A/N:
Alice: *peeks out from behind Reyaa* Are they gone? They're still mad about that cliffhanger thing...
Reyaa: They said you were evil...
Alice: I couldn't help it! That's where the best chapter divide was...*grumbles* Oh well. This next part should appease them, somewhat...and they should know that I was a complete wreck while writing it...
Reyaa: *turns to the readers* I shower you all with cookies and love for the sweet reviews. I'd like to point out that Alice was the one cutting this story up into chapters, so the cliffhanger was not my fault whatsoever. Now hide behind me, Alice.
Alice: T_T
Leon
"Cloud? CLOUD!" He was shaking, his whole body racked with convulsions, his eyes rolled up into the back of his head. Shit! He was having a seizure. Trying not to hold him too tightly, but trying to keep him from hurting himself, my heart racing, I dug my phone out of my pocket and dialed 911. I must have given the correct information or at least given them what they needed and I sat back on the ground, the phone lying next to me as I cradled him against my chest and stroked his hair as best I could. "Cloud, shhh, it's okay. Everything's going to be fine. Shhh." Goddammit, this was fucking not good. Had the tumor gotten worse? Was he going to be okay? My whole world narrowed to just Cloud, trying to hold his still shaking body.
"Sir, you need to let go. Sir!" Snapping my eyes up, I saw two emergency services men standing in my doorway, one of them leaning down, trying to remove my arms from around the shaking blonde. I numbly handed Cloud over and they set to work, getting an IV in place and checking his vitals. "How long has he been like this?" The one asked, eyes focused on the instrument that was checking Cloud's racing heart.
"About five or ten minutes." My responses were mechanical and I watched as the convulsions were stopped, and they braced his neck.
"Has this happened before?" They lifted him onto a stretcher and I inhaled sharply as it seemed to swallow him from my view.
"I'm not sure. He has a tumor in his brain." I choked out, eyes only on Cloud as they wheeled him out my front door and down the steps. Finally tearing my eyes away from him, I turned to the paramedic asking me the questions. "Is he going to be okay?" He gave me a serious look.
"We will do everything we can, you have about thirty seconds to get into the back of the ambulance if you are coming with us." With that, he moved past me, spurring me into action. My keys and my phone, nothing else was important. Thank god, I hadn't taken my shoes off. Sprinting down the steps I jumped into the ambulance and they shifted so that I was sitting near his head, my hand on his shoulder, trying to give as much comfort as I could, scared by the unresponsiveness.
"Talk to him. Call his name. If we can get him conscious, that is a good sign." Never taking my eyes off of his face, I reached down and gripped his hand.
"Cloud? Can you hear me? Come on, wake up. We need you to wake up." Squeezing his hand rhythmically, trying to reassure him that I was right there, I spoke softly, leaning in close to his face. I could hear the paramedics radioing the hospital, giving them an ETA and all of Cloud's vital signs. "Come on, Cloud. You can wake up. No worries, everything is going to be fine."
I continued to plead and urge Cloud to just open his eyes, just one, to do something, and before I knew it the ambulance was slowly down, alerting me to the fact that we'd arrived at the hospital. We stopped and the paramedics started to open the doors and I could hear more people outside, talking fast.
"Leon?" Big blue eyes looked up at me, seemingly confused as they darted over the surroundings, his fingers tightening in my grip.
"Cloud?" Oh thank god. "Cloud, you had a seizure. We're at the hospital." I didn't get anything else out before the paramedics jolted the gurney, moving it outside and I dropped Cloud's hand in surprise. I couldn't get out fast enough. "Wait! He's awake! Cloud!" Arms stopped me, and I watched in horror as he was wheeled around a corner and out of my sight.
"Sir! Sir! You can't go back there!" Whirling around, hell bent on decking whoever was stopping me, I blinked as I came face to face with a giant black security guard with a sympathetic expression on his face. "Sir, that is for hospital personal only. I'm sorry, but you'll have to remain out here."
I slumped and he released me, figuring that I wouldn't make a run for the doors again. "Dammit! Fucking all to hell!" Dropping to my knees, I took a moment to compose myself. Come on, Leon. Get a grip. They aren't going to let you back there if you're acting crazy. Deep breath in...deep breath out...Okay. Standing, I glanced around and noticed the reception desk. "Thank you." I said to the security guard, and stomped over to the nurse at the station. "My name is Squall Leonhart, and my husband was just brought in. Here is my information and I would like an update as soon as possible." Slapping down my identification and insurance card, I waited for her to acknowledge me.
"Hospital personal only?" I heard a shriek that was very familiar, "I'm not part of that! If I'm not and you guys let me back in here, then you should allow Squall Leonhart!" An annoyed growl and then I heard stuff clattering to the ground, "I'm fine! The seizure is a side effect to the brain tumor I'm sporting. My surgeon told me that this could happen. Now stop poking around and let me see my husband, damn you fucking all!"
Before I could say anything, the nurse's phone rang and she quickly grabbed it, and listened for a few seconds before nodding and hanging up. "Sir, the doctor wants you back there. Here are your cards back." I growled and grabbed my information, shoving it into my pocket as I went through the double doors. Hearing another set of curse words, I smiled and zeroed in on Cloud's room.
"No! You'll not get my cooperation until you get him in here. I'm a stubborn brat, I warn you! I'll calm down only when you've gotten my hus-" His eyes landed on me and the glare faded as he smiled at me, "Hi Leon!"
"Cloud." My voice was low and I walked quickly to his side, grabbing his hand and leaning down to rest my forehead against his. "Are you okay?" I whispered, ignoring the doctor I could sense was standing on the other side of the bed from me.
His hands reached up, framing my face softly. "Yes. You're here now. I'm sorry if I scared you. I should have warned you about the seizures. It just slipped my mind." He whispered, keeping me close to him.
"No, no, it's okay." Taking a deep breath to compose myself, I reluctantly pulled back and looked at the doctor. "How is he?"
"He is fine, Mr. Leonhart. The seizure didn't do any damage and as Cloud so loudly informed us, it is an unfortunate side effect to the brain tumor." He gave Cloud a pointed look, smiling in an amused fashion, which led Cloud to sheepishly hide his face against my chest. "It was a scare, truly. Just take it easy tonight and I suggest you and Cloud go to see his surgeon in the next coming days so he can instruct you, Squall, on how to deal with future seizures Cloud may have."
"You can call me Leon, actually, and thank you." I pulled away from Cloud to give the doctor a hand shake, hopefully letting him know how grateful I was for letting me back here. "So, I can take him home now? Or are there more tests?"
The doctor chuckled as he looked down at some paperwork, "I'm keeping him a little while longer, I wish to run one more test. Shouldn't take long. I'll have a nurse come to you in a few minutes to do it." He said, giving Cloud a wary look, "You may stay present, Leon, we wouldn't want to scare the nice little nurse with one of Cloud's outbursts like he did the last one..."
"I'm sorry!" Cloud blurted, "I just really needed Leon." He said simply, shrugging his shoulders and clearly not sorry at all.
"Very well." The doctor said, exiting the room to go get the nurse.
I turned back to Cloud, still worried about what just happened. Exhaustion hit me though, and grabbed the chair in the corner and moved it closer to the bed. "Are you sure you're okay? And why didn't you tell me about this, Cloud?" I was slightly hurt, but more worried about him than anything.
He reached out to take my hands but since nobody was in the room, he faltered, retrieving his hands and placing them on his lap. "I honestly forgot. I've sort of been trying to just not think about the tumor at all..." He winced, "It's depressing." Why did he pull back? And then my brain started working again, reminding me that this was not, in fact, my loving husband, but a husband in name only. Right...
"It's okay. Just... let me know if there is anything that I should watch for." I licked my lips, suddenly really nervous about this entire day. "I'm going to call Tifa and have her arrange to have my car brought over. Okay?" Pulling out my cell phone, I quickly called and arranged to have it done. Giving her only the barest of details, I quickly hung up as the nurse came in.
She gave Cloud some kind of cognitive test and then we were free to go. The ride back home was silent and a little bit tense and we were advised that Cloud needed to rest, so I got us some take out on the way. We ate in silence and I wanted to offer to help him upstairs when he said he was tired, but I didn't want to seem overbearing. He disappeared and I started cleaning up our dinner.
Walking into the kitchen I glanced around and noticed a giant mound of what I think was bread dough, slowly growing on the counter. Homemade bread. I glanced up at the ceiling, hearing the shower start and as I started putting it away, I couldn't help but feel cheated that I was married to the perfect guy, and I couldn't do anything about it.
Cloud
I pushed up in the tub, letting my head pop out of the surface of the water, breathing in deeply. Leon's bathroom was much nicer then mine... The tub was really big... If I pulled my knees up, Leon could easily fit on the other side. Being my husband that would be a nice little shared moment. Bathing together. Oh, but I couldn't, could I? No! Because he's only my husband in name and that was seriously starting to annoy me to hell and back!
Grumbling, I sighed and the water by my mouth bubbled as I crossed my eyes and tried to relax like the doctor had told me to do and the nurse and Leon too. Tifa too, on the phone. Leon had done so good... Not that it really surprised me since he was an amazing man. So sweet, considerate, generous, smart, handsome and then he took care of me without skipping a beat or hesitating.
That kiss... Reaching up, I pressed my fingers against my lips, smiling softly at the memory. Sure, it had just been for show, but god... I don't think anything had ever felt that good. And although I didn't like seeing him worried, it did something to me when I'd seen him rush to me in the hospital. That he cared so much about me? No one had cared like that for me before. Pouting, I pushed myself out of the tub, stepping out and grabbing a towel. Why couldn't he be my real husband? This was so unfair...
Wrapping a towel around my hips, I used the smaller one to rub the water out of my hair, leaving it on the edge of the sink as I walked over to the door that led into Leon's room. Not knowing where he was, I knocked just in case before opening the door. He wasn't there. Holding onto the towel, I walked over to the closet, opened the door and then pursed my lips as the heap of clothes I'd shoved in there earlier in panic fell out, laying by my feet. Whoops.
Leon cleared his throat beside me, making my spin sideways so I could look at him, gripping my towel more firmly as he leaned against his door frame, eyebrow raised in question.
"I can explain." I told him quickly.
"By all means," He said, waving his hand and smiling softly as his eyes traveled over my nearly naked form, "I'm listening."
I'm pretty sure my entire body blushed with the way his gaze took me in. "Earlier when Saix came over, well... I settled him on the couch and then he wanted coffee, so I let the coffee run and then went out back, through the garage and then up to the second floor. I thought that maybe he'd inspect the house and I didn't want him to get suspicious by seeing that we sleep in two different rooms. So..." I waved at the pile of clothes, "I moved all my stuff in your room. Including my things from my bathroom into your bathroom. I was lazy and I really wanted to use your tub... Which is why I was in here and not in my own bathroom just now." Bad Cloud, you really should have asked. "I'm sorry." I mumbled out nervously.
"Cloud," He was smiling and giving me a gentle look, "It's fine. Totally fine. You can use my bath anytime you want. I don't mind at all." Standing away from the door frame and glancing around his room, he continued to smile. "We'll pick this up tomorrow. Don't worry about it, okay? Just rest." Taking a step backwards, he grabbed the door handle. "I'll let you get dressed and then you can come down. We'll watch a movie or something. Okay?"
"Okay..." I murmured, giving him a quick smile before he closed the door. Dear god, this was getting ridiculous. What I'd really have liked would have been for him to hold me close and sleep beside me. Guess that wasn't going to happen. Sighing, I picked up a pair of comfortable pajama pants, letting the towel drop so I could get dressed and then go down to watch that movie with Leon. Most likely sitting on the opposite end of the couch like we always did. Tomorrow I was going to call Tifa. She'd know what I should do about this situation.
The next morning
I always heard Leon's alarm go off in the morning. I didn't have to get up as early as he did and I also got home sooner than him. Today though, it was Friday and I wasn't going to work considering the seizure I'd had yesterday. I figured I was allowed to take a day off. Cid agreed, realizing this tumor deal I was going through was a lot more serious then he thought it had been.
In any case, when Leon's alarm went off, I usually got up as well, making him breakfast because... Well, I really liked making him food and seeing him off to work, however silly that may be. Not this morning though, not after all the awkwardness that had happened yesterday. I needed to talk to Tifa and figure some stuff out before falling back into our routine.
The moment I heard the door slam shut, telling me Leon had gone to work, I slowly went down the stairs and waited for his car to drive off before making my way into the kitchen to prepare myself a cup of coffee while dialing Tifa's number on my cellphone. It rang three times and then she picked up.
"Hey, Cloud. How are you feeling?" Her voice sounded a little worried.
"I'm good," I told her honestly, "Thanks for the concern. Now lets move on from that and help me with something that's..." more important then a seizure caused by my brain tumor? Well. Yeah... I strongly believed my tumor didn't deserve any attention at all. It wasn't going to rule my life. Leon on the other hand... "I think I'm in love with my husband."
"Pardon? Did you just say you are in love with your husband? Your husband, as in Leon?" I couldn't tell if that was disbelief in here voice or if she was just surprised.
I rolled my eyes, "Did I invite you to any of my other weddings? Of course, Leon, you silly twit!" I grumbled, taking a quick sip from my coffee, "It's bad, isn't it? I shouldn't allow myself to be attracted to him. We're only married to make sure I can get coverage concerning the surgery. If I act on these feelings I might put that deal on the line... It should stay strictly platonic. I know this..." I assured her, "But it's so hard. He's so amazing, Tifa... He's sweet and handsome and strong and caring and generous and smart and funny and handsome and-"
"Dear god, Cloud! Shut up, for a second!" She yelled, chuckling a little.
I smiled, "Okay." She was going to think now and find me a solution. She was good at that.
"Okay, first off. I'm well aware of Leon's virtues. Next, please explain to me why you can't love your husband? I thought that the point of marriage was to love your spouse? And don't give me that crap about putting the 'deal on the line.' Leon is not going to back out of it. So what if you actually have feelings for each other? Why should that matter?"
I frowned, shaking my head even if she couldn't see, "It matters because, what if it doesn't work out? We'd have to split up."
"Um, Cloud? You remember that you were planning on getting an annulment and splitting up anyways, right? So the marriage thing is irrelevant as you have already planned on having it annulled. So, go ahead and love your husband, but don't be weirded out about the marriage part. Now, why not give Leon a chance? He's a great guy, and I'm sure he cares about you already. I know it's a bit weird, but give it a shot."
Sighing, I looked around the kitchen, my heart warming at the place. I liked this kitchen and the living room and this house... "But say it doesn't work out, I'd have to move out of this place. I like it here, Tifa."
"Would you like it as much if Leon wasn't there?"
"Damn you. Fine, I'll think about telling him." I muttered. I hung up before she could start gloating, telling me how she was always right. I put my now empty coffee cup in the sink, leaning against the bar as I thought about everything for a little while, letting it run through my mind... If I was going to tell Leon about how I felt for him, he needed to pass one test... One small test. I don't think that the outcome would change much how I felt for him, but... I was curious to see how he felt about this particular thing. Pursing my lips, I pushed away from the bar and then set off the work, putting my plan in motion.
Later that day
I tucked my pants up, them being pulled down by the cord that was attached to my belt, the cord leading out the back door which was attached to the thing that was going to test Leon. I was making tacos, just in case he didn't like the test at all. Tacos would make him happy again.
Putting the tacos in the oven, I frowned. What if that didn't work? What if the tacos didn't make him happy and he got angry at me? I didn't want to make him angry. Shit... Even though we were husbands only by name, the big decision I'd made today was something I should have discussed with him. Oh man, I was so stupid... I didn't want to fuck up whatever weird and strange relationship I had going with Leon. Sure, it annoyed the fuck out of me that I couldn't be his real husband, but I didn't want to lose this fake marriage either...
I heard his car park in the driveway and I panicked. Tugging on the cord, I gathered the bundle of fluff in my arms, petting it's head before gently placing it in the stairway closet, hiding it from Leon. I'd smuggle it out when he wasn't looking or something. Closing the door, I groaned as the cord got stuck, leading me to frantically try and untie the knot, but the front door was opening already and Leon was telling me he was home and... Fuck! Turning around I closed the door, leaning against it so it would stay as closed as it could, what with the cord not allowing me to close it completely.
"Hi Leon!" I said pleasantly, trying to remain nonchalant as I leaned against the door.
"Hey, Cloud. How are you feeling today?" He dropped his keys and briefcase on the floor, and started taking his shoes off.
"I'm feeling as good as new," I told him honestly, appreciating the way he cared. "How was your day? Tacos are in the oven."
"It was fine." He stood up, eying me warily. "What are you doing?"
"Just hangin'..." Seriously? That wasn't convincing at all... "Ah, just testing the stability of this wall." What? "Door." Not any better. "I mean. Tacos are in the oven." Yes, repeating one's self is always the good way out. I smacked myself internally but smiled happily at him.
He smiled back, and came closer. "What are you hiding? I find myself wondering if you've done something naughty." Butterflies stormed through my stomach at the way his words sounded so smooth and soft, the look in his eye making me melt.
Gulping, I stared at him with big innocent eyes, "Me? No. I'm never naughty." I frowned as the silly little creature I was hiding was trying to push it's way out. It was gonna rat me out! "You should go to the kitchen. Dinner will get cold." I told him nervously.
Looking at the door, he smirked and went to reach for the handle. "Cloud, I'm pretty sure dinner will be okay. What do you have in here?"
Stepping to the side to block him from reaching the door handle, I shrugged, "Nothing at all. Come on, let me give you another massage." If distracting him through his stomach couldn't work then maybe some sensual touches that would torture me for another month would.
Tilting his head to the side, he gave me a funny look. "As tempting as that sounds, I think I'd rather find out whatever it is you are trying to hide first."
I groaned, "Damn you." He wasn't going to give up, was he? "Fine. If none of that worked, maybe this will get your attention away from the stairway closet." I told him seriously, feeling my heart beat pick up in speed. "Leon, I..." I'd never told anyone this... I wanted to tell Leon though, "I like you. More then a friend." I told him softly, feeling my cheeks heat as I looked at him carefully, trying to read his expression. There was a beat of silence and before he could react, there was a... Bark. "Hey! Don't steal my thunder!" I glared as I turned, opening the door so I could pick the little fluffy puppy up into my arms, petting her as I shook my head at her. She'd been dropped off at the shelter two weeks ago. No one had come to claim her. She was a husky, beautiful and so very sweet.
I heard Leon gulp and clear his throat. "Is that...a puppy? It looks like a wolf..." He sounded nervous.
She had stolen my thunder! Glaring down at the cute little flee bag, I couldn't help but hug her gently before offering her to Leon. "It's a husky, not a wolf. They're close family though, but husky's are actually very nice dogs. She's only four months old. I..." I cleared my throat, "I sorta adopted her this afternoon."
Never taking his eyes from her, he licked his lips and slowly reached out to take her from me. Cradling her against his chest, he was absently petting her with a look of wonder on his face.
"What's her name?" He whispered softly. I bit onto my bottom lip, tilting my head as I looked at him and the puppy. She liked him. Leon grimaced at first when she licked his cheek, but then gently pushed her back down against his chest, chuckling as he let her lick his hand instead.
"She doesn't have a name." I told him softly, smiling as he couldn't take his eyes off her, "You can name her."
"Shiva. Is that a good name, do you think?" Finally breaking his eyes away from her, he looked at me earnestly. "I've never had a pet before." He said sheepishly.
"I love it!" I told him happily, "And that's okay. I'll teach you." Grinning, I reached over and gently took Shiva out of his arms, leading him to frown at me as I put her on the floor, untying the knot from the collar and my belt to let her walk around freely. "She's going to be a big dog, Leon. You can carry her sometimes, but not too often. Don't make it a habit or else you'll regret it when she weighs 30 kilos and her back alines with the middle of your thigh." I told him, chuckling as I stood back up, watching Shiva sit down beside Leon's feet.
"Okay. I see your point." He knelt down and scratched her behind the ears. "Okay, now that the hidden thing has been revealed," Standing up and suddenly invading my space, his eyes staring into mine. "What were you saying about liking me?"
And my heart was racing again, palms sweaty as I took a step back, my back pressing against the door, but Leon just stepped closer to me. I swallowed nervously, darting my eyes down to the ground. "I... Well. You heard that?" I chuckled nervously, "I was just saying that to distract-" I cut myself off, rolling my eyes as I crossed my arms and gave Leon a pointed look. "Oh, who am I kidding. Fine. I like you, alright? And I know that the whole marriage thing requires us to be platonic or something, but I seriously don't understand why anymore."
Leon smiled and stepped even closer and I felt his breath ghost over my face. "You do realize that there should never be anything platonic about marriage, right?" He had me completely backed up against the hall closet door now, his arms coming up and resting against the door on either side of my head. "And what a surprise. I like you too."
Uncrossing my arms, I gulped at how close he was, my eyes hooding as I stared down at his lips. I slowly slipped one arm around his back, my lips parting as my breathing already picked up even though we weren't really doing anything. That's how strongly I felt for him. Just his close proximity could fog my brain, my body flushing hot and my breathing erratic. Licking my lips, I placed my other hand lightly against his neck, tilting my head to the side and up, letting my lips touch his ever softly. I trembled at the touch, even if we had kissed before, this wasn't for show, this was for us.
"Leon..." I whispered, pressing my lips a bit more firmly against his. Moaning, never breaking the kiss, Leon dropped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me closer. It was slow and sweet, his lips parting and his tongue softly lapping at mine. Goosebumps broke out over my skin, a delightful shiver running down my spine as I pressed myself even closer to him, fingers clutching his shirt as I returned the soft kiss. I don't think my heart would ever settle down after this, I didn't really care though. His arms tightened around me as my legs felt weak, my body falling against him as I just melted into the kiss entirely.
Abruptly the kiss ended, as Leon pulled back and looked at me worriedly. "Cloud, you feeling okay? Light-headed?" His voice was frantic and he was leaning me against the door and checking my head.
I looked up at him, smiling happily as I nodded my head, feeling beyond dazed. "I'm very okay. I am light-headed." I told him, humming in appreciation, "The awesome kind..." I added in a whisper, "Please continue." Pressing up onto my tip toes, I offered him my lips again. A bark interrupted us though, making me frown through my daze. Blinking, I looked down at Shiva sitting by our feet, her head tilted up as she happily wagged her tail and demanding attention while her tongue stuck out from the left side of her open mouth.
Leon gently tilted my chin back up with his finger before bending down to give me another kiss, lingering for just a second before pulling back and smiling. "Okay. Teach me about puppies, Cloud. And we'll continue this later. Yeah?"
Slipping my hand up to place my palm against his cheek, I guided his face down, giving him another kiss because I just couldn't get enough, "Okay. That was the last one. Promise." Smiling at him, I then looked down at Shiva, "Come on, silly girl. Lets show Leon how fast you can run." I told her excitedly. I might as well have said 'Stupid dog, you are a bitch, lets kill you!' in that same tone of voice and it wouldn't have made a difference to her. But... Yeah. She jumped up excitedly, spinning in a circle before racing off to the back door. She knew that's where we went out since I'd taken her out to the back all day now.
Laughing a little at her antics, Leon looked at me, then down at my hand lacing his fingers through mine. "Let's go teach her how to fetch!"
Leon - about a week later
I felt Cloud rest his hand gently on my bouncing leg, trying to silently tell me that I was distracting other people in the waiting room. Blushing, I took a deep breath and quit bouncing my knee before resting my hand on top of his. It was a little over a week after his seizure and he'd made an appointment to talk to his neurosurgeon.
I'd insisted that I would be there, not that he was trying to stop me, but I wanted him to know that I was taking this very seriously. And I was. He was my husband, the term now causing fluttery feelings when I thought about it, and plus, he was my friend. We'd obviously skipped the boyfriend and fiance phase and even the honeymoon phase, but that didn't make my feelings for him any less real. They were just new. New to me and new to him apparently, and I was excited to find out that it wasn't that hard to be his husband.
We still slept in separate rooms, but only because we were taking things at a slower pace. Or I was. I was concerned for him, not sure if the excitement of having Saix stop by had been the trigger for the seizure and so I didn't want to put him under any emotional stress. Thankfully, Shiva was a very calming presence and an adorable distraction.
I'd always wanted a pet growing up, but my parent's weren't always home, and they didn't think that I could take care of one. And as I got older, it seemed sort of childish to want a puppy. So, I'd kept my desire hidden deep and figured I would never be one of those people who had an animal. Cloud found it extremely hilarious at my obvious lack of knowledge about dogs, insisting that Shiva did not need to share our dinner with us even though she was begging. Apparently, table scraps were not healthy and could lead to canine obesity and diabetes. Who knew?
Feeling Cloud squeeze my once again bouncing leg, I decided that I didn't care if people expected the waiting room to be quiet, I couldn't take the silence. "What time was the appointment again?" I asked, poking Cloud in the side.
He squirmed away from my finger, a short giggle escaping him for which he glared at me for, clearly not happy I'd found out about that trick. "Two thirty. It's two twenty nine now." He murmured, flicking the tip of my nose as he grinned at my impatience.
I covered my nose, rubbing it so I wouldn't sneeze on him and glared. "What's your doctor's name again? Has he had any lawsuits filed against him in the last five years? What are his credentials?"
Cloud's eye twitched, "Never thought I'd be married to a lawyer..." He mumbled somewhat amused at my chaining questions, as if ready for an interrogation, "Dr. Gizeh. Zexion Gizeh. He doesn't have a wise wrinkly forehead or a smart looking beard. He's between your age and mine I'd say." I knew why he was telling me this, afraid I wouldn't think this Zexion Gizeh was good enough because of his young age, "Tifa said he was the best in the city." Cloud then added, shrugging as he figured that should say all.
I relaxed just a little. Tifa was even better than I was at digging up dirt on someone. If she said he was the best in the city, then he was the best in the city. That still didn't calm my nerves and I glanced at the clock again and bit my tongue as it was now only two thirty one. The other two people in the waiting room were obviously not here to see the same doctor as one was on crutches and the other had a broken arm.
"Cloud, when did he say the best time to do the surgery was? The sooner the better right?"
"Yeah, but since my case isn't as urgent as others, he popped me into his schedule after the more severe cases." Cloud said, shrugging his shoulder again, clearly trusting the doctor completely.
"I guess." I trailed off, not sure if I was okay with that, but I wasn't sure what logic I could use to argue it. From the hallway in the far right corner appeared a man, and I knew it was Cloud's doctor since Cloud stood from his chair, giving the blue haired guy a quick smile. Zexion Gizeh returned it gently, tugging on his white coat as he moved over to him, offering his hand which Cloud took. Turning in my direction, he sent Cloud a questioning look and Cloud was about to explain, but I had to cut in.
"Oh my god! Are you seriously contemplating cutting in my husband's brain with just one eye visible?" Okay, that was probably rude...
Dr. Zexion's one eye blinked and then he frowned at Cloud, "Who the hell is this guy?"
Cloud pressed his lips together, smothering a grin, "Ehm. This is Squall Leonhart, just Leon will do fine. He's my husband." Cloud sent me an amused yet warning look as he took my hand, pulling me onto my feet. "He's a teensy bit nervous about all of this, so you have to forgive him the occasional snarky comment."
Zexion nodded, taking my hand and shaking it, "I get it. As for the hair, I tie it back." He reassured, "Come along then." He turned, making his way back to the hallway which most likely led to his office. Biting my tongue, I wisely kept my mouth shut, not wanting to make a bad impression on the guy who was going to cut open Cloud's skull.
His office was neat and reminded me a little of a lawyers office. Diplomas behind the desk, easily visible to reassure the client, leather chairs for people to sit on, and a comfortable looking chair for him behind his desk. Motioning us to sit down, he walked around the desk to take his seat. I kept quiet and waited for him to explain some things to Cloud before I butted in and asked the questions I was curious about.
Zexion smiled at Cloud, flipping open what I assumed to be Cloud's documents concerning the state of his tumor, "So I hear the tumor decided to tickle your brain." He scanned his eye over the paperwork, most likely sent from the hospital Cloud had landed in after the seizure,and then nodded, "Well. Everything looks fine, like the doctor told you there. It's a pretty common side effect when it comes to the evil hitchhiker your brain is carrying right now. I can't do anything about them. They'll be gone after the surgery, definitely removed along with the tumor. But there's no need for you to go to the emergency room every time it happens." He looked at Cloud and then at me, "You live together, yes?"
Cloud nodded and Zexion then nodded, "Right. So I'll give Mr. Leonhart some instructions on how to position you in case you get another one and how to calm yourself, Leon, in case you panic. Seizures are quite an impressive sight, so it makes sense if they frighten you a bit." He told me gently, "I'll also give you a list. It contains a number of symptoms you'll need to look out for once the seizure is passed. Go over them and make sure you, Cloud, aren't bothered by any of these symptoms. If you so happen to have a slight doubt, you instantly go to the hospital. All makes sense, yes? Questions?"
I cleared my throat before voicing my question. "Are there any other things we should be looking for besides seizures? Any other symptoms that would indicate that tumor is doing harm?"
Zexion pursed his lips, nodding before looking at Cloud "If the head aches get worse, almost too painful to bear? You'll need to do a quick check up with me. Considering the size of your tumor, this will most likely not occur. Other things you want to look out for is if you actually get woken in the middle of the night by a headache. In the morning when you wake? If you vomit, that is another one you want to look out for. Again, the size of your tumor isn't one we really need to worry about, but I'll make sure to put these on the list as well so you can keep an eye on them."
I mentally made a note of everything he said, and I'd make sure to pass the instructions on to Tifa just in case. It was making sense and I was getting less worried when he kept reminding us that Cloud's tumor wasn't large enough to really be a threat. I had a few more questions about the actual procedure though.
"Can you tell us about how the procedure is going to go? How long and the recovery time?"
"Very simple." Zexion said easily, clearly sure in what he did, "Cloud will have to come in a day prior to the actual surgery. No food for twenty-four hours and then a nurse will come in to prep him and put him under. As you are married, Leon may remain in Cloud's room to wait. It won't take more then two hours. Recovery on the other hand...Cloud will have to stay in the hospital for two to three weeks, and we'll keep a close eye on the healing process of his skull in that time before sending him home."
Cloud gripped my hand suddenly and I saw him gulp as I looked in his direction, "Oh man... I didn't think about that. Of course you're cutting into my skull... How else would you reach the brain?" He mumbled out, his face paling considerably.
I squeezed his hand hoping to reassure him a little. "Where are you going to make the incision?" Really, I didn't want to alarm Cloud anymore, but the more I knew about it, the better I would feel. And two to three weeks? That was going to suck. I resolved to get that time off of work so I could be by his side the entire time.
"Cloud's tumor is located on the Occipital Lobes. That is..." He picked up a pen, tapping the location of it on the plastic brain displayed on his desk, "most posterior, at the back of the head." He explained, "It's the 'compartment' of the brain that handles your vision." Okay, he was giving me all the details now, good, "Were Cloud not to have noticed the tumor he could have had difficulty locating objects and identifying colors had the tumor had the chance to grow. Random production of hallucinations, visual illusions and the inability to recognize words and some issues with reading and writing." He leaned forward, turning the brain and then pointing at a specific spot on the area he'd called the 'Occipital Lobes', "This is where I'll drill a tiny hole into the skull and then make way for me to cut out the tumor before any of the earlier mentioned happens."
I gulped and felt a little queasy at the description. It sounded horrible and Cloud had to have that happen to him? I squeezed his hand one more time and glanced over at him. He seemed to be taking the news better than I was and I smiled softly at him. Turning back to the doctor, I asked, "And how soon can we do this? I just want to make sure my schedule is clear so I can be here."
Zexion pursed his lips, using his pen to press a button on his phone.
"Doctor?"
"When do I have Cloud Strife scheduled for?" Zexion asked his assistant, "Change his last name to Leonhart, please." he added. And yes, I felt like puffing out my chest at that, but I restrained myself. We heard a ruffle of papers, his assistant most likely looking for the date and in that time Cloud brought my hand up to his lips, kissing the back of it before giving me a quick and somewhat nervous smile. He seemed to be doing okay.
"Mr. Cloud Leonhart is scheduled for the third of June, doctor."
"Thank you, Namine." Zexion murmured, ending the call. "That's in a month and a half." he then told us.
Putting that date in my memory, and I'd make sure to tell my assistant as soon as I got back to work. I would take off at least a month, maybe more to be with Cloud. "Thank you for your help, doctor. Is there anything else we need to know?" I wanted to take Cloud out to dinner tonight. Something to take our minds off of this.
Zexion shook his head, "Not my knowledge. That is all you needed to be informed off. Here is the list I told you about, take it with you. I'll take five minutes of your time to show you how to position Cloud when having a seizure before you leave."
We were a bit subdued as we left the office, me trying to remember everything that he'd told us, and Cloud...I'm not sure how worried he was. He was pretty composed about it and I held his hand on the way to the car, and during the drive back to the house. Maybe I'd just order us something nice from the restaurant down the street and relax a little on the couch.
"Cloud? You okay if I order us some dinner? We can just relax tonight?" I was making it a habit to squeeze his hand to add a little something extra to whatever I was saying.
He nodded, "Yes, that sounds nice. No horror movie tonight, please?" He asked softly, squeezing my hand back.
Shaking my head, I gave him a small smile. "No, just something to fall asleep to. I've got tomorrow off and so do you. Let's just enjoy it."
Cloud - a couple of days later
I knew Leon quite a bit by now and this is why I was standing in front of the large building that contained the firm he and Tifa worked for. Shiva was on a leash that was clipped to my belt, a hot taco in a box in one of my hands, while I reached down with the other to pat Shiva on the head, smiling as she shoved her nose up against my palm asking for more pets.
"Come on." I told her walking towards the entrance, Shiva bouncing beside me happily. Of course the security guard eyed the dog strangely, but he didn't stop me either. Passing the receptionist desk that was ringing with many, many different phones, I made my way to the elevator, internally snickering at the grimaces and nasty faces sent at Shiva. Sure, I could have taken the stairs, but that wouldn't have been as funny.
So I reached down, scratching her behind the ear so she would sit down. She was quite calm, curious, but too big of a wuss to actually sniff each person that walked by or try and get them to give her attention. She had no issue pressing herself up against my leg and just staying there until we arrived on the floor Leon's office was on. I'd never actually been to his office. I knew where it was though since he'd mentioned it and it was on his business card which there were plenty off back at home. Stepping out of the elevator, I quickly made my way through, passing lots of office doors until I arrived at the right one. Knocking, I let myself in and smiled at Leon's secretary.
"Mr. Leonhart is quite busy at the moment. Would you like to make an appoint-" She cut herself off, eying Shiva warily.
"He's not busy. He's stressing out because of this lady right here," I pointed at Shiva, "and won't be able to get back to work until he's seen her with his own eyes." I grinned at the woman, "I also brought him a taco."
She sighed in relief, giving me a grateful smile, "Mr. Leonhart." She greeted and I liked that she knew who I was, "Thank you for saving this miserable day so far." She giggled, waving at the door before me so I could cheer Leon up. Making my way over, I knocked softly before opening the door carefully, not exactly sure how bad his mood was...
"Dammit!" He heard him mumble and I heard a drawer slam shut, followed by another one, as if he was searching for something in his desk.
"Leon?" I asked tentatively, tugging on the leash so Shiva would come in with me. I closed the door behind me as Leon turned around to face us.
"Cloud?" He smiled and stood up to walk over to us, glancing at Shiva then back up at me. "Did everything go okay? She's fine right?"
I raised an eyebrow, "Yes, she's fine. Vaccine shots were successfully and harmlessly done and she is now officially chipped, meaning we'll always find her if she ever runs off or gets lost." Shiva bounced over to Leon, tail waggling as she was happy to see her other man, "See? She's fine. I told you she would be." I grinned as Leon crouched down, giving Shiva a big hug. "Figured you needed to see it for yourself. I also brought you a taco because what with stressing over Shiva, you probably forgot to eat lunch."
Obviously not caring that he had some dog hair on his Armani suit, he rubbed her ears and laughed when she raised a paw to shake. He'd been a little overenthusiastic about teaching her as many tricks as he could. Releasing her, he stood up and wrapped his arms around me, giving me a deep kiss, tongue and all, in thanks.
Smiling into the kiss, I snaked my arms around his neck, melting against his body, moaning softly as his hand gently rested on the back of my head, keeping me still so he could deepen the kiss some more. Heart racing, my body overheating and my dick now hard as rock, I broke away, catching my breath, as I pressed my face into the crook of his neck.
"I hate that you want to take things slow." I whined. I knew why he was and being the lawyer that he is, he always had very reasonable excuses for delaying the event until further notice.
I could hear the grin in his voice and he just chuckled, content to just stand and hold me in his arms. "As much as I would love to list all of my reasons, again, I am a starving working man. Feed me." Releasing me and giving me one more quick kiss, he went to sit down on the couch that was set up in the back of his office.
Still horny as hell, I tilted my head, sighing at his lovely ass before it vanished from my view as he needed it to sit down on that couch. "Those suits are ridiculously expensive. But man..." I sighed happily, walking over to him so I could give him his taco as I sat down beside him, pushing Shiva down so she wouldn't climb up. "Your ass looks amazing in them." I told him shamelessly. This happened without my brain's permission when I was horny. I wasn't all that shy anymore. And, maybe if I pushed and teased him enough verbally, he'd give in physically.
"Thank you for that." He blushed a little and opened the bag to get out his lunch. "I feel obligated and priveliged to tell you that your ass also looks amazing in those jeans. But even saying that will cause a noticeable reaction in my pants that is clearly visible to the public and I'm just not going to say anything else." Grinning at me, he winked before settling in and eating his taco.
"Leon..." I whined, again, "I'm not going to pass out because of a little orgasm!" I told him. He was too worried sometimes, "Seriously. You know what might give me a seizure though? These spontaneous hard-ons that pop up to salute me several times a day! Sexual frustration is an awful kind of stress." I crossed my arms, giving him a stubborn pout.
He scowled and hurriedly chewed the bite he'd just taken, clearly wanting to say something. Swallowing finally, he cleared his throat. "Cloud, that isn't really stress, so don't even try and pull that with me." He grinned a little. "And I understand your frustration, I really do. But let's just ease into this. How about we take a couple of days off next week, and we'll do whatever you want." Holding up his hand to stop my immediate response, he finished. "And we'll see what happens, okay?"
I groaned, "I have to schedule sex?" I asked in disbelief. "Damn you, Squall Leonhart. For the scheduling and taking away my awesome form of retaliation. I was hoping you'd jump me and then I could stop you and tell you how unethical it would be for us to do naughty stuff in your office. And, if that hadn't worked? I would have asked you if you'd be able to look at your couch and work seriously with clients while having the memory of me coming all over it branded upon your brain!" I growled, "You, my dear husband, are a fucking saint." Leaning over, I kissed him, making sure he knew I wasn't too angry, but it was hard to not sound angry when I wasn't getting what I wanted.
"Okay, you are not allowed out of this office for the next twenty minutes." Leon took another bite and I had to wait for him to swallow before he would elaborate. Rolling his eyes, he glanced down at his lap moving a little and pointing out a rather obvious problem that was now visible. "I can't walk you outside while I'm like this, and as soon as you leave, someone will come in to ask about Shiva, and I am not going to hide behind my desk. So, sit and no more talking about you coming all over my couch." He winked and took another bite.
"Oh fine. I'll behave." I muttered, leaning in so I could lick some hot sauce off the corner of his mouth. When I pulled away, Leon's eyebrow was raised, "What? It was right there! Fine. Now I'll behave." Letting him finish his taco in peace for a bit, I gave Shiva some attention, waiting for him to be done before attacking him with my next want. A napkin flew across my line of vision, landing in the trash and that was my cue. Turning towards him, I gave him a sweet smile. Of course he knew instantly I wanted something. "I said I'd behave!" I reminded him, "I just..." Licking my lips, my cheeks heated a bit and I shuffled closer to him so I could press my face into the crook of his neck, "If I promise not to ravage you silly, can I please sleep in your bed with you at night? I don't like sleeping in separate rooms."
I felt his Adam's apple bob and his arms came around me, his lips hovering above my ear. "That would be okay. I like that idea." Arms holding me close, I heard a small moan as our bodies pressed against each other.
Popping my head up, I gave him a pointed look, "Don't moan. I can't behave if you moan. Your moans make me moan."
A/N: T_T There is more to come...
Pun intended ^_^