Title: Vanilla Soufflé 3

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: L/C

Warnings: AU, romance, fluff, humour

Disclaimer: As much as I would love to lay claim to Cloud, I'm kinda scared of Leon's gunblade. So well, I don't own Kingdom Hearts and its character, and neither do I own the various Final Fantasies and their characters.

Note: This is a series of spin-off drabbles and ficlets meant to explain some events in my other fic Vanilla. Also talks about the minor characters in Vanilla. Thanx to Hanae da Firefly for helping to come up with ideas for this chapter!

Summary: There is a reason why you should never let Yuffie find out about your secrets, and Leon is learning this the hard way. No, scratch that. The /very/ hard way.


Leon was never one to lie. It simply wasn't in his nature.

So when Yuffie had bounced up to him after kendo practice and offhandedly mentioned about how he was always staring at her best friend, Leon did not deny it. He had blushed like crazy and all his internal alarms had screamed in fear, but he didn't refute what he knew was the truth. He really was /always/ staring at Cloud.

And then she had gotten the widest grin on her face, one that made Leon question his position on not lying, because he had a really bad feeling about what she was going to say. His fears were proven right when she poked him in the arm and gleefully asked, "You like Cloudster, don't you?"

Damn. Was it that obvious? Was it so obvious that he liked Cloud? Sure, he was always staring at Cloud, but that didn't necessarily mean he liked Cloud! He stared at the blond because he was cute, he was shy, he was /beautiful, but that didn't always mean that he had a crush on the blond! No, of course not.

But he /did/ like Cloud, and the worst thing was that Yuffie knew.

Leon had scowled and turned away, unwilling to let the girl know even more about his not-so-secret crush. Even so, he knew that Riku, who was standing just beside him then, would provide Yuffie with all the juicy details. At the very least, he would confirm her suspicions. Simply by giving her a thumbs-up or a knowing grin, Yuffie would get the message: Squall Leonhart had the world's greatest crush on Cloud Strife.

That was yesterday.

And now Leon was dreading the school day ahead. Given Yuffie's past history on spreading rumours (even though they were all later proven true, like the one where she said that Mr. Highwind was actually married, to which the entire student body had gasped and then started to speculate which woman was crazy enough to marry the grumpy windbag) and tendency to blow things severely out of proportion, there was little doubt that everyone in the damn school knew about his crush on Cloud by now.

No, maybe they'd all known about it last night, if Yuffie had gotten crazy enough to drive around the neighbourhood with a loud-speaker and announce the piece of juicy news to everyone within hearing range.

The worst-case scenario was if she had ran up to Cloud and told him all about it, thereby scaring him off before Leon even had a chance to confess properly. Or even a chance to come up with a contingency plan in the event Cloud actually returned his feelings but was just too shy to confess earlier. Sure, the possibility of that happening seemed so small it was probably next to non-existent, but the possibility was still present. And Leon didn't want to have to start romancing Cloud without any prior plans and ideas on how to actually do it!

Simply put, Squall Leonhart was deader than the frozen pork chops sold in supermarkets.


It was really bizarre.

Just moments ago, Leon had been so deep in his worry that he had actually walked into Cloud and Yuffie, but nothing out of the ordinary had happened. The blond had merely apologized meekly – even if Leon had been the one to walk into him - before wandering into their classroom without another word. Normal behavior for him, Leon thought. And then Yuffie had shot him a smug, knowing smirk and quickly ducked into the next corridor where her classroom was located.

Something wasn't quite right with that image.

Warily, Leon entered his classroom, half-expecting something – anything! - to happen. Maybe the girls would scream and wail at the news of his crush and therefore unavailability. Or maybe somebody would shoot him dirty looks for causing all that ruckus. Or maybe the school newspaper's reporters were already hiding in the room, planning their ambush and ready to pounce on him the moment he stepped inside.

Nothing happened.

Apart from a few dreamy looks and sighs, his classmates were either half-asleep or embroiled in the latest rumour regarding a catfight between two girls from the class next door. And Cloud was still alone at his table, looking through his notes and sorting through them.

So Yuffie hadn't said a squeak about his secret to anybody?

…Unbelievable.


"Squally-Wally!"

Leon rubbed his temples, which were throbbing in pain at the sound of that accursed nickname Yuffie had given him, ever since she decided it was endearing to mutilate his name. And just three days ago, he could still snap at her and correct his name. But now that she knew his secret, Leon wasn't sure if it would be a wise move to contradict the girl.

It was pure blackmailing/pure/ blackmailing, even if Yuffie hadn't uttered a threat. Yet.

"What?"

She was still smiling angelically, a term that never meant anything good when linked to the spunky bundle of mischief. Leon's instincts for self-protection were kicked up to the max when she started to act cute, pouting and leaning forward on tiptoes.

"I have this friend… you know, really cute and pretty. Golden hair, more striking than sunshine! Eyes bluer than any sky! Deeper than any ocean! Prettier than the sweetest angel and really, really, really shy. And I think he liiiiiiikes you...!" she finished in a singsong, seemingly chirpier than a happy lark and more excited than a bear that had found a mountain of honey.

Leon felt his breath catch in his throat, his heart skipping a beat before starting to pound horribly against his ribcage. It was almost painful, but it was a pain Leon wouldn't mind wallowing in forever if it meant Cloud returned his feelings! He felt a smile tugging on his lips, and he happily gave in, the exact moment a blush started to surface, dusting the entire expanse of his handsome face.

If he were a little more cliché or mushy, he would have imagined a record starting to play the sweetest, most romantic tune in the world.

"Re-really?" There was a tinge of excitement and elation in his voice that Leon didn't even bother to suppress.

Yuffie nodded vigorously.

"Can… Can I see him?"

"Of course! He's hiding behind that wall over there, waiting for you!"

Leon could just see it: a blushing and cute-as-hell Cloud peeking out from behind the wall, blinking for a few moments before walking towards him. Leon already had his mind made up: he would grab Cloud into his arms and confess his feelings, just the way he should have before Yuffie egged Cloud on to take the initiative!

Before Leon could yell Cloud's name and ask him to come out, Yuffie had beaten him to the punch. Only that the name she yelled wasn't quite what he was expecting.

"Come on out now, Zell!"

The music promptly screeched to a halt.

What the f-?

A boy stepped out from behind the wall, and true to Yuffie's claims, he had golden hair more striking than sunshine, eyes bluer than any sky and deeper than any ocean. But it wasn't Cloud! It was that kid with the huge-ass tattoo on his face, the very same one Leon had been running away from since the first day of school because said blond was president of his personal fan club!

He quickly hightailed it out of there.


"Squally stud-muffin!"

Leon gritted his teeth. He was in the library, damn it! How in the world did she manage to find him in this obscure place? Was she stalking him just to bully and tease him with all those information on Cloud? That thought infuriated him, and he raised his head to glare at the girl bouncing his way. How dare she bounce so gleefully when Leon was getting a headache from doing his assignments /and/ thinking of ways to confess to Cloud before she could spill his secret!

Before he could snap at her, she shoved a notebook under his nose.

"See? I got stuck with this question in geography, and Cloud is waiting for me to teach him! So how exactly do you answer this question?"

Leon spent the next ten minutes explaining the question in detail to Yuffie. It was only after she left that Leon suddenly realized that because Yuffie wasn't in their class and so didn't have the same teacher for geography, which meant that Cloud and him /didn't/ have the assignment Yuffie had.


"Squally sugar-pie!"

If she called him that one more time (over the course of one week, he'd heard at least ten variations of his name already), Leon was going have to start thinking of a place to stash her body. As it was, people were already getting the wrong idea. It was only when Leon had pointedly told everyone that he'd rather eat a bullet than date Yuffie that the rumours died down. But now, everyone believed that Yuffie had just picked Leon as her latest target for Operation Annoy and Bully.

"I have this really important thing coming up at home, so I won't be free this whole night! And my algebra assignment is due tomorrow! Help me finish my homework, pleeeeeeeease?"

Fat chance, Leon snorted. He had three assignments due tomorrow, two of which were ten-page papers for his literature class and geography class, and then he still had to update the school webpage because he was on the committee, and all those were on top on his chores at home! Besides, Leon wasn't going to help Yuffie with her homework even if he was free as hell!

He was going to have fun watching her face fall in disappointment. After torturing him for days, it was time Yuffie didn't get her way for once.

"No."

As he had expected, she sighed deeply and turned to walk away.

"That's too bad… To think I had this really nice photo of Cloud in his swimming trunks from last summer. Oh well…"

Leon's ears perked up, much like how a puppy would suddenly stand at attention at the sound of the dinner bell. A blush crept up his face as he imagined Cloud in nothing but a pair of swimming trunks. And water. Lots of water. Wet Cloud was nice… Very, very nice. Yum. And maybe after a day of swimming, his skin would be tanned and his cheeks a little flushed from the exercise… Yummy.

"Two."

Yuffie spun around, blinking. "Did you say something, Squally?"

"Two photos," Leon said with a poker face, despite the fact that his inner-self was punching the air in jubilation.

Her eyes widened for a moment before she caught herself, and she grinned again, wider than before.

"Algebra /and/ physics, and I'll give you three photos. All in swimming trunks and nothing else."

He didn't even have to think about it.

"Deal."

And so, that night, Leon's family wondered if they should give his teachers a call and ask them why Leon was saddled with so much work. The second night, they started to wonder if Leon was too stressed, because he kept yelling, "That bitch gave me three copies of the /same/ photograph!"


"Riku! Riku!"

Leon raised an eyebrow; just when he had almost gotten used to Yuffie's incessant harassment, she was switching targets? He gave Riku a curious gaze, and the silver-haired boy shrugged before putting down his sword and letting it lean against the bench. At least Yuffie had the sense to harass them during their break, or Coach Auron would have all their hides.

"What is it, Yuff?"

The girl snickered slyly, plopping herself down onto the bench beside Riku without an invitation. Leon could feel his eyebrows twitching.

"You know, I was having this really sweet conversation with Cloud," – Leon's ears perked up, and he tried to pretend he wasn't listening when in fact he was leaning towards Riku and Yuffie – "last night. We were sorta talking about the hottest guy in school, 'cause you know, the last issue of the school newspapers had this vote, and Leon came in first place…"

Riku's eyes lit up, suddenly understanding where this conversation was going. "And…?"

"And!" Yuffie's grin widened. "When I asked Cloud who he thought was the hottest guy in school, he said…!" she squealed.

"Who?" Riku asked, sharing the girl's sly grin. They both ignored how Leon was almost already falling onto Riku as he perched on the bench eagerly, reminding them of a hungry puppy who was sitting by the front door and yipping for his master to come home and feed him already.

"You! Cloud said that you're the hottest, Riku! I think he likes silver hair!"

Leon fell off the bench. Riku's jaw fell in horror. Yuffie retained her angelic halo and charming smile.

Later, when everyone was wondering what had gotten Leon so mad that he was almost trying to kill Riku, his sparring partner their coach had designated because the two were best friends and worked best with one another (well, usually), and when Riku was wearing a look of utter horror and guilt that was discernable even under his helmet, Yuffie's sparring partner wasn't sure if she wanted to know why Yuffie was wearing an extremely smug grin.


"Squally muffin-pie!"

Leon clenched his fist, and he had to forcibly stop himself from turning around and punch the pest. No, a mere punch was too easy. Yuffie deserved a punch, a kick and a good shake until all those blackmail ideas were shaken out of her head. It was a mistake to let Yuffie know about his crush. A huge mistake. Leon was starting to believe that perhaps he should just walk up to Cloud and confess right away just so the blackmailing would stop.

"What?" he barked.

"Aw, don't look at me like that!" Yuffie whined in protest, holding up her hands. "Not when I'm here to tell you something really important!"

He gave her a pointed look.

"I'm serious!" She pouted, miffed. And then she started to grin, her mood shifting faster than the weather. "Anyway, I managed to drag Cloudster to the cooking club today, 'cause I was really hungry and the class had like a couple of vacancies since some girls skipped so there were some spare ingredients… So we're like, baking cookies today, and since Cloud is such a great cook, his cookies smell /really/ good."

"And…?" Leon was half-tempted to march right up to the home economics room and ask Cloud for his cookies. He vaguely wondered how they would taste like. Surely, they'd taste really wonderful, because Cloud looked like the type who couldn't burn down the kitchen even if he tried.

But… knowing Yuffie, there had to be a catch somewhere. Not to mention Cloud would just blink in confusion at him if he really did ask for those cookies.

Yuffie started to play with her apron. "So… the cookies are really nice. And you know what they say about the cooking club. It's just another name for boy-hunting club! Because you know… the home econs room is like, on the first floor, facing the soccer field, the tennis courts, the blitzball stadiums and all that stuff, and the boys just sort of wander to the windows and ask for food during their breaks…"

This so /didn't/ sound good to Leon's ears. Already, he was imagining boys crowding up to Cloud and asking him for his fabulous cookies.

"And then there's this really good-looking boy from the blitzball team who's been sidling up to Cloudster for the past one hour or so… he comes up to the window every time he's on break, whining for a bit of food. I think Cloud's about to give in already, if just because he's tired of all the whining. Oh! You might want to walk outside the building and get to the home econs room from the window! God knows the girls will jump you if you enter through the door!" Yuffie hollered helpfully, snickering as she watched Leon round a corner hastily.

For once, Leon heeded Yuffie's advice, approaching the home econs room not from the door but from the windows. After all, the cooking club was famous for the sheer number of girls, and Leon still wanted to be able to actually /get to/ Cloud, not get mobbed by his fans. Besides, the windows were where that disgusting blitzball leech was.

Leech.

By the time Leon reached the windows, he had already come up with at least seven different ways of chasing away that leech, of which all included some broken limbs, mild concussions and a little blood. And when he had to round one more corner to get there, he heard a disgusting voice whining – Yuffie actually didn't kid him – to Cloud for some cookies. Leon sped up, ready to drag the leech to somewhere more secluded and ahem, introduce him to the wonders of black-eyes and bruises.

That is, until he realized that the leech was actually someone he knew and had definitely never expected.

"Tidus?"

The blond's eyes lit up when he noticed his friend coming, and he quickly gestured to Leon to get over faster. "Hey buddy! Come over, quick! There's free food here!"

Figures. What did Riku said Tidus was? Oh yes. A kid whose appetite had hit puberty twice over even though his height had definitely not.

Leon sighed and wandered over. It seemed that no matter how hard he tried to get away, Yuffie always got him good. Then he peered into the window, and suddenly realized that if he got to see Cloud in an apron all the time, he really wouldn't mind getting had again. Cloud wasn't just cute in an apron; he was cuteness, delicacy, and beauty all rolled into one. Leon silently swore to himself that if he ever managed to date Cloud, he would buy the blond an apron that read 'Kiss the Cook'.

Cloud was at his table, coincidentally the one just beside the row of windows, rolling a bit of dough into a ball and then flattening it. He repeated that action several times. Even though everyone in the room was pretty much doing the same thing, wearing the same white aprons and head scarves, Leon thought only Cloud made cooking seem like fun. The other girls in the club either didn't know what they were doing or were pulling out trays of burnt cookies – burnt was pretty mild, in fact, since some of those things actually looked like charcoal… And apparently, the club's teacher felt the same way, patting Cloud's shoulder on a job well done and admonishing the girl beside him for confusing sugar and salt before leaving the room.

"Hey Cloud! I've got a friend with me here! Can we have more cookies? We've both really hungry!" Tidus suddenly yelled into the room, surprising Cloud, who upon noticing Leon's presence, blinked a few more times. Leon nodded meekly.

"Erm, you'll sorta have to wait a bit longer in that case. I don't think I have enough for both of you…" Cloud started, gesturing to the oven where an aroma was wafting lazily through the air and assaulting Leon's nose. Inwardly, Leon was thankful that Cloud really was an excellent cook; god knows his tongue had gotten enough abuse from his father's so-called cooking.

Tidus nodded vigorously, more than happy to wait as long as he got something to eat. Cloud returned the smile timidly and went back to his work.

It was then Leon realized that this was the opportunity he'd been waiting for. If he managed to find an interesting topic, maybe he could actually strike up a conversation with Cloud that lasted over a minute! And since Cloud was baking something, it meant that he wouldn't be able to run away even if Leon scared him or something. Yes! Maybe this was why Yuffie had made him come here in the first place!

"Hey Cloud…" he started, but before the blond could even turn to him, some girls were already screaming in joy and excitement.

"Oh my gosh! It's Leon!"

"What? Leon is here?"

"Oh Leon! Please have my cookies!"

"Mine too!"

"And mine!"

Tidus whistled, impressed and envious at the sheer amount of cookies the girls were offering. Beside him, Leon resisted the urge to just walk away from the bunch of swooning idiots. Didn't they get the memo that Leon was gay? Not gay as in happy happy gay gay, but gay as in as straight as a circle type of gay! So why were they still trying so hard? Unless they got a sex-change operation, they stood a better chance of winning the million-dollar lottery than dating him.

No, maybe even after they got a sex-change operation, their chances of dating him were still lower than winning the lottery.

Then, out of the corner of his eyes, Leon noticed Cloud getting pushed back by the gaggle of girls, still yapping and cackling and shoving their bundles of cookies out of the window towards him. As the girls continued to lean out of the windows, they were completely unaware of how they were driving Cloud out, and their love-struck eyes blinded them to how Leon got more and more irritated with every passing whine and offer.

Finally, when Cloud yelped at a particularly hard shove, Leon decided he had had enough.

"Stop the incessant yapping! I don't even like cookies!"

Silence. Stillness. Shock.

"Well, you heard the man! Just give him a break, why don't you? Go back to your tables! Shoo! Shoo!" Yuffie's voice rang out across the room, somehow cutting into the crowd and pushing the sniveling girls back. The girls sniffled a little, some wailing out to Leon that they would learn how to bake apple pies since he didn't like cookies while others were deciding which boys to give their cookies to, but they were soon dispersed and back at their own tables. They were probably a little fearful of Leon's temper. After all, his temper was the reason why his fan clubs had to go covert.

Yuffie turned back to Leon, with her arms akimbo and a frustrated yet fond grin gracing her face. When had Yuffie returned to the home econs room? Leon definitely hadn't noticed.

She casually leaned out of the window, waving off Cloud's light admonishments about her safety. Cloud frowned, but went back to his work anyway. When she was sure Cloud wasn't listening in, she whispered, "You know, after all the stuff I put you through the last few days, I thought I would direct to you a chance to get Cloud's cooking inside your mouth. Too bad you ruined it yourself. Cloud's baking cookies, and he's not gonna offer you any since you don't /like/ cookies. How sad." She chortled.

Leon wanted to retort and snap back at her, but he found that he didn't know what to say. And the worst thing? Even though it was true he didn't like cookies, he really wanted to eat the ones Cloud baked. Those cookies weren't just baked dough. They were the fruits of Cloud's effort.

Tidus stepped up to him, giving his shoulder a sympathetic pat. "Hey man, I'll share mine with you. Not to worry. You'll still have some."

The brunet sighed. But he wanted to eat what Cloud gave him, not what he gave others. Still, he nodded. Well, better something than nothing. As long as Cloud had made it.

Suddenly, Cloud walked up to the window, beside Yuffie. He was holding out a small bag.

"Will this be enough? The cookies, I mean."

Tidus spared Leon a sideward glance, but he nodded anyway. "Yeah, it'll be enough. Thanks Cloud!"

"No problem. I wouldn't be able to finish all these anyway," the blond replied with a shrug, gesturing to his work table where there was still a tray of unbaked dough waiting for a visit to the oven.

"But Cloudster! You could have given them to me!" Yuffie teased, earning herself a poke in the tummy from her friend. Laughing, she peered down at Cloud's hand, which was holding another packet. "Oh, what's that in your hands? Another packet of cookies meant for meanie Leon? He doesn't eat cookies though, right, stud-muffin?" She ignored the dark look Leon sent her way.

"It's alright. I'll just get something from the vending machines," Leon mumbled. "Thanks anyway."

He was surprised when Cloud thrust a packet towards him.

"Do you eat butter cakes?"

Leon blinked, unable to comprehend what exactly was going on all of a sudden. When he noticed the packet in Cloud's hands and the uncertainty in those beautiful blue eyes, realization finally dawned on him, and he couldn't help but smile as he nodded vigorously.

"Yes!"

"Well, take this then. Umm, I tried to give you a large slice, since Tidus said you're both hungry and all…" Cloud said softly, nodding sharply to the other blond boy behind Leon. Tidus was strangely enough, wearing a large grin. "Is, is it large enough?"

"Large enough! Thank you!" Even Leon could hear his own excitement, barely veiled in his voice and actions. When he received the small packet, he held it close to himself, treating it like it was not a slice of butter cake but a diamond-studded ornament.

Cloud smiled softly.

"No problem." And he went back to his table.

"Looks like you still got what you wanted in the end," Yuffie commented offhandedly before running back to her table. Her smirk was evident in her voice.

Staring down at the slice of butter cake, Leon grinned. And as he walked away, carefully biting into the delicious treat and savouring every morsel, he thought that perhaps letting Yuffie know about his crush was one of the best things that could have happened.


"Hey Tidus."

"What?"

"Give me some of the cookies."

"What? But you already have the butter cake!"

"You said you'd share."

"But that was because we thought Cloud wasn't going to give you anything!"

"Doesn't change the fact you said you'd share. Hand some over."

"But I'm hungry, man!"

"Go get something from the vending machine. Those cookies are mine."

"You don't even like cookies." Whine.

"Not including those."

"…Jerk."

"Hand them over."

Sob. "Fine…"

-tbc-

Teaser for next chapter: Cloud would never forget the day he had first met Yuffie, when he was licking his wounds on his porch and she just came over like nothing had happened.

A/N: Good news: I'm starting to write Vanilla again. Bad news:progress is very slow. So I thought I'd post a new chapter for Souffle first to hopefully whet your appetite for what's to come in the series. XD

On another note, I've recently started a new fic series called The Pet Chronicles, which is a 7-part ficlet series for Leon and Cloud. Please read that one too for more LC goodness. XDD And please remember to tip the author if she's done a good job. Thanx!