Everyone thank you all so much for your reviews! I do appreciate them!
And um…expect a surprise slight twist in the story? Haha, well I'll leave that up to your guys. It's not much of a twist I think.
"Squall!"
"Ngh…"
"Squall! Wake up!"
"No…"
"It's the 27th!"
"So…?"
"You're due in court in less than a half hour!"
At that moment, Sora shot up,
"You could've said that first!" he shouted at Vincent and quickly got out of bed to get ready for the day. In about ten minutes, he ran out of the house and jumped into Vincent's car…except it was locked so he hit the door while trying to open it.
"Vincent!" he shouted impatiently.
"I'm right here," he motioned and Sora looked down the driveway to see Vincent on a black motorcycle,
"…Really, Vincent? Really? You're going to make me ride that?"
"You want to get there or not? Get on!"
Sora's brain made its decision and he hopped onto the motorcycle, holding onto Vincent who drove off as soon Sora's was seated.
"…I don't see Otosan," Roxas whispered as he fidgeted on the steps of the courthouse.
"Me neither…" Naminé added as the two continued to scan the area in hopes maybe Leon will show up.
"You don't…want them to divorce either right?" Roxas asked,
"Of course not…Dad is upset enough about the whole thing, even if he's hiding it. It's not fair for him," she held her hands together as if praying for Leon to come for Cloud. The two suddenly heard a screech, catching Vincent stopping his motorcycle with Sora jumping off it the moment it did.
"Sora?" the two said his name in unison.
"Can't talk!" Sora shouted as he ran by.
"Hey! You forget you're still a kid! You can't just run in!" Vincent shouted after Sora after he locked his motorcycle and ran after Sora.
"Uncle Vincent? What are you-" Vincent already ran by them before the question was even finished.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Sora burst through the doors and fell on his face before getting up again to scan the room for Cloud which was easy enough with those blonde spikes plus the man was no standing to see what the sudden burst through the door was.
"Clo-Mr. Strife! Please wait!" he pleaded and was about to stand up again if Vincent didn't come running in behind him and tripped over the boy.
"What the hell were you doing on the ground?" Vincent shouted and picked himself up, followed by Sora.
"Vincent? What are you doing here?" Cloud asked.
"Who in the world are you two?" the judge asked and motioned security to get them.
"That's…a family friend and his nephew," Cloud replied for them.
"What he said," Vincent nodded.
"And like I said before: What are you doing here?" Cloud hissed.
"…This all yours," Vincent, not having an answer, patted Sora's back before going behind the boy.
"Um…I…Mr. Leonhart, the other in the relationship asks to postpone this case! He's still on his business trip and can't return yet!"
"What?" Cloud stared at the boy questionably.
"Any proof?" the judge asked.
"I…It was last minute. Mr. Leonhart was staying at our place so we have contact information and-"
"Give me his work number and I'll give him an earful!" Cloud exclaimed.
"Er…he just wants us to deliver the message that…he doesn't want the divorce to go through! Please! You have to postpone this!"
"I'm sorry, but without and viability on this, we can't accept-"
"Please!"
"Sora," Cloud started, "I know you're a huge romantic but-"
"No Cloud please!" Sora shouted, "One more time! Please request it!"
Cloud blinked it surprised…the boy just called him by his first name.
"Hurry up, it's not working," Vincent tapped the boy's shoulder to let him know they were about to be taken away in about two seconds.
"Please! He wants to be here! He really does! More than anything!" Sora struggled and felt his mouth going dry before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a letter, "I have a letter from Mr. Leonhart!"
Cloud's eyes slightly widened and eyed the letter suspiciously.
"Just postpone it again! Just one more! One more chance!"
"…Your Honor," Cloud started and everyone froze, "…Can I request to postpone this? One last time."
Sora felt a huge relief leave his heavy heart as he found a way to smile through this tough crisis.
"Um, Squall?"
"Don't call me that in public!" Sora hissed but Vincent only pointed at Cloud. Sora spun around to see Cloud on his phone and in a second, his cell phone started ringing.
"Oh no! Vincent, here!" handing the man the letter, Sora ran outside the courthouse while holding his cell phone so it won't sound as loud. He avoided his kids when he got outside so he jumped off the stairs off to the side and hid against the wall before clearing his throat and answering his phone.
"H-Hello?"
"Squall, where the hell are you?" Cloud demanded.
"Cloud…I'm so sorry. I really am. Please say Sora and Vincent got there in time."
"How is it possible that you can't request to come back? You have 30 days to get your ass back here! You're not just pushing your luck, you're pushing my patience!" Cloud shouted angrily as he started to walk out of the courthouse but he slowed down when he saw Vincent standing around, as if waiting, with that letter in his hands.
"I'm sorry…You have every right to be angry with me. Thank you so much for another chance…" Sora smiled as he talked with Cloud. Despite the blonde is furious with him, he feels as if he could never be happier right now.
"Well you're pushing it! This is your last chance for ANYTHING! And stop making Sora your messenger owl! I have a phone and a computer you know?"
"R-Right…Sorry Cloudy."
"Don't call me that!" Cloud shouted into his phone.
"How long are you going to yell in front of me?" Vincent asked and Cloud gave the man apologetic look before ranting on Leon again, "If you don't come at all to the next meeting, you can say goodbye to Roxas and Naminé!"
"I understand…"
"And Leon…"
"Yes?"
"How the hell are you still sick? You still sound weird!"
"Oh! Uh…I'm not. It's probably just a bad connection…" Sora was so glad he remembered to deepen his voice a bit before answering.
"Ugh, whatever! Just be here! Now if you'll excuse me! I need a word with Vincent and Sora once I find that boy…"
"Sure thing…and Cloud?"
"What?"
"…I love you."
"…" Cloud's train of thought suddenly went blank and he struggled to find something to say but nothing came out of his mouth. He only heard the sound of Leon closing his phone. Cloud stood there and looked at his phone, showing how long his conversation lasted with Leon.
"Cloud?" Vincent touched the man's shoulder to get him to look at him.
"Um, yeah, uh, sorry…Can I see that?" Cloud asked, pointing at the letter and Vincent shrugged, handing the letter to him.
The envelope had Cloud's name on it, in Leon's handwriting, so Sora must've been telling the truth.
"Thanks…where's Sora?"
"Uh…bathroom I think?"
"You think? Vincent do you even take care of him?" Cloud demanded.
"Uh…of course I do…"
"You don't even know where he is!"
"I said bathroom…I think."
"Vincent…" Cloud folded his arms and gave the man a stern look. Sora was watching for the last few moments but thought Vincent suffered enough and thus runs in to help save him,
"Hi Mr. Strife! Uh, I couldn't help but overhear but don't worry! Uncle Vincent is taking very good care of me!"
"…Is he?" Cloud stared at Sora with a raised brow.
"Of course! We're really close!" Sora took it a step farther and hugged the man, causing Vincent to tense up and glare daggers at the boy.
"Don't touch me…" he murmured but one look from Cloud made Vincent endure it for a bit longer as Sora helped get Cloud off Vincent's back.
"This is the last time I'll EVER help you," Vincent commented when they got back home and he shut the door of his home.
"I know, Vincent and I appreciate everything you've endured for me! I really do! Really…thank you, Vincent."
"Hn…just please don't hug me ever again! Unless you're crying…"
Sora lightly giggled as he watched Vincent stomp off,
"Okay…thanks again…" Sora sighed and sat on sofa chair, "Because you may be stuck with me for a while…"
The boy looked at his hands, he only has 30 days to change back and he doesn't know how. When he was at school, he spent time looking for Merlin but no sign. They didn't even have a janitor named Merlin.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
When Cloud got out of court earlier than the twins expected, they were saddened but when Cloud told them that it was postponed, hope filled their eyes again.
When they got home, Cloud headed up towards his bedroom, locking himself in before he quickly ripped open the envelope and pulled the letter out. He didn't understand. It's not possible for Leon to give him a reply this fast after only giving Sora a letter not too long ago. That's the one thing that crossed Cloud's mind when he saw that letter.
Dear Cloud,
In all honesty, I never wanted to give this to you. Because I know if I did it means there's nothing I can do at this point.
I love my family. So I'm sorry that I couldn't be the lover that you deserve to have or even a good enough parent for Roxas and Naminé. I regret not noticing that everything I could ever wanted was right here in front of me.
I will never forget the times I've spent with you. From the day I met you to the day I said "I do" and even the times after that. Right now, I want to be with you more than anything, even if you're mad at me right now.
I love you, Cloud. I want you to at least know that and believe it.
Because that I love you, I will not stop you from leaving me. If this divorce is what you truly want, if it'll make you happy, I will not stop you. You're happiness will always come first. Even if it's over between us, I will always be there for you. Because I will only continue to love you. You will always be the one person that has my heart.
Forever yours,
Leon
"…" Cloud slowly lowered his hands, trying to register what he just read. He lifted them again to look at the letter and realized how odd the paper felt and a lot of the words were smeared or smudged. The only reason he could even read it was because they were written over again. Was Leon crying when he wrote this?
Cloud threw the letter on the bed before opening his closet and started pulling out boxes and other junk that Leon and himself have thrown in it plus many swords piled up together. He kept pulling stuff out until he found a small box hidden in the corner in the back. Running back to the bed, he opened it. After scanning it, he carefully took out photos of himself and Leon as well as special items and putting them to the side. It wasn't until he reached the bottom that he turned the box upside-down to dump out a large book. Opening it, memories came pouring back. Signed autographs by friends, bullet holes through the faces of enemies(courtesy of Vincent), numbers written down by acquaintances, and the usual comments and goodbyes.
Forever Yours
Cloud blinked as he read that under Squall Leonhart with the picture above. The exact same handwriting. The man even made an attempt at a poor-excuse of a 'cute heart' next to it.
Cloud stared harder and longer but at the picture this time. Leon didn't look exactly like Sora but this was their graduation yearbook and he didn't have a copy of any year before this. But it only refreshed his memory of what Leon looked like in high school. Sure, the hair was down by their last year of high school but before that…Sora just looked too much like him! Cloud shook his head and groaned before reaching in his pocket for his phone.
"What?" Vincent's annoyed voice answered at the other end.
"Vincent! Vincent do you have a copy of our high school's yearbook? If you do, what year?"
"…Why would I waste my money on a stupid yearbook?"
"I guess that's a no huh?"
"Duh."
"Okay bye…" after hanging up with Vincent he quickly called up another friend.
"Cloud?"
"Tifa? Hey uh, do you know if you have a yearbook from our high school?"
"Um, yes I do. Just one the one from our last year though."
"Oh…never mind then."
"Oh sorry I couldn't help."
"No it's okay, thanks anyway."
After Tifa, Cloud made himself call Reno who he actually thanked didn't have what he was looking for. Finally he went to his last two people.
"What's up, Cloudy? You haven't called in soooooo long! I missed you!"
"Hehe, missed you too, Zack."
"What's going on, something wrong?" Zack asked, being able to tell from Cloud's voice.
"Uh…kind of."
"Oh no, what did Squall do now?" Cloud can pretty much imagine Zack roll his eyes at that moment.
"Actually, I'm asking around for something. Do you happen to have a copy of our high school yearbook?"
"Um…probably! If I don't, Aerith might!"
"Which one?"
"Um…actually we may have all 4 years."
"Yes! Zack! I need a favor! I need to borrow our…Sophomore year I think?"
"Sure, come on over, I'll look for it until you get here."
"Thanks so much, Zack!" Closing his phone, he rushed downstairs.
"Roxas! Naminé! I'm going out! Don't leave the house until I get back!" he shouted.
"What if Sora comes over? Can he stay?" Roxas asked, popping his head from the family room.
"Sora? Um, yeah, he can. Just don't leave the house. Behave! Both of you!"
With that, he headed towards Zack and Aerith's place. With a single ring of the doorbell, the door was answered.
"Cloud! It's been a while! Zack told me you were coming!" Aerith greeted with a sweet smile.
"Thanks so much, Aerith. How have you two been?" Cloud asked as he took a step inside.
"Great! Oh yes, we both apologize about you and Squall. Tifa mentioned it to us," Aerith apologized and Cloud just waved it off.
"No, no, it's okay. Nothing's well…official yet."
"Cloudy!" Cloud turned in time to get a man-hug from Zack, "Come over more often will ya?"
"I definitely will if you have that yearbook."
"Sure I do! Come on!" Going into the bedroom, Zack pointed Cloud at the 4 books stacked up and Cloud quickly pulled out the year he's looking for. Zack leaned in over his shoulder in time to see Cloud find Squall and lightly gasp.
"Wow…I totally forgot how unmanly he looked," Zack commented before laughing a bit.
"Oh my god…"
"What? You forgot too?"
"Um, n-no…can I borrow this book, Zack?"
"Um, sure, go ahead but why do you need it?" Zack asked, raising his brow.
"…long and complicated story…"
"…Alright then. I won't poke my nose where it doesn't belong then," said Zack, throwing an arm around Cloud, "Oh yeah, heard about you and Squall. So what's going on? Are you getting divorced or what? And what about the kids?"
"I…we're going to be in court in 30 days. But…I'm starting to reconsider this…"
"…What? Why?" Zack asked, a bit concerned.
"Because…long and complicated story, heh…"
"Oh Cloud, I'm not gonna go against or for this whole divorce thing…so long as you're happy and don't let that man tell you what to do! And promise me that the next time he makes you upset, call me so I can beat him up!"
"Haha, you know what, I will," Cloud nodded with a smile, "Thanks, Zack."
"Always there for ya, buddy," Zack smirked and slapped Cloud on the back, "Ooh, can Aerith and I visit sometime? I haven't seen Roxas and Naminé in so long!"
"Sure thing, come over anytime…in fact, want to join us for dinner tonight?"
"Haha, alright then! Dinner it is!"
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