Hello! Man, I had the most wonderful weekend! I visited "Naka-Kon! (It's an anime convention for those who don't know) I had the best time! Cosplay and whatnot are extremely interesting, and it's really cool to check out other people's costumes and have those same people gawk at mine! Ha I've never had so many pictures taken of me! My twin sister (pen name: Hito me bore) was there too, and since we traveled together, we both got our moments in the sun! I can't wait to go again!
While I was there, I also purchased "Advent Children" Finally! They keep pushing back the release of the English version, but I really didn't mind the Japanese with subtitles. Besides, the English versions tend to be dubbed to death, and I like the authenticity!
Okay, now, on with the thank-you's:
OX'MagickMoon'OX- Thanks so much for your review! Yes, It's about time I got this thing perpetuating! Nope, Seifer is suffering from "amnesia" (alcohol induced of curse) so the big "fall out" Should be interesting...
AquillaStrife- No, no, I very much like your reviews! Keep them coming in all their expressive splendor! Thank you so much for sending them!
Losthimagain-Mmmm... "action?" do you mean grody action? Hahaha! I...dunno, I haven't written a lemon in quite a while...I really don't think it fits here! Maybe that's just me. Is that what the rest of you are wanting!
Hanae da Firefly- Ah, I'm glad. I didn't even see the page brake button! Thanks for pointing it out for me. This is the last short chapter...for a while...I hope.
Okay, now, On with the rest of the story! I own nothing!
"Hey!" Cloud called almost excited to meet up with Leon. Leon however just acknowledged him with a turn of the head in his direction and continued walking on. Cloud wasn't discouraged at all—as Leon usually wasn't typical to show excitement—and followed him anyway. Something about the air however was a little different, he noticed.
"So..." Leon said almost casually while Cloud was deciding if something was indeed amiss. "What were you and Seifer talking about?"
"Huh?" That same feeling of cold, breathless shock from when he first told that lie smacked him in the face again. What was... how could Leon have... "But...oh...well...I wasn't..."
"You're stammering." Leon noted without changing expression.
He muttered a quick apology. "Um...I didn't think..." Cloud chewed his lip in shame. Leon had found out after all. And he thought he'd been careful. "But...how did you know?"
"Well obviously, I saw you."
"...No..."
"Yes."
"Leon..." He was in a hole now, and right next to it lay the mound of trouble waiting to fill it in with. Cloud had absolutely no idea how to get out, but he figured the best way to start was with an apology...then maybe some pathetic excuses... "I'm so sorry...We were just—"
Leon shook his head with impatience. "Save it Cloud, I have no bars on who you can and cannot talk to."
"But he...and you..."
"It really doesn't matter."
"Yes it does!"
"No, it doesn't."
"You're mad."
"Never mind, just drop it."
"You're mad."
"I said never mind!"
"Yeah...you are..." He seemed to wilt a little.
"No."
Cloud frowned. Leon's voice was underscored with disappointment, he could tell. But Leon was trying not to show it. He continued to walk along with the expression of indifference while Cloud attempted to find a way to explain himself. Leon was angry and hurt, Cloud concluded, there was no mistake. The question was what to do about it, and for that answer, Cloud was absolutely lost.
"I...don't know what to do." Almost immediately after he said it, he knew that wasn't what Leon wanted to hear at all.
"Well, I'm certainly not going to make the decision for you." His voice was edged.
"...I know."
"Well, while you're thinking about it," Leon said bitterly, "I'll be in class. Let me know when you come to a conclusion."
"No, Wait!" Cloud pleaded. He wanted to find a way to fix what he had done.
But Leon had already turned the corner they were approaching and left Cloud to mull over his decisions by himself.
Several hours later and back in the dorm room, Leon was attempting to read, but it never really worked out too well. Cloud hadn't come home yet—not that he was waiting for him at all—so he was left to toss and turn and flip barely read pages.
Defeated, he put the book back on the night stand and settled his hands underneath his pillow. The room seemed empty without Cloud, and even emptier when he was angry with him. Leon knew however that he really had no right to be angry at all. It was exactly as he had stated to Cloud earlier. He had no bars on who Cloud could and could not talk to. Unfortunately, that included Seifer, and no matter how much Leon hated him, there would be no place for him to interfere.
After all, Cloud and Seifer had been friends for quite a while, those ties wouldn't be easy to break. On the other hand, what about the promise Cloud had made to him? That shouldn't be easy to break either.
Placing a hand over his eyelids to drown out the gentle glow of the setting sun and the light of the lamp, Leon wondered dimly if he was just overreacting. That was a possibility. Cloud hadn't really done anything to warrant complete distrust...but what if things turned back to the way they were?
That thought alone made him sit up strait on the bed.
Things could easily shift back to the way they were post-settlement. All Seifer had to do was say the right words, and Cloud would go right back to the person Leon despised when he had first moved in. He would revert back to the old uncivilized, unruly, untempered delinquent that Leon had known for the majority of his life and would probably get progressively worse with more of Seifer's bad influence.
Leon had always known that Cloud was two steps away from dragging his knuckles, but at least he wasn't being influenced poorly anymore. But if Seifer stepped into the picture again, the loutish neanderthal could become devastating if manipulated with all of Seifer's venomous ill-whims. Of course Cloud was the perfect candidate because Leon and Seifer both knew that as nice as Cloud could be he was extremely gullible, almost to the point of being pathetic.
In fact, Cloud was probably at Seifer's house right at this moment, talking to him about who knew what and he had more than likely already started the process of poisoning Cloud's poor, weak-willed mind and turning him into some villainous pawn...
Leon grunted and rubbed his eyes again. Now he was the one being pathetic. He should have stopped himself at the comparison of Cloud to a neanderthal. He had definitely surpassed the point of over analyzation and was reaching insanity. Cloud wasn't as bad as a gorilla, and his mind—though extremely unwary—wasn't as weak-willed as Leon had made it out to be, in fact, Cloud was a lot more righteous than most people knew.
Still, even with that thought in mind, Leon couldn't bring himself to be as sensible about Cloud as he wanted to be. Something harboring within him wouldn't let him let go of his anger and disappointment. Cloud had said he hadn't decided. What was there to decide on? Leon still felt bitter, even though he didn't want to be and knew it would take a bit more time before he would completely resolve himself.
Time however was up as Leon heard the click of the lock on the door and watched somewhat nervously as the doorknob turned.
Hurriedly, he snatched up the novel off the night stand and pretended to read it, just as Cloud walked in the door.
Phew, that's the end of Chapter four! I hope you enjoyed it! Sorry about the shortness...but I really have no control over these things. (Actually, you all know full well I have complete control, but let's ignore that for now, eh? Hah!) Length goes as it comes and comes as it goes, so bear with me, I don't pride myself with inconsistency... Anyway, please review, I want to know the good, the bad and the misspelled (that's "Ugly" in my book!) See you soon!
Ja-ne
