Signed Sealed Delivered - Chapter 7

Main Pairing: Leon x Cloud

Warning: Male x Male Relationships, harsh language, AU, major OOC, characters from other games

A/N: Cloud had a fever in the previous chapter. And you know, about a few days after I uploaded the chapter, I also got a fever ==; Twice, consecutively. I got a fever, then got a little better, and in a few days, the fever came back. It was weird that I still remember it until now hahaha.

Almost two years… T^T I'm really sorry for the long wait m(_)m

Thank you very much to Out-of-Character217 for beta-ing this story. And for being patience with a very slow writer like me ^^a

Don't flame me, please. It won't get me anywhere. Critiques and advises are much more appreciated.

Paopu fruit.

According to legend, "If two people share one, their destinies become intertwined. They'll remain a part of each other's lives no matter what."

Cloud always thought that it was just an urban legend. A fruit was just a fruit, nothing more. But, actually…

Tuesday morning.

Cloud was fidgeting nervously, staring at the door which the cheap looking brown paint was already peeling off of in certain places. In his hands was a cardboard box filled with star-shaped fruit. He looked into the box, frowning. Is this a good idea? He thought. But he helped me yesterday. He tapped the side of the box with his fingers, lost in his thoughts. He didn't realize the door knob rotating until the door opened and he almost dropped the box with an uncontrolled reflex, shielding his eyes from the sudden light coming from inside.

"Whoa…! Careful there." Said the person who opened the door, in slight surprise.

Fortunately, a pair of strong hands managed to get the timing right, so the box didn't fall to the floor and remained in Cloud's arms.

"Ah! Sorry," Cloud croaked in a hurry. "Eh!?" He'd just realized who the person was that helped him when the blinding light was blocked, revealing a wicked smile he knew so well and wanted to kick the owner of. But he refrained.

"Uuhh…" Cloud stuttered, glaring at the hands that seemed too comfortable, plastered over his own hands. A moment later, they were withdrawn. Cloud's hand twitched a little.

"Morning, Cloud." Leon said cheerily. The smile never faded from his face.

"Uh, morning."

"Changed your job?"

Cloud looked up at the question, knitting his brows as if confused.

Leon waved his hand at the cardboard box Cloud held. "I don't remember ever ordering paopu fruit before." He said in amused tone.

"Huh?" Cloud winced, blushing slightly. He shook his head. "No. It's just…" he trailed off, trying to get the right reason without looking silly. He pushed the box forward instead. "He-here… Thank you for yesterday."

Leon took the box, brushing his hands over Cloud's in the process on purpose without the blond realizing it. "Don't worry about it." He said. Cloud shook his head again.

Then, for a moment, Cloud's eyes were strangely focused on Leon's lips. Not because of his smile. But what? Even he didn't know why. It was like he knew those lips. The taste. The familiarity. But then, how could that be?

Cloud gulped. With an effort, he looked away from those mischievous lips. He scowled to himself, what's that supposed to mean?

"Who's that, Leon? Oh!" A chirpy voice from inside the room brought their heads to look at the source. "It's you, Cloud! How are you? I heard you had a fever the other day. Sorry, I didn't have time to visit you, but I'm sure Leon attended you excellently." The tone she used on the last few words was indicating she suspected something wicked happened between him and Leon, but Cloud didn't realize it.

"I'm… alright now, thanks." He said lowly. Cloud tilted his head a little to the side, his eyes narrowed. The girl hovered beside Leon, he knew her. Wait. Well, of course, he knew her. "Yuffie… right?!" He tested out his memory. After all, he had only met her once. And it hadn't been the most pleasant event either.

Yuffie grinned widely. "You remember me! How sweet." She clapped her hands together, then her eyes suddenly gleamed with interest and a mischievous smile that was oddly similar to the brunet's bloomed on her face and almost split her tiny face in two. Cloud unconsciously braced himself for the upcoming "storm".

"So, what are you up to? Finally going to confess your love to Leon after what he's so sweetly done for you when you were sick and decided to move in with him? Eh? Should I leave you two together for some private time? Although I'd prefer to watch you two muss each other cutely with my camera clicking in every angle. Buuut… since you're probably too shy to publicly make out even though it is just me in the room, and my camera, I know my limit and will just sit in the next room with a tumbler glass between the wall and my ear. And maybe I will get a reprimand from the landlord later for making an emergency peephole in the wall. And of course, recording it all is a must."

Cloud flinched sharply, his eyes widened both in surprise and disgust. What's wrong with this girl? He thought. She spoke that long in one breath like there was no end to it. It was a miracle that he could keep up with what she said. Or maybe not.

"Uh…" Cloud restrained the urge to smack his head against the wall behind him, he ended up laughing stiffly instead. This girl was probably scarier than she looked. He had finally found the same DNA flowing between these two cousins. The wickedness was in the family.

Leon laughed in amusement; he 'saved' Cloud from making a stupid respond and said, "No, Yuffie. Although what you said was really tempting, I'm sure he's not up for it. At least for now." He winked at the blond. Cloud trembled, tightening his fists. I should've just put that damn box by his door with a note on it! Now he couldn't escape from another obnoxious event.

"Look, he gave me these." Leon brought the box up so his cousin could see what was inside.

Cloud nodded. "Yeah, my co-worker's boyfriend came home the other day and gave me this fruit. I already gave some to Zack and Aerith, but it was still too much for me to eat alone. So, it's to thank you for calling the doctor for me when I was sick." He forced himself to smile. "Thanks again."

"You're welcome." The brunet answered. His smile looked genuinely kind this time, with no trace of wickedness whatsoever. It even made Cloud's heart thump for a bit there. But of course he chose to ignore it.

"Paopu fruit!" She exclaimed and took one from the box. "I really like paopu fruit! Thank you, Cloud!" She said before she split the fruit in two and offered one half to the blond who was still out of his mind because of Leon's uncharacteristic smile; he chewed the fruit and swallowed it before he realized what he was doing.

Yuffie grinned widely, obviously pleased with what she saw and offered the other half of the fruit in her hand to Leon. She squealed, making Cloud nearly jump out of his shoes. He grabbed his chest where his heart was in surprise. "Wh-what…?" He asked in a stutter.

"Congratulations!" She exclaimed cheerfully.

"Huh?" The two men said in unison.

Yuffie snickered so evilly it could have match Maleficent's. It did nothing to help reduce the wariness Cloud felt right then. She clasped her hands together as if she were praying and nodded solemnly. "Now I pronounce that the destinies of the two of you are officially intertwined with each other. Yes, it's destiny. Definitely destiny. Clearly a destiny." She nodded again several times in satisfaction.

Cloud's mouth worked soundlessly. DESTINY?! What the hell is DESTINY?!

"Destiny, huh?!"

A cold voice echoed his thoughts from behind, the blond almost breaking his neck from turning his head so fast. "Riku?! What are you doing here?" Shouted Cloud.

"Working, you damn slacker. Because of you my work since yesterday has doubled. Well, your daily payment goes to my pocket anyway, so I don't really mind." Not only was the tone of his voice cold, but his glare was too. Cloud wondered why he should put up with this kind of co-worker for so long and with so little of wages and with a dictator for a boss, with a… He stopped himself from what was going to be a long line of poor employee complaints.

"Hey," Riku bumped Cloud's side with the edge of the box. "You're in the way, Cloud."

"Sorry. That package is for him?" Cloud spied the medium sized box Riku held. The box was similar to the one he usually delivered to Leon almost every week.

"Yeah," Riku answered, stepping forward before he put the box down near the door and took off his blue hat. "Sierra Delivery Service. Morning, Sir. Well, just a formality. Sign on this receipt."

As much as I hate this pervert, Riku's too rude to the customer. Cloud thought to himself.

Leon put the paopu-filled box by his feet and accepted the papers from Riku. But why did Cloud have to be the one to spin his body at Leon's cue so the brunet could sign the papers on his back like he always did? The blond cursed his own conditioned response and swallowed a groan.

"Hi, Riku!" Yuffie called, waving her hand. Riku raised his two fingers in response.

Cloud turned his body again after swatted away Leon's grabby hand from around his waist. "You guys know each other?"

"She is Sora's classmate."

"Oh, really." Cloud muttered in a low voice.

Riku studied Cloud, Leon and Yuffie in turn and sneered. "Now I know how the story goes. That brat Sora must be involved." He rolled his eyes.

"Eh?" Cloud frowned slightly. "What do you mean?" He glimpsed Yuffie touching her forefinger to her lips as if tell him to be quite.

"Nah." Riku waved a dismissive hand. "You'll realize sooner or later. Maybe, if you're smart enough that is. Well then have a nice day everyone. And Cloud, congratulations on your new 'destiny'. I'll be sure to tell everybody in the office." He winked at the blond and pointed at the paopu box by the door.

Cloud's face heated up and his face reddened like a scalded lobster. He felt his blood boil from his chest to the crown of his head. Then he yelled curses grudgingly at his co-worker. "It's just an urban legend, asshole! You're the one who's stupid!"

Riku just laughed as he walked away, taunting a middle finger at him before disappearing behind the wall. When Cloud turned again to the other two, Leon was laughing and Yuffie was giggling madly like a groupie of some boy band.

It was too much. He didn't know anymore whether he was angry at them or just crying miserably. His body was shaking and his fists had tightened until the knuckles turned white. His eyes welled with tears. In fact, some drops threatened to fall from the corner of his eyes.

He had to get out of there. Now. Cloud inhaled a shaky breath and stomped towards his room. "Whatever!" He shouted angrily before he banged the door shut loudly.

Cloud could still hear a trace of laughter outside even with his door closed. He even heard Yuffie say "Cloud's really cute. I like him." And Leon's retort, "Hands off, Yuffie. He's mine." Right before he heard the sound of the door close with a definite click.

"Who's yours, dumbass?!" The blond mumbled with a pout.

He slumped down to the floor, sighing deeply. Then he suddenly jerked his head upward. "Wait…" He muttered lowly. He didn't remember seeing any furniture inside Leon's room. Not even a curtain.

"What's going on here?"

End Note: I will upload the next chapter next week.