited. He finally felt like he could truly begin to heal, especially with the special ceremonial dance coming up soon. Sora and Roxas had tried to ask him about it but he'd sent them back to their friends. They'd never get what would happen in that dance until they experienced it for themselves.

"It's been a while since we've witnessed this," Auron spoke again, looking out towards the flow of bustling festival goers.

"Close to seventeen years," Cloud responded, his eyes spotting Sora and his group of friends chatting in a group. It'd been that long since he'd seen home in this light and even this didn't reach Kingdom Heart's true glory. "It will be a great refresher."

"Hm…"

"I'm…interested to see how this will work out for Sora and Roxas," he said turning around now to look up at Auron. "This will be their first time actually doing the ritual dance and they're without guidance from their mother and father."

"They'll do fine." Auron rested a hand down on Cloud's head ruffling his hair a little and reminding the young blond of a time when they were younger and Auron did this to him. He'd missed this. He'd missed Auron. But now thanks to Sora, he could relive these somber moments with the older man that'd he'd lost for many years. "Even though they have no idea about the dance, their bodies will remember." Auron smirked then, his eyes glazing over as he seemed to get lost in thought. "It is in their blood."

"You're right," Cloud smiled and reached up gently resting his hand over Auron's on his head. "I am curious to see what they are capable of."

"Mickey made the right choice in having this festival right now. He was right when he said this city needed it." Auron lowered his hand down looking again to the group of friends before he frowned. "I have one concern regarding the young prince of Radiant Garden."

"Hm?" Cloud blinked glancing up at him but the older man wasn't looking at him anymore.

"The darkness that resides in him…bothers me." Auron's eyebrow narrowed as he seemed in disapproval. "I know you heard it while trapped within the darkness."

"About how he's able to control both light and dark?" Cloud frowned and glanced back at Riku when he heard the young prince laughing, probably at one of Sora's jokes. "Yeah…I heard it." Of course he'd heard it. Everyone that had been trapped by Sephiroth's dark circle heard it. He'd almost bet they were being very cautious around the Radiant Garden prince.

"This is the first that I've heard of someone being able to control both."

Cloud stared at him trying to read his face for what he was trying to say. Auron gave him no hints to thoughts. However, Cloud stood firmly by his own resolve in the matter. Riku wasn't evil. "If you're implying you think he'll use the darkness for evil then I disagree."

Auron stared at him for a moment before he shook his head frowning. "No...I'm more worried that he'll lose contro-"

"He won't." Cloud looked at the young prince watching how closely he stood next to Sora, how protective he was of the smaller boy. It made the corners of Cloud's lips lift up at the sight. "He's strong…and he has a lot of friends to help him. He has a lot of things he wants to protect." He looked up at Auron, the smile still on his face. "There's nothing to worry about."

"You're right. Even though I don't know how it is that he can control the darkness without any former ties to it, you're right that he will be ok." Auron was staring at him again, almost appearing to be smiling behind the collar of his jacket. "But this isn't what I came to talk to you about."

Cloud blinked, curious now. He'd assumed Auron wanted to talk to him about Riku considering where the conversation was moments ago. Now he wondered what had been Auron's true aim in coming to him. "Did you need my help with something?"

"No…but being able to talk to you again has been fun." His fingers were playing with a blade of Cloud's hair making the young blond blush. "Your opinions of Leon…" Auron said suddenly which only seemed to make Cloud's cheeks redden even more. "I wish to know them."

"W-What?" Cloud stared up at him in shock, feeling more than a little embarrassed. "Why do you-"

"Humor me." Auron said tilting his head back enough so that Cloud could really see the smirk on Auron's lips. It made him suspicious, only because he knew that smirk meant Auron was up to something.

"I…h-he's…strong," Cloud said slowly, carefully, his chest beating fast just at the thought of the other man. "He's a very good leader and-"

"What are the feelings resting in your heart?" The hand on his head moved much more affectionately, making him think of a big brother teasing his younger sibling. At least that's how it felt to him anyway.

"M-My feeli…uh…w-why do you-"

"I'm curious..." It felt strange having Auron asking him these personal questions and it made Cloud wonder why Auron wanted to know in the first place. It wasn't like it was any of his business if Cloud did like Leon. "I'm curious," Auron said as if he'd heard Cloud's train of thought. He rested his hand on Cloud's cheek which caused the young blond to flush even more at the unfamiliar action, "to see if you return the feelings."

The last words confused him. It seemed as though Auron knew something Cloud didn't, something that involved the way Leon felt about him. It made him feel anxious as he asked, "I…does he…have feelings for me?" Auron's smile softened and there was something unreadable in the eye that stared down at him. Cloud tried to stare, to read them but he couldn't keep the eye contact as he glanced away quickly.

"I'm not saying until I receive an answer."

Cloud frowned before closing his eyes and giving out a sigh to calm his nerves. It wasn't like Leon was standing there listening to him. It couldn't hurt to admit to this one…emotion he felt. "Y…Yes…" His cheeks felt like they were going to melt they were burning so.

"Yes what?" Sadistic bastard…

"I have…feelings…for him."

"What kind?"

He was starting to get uncomfortable with all of the questions and wished he were anywhere but there at that moment. "The…strong kind…the kind that makes…m-my heart beat really fast." Cloud looked up at him then, swallowing slightly but keeping the eye contact this time. "Auron he…I'd be lost without him. He gives me the strength to want to go on. I…l-love…" Wow, this was harder to say than he'd thought.

Auron stared down at him for a moment longer, the hand still gently caressing Cloud's cheek before his eye flickered up to look back behind Cloud. "That should be a good enough answer for you, jealous boy."

Jealous boy?

Cloud noticed the aim of Auron's gaze. His eyes widened when he realized Auron had been speaking to someone else before he turned quickly coming eye to eye with, "L-Leon!"

The hardened look eon's eyes startled Cloud for a moment but when Leon focused on him the look softened and…was he seeing red in his cheeks? "Yes…"

"I…" Cloud blushed finding himself stuttering even more than before. "H-how…how much…did you hear?"

"Enough." Leon shifted a bit and looking just as nervous as Cloud felt.

"I'll leave you two to your own devices." Auron was still smirking when he started walking away from them leaving Cloud gaping at him in shock.

"He set me up…." The words slipped from Cloud's lips before he realized it.

"Then he does have some good uses." Cloud turned finding Leon looking at him again, somehow closer now than he'd been before. He still looked nervous so it made Cloud feel at least a little better that he wasn't the only one. "So is it true?"

Cloud looked up at him then away blushing using the ground as an excuse to look away. "Is what true?"

"Everything you said."

"…." Cloud hesitated a moment, afraid in a way of what his answer could entail. What if Leon didn't feel the same way? Auron never did give him an answer though…from the way Auron had left things; he had a strong inkling that Leon felt the same. "It is…"

"How long?"

"A while now," Cloud said slowly then looked up at Leon after he'd said it.

"Me too…" Leon said right after his confession, his cheeks just as red as Cloud was sure his own had to be.

"…." Cloud had stepped closer within that short breath of silence.

"…." Leon was staring at him now, not as he normally would but as a greedy lion staring at its delicate mate. It made Cloud blush though he didn't run. He waited…and watched to see what Leon's next move would be.

Cloud felt the larger hands resting down on his hips, a pair of lips resting on his own making him shudder. He wanted this...Shiva only knew how much he wanted this. For a long time he'd wanted this man, even if his own mind didn't think so. It explained why his heart beat so fast around him, why he felt so alone when not near him. He wasn't a lone wolf...just a very lonely wolf. It took Sora coming inside his head to tell him that important fact.

"Mm," shivering, Cloud broke the kiss looking up at Leon as he rested his head against his forehead and draped his arms over his shoulders. If others had seen the action, Cloud made no note of it. He didn't care what others said as long as he got what he wanted. He was sure they'd be more teasing than anything though and he'd find himself easily susceptible to it.

"Let's…go check on Sora and the others," Leon said as a distraction, as he pulled away to start walking. "The dance will be starting soon, right?" Cloud blinked at the sudden change and moved to walk beside Leon.

"Y-Yeah…" Cloud glanced up at him taking in the details of Leon's face as the other looked straight ahead. He really was cute…but it wasn't like Cloud didn't already know every detail of his face, including the large scar that ran across his nose. "You've never seen one before, right?"

"Never had the opportunity…" Leon reached down grabbing Cloud's hand and giving it a squeeze. The hand was warm…inviting…and somehow conveying feelings from just that small action. "But…I think I'll enjoy this first time experience." He looked over at Cloud then throwing him off guard by offering him a small smile, a smile Cloud was sure would stay in his memories forever as the sweetest smile he'd ever seen on the man.

"I think you will." Cloud smiled back at him. "It's an amazing event." He gave the hand a squeeze.

"Mickey made it seem important." Leon frowned bit. "What is it exactly?"

"A festival." Cloud said smirking a bit at the confused look he received for his answer. "It's…somewhat of a cleansing ritual." Now Leon really looked confused. "It's better if you just see it. It's hard to explain it."

Cloud stopped them in the outer circle of people just as he saw Mickey standing up on the table. It was about to begin.

TBC…

Annnnd I'll see if I can get that other one done next week. x.x So many changes to it again but hopefully not for the worst.