So that little idea I had in my head the night before about getting sleep? Ha, it didn't happen...Maybe it was the anxiety running through my veins with my blood…Maybe it was the dog next door who would not quit barking at the darkness engulfing its home. Why did I even buy this place when I knew the couple next door had a little yappy dog…? Ugh…I guess I could do something a little more productive than berating myself on something I'd done a few years ago. Like…make some coffee. Ah, that was exactly what I needed this morning. In fact, my need was apparently so great that my nose could already distinguish the floating, heavenly aroma of the caffeinated beverage. Must have been my weary mind…

My baby blue eyes slowly trailed themselves over to my night-side table, glancing at the toxic green digits burning brightly against a black background. 11:41? Or was the 11 somehow a 7? My hands reached up to rub my straining eyes while my legs bent and kicked the white, puffed comforter away from my body. My feet, with a bit of searching, found the rugged carpet of my bedroom floor. One of my hands planted itself upon the mattress, pushing my body into an upright position. How awkward did I look continually rubbing my eyes while my feet stumbled over themselves towards the door that had been locked the night prior? The stinging sensation shooting from my toes up my leg and back down again meant I had found the door. With a flick of the wrist and a small 'click', the door was unlocked and pulled open. My hands dropped away from my face as the smell of roasted coffee became even more pungent. I continued my stumbling into the living area of my apartment, a small kitchen conjoined off to the side. I passed my loveseat on the way towards the kitchen, failing to notice a certain pair of bodies upon it. The only thing that my eyes were fixated on and my sleep-deprived mind would let me think about was coffee at this point in time.

"G'morning, Cloud." called a voice from somewhere beyond my line of vision.

"Mmhmmwhayeahsss…hnnnmmmcoffee…" came my response…if it could have even been called that. A limp hand was tossed into the air towards the direction of the voice while the other reached for a clean mug off of my drain board. I turned almost shut eyes onto the steaming coffee pot and quickly filled up my cup. A bit of creamer, a dash of sugar, and the warm, brown liquid was meeting my lips before passing through, heading straight for my stomach. "Ahhhh…." I sighed with relief as I felt warmth spread from my chest to my limbs. Just what I needed. I took another long sip, letting out yet another relieved sigh. My awakening eyes then turned themselves to my loveseat, only now seeing the two people occupying it. I blinked slowly before bringing the cup to my lips yet again, as if to continue the process of waking myself up. Three sips and I think I was awake…This all felt too real to be a dream…which meant…"How the hell did you two get in here?"

"Oh, so we're not ghosts anymore?" Sora smirked, relishing the frown that appeared on my face. Cheeky little brat… "You really need to remember to lock your front door. A burglar could come in, or someone worse."

"A burglar, hell, even a serial axe murderer would be better than waking up and seeing your faces in the morning." I retorted, my grip on the cup increasing. "What are you two even doing here anyway? Do I even want to know?"

"We just came to check up on you." Kairi stated simply, her hands hidden beneath her thighs and maroon plaid skirt. "I was actually supposed to go to the grocery store today for my mom, and Sora wanted to come along so—"

"We were just passing by, really." The brunette filled in, that stupid smirk still on his face. "So how's the car, Cloud? Kairi and I haven't gotten a 'thank you' yet~…" he spoke the last part in a singsong voice with a waving finger to accompany it.

"You will never hear those words come out of my mouth for you, Sora." I growled, my eyes darkening now.

"And why's that?" he was standing now. "If it wasn't for me and Kairi, you'd still be driving that crap you call a car!"

"My car wasn't 'crap', Sora! It was fine, got me to where I needed to go. But no, I obviously didn't want it anymore, so Kairi and you performed a civic duty, didn't you?" Our voices were beginning to rise now.

"Heck yeah we did! As if anyone in their right mind would drive something like that. Not only that, but it wasn't like it looked good!"

"What's that compared to a car that actually works?"

"I'd rather be dead than be seen in something like that!"

"That can be arranged, Sora!" I made a few steps towards him, my coffee long since forgotten on the counter, and my hands clenched into fists. Before I could even bring my arm back to take a swing, Kairi stood up abruptly and piped in.

"Cloud, please don't! Please don't be mad at Sora. You know how stupid he can be." There was a small 'hey' from the younger boy before she turned to him. "And Sora, you know how Cloud likes to have his privacy and keep his things to himself. He's just sensitive that way." Now it was my turn to let out a small 'hey'. She then turned to the both of us, her hands together as if she were ready to pray. "So can we please just put all of that aside for some peace and quiet?"

There was a sheet of silence before it was broken by Sora.

"Yeah…sure." He threw an eye over towards me and though I rolled my own, I nodded my head in agreement. The boy let out a small sigh, crossing his arms over his chest now. "Hey Cloud?" He waited for me to acknowledge him. "Why'd you leave your car on last night?"

"…What?" the question rocked me as I tried to remember back to last night. I had…as outlandish as this sounds…had a fight with my car's engine. I had figured that when he dismissed me, he had just turned himself off…I mean he was the engine after all. He could do that, couldn't he?..."W-Why do you say that?"

"We heard the engine running when we came up. It would get louder before dying back down, but then it would get louder again…I think you might want to get it checked." Sora continued with a shrug of his shoulders. "Hope we didn't win you a bum car in a scam or something like that."

"Stay here." I commanded both of them before I was out the door in nothing but a pair of black sweatpants. I slammed it shut and made my way down the hallway toward the stairs. Elevator was out of order today…Just my luck. Bounding down step after step I soon made it my building's lobby, a few short breaths leaving me on the way. I pushed open the double doors and walked right into the blinding sun. With a slight groan as my pupils contracted and my eyes regained their composure I scanned the front parking area for my car. It wasn't hard to find…what with the other older models surrounding it. As I neared it, I could tell that what Sora had said had been true. My car…was on? No...but the engine was running, I think? The rumblings coming from it weren't steady as it would have been with one of the other cars around, but they would become intense for a few moments before the volume would drop. My hand itched to open the hood, and yet something within me hesitated. Did I want to know what he was doing in there?...The hidden latch sprung and I pulled the cover up. I set my eyes down to see that he…was sleeping? His eyes were loosely shut, his broad chest rose and fell with each soft snore he gave off, and his body was relaxed for the first time that I had seen. Wait a second…was this even possible? I mean…he was an engine, right? Which meant he was a machine…which meant he couldn't sleep…right? Agh, I didn't need this sort of thinking in the morning!

"Nnn…" he whined once the sun's rays had been able to hit his eyelids. Oh great! Quickly and yet as quietly as I could I attempted to shut the hood. Maybe he wouldn't notice. Maybe he wouldn't question it. Maybe— "Just leave it open…" Damn.

"Sorry." I began immediately. "It's just that I heard the eng—you, and I thought I had left the car on."

"You did." Was the simple response that came from his mouth. He lifted the top half of him with one arm while he used to the other to stretch himself out. A yawn came from his mouth as did a rev from the car. The two of them were so incredibly synced; it was almost unnatural and frightening. "I could only put it in a low-energy state, but I can't completely shut it off. Future notice: I may be the engine of this car, and I may be able to control it, but there's only so much I can actually do." He seemed much tamer now. No snippy remarks, no glares…nothing. Was he tired? "So Cloud…— " I had to cut him off.

"You know my name?" I questioned with wide eyes.

"Not just your name. I would say almost everything about your technical information." Before I could even ask 'how', he must have seen the question on my face. And that worried me. "Your fingerprint from when you approached me for the first time. I received your DNA imprint and had it sent to the PAD, or the Paragon Automotive Database. From there, I left it to the geniuses at the computer to search for your records in the government's servers and files. They then routed it back to me and I have it stored within my memory." Another yawn came from him while the car revved again. He lazily gazed up at me and tilted his head to the side a bit. "Something wrong?"

"H-How can that even be possible?" He was about to go into the explanation again, but I stopped him with a hand. "So…you know everything about me?"

"Anything that has been entered into the government's records and files, I have." The response sent a shockwave through my body. Had it really been so simple to gain my written information? He had my life stored inside of him now, and it was with this thought that I slumped to the ground. He was now looking down at me, the lazy look in his eye still remaining. "As if any other official couldn't have pulled your records." He didn't understand…how could he? He was only a machine…It was only fitting that he not have any emotions.

"Why?" I asked, my head bowed at my eyes stared a spot of asphalt before me. "Why do you need my information?"

"Two main aspects: Security and Personalization with the Driver." He spoke this as if the question had been a designated one with a programmed answer. "To avoid the possible situation of a carjacking or imposter wanting to gain access to the Driver's vehicle. Also to study the Driver and modify the vehicle to his/her liking and personal preferences."

"It's not optional?"

"No." his normal tone had returned, but it had a small ring of despair to it. That was when I looked up to find a frown on the other's face and his brow slightly furrowed. "If it was, I wouldn't have done it. I know now that you like to keep certain things to yourself and you treasure privacy."

"…" At first I didn't say anything. I had no idea if this apology was genuine or not…it sure sounded like it. But then again, he was only apologizing because he knew this about me. He now knew things about myself that perhaps I didn't. But then again…he had been forced to do a background search on me. He had been programmed to do this when he was…invented, right? What was he but an empty shell with someone else's life withstanding in his mind now? Whoa…was I personifying him a little too much? "It's alright. Besides, it's like you said, any official could have done it. Just…try to warn me the next time you're about to make a decision like that."

"Understood, Driver."

"Uh…can't you call me something other than 'Driver?' I asked, trying to make it at least somewhat polite. The idea of me ordering him around didn't sit too right on my head.

"Certainly." He then straightened his body a bit before he began running through a list that must have already been programmed into his, err…brain, I guess. "Sir? Mister? Your name? Master?"

"Master?" the last one had caught me off-guard to say the least, but my jumpy outburst must have confirmed that that was the name I wished to be called for there was a thrill of beeping from somewhere on him and he nodded his head.

"Master it is then."

"No no, no! Cancel that or something! Don't call me that!"

"You don't like it, Master?" he asked, tilting his head slightly to the side with a slight worried expression on his face. The question caused me to groan internally. I slapped a hand to my face and gave out a sigh. "Master, is something wrong?"

"I…" I trailed off, the hand still to my face. Ah, I'd just have to fix this later. I didn't have the time nor the energy to actually go through whatever process it was to correct him. "No, it's fine…just…Just give me time to get used to it, I guess…" He nodded his head at that. I wanted desperately to change the subject away from me, so I did. "But…what do I call you? I can't really keep referring to you as 'my engine', can I?"

"You can." He replied, not really catching my sarcasm in his tame state. "But you may refer to me as my model name, L.E.O.N."

"Alright." I said with a small sigh at the end of it. I was about to shut the hood after that, but he stopped me.

"Master, you have received a notice from the head of Paragon Automotive." Another programmed response. I don't think I would ever become used to them. "You can view it on the screen inside."

"Thanks." I gave the word up habitually before I lowered the cover. Wouldn't want any passerby to see a naked man acting as the engine to a car now. I moved to the driver's side of the car, pressed my finger to that little white circle upon it and wait while the door opened itself. Not to my surprise there was indeed a floating envelope upon the screen of the screen that took up most of my dashboard. With a bit of hesitance I put my finger to it, touching it slightly before it opened to reveal a video message. Then, my screen was filled with the bust of that representative from Paragon Automotive…His name was…Xemnas, wasn't it?

"Hello Cloud Strife. I would just like to take this opportunity to congratulate you once again for winning out latest prized possession, the L.E.O.N Edition vehicle. I've taken the liberty of providing for you a document instruction manual already installed within your car as well as your engine, just in case. I assume you've already encountered the L.E.O.N's…" he took a small break to let out a snicker with a sly smirk on his face. "…special engine, yes?" It was as if he could read the slight glare that I allowed my eyes to show to his still smirking face. "Well then, all I can ask is that you do not…oh, how should I put it, exploit this gift that's been given to you. That is all. Anyway, happy driving." He gave a wave to the camera before the screen went black and returned to the 'Home' area of the menu. The envelope then flew into the small shredder icon which I soon deduced was like any computer's trash can. Had that been all he wanted to let me know? I gave a shrug of my shoulders before I checked the clock, realizing that I had spent some time out here. Weren't Sora and Kairi…still in my apartment…Lovely…

I eased my way out of the car and after I had taken a few steps away from it, the door shut itself. Huh. That was something I could get used to. I moved to the front of the car, lifting the hood of the car once more and peering down at L.E.O.N who had been resting part of his head upon his metallic gauntlet. He seemed so unnaturally tired…but then again, he did tell me that he had been able to put the car into a low-power state, right? And the two were synced indefinitely so…It only made sense, right? Look at me, trying to reason with the fact that a naked man in my brand new car is my engine for it.

"Uhm…" I saw him lift only his eyes towards me, nothing else. "…That lower-power state you were talking about before? I'm going to need that turned off…"

"Yes Master." He simply replied, much to my chagrin, but nevertheless obliged to my request. With that gauntlet he stroked the bottom of the small chamber he was in before it disappeared beneath his body, as if searching for something on it. Whatever his hand had been looking for, it must have found it for my engine's eyebrows scrunched slightly before he took in a sharp breath just in time for the rest of the vehicle to rev and give off a series of crescendoing beeps. Almost immediately, L.E.O.N livened up as if regaining his major source of energy. He then brought his face up as he braced the top half of him up with both of his gauntleted hands. "Plan on driving today, Master?" His eyebrows regained that incriminating arch and a familiar frown was placed on his face. Did I take more solace in this state of him than the other?

"You could say that." I told him, placing both of my hands on the hood, ready to slam it shut. "I'll return soon." I then put my weight behind my hands to help them bring the cover down on the other man. Well…might as well go kick those to thorns in my side out of my home.

"Whaddya mean we have to leave?" cried the brunette as I continued to push both his and his little girlfriend's bodies out of the entrance of my apartment building. I had given them the pleasure of even sitting on my furniture as I jumped into the shower and dressed, which was more than a 'thank-you' for my new car in my eyes.

"Sora…" I started, glancing down at him. "Whose house were you just in?"

"Yours?" God, Sora! That question wasn't even that complicated!

"Exactly. My house, my rules. So both of you, out!" I gave them both a shove, more so Sora than Kairi because I'm not that much of a rude bastard, and dusted my hands of them.

"Aw c'mon, Cloud! Can't we just go for a quick drive in your car?" Sora's whine grated on my ears and I could only give a pout in response. "C'mon, please! Kairi still has to go to the store and it's not like we have any way of getting there!"

"You know, Sora? There's a new and spectacular invention called the bus. Why don't you both go try it out?" I sneered in response to Sora's glare. "That was the only reason you two broke into my house, isn't it?" Silence between the two of them. "I should have known. Why couldn't you two have just gotten a ride from your other friend…Riku?"

"Aw, he's like on house arrest because his cousin's moving here. I think they're helping him find a job or something like that."

"Riku has a cousin?" I questioned, not really hearing much from this boy's family at all. Other than Kairi, Riku was the only other teenager I could actually stand to be in the same room with. I couldn't help but see part of me as his personality, and I suppose that was what I found so tolerable.

"Yep, his name's Setzer. You won't be able to miss him. He has the trademark silver hair that just seems to run in Riku's family." Kairi explained. "I was actually supposed to stop by Riku's house because his mom asked me to get her some things from the store too."

"Hey, you didn't tell me that!" Once again, grating upon my ears. "Why didn't you say that?"

"Well, because I didn't want you bothering the three of them while they worked. No offense Sora, but you can tend to…distract people."

"Do not!"

"Do too." I heard myself say, practically unconsciously. The grimace on Sora's face was enough for me to relish in what I had done though. "Well, I can't really have you do all of this shopping by yourself. It's one thing that you're doing it for yourself, but now…well, I feel like I have to help this damsel in need." My word 'damsel' caused the redhead girl to blush.

"Wow, Cloud…you're a real Prince Charming, aren'tcha?" The snide remark didn't faze me as I lead Kairi to the passenger side of the car. Soon as we approached it, it opened up. I helped her inside before I moved to the driver's side of the car, it already opening for me. "Hey, Cloud! Didn't you hear me?" I didn't say anything as I slid into the still humming car and strapped the seatbelt around my torso. I saw the girl next to me follow my lead. Even with both of our doors closed, I could hear Sora still yelling to me. "Cloud! CLOUD! STOP IGNORING ME!" He walked close to the car, but found that none of the doors were opening. I had pressed the little red lock upon the touch screen while he had been yelling. I put a smirk on my face as he ran to my side and started to bang on the window, his muffled voice still coming through. "CUT IT OUT, CLOUD! THIS ISN'T FRIGGIN' FUNNY! OPEN THE DOOR, YOU—!" I set my hands upon the steering wheel, my foot on the accelerator and pushed down. The car slid into motion, and the boisterous brunette was bent on following us. This kid was clinically insane, I swear. "CLOUD! CLOUD! YOU'RE SUCH A—!" My revving of the engine drowned out whatever profanity he had just declared me. I waved to him as the car began to speed up, fast enough for Sora to be in a full sprint alongside it. Oh this was just too good.

Eventually, after going a good amount of blocks that is, I came to a stop sign and unlocked the car, the door behind me opening. I felt the boy's body weighed down the car in the back and I could hear him panting. He sat up, still panting with his seatbelt now around him.

"At least you'll be relatively quiet now." I chuckled to myself, Kairi even joining me in my triumph. Sora, much too tired to even think of a retort, just rested his head back and tried to maintain a steady supply of oxygen.

Author's Note: Omigosh, yes I know it's been much too long since I've updated this story. I'm sorry that I've been neglecting it, really I am! But, I've just now gotten a sort of swing back for writing it, so I plan on updating when I can. However, I've been in school for about a month now, so trust me, it will get in the way. But, hopefully, I will be able to finish this story! Reviews either encourage or inspire me, so please please leave a review! I enjoy all kinds!

And besides, this one's more meatier than the last one was. That's a plus, right? RIGHT?

Grazi.