I noticed a mistake in the story and I WILL go fix it…later. So those of you that caught it, here's the correction/explanation: Back in chapter 2, Leon said he met Cloud in high school which contradicts what both Sephiroth and Cloud said. I will fix the chapter 2 part because that's the incorrect information. They were a couple BEFORE entering high school.
When I fix it, I'll delete this note.
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And gaaah! Thanks for the reviews! Most reviews in one chapter was last chapter. Hope the rest will be just as enjoyable!
Cloud sighed to himself for the umpteenth time while he stared at a paper in his hands as he walked through the hallways with Zack, both on their way to buy lunch.
"Cloud, come on! One bad grade isn't the end of the world! Besides, school is almost over! We'll be in high school by next year! You're fine!" Zack exclaimed, tired of Cloud being down since they got their exams back.
"This is what I get for taking your advice and 'wing it' you jerk!" Cloud cried and hits his friend, "How in the world did you do better than me!?"
"Um…because you suck at science and I'm actually pretty decent at it?" Zack lightly chuckled only to receive another hit across the arm, "Sorry! Sorry! Well, why don't you ask someone to tutor you like…like…that cutie right over there!" Zack pointed to a girl in line when they entered their cafeteria.
"……That's Aerith," Cloud stated bluntly after he followed Zack's finger.
"You're point?"
Cloud only sighed but nodded. Aerith was a good person to ask for help and being friends makes it easier.
"So…will you introduce us?" Zack pleaded when he noticed Cloud was considering the idea,
"You already met!"
"I know but…she doesn't really look my way! It's not fair!"
Cloud only rolled his eyes on how childish Zack sounded right there.
"Zack: just ask her out…and it's not the end of the world if she rejects you! You were so confident when you two met!"
"I asked for a date but…she said I was 'silly'…" Zack anime-cried while Cloud patted his back in comfort.
When Cloud finally approached Aerith about help in line to buy lunch, Zack hid.
"If you want help with Science, why don't you ask Sephiroth?" Aerith suggested, "Despite what it looks like, his grades are quite splendid."
"Wh-What? No way! That guy tortures me! Why can't you help me?"
"I can help you, Cloud but I'm just probably not the best choice for that subject."
"Oh, well, is there anyone, besides Sephiroth, that's good in science?"
"Hmm…"
While lunch was still going on, Cloud nervously entered the neighboring homeroom class. All eyes landed on him and Cloud felt small as he crept in and tried to avoid everyone's gaze while heading to his somewhat-of-a-friend's desk.
A clear-blue pair of eyes fell on him, not that Cloud really noticed, and watched him pass his desk.
"Cloud!"
Cloud paused and turned around,
"Y-Yeah, Squall?"
"What are you doing in my classroom?" Squall replied with a question.
"U-Um…just wanted a word with a friend: Vincent…" Cloud pointed to someone in the front row: the raven-haired student, nose buried in a book much like Squall was earlier before Cloud came in.
"……Why?"
"To help me study science…" Cloud replied, almost shyly as some people in the classroom were still staring at him. The blonde noticed Squall tense up but before he could even comment or process that thought, Squall abruptly stood up, slammed the book he had down, grabbed Cloud's wrist and pulled him out of the classroom without word. Cloud wasn't even sure what to say but simply let Squall drag him around until Squall stopped, opened the janitor's closet, and shoved Cloud into it with himself following before closing the door and turning on the light switch.
"Why do you need to ask Valentine for help?!" Squall demanded the moment they were alone.
"Because I really want to have good grades. You know…because I don't know which high school wants me and-"
"If you need help…I'll do it!"
Cloud only raised a brow at that. He and Squall never did end up in the same homeroom since they met through Tidus on the first year of Junior high. So they weren't exactly close friends but definitely acquainted as Squall tends to go out of his way just to talk to Cloud. However, Cloud clearly remembers that on breaks, such as Golden Week, when Tidus and Zack come over to his house to copy homework, Squall would tag along just to do that as well. So Cloud wasn't sure how in the world Squall could help him…
"Its okay, Squall, really, I-"
"Damn you, Cloud! What do I have to do to keep your attention?!"
Awkward and longer-than-anyone-wished-to-be silence went through the closet. Blinking in confusion, Cloud stared at Squall who was clearly having a blush rise up his face. Before Cloud could question him, Squall turned off the lights of the closet to hide his blush.
"I hate you, Cloud…"
"Um…why?"
"I take that back, I hate Tidus for dragging me to his birthday party and bumping into me and thus bumped into you thus we met in which you made me feel this way…"
"Actually he missed the piñata and hit you in which you spilled your drink on me," Cloud corrected, wondering if Squall still has a bruise from that bat(or if Tidus still has a bruise from Squall's fist).
"Whatever! Point being: I know we're all heading off to high school next year but I'll follow you to any school you go to! I like you but I hate that I do! So will you go out with me or not?!"
The closet suddenly felt kind of hot…at least for Squall.
"…"
"…"
"……I'd love to, Squall."
Squall found himself letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
"But um…I honestly didn't expect getting a confession or being asked out in a dark closet…"
"I'm not a romantic okay?"
"Yeah but…I can't see you."
With a sigh, Squall hit the light switch and he was met with a sweet kiss…
Zack opening the closet door and Squall about to castrate him was the last piece of the memory before it went to an end. Cloud blinked and tried to clear his mind while shoving the forgotten memory back to being forgotten again. He never believed one can dream a memory yet he just did but Cloud was too tired to be angry at himself. It took a few more moments until Cloud realized he's lying in an extremely soft bed, probably filled with a billion feathers, and he's staring at a white ceiling with a bright sunlight threatening to shine on his face through the curtains to his right.
Sunlight…white…Cloud slowly sat up, the covers falling to his waist, and it took that long plus the fact he had a bare chest that last night's events, completely opposite to the sunlight and white, came flooding back to his mind. He did the only thing anyone would do: scream and check to his see if he had any clothes on at all-which he thankfully did: the same leathers pants from last night.
Footsteps were heard and Cloud's head drifted to the door which quickly opened.
"Cloud! Oh you're awake!"
Cloud blinked without saying a word…not sure how this woman, who he doesn't know, knew his name. The only thing Cloud thought was familiar was that she looked similar to his friend Tifa except she's in a long yellow sundress which is probably something Tifa would never wear.
"Cloud, it's okay! It's me, Rinoa. President of your homeroom in high school? Remember?" Rinoa smiled as she approached him, recognizing Cloud's confusion that was spelled across his face.
"Oh…" After a few more thoughts, he definitely remembered, "Miss Heartilly…"
"That's right, how are you feeling? Do you feel sick at all?" Rinoa asked in concern and reached to feel Cloud's forehead.
"Um…n-no I'm fine…"
"I see, that's good!"
"Um…Miss Heartilly…where am I exactly and how…?" Cloud wasn't sure if he wanted to finish the sentence as he was confused and the fear of being in the same building as Squall/Leon-whatever-same-person just made him plain nervous.
"Ah, I apologize and just call me Rinoa. Well where to start: Squall brought you here last night. And yes, this is my home."
"R-Really?"
"And don't worry, Squall went over to your place to make sure Sora and Roxas don't worry!"
"What?!"
"It's alright! I'm sure they're fine! And he also said he slept on the couch until…Sora was it? That pestered him to go to the guest room."
Cloud had to take it all in before he could think of his next question.
While he does that, Rinoa only sighed to herself, wondering how she got herself into this…
Last night:
It was a typical night for Rinoa. Checking the news, preparing for the next day, and about to finish a book until a door being knocked on, actually kicked on, caught her attention. Putting down the book and going to her door to peek through the little hole she caught sight of Leon's griever so naturally, she opened it for him only to see him drenched and carrying a sleeping Cloud(well she didn't know at the time) in his arms with his jacket completely covering Cloud's head.
"Squall Leonhart!" she cried and took off the jacket to make sure the person was breathing under the jacket and then seeing it was Cloud, "Squall Leonhart! What did you do!?"
"Sh! I…I didn't…look Rinoa, can you please take him for tonight?" Leon pleaded and Rinoa noticed the light shaking in his voice, "I can't take him home, his sons will kill me. If I take him to my place, he'll freak out by morning. So…can you?"
"……Squall I don't have any dry clothes for him," she wanted to scream at him but kept quiet for Cloud's sake.
"Then just…undress his top or something and we can use your electric blankets to dry his pants."
"Well…Alright, fine, I'll take him but just this one time and you do the undressing…"
"I…rather not…" Squall murmured and Rinoa looked at him as if he was crazy. It took a bit of convincing but Rinoa ended up as the one partially undressing Cloud. They also went with the electric blanket idea to at least dry the lower half of Cloud.
"How did this happen, Squall?" Rinoa shook her head in disbelief after she closed the guestroom where Cloud lied.
"Um…he fell asleep in my arms…"
"Elaborate."
"…I made him cry and he cried himself to sleep…in my arms."
Rinoa decided not to question him any further and they dropped the topic.
Present:
Surprisingly, Leon was right when Cloud asked who undressed him. The blonde seemed relieved it wasn't Leon. Though in hopes to make Cloud feel better, she offered the man breakfast.
Leon never realized how awkward it would be…to meet Roxas. Sora, surprisingly being the only one that can make a full breakfast for everyone, served his family minus Cloud. Leon regretted taking the seat at the end of the table because Roxas sat across from him and he stared holes through the elder brunette. It wasn't just before or after the meal, Roxas stared at Leon the whole time while eating. Leon was afraid to look up and catch Roxas's cold eyes that can easily fool Leon into thinking it's Cloud himself. Although the fact that Roxas hasn't spoken a word was a bit more comforting than last night when he wouldn't stop yelling…
Last Night:
"What the hell?! No! NO!"
"Roxas…" Sora reached for Roxas to try and calm him down but Roxas just pushed off Sora's grip,
"NO! He's NOT staying!" Roxas shouted while pointing at Leon.
"But Roxas, he said Dad can't make it back…"
"I should be calling the cops right now!"
"Roxy…" Sora was struggling to decide whether this is a good time to tell Roxas the truth.
"Sora…ugh…no, there's no way this stranger is staying when we don't have a single clue where Dad is!!"
"I told you I left him at my trusting friend's house," Leon replied but Roxas only glared at him.
"Roxy…um…can you sit down real fast?" Sora pleaded and reached his arms out to Roxas in hopes to at least grab Roxas's shoulders and gently push him down to the closest seat.
"Uh, no, not until I decide what I should be doing right now…"
"Sora, I think your brother is going to hyperventilate," said Leon, who has been standing in the same exact spot since he came in.
"Of course I'm going to hyperventilate!" Roxas nearly bellowed, "My father is missing and I'm being comforted by a stranger that my father hates that's telling me he's 'alright' and at a 'friend's' house!!!"
"R-Roxy…" Sora gripped Roxas and set up down on the stairs, "Th-There's something I need to tell you…"
Present:
Well the confession and explanation could've gone worse but it didn't exactly go well either…
"Okay, I'm sorry but…please stop staring, or glaring, at me," Leon stated and finally looked at Roxas who had a firm look at on his face and didn't comply.
"As soon as Dad comes home I will," Roxas replied almost smugly.
"You hate me don't you?"
"No, no, I really love the man that made my father's life a living hell," Roxas stated sarcastically.
"Roxas!" Sora cried, not wanting a fight at their kitchen table, "Can we just have a breakfast and you two can fight about it in the backyard or something?!"
"Sora, you've done some crazy things and have said crazy things…but I REALLY don't want to believe I'm related to THIS MAN!" Roxas pointed and Sora lightly groaned into his hands.
"Roxas, you said so yourself that you've noticed you had glowing eyes when you were little! That's proof enough that Dad was exposed to mako!"
"Mako can't make babies!"
"Can you prove that?!"
"Can you prove we came from Dad?!"
"Yes! When Dad comes home we'll ask him!"
Leon wanted to protest that but before anything to leave his mouth the front door clicked up and Cloud slowly entered his home.
"DAD!" the twins leapt from their chairs and ran from the kitchen to the front door to hug the blonde from two sides.
"Hi boys…"
"Are you okay?" Roxas asked in worry and Cloud stroked the boy's head,
"I'm alright…"
"You sure?" Sora added on and received a hug back from Cloud,
"Yeah…"
Leon stood from his seat and left the kitchen to see the family. He leaned against the wall as the twins doted on their father who gave simple and quick replies. In a moment the two slowly met eyes…Leon only thanked whatever's up there that Cloud didn't flinch or look away.
"Boys, do me a favor: Head up to your rooms and I beg you not to eavesdrop."
The two only glanced at each other before slowly obeying. Roxas hesitantly headed up the stairs while sending a glare at Leon. Sora ran back to the kitchen to get his food before running up the stairs. After a few moments of silence, Cloud motioned Leon towards the living room. Silence continued as Cloud sat on his white leather couch that faced a blank wall with Leon slowly joining him. Leon wanted so badly to break this silence but…he felt Cloud should have the honors.
"……You didn't stop by your home," Cloud commented without glancing at the man next to him but he noted Leon was wearing the same clothes as last night like himself. Cloud slowly returned the jacket he folded up to Leon without a comment on it.
"Well…I couldn't keep Sora and Roxas waiting any longer than they have to," Leon replied as calmly as he could as his mind was as nervous as one can possibly be while remaining sane.
"I see…how did you ever convince Roxas in letting you stay?"
"Um…"
"…Well?" Still Cloud did not turn his head but neither did Leon.
"I…Sora and I told him about……us."
When Leon felt Cloud's eyes on him, he wasn't sure what he should be expecting: A pain to the face or a kick out of the house or even something completely unexpected.
"Sora knows?" Cloud whispered though he really shouldn't be that surprised…but still, the realization had a bigger impact than he thought.
"I'm sorry..."
"That's not an answer!" Cloud exclaimed and Leon found himself flinching.
"Y-Yeah…I'm sorry I told him…and I'm sorry that Roxas knows now too…though he hates me. He made that quite clear almost every 5 minutes."
"……Squall…" Cloud stared ahead of him once more and said that name in a more calm manner, "I don't get it. It's been so long since I disappeared from your life…why are you trying to bring me back into it again? And tell me the truth! It can't just be love…was guilt part of it too? What is it Squall?"
Leon only sighed, only realizing now how much it stung whenever Cloud says his real like with fierceness in his voice.
"I'm not sure to be honest…" Leon shrugged and glanced at the blonde, "But I think…it was my love that kept me going but the guilt kept me sane. Or maybe it's the other way around? I don't know, Cloud. I confess they both play a part in this. I just couldn't let you go…no matter how many people told me to or how many people told me I'm insane or just doing the impossible. It probably wasn't that I couldn't…it could even be that I simply…wouldn't."
"…You're insane."
"I've been told."
"What do you want to happen, Squall? It's been so long since I left…I can't even remember what love felt like. What do you want from me?"
"I guess…I just want another chance. Give me a chance…to court you?"
"If you're planning to pull all the cheesy-"
"Actually…I thought I'd just take you back to all your favorite places and just everywhere our dates took place."
"……"
"Cloud?" Leon turned his head when Cloud made no comment but simply stiffened.
"……I don't remember my favorite places."
A sting of guilt hit Squall and added to the large pile of guilt that already piled up over time.
"But I do…please Cloud?"
"……" Cloud pressed his lips together tightly as he lowered his head and soon his body too; he quickly pulled his legs up and hugged his knees before burying his face to hide those tears welling up again.
"Cloud…" Leon scooted himself closer, tempted to hold Cloud in his arms again. But instead he opened his leather jacket again and put it over Cloud's shoulders before slowly putting his arm around him in comfort.
Notes:
-In case people started doing the math and still got confused: In Japan, high school is 3 years, not 4. So they did date 3-4 years because they started dating on their last year of Junior High going into their last year of high school when Cloud finally left.
-Also, I know where I live we get sent to whatever high school depending on where I live. I think there are other areas when you can choose which high school to go to. That's the case in Japan. And yes…they(Cloud, Zack, Aerith, Tidus) actually all ended up going to the same high school for the sake of this story.
-Vincent finally made an appearance lol, though a very short one.
-More Japanese school explanations if you need it: Unlike the U.S. schools, the students don't change classes, the teachers do. So whoever you're with in your homeroom, you're with them all year. So in case you got confused: Squall and Vincent are in the same homeroom, Cloud is in another. At lunch, you can pretty much eat and do anything you want, including visiting other classrooms.
Please read and review!!