Stranger Than Fiction
Chapter Five:
Cloud's House
Author's Note:
Howdy, and welcome to the next chapter of STF. I'm not quite sure where this is headed anymore. I have quite a specific plan, but the characters are screwing it to bits. Damn you Cloud, you were supposed to win!
Anyhow, for those who loved Leon/Cloud, Riku/Sora, this is the ficcy for you, oh yes… Yes, this is shameless promotion, I care not. A bit of a break from the heavy theme of the last few chapters. Takes place a few weeks after the Cloud head injury incident.
Oh yeah, and I forgot to clarify somethings in the last chapter. What Riku says and what Riku does are two completely different things. With Riku's narratives you must read between the lines a little, because he wears a mask that prevents him from admitting feelings even to himself. Okies?
Sephiroth will be making an appearance in this ficcy, and I assure you, it will be quite dramatic.
I'm updating quickly this time because I really want to get this chapter out. I also wanted to reward the reviewers. More reviews, faster updates!
Disclaimer:
I don't own Kingdom Hearts nor any of the characters.
Riku glared at Sora from across the room. In his opinion it was the brunet's fault he was in detention. It had been Sora, not he, who had thrown the note. The fact that he'd been writing offensive language on it was nothing to do with the crime in question. Stupid Sora getting caught…
"Okay boys, you may go," Kikuta said. Riku got up, his chair scraping on the floor. He opened the door, letting it slam in Sora's face.
"What the fuck is your problem?" Sora demanded when they got down the corridor. It was empty, as should be expected for the end of a school day.
"You," Riku replied. Sora pouted.
"So you say I'm a problem, that you don't like me, so why are you trying to find out everything you can about me?" Sora demanded. Riku stopped, not quite sure what to answer. He wasn't quite sure where his desire to help Sora came from, perhaps it didn't come from anywhere, perhaps it was just something Riku felt driven to do.
Over the past few weeks, Riku had stopped hating Sora, he wasn't even sure he disliked the boy anymore, but he did like winding the boy up and teasing him hideously.
"Maybe I just want to find out your weaknesses?" Riku asked. Sora turned his cerulean eyes to Riku, and they blinked. For a moment, Riku felt rather lost, those eyes were so innocent…
"The dark. I'm afraid of the dark," Sora said suddenly. Riku broke the gaze, trying to regulate his breathing. What was the matter with him? He refused to believe that…
"Afraid of the dark? What are you, a girl?" Riku demanded. Sora tilted his head to one side, his large eyes, his wonderful eyes, slightly hollow.
"I can't help it. It's something psychological according to the psychiatrists," The brunet replied. Riku stopped.
"So, other than having a girly name, you have girly fears and you have to have girly chatting sessions with a shrink? You are a girl aren't you Sora?" Riku sneered. The brunet wasn't fazed.
"If I was a girl, would you date me?"
Whoa… Where did that come from? Riku blinked. Then he heard Sora laughing.
"I knew I'd come up with a good comeback someday!" Sora chuckled, keeping his steady pace. Riku scowled.
"Whatever, Sora-chan," He then darted around the corner before Sora realised what he'd said.
Sora sat in his biology lesson, before crying out as his phone vibrated against his leg. A few people turned to look at him, but the teacher didn't seem interested. Sora dug the phone out of his pocket, glancing down.
Hey Sora.
Sora smiled. It was 'Bob'. Over the last few weeks, the anonymous texter whom Sora had named 'Bob' had built up quite a firm relationship. Bob listened to all Sora's problems, through text message, and gave him honest answers.
However, Bob had made Sora promise never to phone him again. When Sora had asked why, Bob had replied that he would reveal his identity at dance before the spring holidays. Sora had been forced to accept this.
What's up?
Sora replied. He was used to Bob texting him all the time now. It was quite spontaneous, but Sora usually waited for him to text first. The mystery and the unpredictability made it even more exciting.
Nothing. Are you in class?
Sora smirked. A few people were watching him, wondering why he wasn't paying attention like usual.
Yeah, biology. I alredy no all this stuff. If there's 1 class I do well in, it's biology.
Sora sent the message. Only Selphie and Cloud knew about his relationship with Bob, and they were always interested to see the text messages. Sometimes they would sit down and try to work out who it was, but they never managed.
In the end, they decided that since Selphie's prank, anyone could have Sora's number. It was the irregularity of the number that made Cloud think that perhaps the person might be rich or have a fancy phone.
Sora didn't know anyone with a fancy phone, so he just decided to remain clueless. Besides, it was fun to guess…
You should know biology. What are you doing tonight?
Sora blushed. He wasn't quite sure where this was going…
No where. Y?
Sora gulped and waited for the reply.
I'll text you then. Look up slowly Sora…
Sora looked up to see the teacher looking directly at him, her mouth set in a thin line.
"I think I'll have your phone, Mr Hikka. You can collect it at the end of the lesson," She said, her voice was high pitched and sickeningly sweet. Sora trudged to the front of the class and handed in his phone.
He turned to see if he could catch the person who'd sent him the message putting their phone away, but all the guys were writing. All except Riku, who was smirking up at him evilly.
"Hey, girly boy!" Riku called. Sora turned around, looking at Riku with a look of distaste. Selphie looked at Riku, then at Sora, then at Kairi who was walking home with them.
"What do you want, Riku?" Sora demanded. Riku laughed.
"Here, I want you to have my number," Riku handed him a scrap of paper. Sora stared at it.
"Why?" He asked. Riku laughed.
"'Why'? Because everyone needs my number. I am a God, therefore everyone must have a way to contact me," Riku then flashed Kairi a smile.
"And of course for the lovely lady, I have a special card," Riku produced a heart shaped card and gave it to her with a small bow. Sora bristled, how dare he…
"Tee-hee, thank you Riku…" She giggled. Sora clenched his fists and felt a new wave of hatred for Riku. How dare that… that… that demon make moves on Kairi!
"Oh, and one for little Selphie too," Riku handed Selphie one shaped like a sunshine. Her face lit up, and Sora's eyes darkened. That was too much. His sister?
"Selphie, bin it," Sora growled. She looked up at her big brother, who was glaring at Riku.
"No," She replied. Riku smirked.
"Do it Selphie," Sora ordered.
"Why?"
"Why not?"
"Because he's the only hot guy who's ever given me his number besides that Ansem guy, and he's scary!" Selphie exclaimed, promptly putting the number down her top. Sora rolled his eyes and gave up.
"Fine, side with him. Traitor," Sora said, though there was no venom in his words. He turned to Riku.
"Go away. Stop using me as a way to get to Kairi and Selphie," He snapped. Riku smirked and walked away. Selphie stared up at her brother defiantly.
"You!" Sora growled, and Selphie ran very fast and very far.
"Leon?" Riku poked his head around his brother's door. Leon looked up from his computer, flashing his brother a grin.
"What's up?" He asked. Riku padded in, sitting down on Leon's bed and curling up.
"Just wanted to talk," Riku mumbled. Leon swivelled around on his chair, studying his brother with a look of concern.
"About?" Leon pressed. Riku looked away.
"Am I being too much of an ass?" He asked. Leon looked directly at Riku, not quite knowing what to reply. Sure, Riku had always been a tough nut, perhaps more than any other person Leon knew, but at the same time he'd never been an ass without reason… Until Sora…
"You want the truth?" Leon asked. Riku nodded, or more he moved his head downwards and upwards slightly.
"Yes, you are. However, you've gone too far now to make it up to some people," Leon replied. Riku sighed and sat up, running his hand through his silver hair.
"I gave Sora my number… I'm not sure why… Leon, I'm freaking out. I don't dislike Sora, but when I'm around him… I have to push him away… Why? Why am I like I am?" Riku looked up to Leon with pleading eyes. That was a question that Leon couldn't answer.
"I don't know. I can't answer that question for you. I think you've got to figure it out," Leon replied, trying not to meet Riku's eyes.
"Well I can't! I can't discover who I am all by myself! I need help!" Riku looked away. "I'm scared…"
Leon bit down on his lip. Riku never admitted he was scared, he was fearless… Yet he was scared of himself… Of the way he was? That didn't make sense… Why would the way he was scare him so much?"I don't think I'm the one to help you," Leon said quietly. Riku began to rub his eyes, and Leon realised that Riku had been about to cry. What was wrong with his baby brother?
"Then who can?" Riku demanded. Leon clenched his fists.
"Riku, you've had many… lovers… But have you ever been in love?" Leon asked. He cursed himself for asking that question. Who was he to ask that question when he'd never been in love either?
"No," Riku's simple answer cut through the awkward silence.
"I think that whoever you fall in love with, they'll be able to help you. They'll be able to stop you being afraid. I can't. I'm your brother, not a fairy godmother," Leon then got up and sat next to Riku.
At any other time he would have been pushed away, but when Leon hugged Riku, and stroked his hair, for once, Riku relaxed into an embrace. Leon heard Riku sniff, and smiled. So his brother did have a heart…
"'nk you," He heard Riku whisper against his shoulder. Leon wrinkled up his nose in an 'aw' expression and stroked Riku's hair.
Beep beep beep. Beep beep beep.
Leon looked over at his phone. He couldn't reach it from where he was. It was Riku who shifted slightly, and Leon realised he had fallen asleep. He laid his brother down and grabbed his phone.
"Hello, Leon speaking," He answered. There was a slight squeak on the other end of the line.
"Um… Hey, it's… er… Cloud," He heard the nervous reply. Leon's grin got bigger. He looked at Riku and sat down on the computer chair, the phone pressed against his ear.
"What's the matter? You tripped and fallen over again?" Leon asked, sarcastically. He heard Cloud cough.
"No, guess again," Cloud replied. Leon leaned back, watching Riku's sleeping form.
"Okay… You want me to come and show you how to use a bo properly," Leon guessed. There was a laugh from the line, and Leon found himself blushing slightly.
"No, guess again," Cloud replied. Leon ran his hand through his hair.
"Right, so it's none of those… You want to invite me out," There was silence. Leon frowned, had Cloud hung up on him?
"Uh, yeah… You guessed it," Came the hesitant reply. Leon bit his lip. He looked at Riku's sleeping form.
"Where?" He asked. Cloud's voice answered immediately.
"My mom will bring you back to ours, if you'd like, she's working in your neighbourhood and she says she knows where you live," Cloud seemed a little more confident. Leon bit his lip.
"Hang on, let me just check with my mom," Leon said. He heard Cloud's chuckle.
"Seventeen and still checking things with your mom?" He ridiculed. Leon reminded himself that Cloud had no idea what had happened to his mom, and it was best to leave it that way.
"Yo mom?" He walked into his mother's room to see her and Eva chatting away happily.
"Mom? Cloud's invited me over, can I go?" He asked. He ignored the sniggers from the phone line.
"Shut up, you," He growled at Cloud. Eva smiled.
"Yeah, of course," Amy said. Leon bit his lip.
"Er, Riku's asleep on my bed, you know he sleeps like a log…" Leon trailed off at his mother's eerily set smile.
"Go out and leave me in peace," She said, making ushering motions. Eva stood up.
"Well Mrs. L, I'm off for today. I'll give Leon a lift," She offered. Amy smiled and said goodbye. Leon followed Eva outside and around the corner to her car.
It wasn't much. In fact, it looked like something that needed servicing quite badly. The paint was chipping, the bumper had a dent in it, and it was obviously about ten years old.
"She doesn't look much, but she drives well," Eva said, in response to Leon's stare. Blushing, Leon got in the car.
"Seat belt," Eva commanded playfully. Leon smiled and put his belt on.
"That's it," Eva smirked. Leon chuckled, Cloud's mom was fun. He immediately like her.
"So, how'd you get that scar?" She asked. Leon thought about it for a second, wondering if he should tell the truth.
"Back in New York, I was a street fighter to be perfectly honest. One day I was fighting and the bastard turned a knife on me, sliced straight through my forehead," Leon remembered the pain, and the smell of blood. He remembered the roar of the crowd at the sight of blood, how they were like a pack of hungry wolves waiting for one to fall.
He remembered grabbing the knife himself, slashing at his opponent's face, giving him a scar that was a mirror image of his own. He remembered the sheer joy he had when he had sent the six foot one blonde to the ground and kept his name clear…
"It's an honest answer I suppose. Why did you do it?" Eva asked. Leon blinked. Why?
It was an easy way to make money before they had inherited the money from his father…
"The money, the way that people regarded me as something other than a nobody, the way no one picked on me or my family anymore," Leon answered. Eva raised her eyebrows.
"So you didn't so it for yourself? You didn't do it for the glory?" She asked. Leon shook his head.
"That was just a bonus. I needed money for my mom's treatment at the time. Also, I wanted to be strong enough to protect Riku, who was pretty weak at that time. He was a nervous wreck," Leon wondered how Eva had managed to get him to tell her things that he'd never have told anyone else…
"So all this money is from your street fights?" Eva asked. Leon shook his head.
"No, my old man died, he left everything to me. I decided to use it for mom. We used the fighting money to put a deposit on the house, then we used my dad's money to buy it, and pay for mom's treatment," Leon explained. Eva smiled.
"You're mom is so lucky to have son's like you and Riku," She pulled into another road. Leon looked out of the window and was a little surprised. No neighbourhoods on the Destiny Islands were bad, but some were worse than others. This was a bad one…
"I'm sure Cloud would have done the same," Leon said. Reminding himself that he'd barely known Cloud for a month, and the last time he'd spoken to him was when he'd hit him round the head with a bo.
"You'd think so, wouldn't you?" Eva said, a smile on her features. Unsure what she meant, Leon couldn't help but put on a puzzled frown.
"Cloud has issues that even I can't figure out. At times he can be as loving as a puppy, and others, he locks himself away. He's a bit of a lone wolf. He belongs to a pack, but within it, he's alone. I wish I could draw him out sometimes…" Eva sighed. Leon bit his lip. She was right…
"I'm sure there must be someone who can make Cloud open up?" Leon suggested. Eva's smiling mouth changed, her eyes became sad.
"Cloud hasn't exactly had a string of good relationships… His present boyfriend, Kuja, well… To be honest if the world was a movie, he'd be the one trying to take over the world. He seemed to hurt Cloud over and over again, but who am I to stop him? Cloud insists that he's happy…" Eva pulled up to a little house on the end of a row. It looked like every other house, except for the flowers and homely touches added to it.
"Kuja? I've heard of him… I think he's in my year…" Leon frowned, but his heart was sinking slightly. The idea that Cloud already had a boyfriend… Why was he even bothered?
"You'll have heard only bad things I have no doubt. In fact, you're soon going to meet him," Eva got out of the car. Leon followed suit.
"Why?" He asked. Eva pointed to a black harley down the road.
"That's his bike."
Sora lay on his bed, steaming. He did not have a girl's name! Stupid Riku! Now Riku, that was a girl's name!
"Sora?" Selphie bravely entered his room. Sora glared at her.
"What?" He demanded. She smiled nervously.
"Love you big brother," She said, her voice slightly pleading. Sora stood up, stalking towards her menacingly. He then picked her up in a fireman's lift and carried her around. She squealed and pounded her fists into his back. He laughed and spun around.
"What is going on up here?" Sora's father demanded. Sora dropped Selphie onto his bed, she squeaked and sat up.
"Um, sorry, sir. We were just playing," Selphie said, her voice barely above a whisper, quaking in fear.
"Playing? Since when do brothers and sisters play? Especially when they're fifteen and sixteen?" Their father demanded. Sora wasn't quite sure what their father was implying, but he wasn't going to stand for it.
"We were just messing around, like friends do," Sora explained, as though his father was simple. He surveyed the two teens with a look of disgust.
"Selphie, get to your room. Sora, don't bother coming down for dinner," He spat, and walked away. Selphie skulked away, and Sora lay on his bed.
"Honestly, why did he have children if he hates them so much?"
Cloud looked up from Kuja's face.
"I don't want to be with you anymore. Get that through your thick skull!" Cloud growled. Kuja sneered.
"You are nothing without me! I won't protect you anymore!" Kuja yelled. Cloud stood up, looking into Kuja's eyes.
"I don't need your protection anymore, because I am someone stronger than you are!" He then hit Kuja in the jaw, to demonstrate his point. Kuja staggered through the door and fell over his own feet.
"I'm stronger than you are. I don't need you anymore. You thought that you were using me but it was the other way around," Cloud spat, advancing on Kuja. He then saw his mother and Leon in the corner of his eye. He could hardly prove how strong he was when his mother was stood there, could he?
"Get out," He spat. Kuja smirked.
"So you are a little mummy's boy?" Kuja asked. Cloud rolled his eyes, before sending another punch in Kuja's direction. The white haired teen dodged it, but didn't dodge the other two.
"I told you to go away. I don't want to see you anymore! Leave now!" Cloud growled. Kuja shot him a look and left. It was then and then alone that Cloud looked at his knuckles.
"Ouch…" He rubbed the swollen knuckles. He felt a grim sense of pride that he'd finally got Kuja out of his life, but at the same time, he hated the fact that his mom, and Leon, had been there to witness that.
"Well, I wasn't quite expecting that…" His mother said after a second. Cloud looked up at her, trying his best innocent expression.
"That isn't going to work, Cloud," She said sternly. The blonde sighed.
"I had to get rid of him somehow. He was a prick and you know it mom. The only things that get through to him are physical things. So I hit him. If that's not a clear enough message, then I don't know what is…" Cloud then crossed his arms.
"Hey," Leon raised his hand. Cloud grinned at him. He wasn't sure why Leon's eyes looked so bright, but it made him feel strange…
"Hey…" Cloud said, and then the tension began. None of them knew quite where to look. Cloud settled on finally looking at his mom.
"Dad came back, then realised he was supposed to be somewhere else and left again. I'm not quite sure where," Cloud said. His mom nodded, and left the room to make herself a cup of coffee.
"Want anything?" She asked from the kitchen. Leon smiled.
"Coffee if you've got any," He said. Eva smiled. Cloud opened the door to his room.
"The usual mom!" He called, then gestured for Leon to go in. He sat on his bed, then cleared his throat.
"Sorry about that… He wasn't supposed to be here," Cloud apologised. Leon sat down on the bed, his back against the wall.
"Don't mention it," He replied. Cloud wondered what else to say. He had invited Leon around with the intention of getting know him better, but it was hard to say something that wouldn't make him seem stupid.
"How long had you been going out?" Leon asked. Cloud didn't really want to discuss this with Leon, but when he looked up, he saw that Leon's mask had almost completely disappeared. He was interested. Leon cared…
"About three months…" Cloud replied. Leon rested his head against the wall.
"Man, I don't think I've been in a relationship that's lasted over three days… No wait, there was that one that lasted a week…" Leon smirked. "Yeah, I kinda liked her…" Cloud's heart sank. Her. Female.
"A week huh? I assume that there was a lot of affection there," Cloud said, he hadn't meant to sound so cold. Leon's eyes snapped onto the blonde, and suddenly Cloud felt like Leon was checking him out. It felt weird, seeing as Leon's eyes didn't move from his own.
"I've only been in one relationship where there's been 'affection'. It was with someone named Makoto. He was older, it didn't work out…" Leon sighed. Cloud's ears pricked up. He? There is a God and he's smiling on me!
"Why are you smiling?" Leon questioned. Cloud quickly slammed a mask over his face.
"Doesn't matter," He replied. He saw Leon's puzzled and slight look of hurt.
"If you say so," Leon was now studying Cloud's chest. Blushing, Cloud looked at what was written on the T-shirt. 'Life's a Bitch, so am I…'. Leon chuckled.
"Nice T-shirt," Leon was still smiling when he changed his position, so he was lying on his stomach. It was a position that Cloud hadn't quite expected. It made Leon look like anyone else, not like the fighting tough guy he was. It was… cute…
"Thanks," Cloud said, not quite sure whether he should move or stay where he was. He decided to move so he could at least see Leon's face.
"What do you want to do?" Cloud asked. Leon shrugged. He's bored already. Think think think!
"Cloud, honey, here's your drinks," His mom called through the door. She then opened it, without waiting for a reply. Leon sat up, thanking Eva and giving her a smile. He then watched as Cloud took the drink from his mom, along with three small pills.
"There you go. I'm going out for an hour. I'll see you when I get back. If you or Leon get hungry there's cold pasta in the fridge. Bye, honey!" Eva called as she whizzed through the door.
Cloud looked down at his medication. Why couldn't she have been a little more discreet? Now Leon would ask what was wrong with him… It would probably freak him out…
"What's that?" Leon asked, looking at Cloud's drink. It looked like a flu drink, but it smelt salty, and quite frankly, gross. Well, Cloud drank it all in one, trying not to think of how it tasted. He saved a little for the tablets and swilled them down. He then clenched his fists.
"Can I have a sip of your coffee to get rid of the taste?" Cloud asked. Leon nodded and handed the mug over.
"Wait! You're not contagious, are you?" Leon asked. Cloud looked up at him and sipped the coffee before handing it back.
"I'm epileptic. You know what that is, right?" Cloud asked. Leon shook his head, and Cloud wondered how much Leon wanted to know.
"Seizures. I have good days and bad days, a good day I won't have any, a bad day and I'm off school. This week has been an okay week, I've only had three seizures," Cloud curled into a ball on his bed. Leon was looking at his weirdly. He wasn't sure if it was good or bad…
"Whoa, and I thought I had a tough time with my creaky knee. Man… Who else knows about this?" Leon asked. Cloud shrugged, studying Leon's face, trying to understand what was going through his head.
"Sora, Kairi, my parents, you," He listed. Leon began to fiddle with his sleeve. Cloud wasn't sure what to say now. They hadn't visited his favourite subjects so far…
"What… What is it like?" Leon asked, hesitantly. Cloud looked down.
"I don't know. I don't remember. The seizures are best described as thunderstorms, at times my head is all humid and stagnant, like before a storm, then there's the storm, or seizure, and the air clears. Some times, not very often, that stagnant state can last all day, and I can't respond to things because my brain just doesn't seem to respond," Cloud explained. Leon nodded.
"You can still watch Star Wars movies and go to laser shows and everything, right?" Leon asked. Cloud smiled.
"Yeah. I'm not photosensitive. They don't know what causes it, but the drugs I take slow the seizures down a little…" Cloud then stood up.
"C'mon, let's watch a DVD."
Leon walked home, knowing he could handle whatever this neighbourhood threw at him. His mind was filled with Cloud…
That kid definitely had it rough… Leon turned out of Cloud's road and bumped straight into Kuja…
Ending Notes:
Aw, poor Cloud… Anyhow, please review and tell me what you think. I know that Leon and Cloud's relationship is moving a little quickly, but this whole fic is fast paced. That's the whole point of it. It's meant to be 'Stranger Than Fiction'.
R&R
Beta'd: 20/09/05