Sora yawned and crawled under his covers. Definitely time for sleep. Pulling the covers up to his chin, Sora yawned again and listened to the people around him getting ready for bed, talking quietly. He rolled over and smiled. The scuffle reminded him of the times he travelled with Donald and Goofy while looking for Riku and Kairi. It was a good noise.
He drifted right off.
Chapter 12 – I swear to drunk!
Cloud picked up the small box that they'd been using to communicate with those back in Radiant Garden and pressed the small call button on the side, sinking down on the bed as he waited for someone to pick up.
His thoughts were racing.
Zack was alive. He'd come back. He had his best friend back. Cloud was so relieved he could have fallen over there and then, and if he was told he was never to let the man out of his sight again if he wanted to keep him, he would have happily done it. Cloud had prayed to Shiva and Hyne when he found out Aerith was back that they had brought Zack back to life as well. It looked like his prayers had been answered.
The box crackled to life, drawing his attention back to it. "Hello?"
"Aerith, is that you?" Cloud asked, blinking in surprise.
"Cloud?"
"Yeah."
"How are you? How is everyone? We got worried because we hadn't heard anything from you."
"We're all fine. We're at a school called Hogwarts. It's a school for Witches and Wizards, and it's crazier than Merlin's place."
"Really?" Came the amused answer.
"Yeah. It's a large stone castle, everyone runs around with sticks, and the portraits all move."
"It sounds fascinating," came the answering giggle.
"It's certainly interesting," Cloud answered, glancing at the door. "Aerith, has Cid left yet?"
"No, not yet. He's leaving first thing in the morning. Why?"
Cloud sighed in relief. "Could you get Tifa to put Zack's sword in the ship before Cid leaves?"
There was silence from the other end, and it lasted for a good thirty seconds.
"Aerith?" Cloud ventured curiously, wondering if the box had died.
"Uh… sorry. Zack's sword you said?"
"Yeah."
"Can I ask why?" she asked quietly. "Cloud, if it's because you feel like you need him around, we talked about this…"
"No, it's not Aer." Cloud felt a little nervous, using the nickname he hadn't called her since she'd died. "Please, just…."
"Alright," came the reluctant answer. "But you're going to have to let him go sometime Cloud."
"No, I'm not," Cloud replied with a weak chuckle. The door opened and he glanced at it, nodding a greeting to Leon, who took one look at him and walked over and sat down beside him, wrapping an arm around his waist. He was pulled into a loose hug, the brunette's head resting on his shoulder.
Cloud leant into the hug, changing the box to his other hand so he could wrap his other hand around Leon's head comfortably.
"Cloud, what aren't you telling me…?" Aerith asked quietly. There was silence for a few seconds before the box crackled again, the voice filled with hope and disbelief. "You found Zack… didn't you?"
"Yeah," the blond replied reluctantly. "We did."
There was silence on the other end, and Cloud waited. No doubt this news was hitting his friend harder than it hit him. Heck, he was still having trouble believing it.
Eventually, the box crackled to life again. "Cloud?"
"I'm here."
"Is…. Is he….?" Even over the static, Cloud could tell Aerith was on the verge of tears, and he swallowed down his own, a telltale lump developing in his own throat.
"He's fine," Cloud replied thickly. "Both he and Reno."
"I'll let Cid know," Aerith said back, her voice filled with emotion that made Cloud's eyes burn with held back tears. Hyne, he felt horrible, making her cry.
"Thanks Aerith. I'm sorry."
"Don't be," she said back with an audible sob. "Thank you Cloud."
"Bye," he said softly, putting the box down on the bed beside him, turning his head so it was pressed into Leon's hair, his body trembling as it fought back the tears.
Leon didn't say anything. He just sat there and waited.
Eventually, Cloud pressed a kiss to the spot he was resting against and sat up. Leon let him go, looking at him with concerned eyes.
"I'm alright," Cloud replied with a soft smile as he stood, stretching.
Leon didn't say anything, just sitting there, watching him.
Cloud blinked and met the grey eyes curiously. "What's wrong?"
The brunette opened his mouth a couple of times, obviously not sure how to say what he wanted to. He sighed and looked away, staring at the end of the bed.
Cloud just waited. He had a hunch that he knew what this was about, but he waited anyway.
Leon cleared his throat, still staring at the end of the bed, even as his cheeks flamed pink. "About Zack," he began after taking a deep breath. "Does this… change anything between us?"
Cloud blinked a couple of times, shocked at the question. Right general direction. Wrong question. "No! Of course not." He walked over and sat down, placing his hand on the brunette's, making him look at him. "Leon, Zack is my best friend. He's practically family, and even if there was something going on between me and Zack, he's as straight as a fucking training post."
This drew an amused smile from his lover as blue eyes met grey.
"Trust me, if there was ever anything between me and Zack, it's long gone. Okay?" he asked, searching the eyes for understanding.
Leon nodded, taking another steadying breath.
Cloud pressed his forehead to the brunette's, closing his eyes and waiting for the man to calm down.
A hand on his cheek and a brush of lips against his was the signal, and he opened his eyes, staring straight into stormy grey ones. "Thanks…"
Cloud nodded and brushed his lips against his lovers in a chaste kiss before standing up again. "Come on. Zack and Reno want to take us drinking. I'm going to need you to keep my chastity."
Leon snorted in amusement and smirked. "What chastity?"
"Okay, yeah, it's pretty much non-existent at the moment," Cloud replied, a mischievous smile on his face as his blue eyes shone with mirth. "Come on. Odds are I'll end up strapped to something with no clothes on and some sort of monster running around while I'm being used as bait if you don't come."
"Do I want to know?" Leon asked curiously, also standing up.
"No, not really," Cloud replied with a grimace. "It's either that, or Reno finds some manic stripper who's actually a serial killer. Wouldn't be the first time."
Leon barked out a laugh and shook his head, standing up as well. He placed his gunblade against the wall next to Cloud's sword and watched as Cloud divulged himself of his extra armor and sword sling.
Once they were both ready, the two of them made their way to the Entrance Hall and met up with the two Auror's.
"Finally! All ready?" Reno asked as soon as they appeared.
"Yeah," Cloud replied with a smile.
Zack frowned and stepped forward, catching the blonde's chin in his fingers and staring scrutinizing at his friend's face. His eyes flicked to Leon angrily. "Cloud, why were you crying?"
Cloud blinked in surprise before he caught on and reached up to grab his friend's hand. "Oh, no, it wasn't Leon. I was talking to someone back home." He gripped the pale hand reassuringly. "I'm fine."
Zack glared distrustfully at Leon before looking back at Cloud again. "Alright, if you're sure."
"I'm fine," Cloud replied with a smile, linking his fingers with his friend's. "Don't worry. If Leon ever did anything to hurt me I'd send him through about five walls. He knows it too."
Leon snorted and nodded, crossing his arms. "I've seen him do it, so I know he's not joking."
Reno blinked before looking warily at Cloud. "Do I want to know why someone incited your protective streak?"
"Yuffie's boyfriend was being an arse," Cloud replied with a nonchalant shrug as he began heading towards the doors. "Shall we?"
Reno laughed and shook his head, pushing off the wall. "Yeah, lets go get a drink. I've been dying for one all day!"
"You're always dying for a drink," Zack bit back as he rolled his eyes. "It's a wonder the pubs in London don't run out of liquor with the way you drink."
"Still an alcoholic then?" Cloud asked in amusement as he glanced at his red headed friend who fell into step beside him, Leon on the other side.
"You know it!"
There was a splutter of indignation behind them from Zack. "Hey, wait up!"
"Hurry up Zack!" Cloud called over his shoulder. "Or we'll leave you behind." He laughed as he was tackled from behind and dragged into a headlock, wincing as Zack scrubbed at his head, making his hair stand up on end more than it already was. "Ow! Okay! Mercy! Mercy!" he cried, laughing at the same time, and Zack let him up, giving a cheerful laugh and a cheeky grin.
Reno snorted and pushed the doors of the Entrance Hall open, the outside atmosphere hitting them all with a blast of icy air. He wrapped his robes around him tighter and Leon shrugged into his jacket more, watching his breath fog for a few seconds.
"It gets dark early here, huh?" Cloud commented as he looked up at the sky, taking in the fact that they couldn't see the stars.
"Yeah, especially at this time of year," Zack replied with a shrug as he slipped his hands into his pockets, glancing at the brunette who was walking beside his best friend. He didn't say anything though and turned his attention back towards the main gates of Hogwarts. "We've got a few months until Christmas, but it'll get there quickly enough."
"They celebrate Christmas here?" Cloud asked curiously.
"And Halloween," Reno replied.
Cloud grinned and shot a look at his lover. "Sora will be happy."
Leon shook his head with a smirk. "Correction, he will be thrilled."
"And impossible," Cloud added with a snort of laughter.
"Sora?" Zack asked curiously, before his eyes lit up in recognition. "Oh, you mean the spikey haired boy?"
Leon nodded, stumbling a bit in the darkness and on a piece of uneven ground.
Cloud shot him a questioning look, and he nodded to show he was okay.
"Why Sora?" Reno asked curiously.
"Sora has been to both Halloween Town and Christmas Town," Cloud replied with a shake of his head. "He was absolutely insistent that we go there last year for both."
"The festivities were amazing," Leon added as he shrugged a bit, feeling the cold beginning to seep through his jacket. "Even if the food in Halloween Town was…. Questionable."
"No doubt he will try to bring the same cheer and enthusiasm here," Cloud mumbled with a cringe.
Leon barked in laughter and shot his lover an amused look. He knew Cloud could see it, even if he could hardly see three steps in front of himself.
And feeling his neck prick, he knew his partner was glaring at him, blue eyes narrowed in the darkness, and just barely able to be made out.
Zack laughed as well, and Leon flushed, obviously, having forgotten that Zack's eyesight was just as good as Cloud's in the dark. He stumbled again, and Cloud shot a hand out to grab him with, tugging him back and entwining his fingers with the brunette's.
Cloud let out a small gasp and pulled Leon closer, frowning. "Jeeze you're cold."
"I'm alright," Leon replied as he shrugged again, trying to warm himself up a bit. His hands were feeling pretty numb at the moment and the cold had seeped through his clothes and was digging its way insistently into his bones. He'd stupidly left his gloves up at the Castle as well, thinking that if he wasn't taking his gunblade, he wouldn't need the gloves.
"How long until we get to where we're going?" Cloud asked Zack and Reno.
Zack looked at Leon contemplatively and pursed his lips. "Another twenty minutes, at least. Don't you guys have warmer clothes?"
"Not yet," Cloud replied as he shook his head.
Reno sighed and darted in front of Leon, grabbing his hand. "Here."
Leon jerked and resisted the urge to yank his hand back as a sharp tingling shot up his arm and settled over his body, warmth quickly covering him from head to toe.
Reno let go of his hand and Leon pulled his hand back to rub it, staring at the red head in surprise, and uncertainty.
"What was that?" The brunette asked quietly.
"A warming charm. Let me know when it starts to wear off. Let's go." Turning, the red head began heading for town again.
Zack followed while Cloud and Leon paused, Leon flexing his fingers a few times to stop the tingling. It felt odd.
"So, Leon," Zack began again when they caught up, his voice laced with mischief. "Where did you meet Spike?"
Leon and Cloud exchanged looks, Leon gripping Cloud's hand again to stop himself from stumbling in the dark.
"I'm pretty sure it was Radiant Garden," Leon replied thoughtfully, trying to think back.
"Wasn't it the Coliseum?" Cloud asked curiously, also trying to think back.
"No, back before it was overrun by the heartless. Of course, it was only in passing. You were talking to Aerith. I think she was trying to stop you from leaving, or something."
"Really?" Cloud blinked, frowning thoughtfully.
"Yes. Although I think we officially met at the Coliseum during the games. Yuffie practically screamed my ear off when she spotted you being carted out of there by Hercules." Leon smirked, knowing that Cloud absolutely hated the humiliation that came with the fact that he couldn't defend himself against the three-headed dog Cerberus. "We had to take you back to Traverse Town with us after that. She refused to let you out of her sight while you were unconscious. She even convinced me that we had to take turns watching you to make sure you wouldn't run away. She let up a bit once we got you on the gummi ship though."
Cloud blushed when Zack and Reno laughed.
Knowing he was being glared at, Leon smirked and looked back at Zack and Reno. "So, how did you and Cloud meet? I never heard the fine details."
"Hmm…" Zack hummed, looking up at the overcast sky while he thought. "We had a mission together and the helicopter crashed. Cloud and I got talking as we walked through the snow-covered alps towards a town to check out some rumors about another co-worker of ours. We had an instant connection because of the fact that we were both country boys. Tseng I think just got fed up with us laughing." Zack grinned at Cloud, who smiled back, the dark haired SOLDIER's cheerfulness contagious.
"I think he got fed up with telling us to wait all the time," Cloud corrected with a grin.
Reno snorted. "That sounds like Tseng." He sighed. "I hate to say it, but I miss the dude. He was a prude, and when he got into a mood you pretty much had to tread on ice. He was fun to tease though. The guy primped in front of the mirror like a fucking girl, especially when he had to go and see Rufus. The mirror time tripled after he got his promotion, I swear."
"That does sound like Tseng," Zack replied with a laugh.
Leon sighed in relief as they stepped into The Three Broomsticks, genuine warmth washing over him immediately.
Zack led them over to an empty table with four chairs and sat down, draping his cloak over the back of his chair, Reno doing the same.
"What do you guys want?" Reno asked as he angled himself towards the bar, where a greying frizzy haired witch was serving customers while flicking her wand at a couple of empty glasses on the bench, which carried themselves over to the sink to wash themselves, and then put themselves back on the shelf to be reused.
Cloud blinked in surprise at the show of magic while Leon shrugged. "Um… no idea. What do they have?"
"Oi, just get four bottles of firewhisky, and a glass for Leon." Zack smirked as he glanced at the brunette, whose eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Got in," Reno answered before heading for the bar, raising a hand to get the witch's attention.
Zack sat back and relaxed, speaking loudly over the din of the tavern. "That's Madam Rosmerta. She owns the best tavern in town, so if you ever need to find some answers, or need advice, feel free to talk to her. She's happy to talk to the drunk and the sober. She's also been doing this for years, so she has the best advice. I've asked her a thing or two myself over the years."
Leon nodded while Cloud frowned.
"How long have you been here?"
Zack crossed his arms and tapped his fingers thoughtfully. "Um…. Nearly five or six years now? Reno's the same. We actually entered Auror training at the same time." The dark haired SOLDIER grinned. "Reno fainted spectacularly when he first saw me. It was during our induction to the Auror training section on the first day. Took one look at me while the Minister of Magic was making a speech, swore loudly, and fainted off the stage, which was a good two-meter drop. He came to, saw me and screamed loudly and almost shit his pants."
"To be fair, it isn't every day you see the dead walking around like nothing happened," Reno argued as he dumped four bottles of grog on the table and sat down, pushing the bottle with the glass on it towards Leon. "We have a tab by the way. Feel free to order whatever. Zack and I'll split the cost at the end of the night."
Leon blinked in surprise, looking at the bottle warily as Cloud took to top off his without a second thought and started drinking from the bottle, the others copying him.
Cloud started coughing though, immediately putting the bottle down on the table as he sucked in a couple of breaths. "Holy Hyne, that's some good alcohol."
"There's a reason it's called firewhisky," Reno replied with a grin. "Come on Leon, have a drink with us." Without waiting for permission, Reno took the top of Leon's bottle and poured the whisky into the glass for him, shoving the glass towards him.
"Um…. I don't drink," Leon replied uncertainly.
"Leon, just try it," Cloud urged quietly as he placed a hand on the brunette's leg, patting it encouragingly, and leaned in to speak quietly into his ear. "It'll keep them happy and they won't try to spike anything."
Sighing, Leon nodded and picked the glass up, taking a good mouthful of the stuff and swallowing, coughing as the alcohol burned its way down his throat and into his stomach. He could almost feel the alcohol beginning to burn away the food he just ate. His eyes watering, Leon sucked in a few breaths and kept his eyes closed, waiting for the burning to subside. "Wow…"
"Good stuff, ain't it?" Reno replied as he gulped down another mouthful, having already gone through almost a quarter of the bottle already, Zack not far behind him.
Cloud smiled encouragingly and drank another mouthful of his firewhisky, this time managing to avoid going into a coughing fit.
Unable to help himself, Leon had another mouthful, this time smaller, and breathed his way through the burn.
"To being together again!" Zack toasted suddenly, and Reno laughed and clinked his bottle to Zack's, Cloud following with a grin, smiling at Leon when he didn't move.
"You're meant to join in the toast," Cloud urged him quietly in amusement.
Feeling slightly awkward, Leon toasted his glass, taking another small mouthful when everyone tossed their heads back and downed a few mouthfuls of the poison.
By this time, he'd finished half the glass, and his head was already beginning to feel a little fuzzy. Blaming the fact that he wasn't used to the alcohol, and the fact that he rarely drank, he decided to lay off for a while, or get some water. "I'll be back in a minute," Leon murmured to Cloud, who nodded, looking at him in concern.
"You okay?"
Nodding, he headed for the bar, footsteps a little unsteady and he leaned on the bare, trying not to stagger sideways while waiting for the tavern keeper.
"Hey, he's cute," Zack suddenly said to Cloud with a grin as he nudged his friend in the upper arm. "Good catch. He seems like a decent guy too. Nice body and a sexy ass."
Cloud tore his eyes off Leon and glared at his best friend. "I thought you were straight! And hands off, he's mine."
"Spike, chill, I'm just observing. I am straight, but it doesn't mean I can't look." Zack winked and downed another mouthful of his firewhisky, almost half the bottle gone.
Cloud stumbled for words, his eye twitching briefly, before his face planted into his palm with a huff. "There are so many things wrong with that sentence that I don't even know where to begin."
Zack laughed and leaned forward, placing the bottle on the table. "Seriously though, he's good for you. From what I've seen so far, I approve." Lifting the bottle, he toasted the blond. "To your happiness." Downing another couple of mouthfuls, Zack grinned and placed the nearly empty bottle down on the table.
"Same here," Reno added with his own grin and looked at Zack, his own bottle empty. "You up for another?"
"Sure," Zack agreed and quickly finished the bottle, giving it to the red head. He looked at Cloud. "Want a new one?"
"Nah, I'm right for the moment," Cloud replied and held up his bottle, which was still three-quarters full. His gaze drifted to Leon worriedly, his teeth worrying his lower lip as he took in how heavily Leon was leaning against the bar, talking to Madame Rosmerta, who was smiling and replying to an obviously asked question.
"Is he a light weight?" Zack asked curiously, following Cloud's gaze.
"Not normally," Cloud replied with a sigh. "But he hasn't drunk anything for a while, and this stuff is more potent than what he's used to. I'm worried it's affecting him more than usual."
Zack looked at his best friend, taking in the worried look on his face, his mind ticking. "What's he like drunk?"
Cloud blinked and frowned. "I don't know. I've never seen him drunk. Slightly tipsy is probably the worst I've seen him."
"What? Really?" Zack blinked in surprise.
"Really. He never lets himself go that far. He might have a beer or something to relax a bit after an emotionally traumatic day, but that's really rare. Usually if he's tired he'll crash on the couch or take a bath. It depends on what mood he's in and how much work he has. I can't remember the number of times I've dragged him to bed, woken up at an ungodly time the next morning and found him in the study, working on plans or something else. I've sort of given up trying to get him back to bed, unless it's really cold or something."
"What does he do?" Zack asked curiously. "I'm assuming he's a fighter, considering the way he handed that gunblade earlier."
Cloud nodded. "Leon is the head of the Restoration Committee, and the unofficial head of Radiant Garden. We sort of all just look up to him when we need guidance. He hates it, but he does it, because he feels it's his duty. We all try and help out where we can though, to take some of the pressure off."
The dark haired SOLDIER hummed in response, his mind turning over the idea in his head. He'd have to talk it over with Reno. "Hey, can you wait here a sec and mind the table?"
Nodding, Cloud turned to look at his lover again, not paying attention to his friend.
Zack headed straight over to Reno, tapping him on the shoulder and sliding in beside him at the bar. "We need to get Leon drunk," he said without preamble.
Reno blinked and looked at him warily. "Okay? I'm all for it, but why?"
"Because the guy needs to loosen up for a night, and Cloud's never seen him drunk."
Reno blinked. "Seriously? What are we waiting for then?"
tbc~
I AM SO SO SORRY! I've been meaning to post this chapter for about 2 weeks, nearly 3 now I suppose, but it just never happened, what with work, life, family stuff, and the internet playing up! . It almost didn't get posted tonight because the internet died, again. *sighs* Stupid wifi...
Anyway, I shall get the next chapter up over the weekend hopefully. :) It's been fun to write. *cackles and rubs hands together evilly* Chapter 14 even more so, provided I can stop all distractions long enough to get into the right zone to write it. 3
Let me know what you think!
Thanks everyone!
~Vex~
