Captured Freedom

Chapter 2

x.X.x.X.x.X.x

The faint wisps of clouds streak across the pale blue sky forcing the blonde staring at it to bite at his lip. It'd been days and his worry still hadn't subsided, the emotion being something he has yet to grow accustomed to. His blonde locks spike upward with bangs dipping down in front of opaque cerulean eyes. As he leans back against the lush emerald grass he feels more lonely than ever before. He tried his best to keep Fuu here, but for some reason she was drawn away and all he wanted to know was why.

Some said it was a Damned that had taken hold of her and if that was the case, he wanted to know all the more. She was his partner in the affairs that plagued their ranks and he knew it was his responsibility to find out. Especially if it really was a Damned it meant he could find the partner he had lost oh so long ago.

He had known the only person he could have asked would have been Riku; those two having been partnered up in the beginning before Fuu had excelled to the rank of Archangel, leaving Riku behind. Alas, he had gone missing too and at the same time no doubt.

A sigh slips past his lips at the thought of all the rumors that were spreading even as far as to touch the lower rank of Angel. It worried him. The Archangels, being in such a disarray from all the havoc of the Damned, barely even notice as more and more brothers and sisters of the light are being taken away. They won't be searching anytime soon.

His eyes barely have time to close before a shadow eclipses the light from his eyelids. Opening them back up he finds himself staring up at one of the Archangels he's grown accustomed to seeing. Silver hair falls short at the curve of his jaw and around his face while longer strands fall over his shoulder, tied back with a strip of leather. The white shirt adorning his frame is modified, as all attire for Archangels are, to be a sleeveless v-neck with a high collar. The trim of the shirt is a very light blue, matching the pants hanging on his hips.

But before he can say a word another Archangel runs up beside him and slaps a hand to his back, "Hey Rosebud!"

The lunar haired male rolls his eyes at the nickname as he stands up straight. "What is it Tidus?"

The youthful male grins wide, flashing pearly whites at the taller. His dirt blonde hair falls rather unkempt around his face, strands swept to the side to stay out of his face. Although identical to the others shirt, Tidus has his parted down the middle by a zipper pulled down halfway, showing off his sun kissed skin. One pant leg is cut off at the knee while the other clings to his thigh, the frayed ends of the stark pants showing another layer beneath them at equal length but with a light gray shade. Sapphire eyes glimmer playfully up at him as the blonde places his hands on his hips and laughs.

"You forgot we were meeting by the garden didn't you?" Tidus turns his eyes down upon the other blonde, "Oh, hey there Cloud."

Cloud stands up and brush his hands over the zip-up white vest and white slacks. His are all outlined in a deep navy and the vest is thicker especially where the collar flares up around the angles of his face. Turning his pale sky eyes away from them both he tries to ignore the loving emotions drawing back and forth between the two. "Go with Tidus, Firion. I have to get back to work."

He turns away, wanting to ignore the envy that prickled at his heart whenever Firion and Tidus were together. Firion could keep Tidus safe as well as so many others that he had helped to train. But Cloud? Both of his partners had vanished from right under his nose. 'I'm not fit to protect anyone,' is the motto that repeats in his mind like a beating drum.

Even as Tidus latches onto one of Firion's arms, Firion keeps his eyes focused on Cloud. "You're worried aren't you?"

"It doesn't matter."

Tidus glances between them, slightly confused as to what they're talking about. "Worried about what?"

Pecking Tidus' forehead Firion smiles, "The missing Archangels and Angels. Search parties haven't been sent out yet...it's a trying time of war." A scowl crosses Firion lips even at the mention of war.

Cloud bites at the inside of his cheek. He had a mission to go on and part of him hopes that he'll be stolen away too. It could be the only way for him to get to where any of the others are being kept. Reckless and foolish … but workable.

"Don't be stupid Cloud. When it gets late on Earth meet us at the gates and we'll go with you."

Cloud nods to Firion's words, accepting them as he strides to the gates, going off on his mission before they go down together.

x.X.x.X.x.X.x

Despite his well muscled frame Cloud lands gracefully on the roof of a factory. As he had been headed to his original destination he felt something off about this place. It isn't abandoned or rundown, not like he had expected with the awful feeling he had gotten in the pit of his stomach.

The breeze blows his blonde spikes into his eyes, causing him to blink and push them away as he masks his wings from possible onlookers. As he glances around at the many factories and office buildings spotting the edge of this river Cloud finds himself realizing that he's never been to this part of the city before. Everywhere but here.

Not a coincidence at all.

The dark aura seeming to radiate below draws his attention. Staying out of sight he looks over the edge to see an imposing figure before four humans with deep grimaces on their faces. They have bad intentions and that's all he needs to know that the figure down there isn't human... or isn't human any longer.

Lunar locks trail all the way down his back with short bangs falling just to the sides of his sharply angled face. Striking green eyes stay locked onto the group in front of him, while their eyes are wide at the sight of the pitch black wings extending from this "man's" back. An inky trench coat hangs from his sturdy shoulders and he can tell that no shirt dons his muscled torso. Strong legs clad in black jeans reach down into slim boots with a slight heel, making him even taller than he already is.

However, as these thugs begin making a pact with this being, Cloud finds his eyes following the chain that is held tightly in this silver haired devil's hand. The thick chain barely touches the ground before it reaches up again to where it ends behind the protection of the black wings. Bare feet are scoffed with a light dusting of dirt but are partly hidden by the loose blue jeans that hang on slim hips. The white t-shirt fitted lopsidedly on slumped shoulders doesn't even attempt to hide the bruises and small cuts adorning his arms and probably his torso as well.

But Cloud's breath catches in his throat at the sight of short, disheveled brown hair and dull stormy blue eyes, that once were bright and calculating. He swallows hard against the lump in his throat, the single word barely coming from his dry lips in a whisper, "...Squall."

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La la la. Changed my mind so many times on how to do this and who to choose. But I came back to one of the first pairings I ever fell in love with. So chapters will alternate with Riku and Cloud's POV-ish. XD It's weird not being in 1st person but I'm finding it much easier to write since there's so many things to consider in this story.

Enough of my rambling. Enjoy and tell me what you think! Isn't Firion x Tidus just adorable?~