Part Seventeen

Getting To Know You

Leon stood on the deck of the ship lost in thought. He, Cloud, Ienzo and Squall had decided to take the long way home. Hopefully Seifer would be able to convince everyone back at the Garden about the impending missile attack. The scarred man sighed deeply.

He couldn't believe Quistis, Irvine and Rinoa were still alive in this place. He could still see them as the Heartless took their hearts and left them to rot in the darkness that had once been their home. Leon glanced down over the railing and stared at the endless glassy surface of the ocean below. Then there was the matter of his twin. Squall Leonhart existed in this world. The person Leon used to be.

He remembered being that cold and indifferent. He remembered ignoring the people who tried to be his friends. Rinoa, Quistis and Irvine were the brother and sisters he took for granted before Radiant Garden fell to the darkness. He learned too late what it was like to have a family.

Then he met Yuffie, Aerith, Merlin and Cid and they helped to rebuild his world and broken heart. When he met Sora he felt something else melt in his heart. The boy was like a brother to him, a little sibling he wanted to protect even though Sora could handle himself.

Sora made him smile a lot more. The kid was the kind of person you couldn't help but like despite yourself. Donald and Goofy were constantly with the Keyblade Master and Leon tolerated them to an extent. He liked them but would never admit it though.

The sea breeze made his hair brush back from his face. The scent of the ocean calmed him somewhat and his thoughts drifted to his mother and father. His mother, Raine, had died when he was seven and his father died not long after that. Looking back on it Leon could see that his father died of a broken heart.

He missed them all so much. He hadn't really had time to dwell on his situation but now he couldn't stop pondering what he was going to do. He knew he would have to talk to the other him eventually but really he would prefer to just ignore Squall for the rest of his stay here.

He didn't want to look at the cold person he used to be. He didn't want to be reminded on what happened when the Heartless destroyed everything he held dear. He felt the tension leave his body when warm arms wrapped around his waist. A familiar and welcome scent filled his senses and he allowed a small smile to appear on his lips.

"Don't think so much. You'll get wrinkles early." Cloud murmured against Leon's neck.

"Thanks for the advice." Leon said with a smile.

"How are you holding up?" Cloud asked after a few moments of silence.

"I've got to fight the urge to click my heels together and say there's no place like home." Leon remarked.

"Did you talk to Squall yet?" Cloud questioned. He let go of Leon so the brunet could turn around.

"I don't know what to say even if I wanted to talk to him." Leon answered truthfully.

"The world is messed up." Cloud frowned. Leon shook his head but smiled slightly. "I hope Sora's ok."

"He's Sora. He'll be fine. Riku will see to that." Leon replied.

"I wish that kid would just admit that he's in love with Sora." Cloud grunted.

"Cloud, we're not exactly the poster boys for expressing our feelings." Leon teased.

"I know." Cloud grinned then his eyes took on a distant look. "We can't let her win."

"We'll stop the Gateway." Leon promised. Sokar had taken a lot the first time the Gateway opened.

"Good." Cloud's blue eyes turned to the ocean. "So do you know anyone else in this place?"

"Quistis, Irvine and Rinoa." Leon nodded. "I can't believe they're here."

"You should talk to them." Cloud murmured softly.

"Let's just worry about stopping the attack first." Leon rubbed his scar.

"What do you think of Seifer in this world?" Cloud turned to his lover.

"He's the same." Leon shrugged.

"It's just..." Cloud glanced away from the brunet. "I saw how he looks at Squall."

"What are you talking about?" Leon cocked an eyebrow.

"It's the way I look at you." Cloud whispered. He glanced to the silent brunet and sighed. "I think Seifer Almasy has a crush on a stoic SeeD."

"You're beginning to sound like the girls." Leon smirked, referring to Yuffie and Aerith.

"That's wasn't funny." Cloud mock scowled.

"I should talk to the other me." Leon muttered. Cloud nodded then approached the frowning man.

"Come here, kiss me then go and give yourself a right talking to." Cloud ordered.

Leon smiled that one smile that only Cloud ever got to see before pressing very eager lips against waiting rose petal ones. He felt Cloud smile against his lips and his heart started to beat faster. He loved it when Cloud smiled. The blond didn't do it very often but when he did the sight was enough to make any Adonis weep with envy. It was just a simple meeting of lips but it was enough to ignite a fire in his belly and Leon pulled away before things got even more heated. His blond smiled reassuringly then motioned for Leon to get going.

The brunet took a deep breath before entering the cabins were the others were staying. As he passed by a few doors in the white corridor he heard laughing and a sound of music coming from behind one of the doors.

He didn't need to even wait for the voice to ring out to know that it was Demyx. He usually used his magic to create a tune or song for Ienzo. As the Siren he no longer needed a sitar to control music, magic and water. The melodies that Demyx could create were stunning and flawless. No one could resist his music and voice.

Eventually Leon reached the room where Squall had escaped to not long after they got on board the ship. Squall had driven them back to Deling where they got the first train to the nearest harbour town. Seifer, Baralai and the others would've warned Balamb Garden by now. Hopefully Trabia was safe as well. Leon raised his hand and knocked on the door. He heard his twin grunt a 'come in' then he shoved open the door to enter a dimly lit cabin. He saw Leonhart sitting on a plush bed, his gaze distant. Leon crossed his arms then leaned back against the wall.

"What are you doing here?" Squall asked when he realised who his guest was.

"I wanted to talk." Leon answered.

"About what?" Squall got off the bed and stood to face his twin.

"Do I even need to elaborate?" the long haired brunet scowled.

"So you're from a parallel world." Squall frowned. "And your friends are from the same place."

"I wanted to know about you." Leon said firmly.

"Why? Because we're the same man?" Squall said icily. Leon sighed the he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Look, I just want to talk ok." Leon sighed heavily.

"Who's your blond friend?" Squall narrowed his eyes at his counterpart.

"You mean Cloud Strife?" Leon glanced towards the other man. "He's my partner."

"Is he SeeD?" Squall asked.

"No, I mean he's my partner. Try expanding on that word." Leon rolled his eyes.

"Whatever..." Squall muttered when he realized what Leon meant.

"Good comeback." Leon grinned.

"So you're here to help save the world?" Squall changed the subject.

"If the Sorceress tries to open the Gateway it won't just be your world that suffers." Leon pushed away from the wall.

"What happened the first time it opened?" Squall questioned.

"People died." Leon responded. "Demyx...Axel, they died."

"Those two GFs?" the SeeD looked surprised.

"They weren't always like that." Leon sat down on the bed. "They used to be part of an Organization."

"Organization?" Squall cocked his head. Leon sighed then he began to explain.

He told his counterpart about the Heartless and the destruction of his home world. He explained about Organization XIII and how Axel, Demyx and Zexion broke away from them. It took him a moment to fully explain about Demyx's transformation into Myde, a Sorcerer who came within a hair's breadth of destroying the world.

Leon told his stunned twin of Sokar and how he was little more than a parasite inhabiting Baralai's body. Then he told Squall of the Gateway and how close they had come to the end of all things. By the time he was finished Squall was sitting on the bed, his eyes wide and glazed over.

"I..." what could he possibly say?

"If Saix and the others are helping her chances are they will let the Heartless in." Leon stood up. "I wanted you to know what you were up against."

"You've been through this already. You know how to handle a Sorceress." Squall pointed out.

"I don't want anyone to die this time." Leon made his way to the door. "Seifer probably knows the truth thanks to Axel."

"I suppose so." Squall muttered. Leon didn't miss the tone of voice he used.

"Are you jealous?" Leon murmured with a faint trace of a smile.

"Whatever." Squall said acidly.

"Get a new line. That one gets old real fast." With that he was gone, leaving a stunned SeeD behind.

"Are you ok Zexy?" Demyx questioned when he finished singing.

"I'm just thinking about things." Ienzo answered truthfully. Demyx sighed then he wrapped his tail around Ienzo's waist for comfort.

"We won't let the Gateway open." Demyx swore.

"I hope so." Ienzo murmured.

"Don't look so sad Zexion." Demyx admonished. The former Nobody smiled at his GF then wrapped an arm around the lithe body.

"See...you look so much better now." Demyx giggled. His sea green eyes sparkled with mirth.

"I love it when you smile." Ienzo murmured then pressed his lips to those of his Siren. As always he tasted of apples, sunshine and a cool sea breeze in summertime. When they broke apart Demyx was smiling and it put the sun to shame.

"Do you want to go swimming?" Ienzo asked.

"Can I?" Demyx raised his golden eyebrows.

"You're a Guardian Force. They can't stop you." Ienzo smiled in return. "Besides you haven't touched the ocean in a while."

"You're the best Zexy." Demyx tightened his grip on his host.

"Only for you Dem." Ienzo whispered as he kissed his blond beauty again.

"We'll stop her right? Her, Saix and the others." Demyx questioned softly.

"We'll stop them." Ienzo fell back onto the bed with Demyx wrapped in his arms. "We have to."

"I wonder how Seifer is doing with Axel." Demyx wondered aloud. Ienzo said nothing but his mind drifted as he too wondered about Seifer and the others. He hoped they made it in time.

Note-This is for all you guys who wanted some Zemyx and Cleon action. The next update will be faster. Also I watched the compelte first season of Heroes on DVD and I have only one thing to say...Sylar is a total sex god!! Ok, now I'm off to find some juicy Sylar piccies for my PC. See you later guys.