Counterclockwise
Chapter 06
Words: 9 508
Genre: Comedy/Romance (Fluff)
Pairing(s): CL (if you want), eventual LC
Notes: AU highschool!fic. Leon will hereon be referred to as Squall. :D
Disclaimer: Inspired by Gosho Aoyama's Conan, as well as Staryday's fic, Child Again.
Warnings: A little swearing, a whole lot of... cute :D;;
Rated: R
Squall was engulfed in warmth.
The comforter had been wrapped around him, folded in a touch so that he was completely bundled in a tangle of blankets. He curled up slightly in his cocoon, sleepily bringing both hands to his face as his hot breath gusted gently upon the tender skin of his palms, warming his chilled nose in the process.
Hazily, he barely registered the tilting of the mattress as something big and heavy weighed down on it. He rolled a little to his left with the weight, cheek bumping against a cold pillow and nose pressed into his hands. At the instance of a sudden yet light – fleeting, almost – pressure against his cheek, the brunet let out a half-hearted, drowsy murmur. Lashes fluttering a little, he could barely make out the silhouette of the person tousling his hair as light invaded his line of sight.
He closed his eyes again, letting out a vaguely irritated sound as he batted at the hand toying with a lock of his sleep-mussed brown hair. Unbeknownst to him, his lower lip had jutted out almost sleepily in protest, eyebrows furrowing as that hand playfully tickled his ear.
Muffled footfalls stifled through the door, the sound of shuffling feet against the carpeted floor slowly processing in his mind as he attempted, with much futility, to gather enough energy to wake up. A low, husky voice whispered in his ear, the breath of the person overhead caressing his skin and causing him to shrug away instinctively from the ticklish sensation. He still wasn't hearing everything all too proper, so it took a while before he strained his ears and managed to string together the words that baritone voice was murmuring in his ear.
"Hey, Tiger. Rise and shine there, buddy. Time to wake up."
Squall let out a soft groan, nuzzling into the pillow and nestling himself under the blankets. He could hear a breathy chuckle, the weight on the bed shifting slightly before the person raked his long fingers through the boy's hair, ruffling it gently.
Squall leaned upwards into that warm touch, a faint smile ghosting across his lips at the affectionate gesture. He let out a long, drawn out yawn, wetting his lips before he dropped back onto his pillow.
A snort.
"Heh, aren't you a stubborn lil' Tiger?"
Squall was about to wake up and frown indignantly at that nickname when another voice intruded, tone tinged with a hint of exasperation and amusement.
"What are you doing to Squall?"
Squall felt rather than heard the hearty laughter of the person sitting on the bed, and at the strangely foreign, strangely deep voice, he opened his eyes almost immediately, mind clearing of the haze, vision blurry for a brief moment as his eyes slowly slid into focus.
"Cute kid. Sure he's a Squall?"
That wasn't Cloud.
The fainter voice chortled softly, footsteps getting louder as the second person approached them.
"Let him sleep, Zack."
Squall blinked rapidly, rubbing away the drowsiness with a curled fist as he turned to stare at the stranger sitting at the edge of the bed. He had strikingly dark eyes that seemed to drown you in its cool, black depths, a hint of a twinkle shimmering in them as he smiled. His hair was combed back haphazardly in an almost boyishly attractive manner, a slight dimple visible but outshone by the brilliance of his grin.
This man was visibly older, stockier than Cloud. His hands were firm and a little rough; skin a golden rust of tanned bronze. His muscular arms were visible even underneath the loose black t-shirt he wore, his long, supple legs stretching under the denim of his jeans as one crossed over the other. He sat at a slight angle, turning back to face his host.
. . . Who the hell?
"The kids are awake and they wanna meet 'im. Can't stay in bed and miss a beautiful day out, Spike."
Cloud shot Zack a reproachful look, lips twisted into a small frown. Shrugging slightly, the blond's gaze averted to the ruffled boy in bed beside his friend, grey eyes widened in bewilderment and hair sticking out at odd angles from sleep and Zack's playful hand. Exhaling smoothly, a hint of a smile graced his lips as Cloud approached them.
He gently shoved Zack to the side to make room for him to sit, hand already raking through Squall's hair and smoothening out the mess as he spoke in his soft voice.
"Squall, this is my friend, Zack. He came here all the way from Midgar to meet you."
"Nice to meetcha, kid," Zack quipped with a wide grin. "Spike here's been talking about you non-stop on the phone, so I wanted to see you for myself."
Squall blinked once. Turned to stare at Cloud.
"Get dressed," Cloud merely said, tone indifferent. He stood up, picking up a pillow that had dropped to the ground and fluffed it slightly before setting it on the bed. He left them, shooting Zack a final, pointed glance. Zack got to his feet, giving Squall a light punch on his cheek and another grin before rushing out of the room and down the hall behind Cloud.
Squall blinked again.
What the hell?
Zack. That name was familiar. Where had he heard it before. . .
"Hey there!"
Squall blinked again, gaze dropping dumbly and landing on the rather short source of sound.
He wondered, vaguely, if he was still asleep.
"You must be Squall, right? Zack and Cloud have been going on and on about you! I'm so excited to meet you finally!"
He stared at the girl, with her shining brown eyes, her sweet grin, her tender dimples, and her straight brown hair combed back neatly in a pink bow. Her hands were folded behind her back, thighs pressed up against the side of the bed as her stomach upwards leaned over the squashy mattress.
Uncertain, Squall remained unresponsive, taking only to staring dumbly at this strange person.
The girl paused momentarily, eyes lighting up in realization as she covered her mouth with a hand, stifling a slight giggle.
"Silly me, I forgot to introduce myself!" She stuck that same hand out to the boy, apparently for him to shake. "My name's Marlene!"
Squall blinked again, eyes resting on that outstretched hand. Marlene stayed in that position patiently enough, that bubbly grin of hers unwavering as he wracked his brain for coherency. However, all that came out was, "Uhh. . ."
"That all you can say? How pathetic. Don't know what Cloud sees in a dweeb like you," a slightly deeper, brusquer voice interjected rather haughtily. A little dazed, Squall turned to face a short, rosy-cheeked blond boy in the doorway. The newcomer had both hands on his hips and was scrutinizing the dark-haired boy with narrowed eyes.
"Seifer! Don't be mean! You haven't even spoken to Squall yet!" Marlene protested hotly, puffing her cheeks out childishly and crossing her arms at the boy – Seifer.
His mouth twitched slightly, and he in turn took on a rather defensive position as he averted his glare to the girl. Squall almost shuddered from the electricity that was jolting menacingly through the air between the two, Marlene herself taking on a less than sweet disposition, her expression darkening as she frowned at Seifer.
And then someone whacked Seifer upside the head.
Just like that, the tension in the room dissolved.
"Behave yourselves, you two. We're guests," a good-natured voice remarked with a slight laugh. A taller, thinner boy with wavy brown hair came into the view. He shuffled into the room, giving the blond a friendly nudge as he approached the bed. He took one of Marlene's hands and squeezed it affectionately, causing the girl to inhale deeply and to turn away from the blond with an upset pout. Seifer opted to glower at the opposite wall.
"The name's Denzel," he grinned, ignoring the exchange occurring between the other two. "And that idiot there is Seifer. You're Squall, aren't you?"
Warily, Squall glanced around the room at the three.
What. The. Hell.
His mood was not good. Not good at all.
Even the merry crackling of oil, and the fragrant aroma of beef bacon on the stove was doing nothing to console him. Even Cloud's soft-spoken reassurances about the unannounced guests being a rather nice lot didn't budge him one bit.
He glowered at the plate of steaming breakfast that was set before him, noting rather bitterly that their 'guests' too were each pilfering the food Cloud was making. Damn them. They were happily making conversation, chatting about trivial news and new things involving them. Letting out an irritated huff of air, Squall began stabbing his bacon with fork, mashing up the fried potatoes mercilessly as his lips twisted into a deep frown, the young brunet's eyebrows furrowed together angrily. He tuned out conversation as completely as he could, eyes never straying from his plate.
"So how old are you, kid?" Zack asked with good humour, his friendly grin already spread wide across his lips. Squall didn't respond, either choosing not to or ignoring the oldest guest. As a slightly awkward silence stretched out at the table, Zack cleared his throat, plying on another grin as he attempted to gage a response from the boy.
"Uh, you been with Spike long? Cloud, I mean. You kept count, right?"
Silence. More stabbing of the bacon.
Marlene and Denzel exchanged glances wearily.
Cloud came to the rescue, his hand already raking affectionately through Squall's hair as he patted the boy's head. "Squall is about 6, and he's been living with me for nearly 2 weeks." The blond raised his gaze, his expression solemn. "Had to rescue him from Yuffie."
Zack, Marlene and Denzel laughed knowingly, the oldest man who was sitting down slapping a hand against his knee, his eyes twinkling merrily. "She must have driven you mad, eh, Squall?"
More silence. More potatoes being pulverized into a small mountain.
"He had a slight reaction to all the cat hair. Yuffie isn't the best when it comes to children," Cloud replied once again, his hand withdrawn from Squall's hair, but resting on one of his shoulder's, squeezing it slightly, almost coaxingly. "Isn't that right, Squall?"
The boy merely grunted in response.
Seifer was eyeing Squall with narrowed eyes, his lips pressed together firmly in distaste. His bright green eyes wandered from the horrible boy, down to the food on his plate. How could Cloud like such a beastly kid? Just look at the way he treated the food Cloud had so painstakingly made for him! Not only did he have an attitude problem, he was a wasteful little brat! Terrible, simply terrible.
"So, uh," Zack attempted a little sheepishly, scratching his head. "So you and Cloud are pretty close, eh?" Squall looked up at Zack, an eyebrow raised.
It was a little progress.
"Th-That's good!" Zack gushed, finally feeling like he was getting somewhere with the kid, his spirits lifting. "You guys go out together a lot? Like, shopping or camping and stuff? Where d'you go?"
Squall kept his eye contact with Zack steady before lowering his head once again, returning to the murder of his breakfast.
The hush that followed was almost eerie, Denzel coughing uncomfortably at Zack's crestfallen expression.
"Cloud," Seifer piped up after a while. "Your food is really, really good. I could eat it forever and never get sick of it."
Cloud's gaze averted to the blond boy, his expression softening fondly before he quirked a brow. "If that is supposed to mean that you want seconds. . ."
"Can't I?" he asked, his face falling a touch, eyes widening and lips jutting out in a miniscule pout. Seifer sighed softly, pushing his now-empty plate away, sinking in his chair. "That's fine. But I'd always finish off anything you cook. I mean, only pigs would waste your food."
There was a sort of contemplative pause that filled the room, a beat of silence coming to pass before all eyes slowly turned to look at Squall, their uncertain gazes lingering on the boy before shifting in the general direction of the. . . rather unappetizing mound of food on his plate, and then to the bits of squashed up beef sticking to some mashed carrots that were speared on his fork.
Squall's glare was sharp and piercing, and as the connotation finally clicked, he slowly turned to glower violently – compacting all his fury and vehemence into that one, livid look – at the smug blond boy who was, taking the advantage of everyone's distraction, smirking rather conceitedly at the young brunet.
This meant war.
Cloud, keen to sense the heavy (and albeit murderous) tension clashing between the pair, was quick to attempt to diffuse the situation. "Squall and I had a rather long day at Cid's yesterday," he explained dutifully, defending the young boy once again. "He and I don't have too much of an appetite today, unfortunately." He gave Squall's shoulder another squeeze, this one affectionate.
Squall shot Seifer another glare at that. How'd you like that?
The boy merely narrowed his green eyes in return, the corners of his lips twitching.
"And that can be cured with some pigging out!" Zack interjected cheerily, oblivious to, or rather, choosing to remain oblivious to the exchanges between Seifer and Squall. They could sort things out. He wasn't about to get involved in World War III. The things kids could achieve when properly riled were. . . far too disturbing for words. They had to receive some credit to their overactive imaginations.
"Pigging out," Denzel echoed in a somewhat bland tone with a touch of inquisitiveness, his expression thoroughly amused. Exchanging knowing glances with Marlene, both of them broke into wide grins and ran up to Cloud, tugging at the hem of his shirt and arms gently, yet insistently. They spoke excitedly, all at the same time. Even Seifer jumped off his chair and begun to harass the blond.
Cloud, however, was completely neutral and indifferent to this sudden ambush – a great contrast to the incredulity that was apparent on Squall's face. No, Cloud was completely cool and unfazed by the children's antics. Instead, his gaze falling on Zack rather levelly, Cloud's eyebrows raised derisively, tone dripping with sarcasm but somehow still a touch warm.
"I hate you."
"Aww," Zack responded, his grin gaining a mischievous quality. "But you can't live without me. I love you, Spikey." He laughed rather heartily at that, flashing the blond teenager a knowing smile. "You love me too, right, dear cousin?"
"Yeah, sure," Cloud mumbled absentmindedly in response, attempting to calm the children dancing around his feet down. With a somewhat satisfied nod, Zack leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms and smiling tenderly at the other teenager. A small, elated grin played on his lips almost drunkenly.
Squall eyed Zack suspiciously at that, a thin frown pulling his lips downwards.
Zack wasn't. . . that- you know- gay was he?
Quietly, the small brunet observed with much disparagement as the raven-haired man got to his feet and sauntered over to the blond, curling a strong arm around his neck as he leaned into Cloud, whispering lowly into his ear, his other hand ruffling Seifer's hair fondly.
Cloud didn't seem in the least uncomfortable. In fact, it looked as though he was completely used to all of that and more. To an extent – even if it wasn't really evident to others – it looked like Cloud was enjoying all that attention.
Something seemed to stir inside Squall at that, and he found himself gazing wistfully, listlessly at that jubilant scene.
Cloud, from what Squall had discovered during their time together, had been forced to grow up too fast. He was doing all sorts of things his peers were incapable of, sacrificing so much for the sake of those that he loved for their happiness. Cloud kept such a low profile among the community that he was generally ignored, but it didn't matter to him because he had given up on his social life that day he quit the swim team, regardless of the excuses he materialized in his defence.
So now, when Squall found out about this 'other half' of Cloud, when he discovered how close all these people seemed and how important they all were to Cloud, it seemed like. . . like everything he prided himself in knowing of the blond had been reduced to nil. From the closeness and the affection between these people and the teenager, it was obvious that their past involved much strain that brought them all together.
It was nice, to see Cloud happy.
But Squall felt like he was. . . intruding. Like he didn't really belong in this house and with them. It was heart wrenching to see the disappointed look on the blond's face each time Squall said or did something that wasn't warm to these important people, and he could easily tell that the others, likewise, weren't too keen on his arrival. It couldn't be helped that Squall disliked new people and new things, but he knew that he should have at least tried to be polite to the guests. He felt like he was keeping Cloud from being completely happy, like he was the useless third wheel.
Like he was unwanted.
Unwanted. . . that word was bitter and unwelcome, and Squall disliked it immensely. After all, it was obvious that the others didn't like him – or, more specifically, his attitude – and he was just. . . he shouldn't. . . it was wrong for him to be there.
In that instance, he felt immeasurably homesick. He wanted to be Leon again. He wanted to be with his dad, eating pretzels in front of their old television set, listening to the old man ramble about inane and trivial topics. He wanted to be harassed by Yuffie and her dog, Angelo. He wanted to be 17 years old. He wanted to hang out with his friends from school.
He wanted to feel wanted again.
Quietly, Squall slipped out of his chair, walking soundlessly out of the dining room and past the living room into the corridor. Upon reaching the study, he curled his fingers around the knob loosely, pausing before entering and shutting it behind him with a firm, silent 'click'.
Squall leaned against the door, letting out a soft, miserable sigh before casting the room a weary gaze. In his frequented corner, the pile of books he had set aside were still arranged in their organized chaos, a handful of them left open at certain pages while others were bookmarked with strips of paper.
As the boy began to slowly approach them, his eyes strayed and caught a glimpse of a discarded, thin, tattered hardcover that was lying all alone under a wooden chair. Giving the book a lingering look, Squall exhaled smoothly walking towards it and picking it up in a fluid motion. He scrubbed away the dust from the cover and spine, scanning the title before realizing what it was.
Uneasily, Squall contemplated returning the book to its lonely location under the chair or sliding it in a shelf to be forgotten. The latter seemed more desirable an action – it would stand out less – and so the brunet pried apart two firmly packed books from a low shelf, stuffing the book in, rearranging them neatly before standing up straight once again.
Dropping down in his corner, he reached for the closest book, flipping to the marked page and glancing at the words before his vision blurred out of focus. Squall tried a few more times to read the first few lines of the book but eventually gave up, shutting it with a heavy sigh and setting it down beside him.
He hadn't the mood. To do anything at all.
Miserably, Squall pulled his legs against his body, burying his face in his knees. He wanted to go home. . .
"Squall?"
The boy had jumped a little as he felt that warm hand touch the back of his neck, rubbing his back soothingly. Squall lifted his head a little; grey eyes homing in on Cloud's worried blue ones.
"I'm sorry, I didn't think about how you would feel if I asked them to come and make friends with you. You're not ready to meet new people yet, are you?" he asked in that soft voice of his, his tone gentle and apologetic.
Squall couldn't help but stare.
At that moment, he just looked at Cloud. Really looked at him.
Did the teenager just apologise to him? He had been absolutely horrible to Cloud's most important people, and here he was, saying that he was sorry for bringing them and actually trying to console him and. . . this was. . .
"I thought maybe you were a little tired of me," Cloud told him with a small, almost shy smile. "That you'd like some new friends your own age. It must be lonely, hanging out with someone like me."
That was like a slap to the face.
What?
"I'm not!" Squall suddenly blurted, his voice heavy with desperation as he looked up insistently, searchingly at the blond. "I'm not tired of you! I'm not lonely! I don't want you to dump me with anyone else! I'm. . ." His breath hitched, chest suddenly tight, voice faltering. A little taken aback, Cloud remained silent, dumbfounded as the boy spoke to him. In an encouraging manner, he rubbed Squall's back, trying to coax the words out of him.
"I'm. . ." he paused, holding Cloud's gaze a moment longer before he lowered his head ruefully. "I'm. . . tired." Of everything. He hugged his knees once again, eyes squeezed shut as he pressed his face against his hands. ". . .I want my dad. . . I want to go home."
The silence in the room lingered on, Cloud's breaths rolling out calmly in time with the distant ticking of the clock. Slowly, that warm hand on his back crept to his side, a strong arm curling around his body completely as Cloud engulfed him in a tight hug, his own face buried against Squall's cheek.
Squall sobbed. Outright. He couldn't help it. He was miserable and insecure and depressed, and Cloud's constant patience and affection was making him feel melancholic and desperate for his own life again. He was sick and tired of being a child, exhausted with the rapid changes in his body system and thinking patterns. Was he going to stay this way forever?
For the first and last time, Squall finally broke down and cried in front of Cloud.
And Cloud was there to comfort him, trying to somehow hold back that single tear that managed to roll down his cheek anyway.
". . . some time. . ."
". . . I don't know. It doesn't seem like such a good idea anymore. . ."
". . . up to him, don't worry about. . ."
". . . not that, it's just. . . I'm afraid. . ."
". . . take it easy. . . try not to think. . . matter of time. . ."
". . . it's not that. . . I don't think I want to. . ."
Squall tried his best to ignore those low, muffled voices but it was hard. It was very, very hard to not eavesdrop on the blond teenager and his older friend, whom the boy seriously doubted had dropped by for a merely social visit. The brunet forced himself to keep his attention completely focused on putting the crockery in the sink and returning the jug of orange juice to the refrigerator.
Meanwhile, as Squall was straining himself with those self-imposed chores, Denzel, Marlene and Seifer were in the living room, huddling close together as they snuck intermittent glances to this new boy and the pair of grown-ups who were talking outside.
"I think he needs a hug."
Marlene was resolute, her tone deep with conviction as she rested both of her palms against the top of the small coffee table. Seifer snorted at that, eyes averting as a smirk curled at his lips.
"Or a fresh can of whoop-ass."
"I'm serious," she pressed on critically, Marlene throwing the blond boy a poisonous glare. "He looks so sad and gloomy, I think he needs a hug or twenty. Remember what Zack said? Aerith found him on the streets – just like you, poopie-face," to which Seifer responded rather indignantly. "Squall probably doesn't have anyone else in the world but Cloud. . ."
"We know that Cloud and his mum are kinda poor," Denzel continued where Marlene trailed off. "So they won't be able to take care of Squall forever. I dunno, if you ask me, he doesn't seem too bad. . . maybe Seifer just scared his pants off."
"Or maybe he needs to have a little more guts," the blond countered, eyes narrowing into tiny slits at the other two. "He's so pathetic, I don't believe that he's been surviving on his own. I bet you he's been putting in that 'oh, I'm a poor orphan, save me' act so that he can get Cloud to pamper him."
"You don't have any proof!" Marlene retorted crossly. "He doesn't have anyone at all, stupid-head. You have Zack and Cloud and us. Squall's probably sad because he won't be able to stay with Cloud."
"Cloud said that he's shy, so he hasn't made friends yet," Denzel interjected informatively, always the older, more level-headed one of the three. "Maybe if we get him to not be shy, he won't be so sad anymore."
"I think we should dump him in a pool or something," Seifer grumbled irately. "And I'm not a stupid-head, you ugly fatty."
"I AM NOT A FA-"
"So you admit you're ugly?"
"WHY YOU ME-"
Some rather terrifying shouting and screaming ensued, followed by the lively thud of many falling objects. Squall poked his head into the living room, obeying Denzel's panicked order to duck in time so much so the paper weight that had threatened his groin merely days before nicked a bit of his hair before crashing into the side of a rubbish bin.
"STUPID OLD GOAT!"
"SMELLY NEWT!"
"NEWTS DON'T SMELL!"
"YOU DO!"
"UGLY OLD POTATO!"
"FAT COW!"
"BIG NOSE!"
"POOPIE-HEAD!"
"BED-WETTER!"
"FISH-FACE!"
"MEANIE!"
"Guys, guys, GUYS!" Denzel attempted, trying to pull Marlene away as she threw an assortment of books and decorative stones murderously at Seifer, who had a hand in the girls once tightly tied hair, messing it up and pulling at it angrily. Desperately, the oldest boy glanced around, catching sight of Squall. ". . . A little help here!"
Dumbly, Squall found himself hurrying to the scene, uncertain of what to do. Denzel gave a pained grunt as he wrapped his arms around Marlene's small waist, trying to drag her away. He jerked his head towards the blond boy, and without even questioning why, Squall had started tugging and pulling at Seifer.
"Let go of me, stupid!" Seifer snapped angrily, trying to shove Squall aside, pushing forward, hands groping blindly as he tried to grip the girl's hair and scratch her. "I said LET GO!"
"LET ME AT HIM!!" Marlene screamed in turn, her fists pounding against Denzel's arms that withheld her. She was shaking her head and kicking wildly, her voice rolling out in angry shrieks as she suddenly lunged forward, successfully freeing herself of Denzel's grip, her unkempt hair a messy tangle. Sprinting towards Squall and Seifer, she began to rain a succession of kicks to Seifer's shin, more than half of them landing on Squall's legs. Squall's eyes began to water, but his grip was firm and he didn't let go of the blond.
Just as Squall's knees began to quiver, he felt all the wind knocked out of him, Seifer landing a well-aimed elbow directly in his side. With a startled cry, the brunet fell backwards, the back of his head slamming against the edge of the coffee table in the process.
Everything seemed hazy, like it was all being played in slow motion. Squall began to tune out all other sounds, only able to hear the sluggish beating of his own heart. As his vision began to slide in and out of focus, head pounding numbly and legs throbbing dully, Squall barely registered the rush of feet through the front door that had been slammed open, his eyes fluttering shut, lips parting slightly to allow a hot gust of breath. He felt a warm hand at the base of his head, massaging gently, the other tugging his body upwards. He sighed at the touch, opening his eyes slowly to find Cloud over him, looking at someone else, expression plagued with worry as his pale lips moved rapidly.
He noticed Zack approaching him, trying to scoop him up, but before Squall could push the raven-haired man away weakly though it would have been, Cloud had his arms wrapped around his small body protectively. The teenager got to his feet, carefully pressing Squall's body against his as his other hand remained stationary at the boy's pulsating scalp.
The next thing he knew, Squall was engulfed in the sterility of white lights and clean tiled walls, the boy quickly seated on something dry and high as the steady gurgle of running water echoed in his ears. Soon, something wet and warm was pressed to the back of his head. Squall could feel the water dripping from what seemed like a rag or towel onto his shirt and down his back, but he was still too dazed to do or say anything.
"Does it hurt?" Cloud's asked him softly, voice filled with. . . fear? No, that wasn't it. Cloud was never afraid. It was probably worry or something. Anxiety. That was probably it. Squall wanted to shake his head in response, but Cloud was still holding that wet rag so that was out of the question. He groaned slightly. "I'm fine," Squall muttered, trying to keep his eyes focused as he squinted up at the blond. "It's a little painful, but I'm not going to die."
There was a brief moment of an incredulous beat of silence before he heard a quiet sigh of what seemed like relief, followed by a lighter chuckle. "That's always good to know," Cloud replied, tone holding something akin to amusement. "You can take it like a man. Impressive. I feel utterly debased and un-macho now."
Squall smiled up at Cloud, his eyes lighting up a touch when the teenager laughed.
"At least you're fine," Cloud told him a little while after, a fond smile curling at his lips as he gazed at the young boy. "Seifer and Marlene, on the other hand. . ." He glanced at the door of the bathroom, allowing his sentence to hang in the air ambiguously. Squall could only guess the damage on the other side. Zack didn't seem like someone who would lose his temper.
"– ABSOLUTELY BEASTLY AND INEXCUSABLE------------ BLEEDING FOR CRYING OUT LOUD------------ CLOUD'S HOUSE AND------------"
Squall winced. What was the saying again – when someone snaps, they snap all the way? Or something akin to that? He couldn't really remember.
Ah, well. Seifer deserved it.
"Upsy-daisy."
Zack hefted up a rather quiet Marlene in his arms, rubbing a soothing hand down her back and smoothening out the creases in the back of her dress as he patted her hair that had been (mercifully) brushed and tied back neatly once again by the raven-haired man himself. Denzel was by his side, clutching onto a loose bit of his jeans. The eldest boy was gazing some ways off rather absentmindedly. They were outside on the sidewalk, beneath an overcast sky.
Squall looked at them quietly, his eyes averting from Zack and Marlene, to Denzel, briefly to Seifer – the boy was staring at the ground, eyes red and puffy, lips twisted into an angry frown – and then up to Cloud who was checking the bandage that was carefully affixed to the nasty cut the coffee table's edge had given him.
"Now," Cloud began, tone a little satisfied. He brushed his hands on his thighs before getting to his feet. "No more playing rough there, got it? Not with Marlene, not with Squall," the blond told Seifer sternly, expression solemn and voice critical. Flushing, Seifer mumbled in acquiescence, turning away and kicking a small pebble.
"Yeah, and you had better," Zack interjected irately. "Anymore funny business from you and you stay with old man Highwind, got it? You stop acting up anymore, or I leave you with Cid."
That must have hit a nerve, for Seifer's eyes had widened at that, whipping his head back to gaze rather disbelievingly at the man. Zack merely knitted his brows together in response, scowling. Weakly, Seifer managed a nod and withdrew timidly to Cloud's side, his head hanging and that bitter frown of his deeper than ever.
At that moment, Squall couldn't help but a feel a little. . . sympathy for the kid. If getting disappointed looks from Cloud already tore at him, Squall couldn't imagine how he would feel if the blond teenager were to shout angrily; scold and rebuke him. He'd probably feel like complete shit. And Seifer had gotten the brunt of it from two of what appeared to be his favourite people. Even worse.
Squall blinked out of his thoughts as a few stray leaves swept across the road with the breeze, one or two getting caught in his hair. He batted them away gently, glancing over as he saw Seifer look up at Cloud, both of them exchanging a few quiet words that he couldn't hear. It was followed by a slight smile on Seifer's behalf, and a gentle ruffle of his hair from Cloud.
"Well, then. Let's head off," Zack called out, his hand clasping around Denzel's. Cloud nodded in response, turning and walking over to Squall before he gave the small brunet a quick, tender smile, picking him up fluidly and settling the boy comfortably in his arms. Squall began to shift automatically, grasping a bit of the teenager's shirt and leaning his chin on Cloud's shoulder.
Before they could walk, however, there was a slight tug.
Squall blinked, pulling back a little and following Cloud's gaze.
"What about me?"
Seifer's bright green eyes were big and round, pathetically pleading, his hand curled around the fabric of Cloud's trousers and pulling just slightly. He looked on the brink of tears – Squall thought that it was probably from his crying at Zack's scolding about a half hour before – and those small, soft lips were pressed together in a miniscule pout. He looked almost bewildered, like a small animal caught in headlights, and was gazing up expectantly at Cloud.
Squall's gaze shifted hesitantly to the teenager carrying him.
Uncomfortably, Cloud's own gaze shifted from Seifer, alternating tentatively between Squall and Seifer, meeting both of their wide-eyed stares. This continued on for a moment more before he felt his resolve crumble. At a loss, Cloud glanced at Zack for some kind of solution, but he received a rather cheeky, amused grin instead. He looked at Squall once again. Gave Seifer a sideway glance.
Cloud sighed heavily.
They were good.
". . . fine."
Cloud tilted his body to one side, his grip on Squall tightening as his arm curled around the blond boy's body. Seifer's face lit up with happiness, a wide grin of glee breaking out on his face infectiously as he wrapped his arms around Cloud's neck. He seemed on the brink of breaking out into song.
Tucking his chin in the crook of Cloud's neck, he managed to shoot Squall a smug smirk.
Squall frowned in response, his grip tightening unconsciously.
"Dude, are you sure you're okay with that? They look pretty heavy put together," Zack piped up thoughtfully. Cloud shot him a look and shook his head. "No, I mean, if anything, I wouldn't mind carrying Squall. Marlene's pretty light. Are you really, really su-"
"It's fine. Let's go."
Cloud began walking at an even pace, his breath a little laboured as he strained to balance both their weights. Squall looked at Cloud carefully, studying the slight tension that he was attempting to hide from the tightness of his clenched jaw. His arms were quivering very slightly, and he was leaning back a little as he walked – as though trying to stabilize the boys weighing him down.
Tamely, Squall lowered his head and stayed still, trying as best he could to cause less injury on Cloud's behalf.
Seifer, on the other hand, was cuddling the teenager rather happily, nuzzling his face against Cloud's shoulder. Every now and again, his eyes would flutter and he would shoot the brunet boy a warning look, scowling softly before that air of triumph returned. With some measure of irritation, Squall merely frowned in response but did nothing more.
The others were about a pace ahead of them, the boys chatting quietly as Marlene played with Zack's hair. Zack had that amiable grin on his face once again, nodding intermittently as Denzel punctuated whatever point he had been making through gestures he made with his free hand, fingers of his other hand still clasped in the raven-haired man's.
With a startled sound, Denzel stumbled. Marlene's expression conveyed a heavy sense of worry and Zack had stopped walking, pulling Denzel up to his feet swiftly enough so much so the boy was saved from acquainting his face with the sidewalk. A brief moment passed before Zack's low chuckle rumbled through his throat, glancing up and winking at Cloud, head jerking to the side and gesturing for them to keep on ahead. Obediently, Cloud did so, his grip wavering a touch before he tightened his grasp around the two boys, sidestepping Zack and his pair. Denzel had tripped over his shoelaces.
Properly, now that they were ahead and he had the chance to gaze back at this person, Squall took a good look at the man. He had never really noticed it before, but Zack looked like. . .
. . . Squall didn't quite know.
It was very familiar.
Zack's dark eyes held a deep, loving twinkle in them, lips constantly upturned in a sincerely sweet smile, and that unsettlingly familiar gaze of reassurance and protectiveness seemed to wrap a warm blanket of security around Squall whenever Zack winked at him obligingly.
Zack, sturdy and muscular and strong, was just as gentle as Cloud. His touches were tender and affectionate, his ruffling Squall's hair with a doting grin and soft squeeze of his round cheek endearing and comforting to a fault. With Cloud, Squall felt. . . loved. Almost dizzy with happiness, sometimes.
With Zack, on the other hand, Squall felt. . . protected. Safe. Like nothing wrong at all could happen.
Zack was. . . he was almost like. . .
. . . Squall didn't know. But it was so very familiar.
"We're here."
Squall was snapped out of his reverie, unaware of his surroundings as he had divulged into his musings. The sky was already streaked with a brilliant orange, rivers of smooth, fluffy clouds hanging overhead, sun on the brink of sinking low beneath the horizon. Blinking, he pulled back a little, glancing at Cloud briefly before his eyes raked the scenery.
Sandbox.
Swings.
Slides.
Seesaws.
. . . someone had to be kidding him.
Squall stared on dumbly, completely horror-stricken. With much difficulty, Cloud bent over and, as carefully as he could manage at that point, set Seifer and Squall on the ground. As the blond teenager stood up straight, there was a sound crack that resonated through his back, Cloud's blue eyes nearly popping out of their sockets as he swallowed back the shriek of pain that would have accompanied a string of rather colourful curses by clamping his lips tightly together.
Swiftly, that expression disappeared and replacing it was Cloud's typical neutral and indifferent, though strained, mask.
"Whoa. . . you okay there, Spike?" Zack asked him, worry apparent on his face. "Take it easy, 'kay?"
"I'll be fine, Zack," Cloud replied stiffly, managing a softer expression as he spoke to the kids. "You guys go ahead. We'll be sitting down over here."
"Whaaaaat? You mean you won't play with us?" Marlene pouted pleadingly. "But that's why we came aaaaaaall the way here for!"
"Sweetheart," the raven-haired man interjected with a grin, just as Marlene and Seifer were getting ready to launch an all out attack. "Cloud's getting old. And Seifer isn't exactly light, y'know? And come on. Spikey's tired. Give him a break."
She opened her mouth to retort but stopped herself, looking at Cloud with big, sad eyes, her gaze that of a small, kicked puppy.
"I'll play with you later, okay, Marlene?" Cloud offered, a small smile on his face.
After quick deliberation, a smile lit up on her face and she gave one energetic nod before grinning at the others and pulling them away towards the slides with a giggle. Squall's focus was solely on Cloud, his gaze brimming with worry as the blond winced with pain, bent over to a degree, his other hand trying to straighten his back. With some small degree of aversion, he merely looked on as Zack faithfully returned to Cloud's side.
He was standing rather close to the blond, one of his hands massaging a sore spot on Cloud's lower back, his lips moving quickly as he whispered quietly to him. Squall noticed almost indignantly as a smile flickered across Cloud's face, the blond engrossed with Zack and whatever he was saying. Zack gestured towards a bench and he only nodded his head.
Before Squall could do anything however, he felt a strong grip on his wrist, followed by an equally strong yank that pulled him away from that small spot by the picnic tables and somewhere deep into the park.
"Didn't I tell you that it was a bad idea?" Zack asked with a laugh, grinning amicably at his cousin as he sat down on a small park bench. He patted the empty space beside him, gesturing for the teenager to sit. "You look like you broke a million bones in your back."
"Two," Cloud grunted with a small, pained frown, his hand trying to soothe out the knots that had formed in his back as he sat on the edge of the seat. Almost automatically, Zack's own hands had swooped down and were already working their magic on his back, gently batting Cloud's hand away, forcing him to remain seated at a slight angle. Cloud hummed in approval as Zack quickly managed to soften every tense muscle in his back, rendering him completely boneless. Cloud let out a soft sigh.
The park was moderately sparse. A handful of children were at the monkey bars and jungle gym, running around playing tag, tripping over their own stumbling feet as the drowsy evening air ringed with jocose laughter and high-pitched squeals and giggles. Their parents and babysitters were sitting at the picnic area, chatting animatedly with each other under the shade of an enormous old rain tree.
"You're having second thoughts," Zack murmured, his tone taking a more serious edge this time around.
Cloud remained silent, staring at his hands as his fingers twined together. Slowly, Zack's hands withdrew, and the raven-haired man leaned back in his seat, eyes glued to the playground and automatically scanning for Seifer and Marlene who happened to be playing tic-tac-toe at the jungle gym.
"You know better, Cloud. There shouldn't be any doubts left."
"I know that," Cloud interposed bitterly. "I do. I really do. But I. . . I don't think I could go through with it if I sent Squall to stay with you and the kids."
Zack's gaze homed in on Cloud, a mingle of concern and thoughtfulness apparent on his face. He frowned at the blond contemplatively before speaking. "It wasn't like this with Seifer," his tone was quiet, but was full of conviction. "What is it about this kid that makes him so special?"
Cloud sighed in exasperation, closing his eyes and raking his hands through his hair, burying his face in his hands and he leaned even further forward.
"You don't understand. Squall is. . . he's so. . . different."
"Yeah, sure. I can see how much you can moon over him from the way he grunts and mumbles. I'm sure he has qualities that extend from his constant glaring and demands," Zack quipped sarcastically, rolling his eyes. He caught Cloud's glare even from behind the gaps of his fingers and quickly shut his mouth.
Too little, too late.
"Shut up. You don't know, okay? You don't. Don't act like you know what it's like. Homeless kids are supposed to be tough, like Seifer right?" Cloud retorted angrily, voice eerily quiet and controlled. He bit down on his lower lip hesitantly before pressing on.
"Squall isn't tough. Squall is. . . He's broken. He's. . . It's hard for him to just go up to someone and befriend them. And you don't how long it took for him to finally be able to talk to me, for me to gain his trust. You can't tell me to just give him to you after realizing that the kid means so much more to me than even I could possibly imagine!"
Zack remained silent, allowing everything to sink in. His expression softened and his gaze was a harrowing mix of pain and comfort.
"But Cloud," he attempted gently. "You and your mum are having enough problems financially. The repo man's called, hasn't he? Both of you could probably cope, but do you really want Squall to know how bad your problems are?"
Cloud buried his face in his hands once again, squeezing his eyes shut.
"But. . . but I can't, Zack. I just can't."
"I'm not stealing him away from you, Cloud," he said firmly, a hand clasped around the blond's upper arm and tugging at it slightly so that the teenager would look at him when he spoke. "No one is stealing him away. I promised you I'd help take care of him for you until you have your problems sorted out."
"Didn't you say the same for Seifer? But look who he's staying with no-"
"Cloud!" Zack raised his voice angrily, incredulous of the turn this conversation was taking. Cloud was the level-headed one in this relationship, not him! "How could you even suggest that? You were the one who convinced Seifer to stay with me because he would have Denzel and Marlene to be with him!"
"I don't know, okay?!" Cloud retorted angrily, feeling vulnerable all of a sudden. "I can't bear the thought of him not being with me. I sure as hell don't know when, but that boy is my lifeline now. My whole world revolves around him. I don't what I'd do if you took him awa-"
"I'm not taking him away, Cloud. I'm taking care of him."
"But Midgar is so far, Zack."
"Then do you have any better ideas? Aside from keeping him with you as you struggle through your financial problems."
Cloud remained silent, his expression sombre and weary as he leaned forward, burying his face in his hands once again. Zack kept quiet, eyes grazing the blond before straying to the ground. His fingers played with a leaf that had drifted down onto the edge of the bench, eyes darting upwards now and again as the silence stretched out between them.
No.
"Oof!"
Squall let out a small groan as he rubbed his forehead having had it impact against something large, hard, and akin to a tree trunk. He opened his eyes glaring sharply at whoever it was who had jerk him away from where he stood.
Denzel gave him a sheepish grin, sitting up slightly and pressing a finger to his lips in a gesture for silence. Huffily, Squall complied, puffing his cheeks in irritation as Denzel got to his knees and kept his body low, parting the bushes that hid them and peering through them at the playground a stone's throw away. With a final glance around, Denzel retreated in a satisfied manner, plopping on the ground and stretching with a slight yawn. He caught Squall's eye, noticing the sever and less-than-pleased expression on his face.
"Ehe, sorry about that," Denzel said with a dimpled grin. "Cloud and Zack always need some time to themselves to talk, y'know? Zack likes-likes Cloud, but he can't do anything about it, so he tries his best to be a good listener and all."
Squall blinked.
Great, suspicion confirmed.
Wearily, he spared a glance through the bushes at the pair sitting down. Zack had an arm around the blond, Cloud's face hidden in his own hands.
He found, surprisingly, with a rather notable lack of reluctance, that he didn't mind at all. If Zack liked Cloud in a more romantic sense. . . he didn't particularly mind. Zack made Cloud happy, and he was honourable in that he wouldn't force or bring upon anything because Cloud was straight, wasn't ready to have a relationship with Zack. If Zack made Cloud happy, who was Squall to complain?
"Are all of you related?" the brunet asked instead, returning to his seat and averting his gaze to the older boy. Denzel shook his head in response.
"Nah, not all of us. Zack and Marlene are brother and sister, though. I got sent to live with 'em, and Cloud found Seifer off the streets. He stayed with us after that," he explained languidly, leaning against the base of the tree trunk and folding his hand behind his head. Squall nodded lightly in reaffirmation, gaze returning to the bush and peeking through the leaves at Marlene and Seifer who were playing tag, the girl squealing happily as Seifer lunged for her.
"They fight a lot, but they're really close," Denzel said with a smile. "I think Marlene has a crush on Seifer."
"Oh," he replied a little dumbly, nodding once again. ". . . Why did Zack take you and Seifer in?"
"He and Marlene were taken away from their parents when they were kids because of the war, and they had to stay with these people who mistreated them. When Zack got old enough, he moved out and helps out with a shelter for orphans and war children. Seifer's an orphan, so Zack takes care of him like with me since Cloud asked him to. Me--" Denzel paused, rubbing away a bit of mud that had clung to his cheek during the brief tussle to pull Squall away. "--l don't know why, but I can't stay with my parents, so Zack took care of me ever since I was three."
"Oh." A light nod, eyes raking in Denzel's rather serene expression. He'd seen him somewhere before. . . but where? "You don't mind?"
"Nope! Wouldn't trade anything for the world!" he replied sweetly, tilting his head to the side. "Zack's this great big oaf but he loves us madly. He's such a dad, I'm just surprised he's not married yet."
At that, Squall couldn't help that slightly stupefied expression that crossed his face. He blinked cluelessly at the other boy.
"Err, how old is Zack?"
Denzel shot him a puzzled look before grinning knowingly.
"He's 22, I think. 23, maybe."
Squall's eyes bulged.
". . . you're joking."
"Nu-uh. I'm dead serious," Denzel retorted with a grin. "He's a big oaf, I told you."
"But Cloud. . ."
"Cloud acts like this old man," the boy giggled. "He and Zack are perfect for each other. I think that's why they're friends."
". . . okay."
"Yeah, so you're 6 right? You don't sound like a 6-year-old!"
Shit. ". . . like you're any better."
"Hey!" Denzel cried out with mock incensement, his smile ever present and never faltering. "I'm 10! I'm supposed to be grown up!"
Squall stared at the boy.
"Thanks for your hos-pee-tell-li-lit-tee!"
Marlene grinned up at Cloud, hopping forward and wrapping her twiggy arms around his legs in a warm hug as he patted her head fondly. He smiled softly at her, tapping her nose gently.
"Anything for my favourite cousin."
"Hey," Zack protested cheekily. "I thought I was your favourite cousin!"
"Fat chance," Seifer quipped with a grin. Zack lightly slapped him upside the head with a jovial chuckle.
"You guys take care. Swing by whenever you want," Cloud nodded, Marlene releasing her grip and returning to Zack. The raven-haired man squatted down, smoothening out her dress and chided her softly as he reached over to tie her shoelaces. Noticing a pair of eyes on him, he glanced upwards, capturing Squall's inquisitive gaze. With a grin, he winked affectionately at the boy, returning to his task, whistling softly.
The rest of them paid their homage to Cloud's mother who had arrived home only minutes before, saying their respective goodbyes and packing up. Zack led the bunch, Marlene in his arms as Seifer held onto his hand. Denzel tagged by obediently, waving goodbye at Squall who awkwardly, a little embarrassedly, waved back lightly in return.
The sun was already beginning to sink below the horizon, everything growing dark and warm as Cloud and Squall remained standing there, watching on as their guests walked away from their home and towards their car parked a few paces away.
Cloud's hands were resting on Squall's shoulder, squeezing slightly as he himself gazed on at the small group.
Squall stared at Zack's wide back as he walked away slowly, chatting with the other kids good-naturedly. Denzel had taken to clutching onto the side of his trousers again, pulling slightly as he spoke excitedly. Zack chuckled nudged the boy gently with his knee before taking off in a slight run, Seifer and Marlene laughing in glee.
And then it hit him.
Squall knew exactly what had been so terribly familiar of the man.
Zack was like. . . a dad.
That same goofy personality. That same mischievous grin. That same loving gaze. That same protective demeanour. That same cheeky humour. That same strength.
Zack reminded him of a father. His father. Reminded him of how warm a father could be. Reminded him of how much he was capable of missing his father. He wanted his old life, his old home, his old family. Dejectedly, the boy heaved a sigh, lashes fluttering a little as he continued watching over the group as they left.
"Zack!"
Squall looked up, a little startled by Cloud's sudden exclamation.
The others stopped, Zack turning back to look at Cloud.
With steely reaffirmation, Cloud swallowed. Swallowed back his fear. Swallowed back his insecurity. Swallowed back his doubts. He inhaled smoothly, closing his eyes and allowing them to remain shut for a moment before opening them, a strange fire of determination apparent within the bright blue.
"I'm sorry. I won't go through with it. I'll make it work somehow."
Zack faltered, opening his mouth to say something but pausing, the words unable to form on his lips. He closed his mouth, looking hard at the blond, his eyes searching and his expression sombre with fortitude. They stared at one another for a lingering moment, each willing the other to relent and to give in.
But nothing could douse Cloud's fire.
Zack threw the towel in.
Cloud had won. He could have things his way. Zack could never win this.
Words weren't needed. Zack allowed a half-smile to grace his face before nodding to the teenager, turning once again and disappearing down the path with his kids. The blond felt himself tremble with a little excitement, a little fear. There wouldn't be anymore bickering or objecting. He could really, really keep Squall with him. Granted, life would be more difficult and. . . and Squall belonged to Aerith in the end, but. . . this short period of happiness was enough to last a lifetime for him.
"Cloud?"
Cloud looked down at Squall's worried expression, his own softening tenderly. He gave the boy a full smile and squatted, engulfing the brunet in a tight bear hug, nuzzling his face in Squall's hair as that unrestrained smile managed to leak to his eyes, forcing him to squeeze them shut to somehow root him to reality.
Squall had been a little abashed, a forthright blush colouring in his ears and cheeks, but slowly, his fingers reached up and grasped onto Cloud's forearm, squeezing gently.
Squall missed his old family. But he wouldn't trade Cloud in for the world.
A/N: So like, Happy Belated New Year!
:D Doing my best to juggle writing my fics and real life and etc. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.