Chapter Text
With only three squares in the town-world, Leon found the kid crouched into a ball, hiding between two barrels in the narrowest dead-end alley. Streetlights still buzzed, glowing a softer orange in this square, but the light didn’t reach the alley where shadows of the surrounding walls formed one. Sora’s face was buried under his arms and pressed into his knees as he sniffled and shook.
“Hey,” Leon said.
Sora looked up and wiped his cheeks with the back of his hands. “What are you doing here?”
“Looking for you,” Leon said.
“Well, you can just go back.”
“I’m supposed to make sure you don’t run off and do something stupid again.”
“Again? But Cloud… he…he’s dark.”
“You said all hearts have darkness.”
“Some probably have a whole lot more than others. Cloud’s sure does.”
“And your key tells you how dark someone’s heart is?”
Sora hugged his knees. “I guess not, but…”
“How long have you been up? Let’s go back.”
“I can’t go back. Goofy and Donald, or their king told them to find me since I’m the Keyblade Master and all. They’re ready for me to go off this world with them. I’ll show Cloud I’m not just some kid. I can show all of you that I’m ready for anything.”
“Didn't the animals get here the same way we did?”
“I don't know how they got here. I just met them. They said they were looking for this key and not much else. The duck said something about a ship, but they won't let me see it until we’re ready to go.”
“Don’t trust anyone you just met. You shouldn’t even trust me.”
“But you’re so cool, Leon. I got to trust you, at least.”
“Don’t trust people just because you think they’re cool.”
Sora laughed. “So I should trust Goofy and Donald?”
“No.”
“How else am I going to get out of here?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, then maybe you should be trusting people or uh, animals who say they have a way out when they land here, huh?”
“No.”
“Would you go if Goofy and Donald asked you, instead of me? If you knew that your friends, the most important people in your life, were out there and you could find them? Would you go?”
“Do you keep asking questions hoping I’ll eventually say yes?”
Sora shrugged. “Maybe?”
“I would.”
“You would go?”
“Yeah, but they don't know you, and they want something from you. You have to be careful about that. Tell one of the rest of us when you’re about to go with them, alright?”
“Sure thing, Leon.”
“You want to go back now?”
“Yeah, let's go back.” Sora stood up. “Hey Leon, Cloud…he’s alright, isn’t he?”
“He said he was. I don’t have to tell you to be more careful with your key, do I?”
“No.” Sora scampered into the dim light. “I didn’t mean to hurt him. I’m really sorry.”
“Tell Cloud. We can check on him together.” Leon stopped following. “Sora, you… did something happen to your mom?”
“My mom? She’s…” Tears spilled from Sora’s eyes. He sniffled and bit his lip but didn't look away. Leon waited for Sora to settle down and speak. “She’s on higher ground. I have to find Riku. He…Kairi, too. We have to find each other. We’re lost. We got lost in the dark.”
“Higher ground?” Leon said. From smoldering, growing black mist, three creatures appeared, shaking, clattering and jumping in turn.
Tears still forming, Sora wiped them away before he grinned. “I feel a whole lot better thanks to you, Leon. I’m going to go beat up more Heartless now. I’ll catch you guys later.”
Kids who smiled away tears were easier to deal with than kids who mouthed off but burned out quicker. Leon didn’t want to clean up that mess, and Cloud did say to make sure the kid didn't hurt himself. “Wait, Sora.”
But he ran, leaving the creatures behind. A woman, a fake one, stared out into the middle of the square as Sora ran by her. At least he seemed alright, for now.
Because of the fake people and creatures milling around, Leon avoided this square, even if its gingerbread-brown brick and beige stucco was cheerier than the gray and blue shadows of the other two squares. In the middle of the square, two dead trees in separate patches of green grass not large enough for children to play on had been converted into streetlights. The grass looked real, like the people, but without a sun, it couldn't be. As Leon approached locked double doors twice his height, they looked like they were growing, overwhelming the shadows. As he walked into the streetlight, they receded, blending into the wall. When he had first arrived, he tried countless times to smash those doors in. Candles that lit spontaneously after being extinguished sat on empty wooden tables surrounded by empty wooden chairs.
The eerie quaintness of the square didn't change the fact that Yuffie was mad at Leon, and he was returning empty-handed. Retrieving the kid wouldn't have resolved anything between them anyway, but what would? The shops in this square sold jewelry and restoring liquids. Leon would not be buying any jewelry for Yuffie. That left him with ether or potion. Could he offer to help her friend?
Leon climbed two flights of stone stairs and walked through an opened set of arched wooden doors to return to the square of the hotel. Once inside, he headed to the room that he and Yuffie had been sharing. He knocked on the door, listened, and cracked it open. Everything was still and dark. Without turning on the light, Leon grabbed potion from the nightstand and left before Aerith appeared. And back through the fluorescent lighting he went to find Yuffie or Cloud or someone who talked like a normal person.
“Where’d he go?” Leon said, as soon as he walked into the conference room. Yuffie sat at the table. The words ‘stab a good man’ and ‘ninja’s absolute murderous intent’ were written under ‘masturbate’ on the blackboard.
“The crazy key kid?” she said. “Didn’t he go all heartless?”
“Not the kid. How's your friend?”
“He got clobbered by a giant magic key.” Yuffie stiffened. “How do you think he is?”
Leaving a chair between them, Leon sat next to Yuffie. He placed his Gunblade on the table. Was there a good way to offer help? He hadn’t planned on what to do next. He traced the edges of the barrel with his thumb. Maybe he should have bought the jewelry. At least, for backup.
“Look, Squall, we need to talk… No more bullshoot. Ugh, you know what I’m trying to say. You’re cute and all, but you and me, we’re weird now. There’s like five people here so I don’t want us to be weird anymore.”
“Okay.” Leon looked for marks on his Gunblade. “We won’t be weird.”
“Is your face alright?” Yuffie said.
“It’s not that bad.”
“Um, yeah so about that. Sorry I socked you in the face. But well…I just…I…”
Leon wasn’t expecting an apology. He looked up at Yuffie, but she looked away. Apparently, he hadn’t done anything to warrant getting hit in the face. He was off the hook. He felt the muscle memory, the inclination from this habit to say ‘whatever’ right at the tip of his tongue but something about the way that Yuffie was looking all over the room stopped him.
Squall took a deep breath. “I didn’t want to be someone to make you feel like that, I don’t want you to feel bad, I wouldn’t have tried anything if I knew you wouldn’t like it…”
“Whoa, relax, slow down, I’m not mad… I don’t know that I actually was. It’s just…in my world… Fine, you got me, the Great Ninja Yuffie got scared, alright? But if you’re blubbering on like that, maybe I didn’t need to be, with you.”
And they looked at each other, not smiling or laughing or anything really, just looked at each other to look.
“I don’t even like you like that,” Squall said.
“What? You’re lying. I’m a total hot babe. No one can resist my ninja charms.”
“You’re strong. You aren’t… not cute, I guess.”
“Keep on digging that hole even deeper, Squall.” Yuffie laughed. “It’s fun to watch.”
“Whatever. That Cloud guy’s stronger, isn't he?”
“Oh yeah, you have no idea. See, you are jealous. I can tell.”
“I’m not jealous about that. But I think… I might be… jealous.”
“Ha, you are jealous of Cloud.” Yuffie pointed at Squall. “But you don’t like me. Why’d you kiss me then? I don’t get it.”
“It's stupid.”
“Depending on what comes out of your mouth, it might be. But why not just say it? Who cares what I think?”
“... you guys seem… close. You and me… we’re not. Or maybe it’s my sleep.”
“Well, I haven’t known you long, silly. Close to Cloud? I mean, we fought together, we almost died together, but I never thought that someone would feel like that about me and Cloud. Hey, you want to know a secret that Cloud doesn’t know? Would that make you feel better? Come here so you can hear.” Yuffie moved the chair between them out of the way and used her feet to move her chair closer. She cupped her hand close to her mouth and leaned towards Leon. “I've been set up.”
“For a crime?”
“No.” Yuffie rolled her eyes and pushed away. She put her hands on the back of her head and leaned back. “Like going to get hitched. Some day. One day. Far away. Maybe.”
“Marriage?”
“Shhh, what was the point of me whispering that if you were going to blab about it? My dad set me up.”
“Why’d you try to kiss me then?”
“Why not? I’m not married yet. Not even close. And for the record, you kissed me.”
Squall snorted. “Whatever.”
And they fell into a comfortable lull. How long had it been since Squall fell into a lull where it didn’t matter that he had nothing left to say? Where he wasn’t fighting to catch his thoughts to say something, but not just anything. He had to say whatever they wanted to hear, whatever would make them stop, and they never believed him when he said it with a smile. And still, their expectations of him drilled and rooted and festered and grew, until that was all they saw.
But this was different. He could be giddy and no one would question it. When would the window to be giddy close in this world, with these people, with her?
“How do you feel,” Squall said, “about being with one person for the rest of your life?”
“Hm, how do I feel?” Yuffie said. “There’s not much else to think about other than that one person, I guess.”
“Do you believe in being fated to be with him?”
“You mean like soulmates? No, that’s stupid. I’m trying to pick the right one to be with, at least. Like someone really cute and nice, I guess. He’s cuter than you, even.”
“But what if you end up not liking him that much?”
“What do you want me to say, Squall? I guess I’d be miserable for the rest of his life or mine. But what are you going on and on about one person for? You’re a guy. You got to go around kissing all the girls in your world and breaking their hearts.”
“You’re the second person I kissed.”
“Really? No way,” Yuffie said. “Who’s your first?”
“My girlfriend.”
“You mean your ex?”
“I guess, I’ve been stuck here for years.”
“Oh.” Yuffie pursed her lips. “Wait, how old are you?”
(Oh shit.)
“How old are you?” He had only kissed her. Nothing more. How could he be so stupid?
“Eighteen,” Yuffie said, which was better than what Squall had thought, but still. “You’re not like thirty, are you?”
“No, I’m twenty-five.”
“How is that possible? You said nine years, Squall. That means you kissed a girl when you were sixteen, and you’ve been pining for her since then.”
“I met my girlfriend right as I was joining the military,” Squall said. “I was a normal functioning adult.”
“Hey,” Yuffie said, leaning her face closer to him, like she was trying to get his attention. “Are you alright?”
“I’m just tired,” Leon said. “Can we still sleep in the same room?”
“Nope, no-can-do buckaroo, but you can share a room with Cloud. I’ll ask him for you if you want, but he won’t mind, I’m sure of it.”
“Which room is he in?” Leon took out a bottle of green potion from the inside of his jacket pocket. “I have something for him.”
“Is that what I think it is, weirdo?” Yuffie wrinkled her nose. “Never mind, don’t go anywhere near Cloud’s room.”
“It’s for healing,” Leon said. “He thinks I’m weird, too.”
“Oh yeah, we have those in our world, too. He’s next door. He stood straight up, acted like he was alright and stomped away. He can be a pain in the butt. You’re still a weirdo, but I don’t know if I’m supposed to feel warm and fuzzy or more weirded out about this. Can I be both?” Yuffie shrugged. “But who isn’t a weirdo, right?”
Leon stood up. “Can I leave my Gunblade with you?”
“Wait, you’re going to just leave me with a gun? I’ve been around them, but shouldn’t you ask what I know about them or something? Uh, how do I keep this one from going off?”
“It won’t go off.”
“It’s a sword that looks like a gun, not a gun? Oh no… Why?”
Leon reached the door. “Could you just take it to your room?”
“Sure, sure. Hey Squall, try to be nice to Cloud. He’s had a rough day.”
Leon closed the door behind him. As he walked down the hall under its fluorescent lights once again, he wondered what to do if Cloud didn’t answer. Leon wouldn't check on the guy, but should he drop the potion off somewhere in the room? Cloud had moved fast to disarm the kid, but Yuffie could've done that. An old, familiar excitement flared up when Leon realized that she could teach him new fighting techniques. But Cloud? Other than being able to move quickly with a massive sword stuck to his back, what he did was sloppy. Still, the guy had to be strong, and Leon wondered if he should've brought his Gunblade just in case. Ignoring his worry, he stopped in front of the door to the next room and knocked. He heard scuffling from the other side.
“Is someone in there?” Leon said.
No one answered. Leon thought of returning to Yuffie, but he still had to ask Cloud if he’d be willing to share his room, and it was better to ask for a favor when offering something in return. He knocked on the door again, listened, and cracked it open. Everything was dark and still except for two teal-colored floating lights. Cloud’s eyes were glowing. At least Leon knew that he was up.
“It’s Leon.” He closed the door behind him.
“Thought all hotels had to have doors that locked,” Cloud said. “What’re you doing in my room?”
“These rooms aren’t any one person’s. They’re hotel rooms that we sleep in.”
“Okay.”
“I brought some potion, for your injury.”
“Oh,” Cloud said.
“Do you want it?”
“Yup, leave it on the nightstand.”
“Mind if I turn on the light?”
“Nope. I mean, yup, I mind. Just throw it over here.”
“I’m not doing that. I’m turning on the light.”
“No. Don’t do that.”
Leon flipped the lights on. Cloud sat on the only bed with pillows propping him up. He sat up straighter, but his face was pale, and he breathed through his mouth. His black wing had been tucked under his cape, which was now frayed in spots. Leon didn’t know how Cloud hid his wing so well.
“You look awful. Do you need more than one bottle?”
“I’m fine. How many of those you got? I…” Cloud nodded off.
“You’re not fine. Let me get Yuffie.”
Cloud’s head jerked up. “Don’t. Stay put. Buy all the potion and hand them over.”
“Why don’t you want me to get Yuffie?”
“What she going to do? There’s no use calling her over here just for her to get all pissed off. I’ll be fine in a day or two, potions or not.”
“I’m trying to help.”
“Didn’t ask for it.”
“Fine. But I tried being nice to you.”
“Nope. You were a jerk.”
“You’re no fun either.”
“Got my butt kicked by a ten-year-old kid running around with a big key. What’s your excuse, huh?”
Leon blinked. Then he laughed.
“It’s not funny. You,” Cloud said, “are the jerk.”
“Sorry, you’re right, you being hurt isn’t funny. Here.” Leon put the bottle of potion on the nightstand nearest Cloud.
“Uh, thanks.”
“Are you sure you don’t need any help?”
“Nope.”
“I have a favor to ask.”
“…”
“…”
“What’s this favor you want done?” Cloud said.
“I was wondering if I could sleep here.”
“I’m sleeping here.”
“I know, I don’t want you to leave.”
“What?”
“I’ll sleep in one of the chairs or on the floor. Once you feel better, we could switch to a room with two beds.”
“Oh.”
“What do you mean ‘oh’?”
“Don’t think I can help you out with your favor.”
“I have trouble sleeping when I’m alone.”
“I like sleeping alone. Need space. Sucks.” Cloud nodded off again.
“Sucks? Whatever,” Leon said, but Cloud didn’t perk back up. “Are you alright?”
Leon tapped Cloud cheek, hard enough to make soft slaps. When Cloud didn’t respond, Leon hit a little quicker and harder. “Wake up. Hey.”
“I’m up,” Cloud said, not opening his eyes. “Give me a few more minutes.”
“I’m going to use some of this potion on you, alright?”
“Move.”
“I’m really just trying to help.”
“Think I’m going to be sick. So move.”
“Hold still.” Leon lifted the covers off of Cloud to reveal a gash through his shirt and torn red cloth under the gash. “Did Yuffie do this?”
“Just throw potion all over me.”
“That can’t be as effective. I’ll pour it over this… bandaging, alright?” Leon popped open the lid of the potion, lifted Cloud’s shirt, and poured it over the cloth. “Want me to press into it? It might hurt.”
“It’s different from what we use back home. Feels… nice. Wait. That’s a new bottle, right?”
“Yeah. Sure,” Leon said. “You look less pale.”
“I need space.” Cloud stared at Leon. “Now.”
“Whatever.” Leon stood up.
“Wait,” Cloud said. “Leon, thanks. I’m just…”
“Don’t mention it.” Leon put the potion on the nightstand. “Get some rest.”
Feeling a mix of irritation and a stupid, swelling sense of accomplishment, Leon opened the door trying to sort out what happened, why it happened, and what he would do next to get some sleep. Aerith stood in the middle of the doorway.
“Goodnight, Leon,” she said. “It’s a strange greeting, isn’t it? But what else do you say when it’s always night?”
“Aerith?” Cloud said.
“Cloud, just the person I was looking for,” Aerith said.
“He’s hurt,” Leon said.
“I’m fine,” Cloud said. “Night, Leon. Thanks.”
“Light and dark are opposite sides of the same coin.” Aerith stepped into the room, causing Leon to step out of her way. “You can illuminate your path or darken the way. It’s your choice. Don't you think so?”
“You’re full of it,” Leon said.
“Don’t talk to her like that,” Cloud said.
“It’s alright, Cloud,” Aerith said. “Leon’s world doesn’t have a Lifestream. He doesn’t understand.”
“What would you know about my world?” Leon said.
“No Lifestream, is that right?” Aerith smiled. “Your planet is dark, so it’s the people who must carry on the light. Leon’s not ready to do that yet.”
“What would you know about me?” Leon said.
“The Heartless are after-” Aerith said.
“Cloud. Have fun with your space. Feel better, see you around,” Leon said.
He let the door close behind him. First the black wing and now the creepy girlfriend was undeniable proof that Cloud was broodier than Leon. He walked down the hall under its fluorescent lights once again and jogged to get to Yuffie's door.
“What are you doing back here?” Yuffie said, after she opened her door.
“Cloud won't let me sleep in his room," Leon said.
“He won’t? Seriously, are you two the same dumb person in two different bodies?”
“We’re not alike. He said he needs space.”
“Go see Cid. Now I need space, too.”
“Is Cid even real?”
“Yes, Cid is real. Why do you think he’s not real? He’s just stuck.”
“Stuck?”
“How do you not know this? He’s stuck in that jewelry shop. He can’t leave. Go sleep there. He has a couch he doesn't use.”
“Sleep? We woke up a couple hours ago.”
“Look, Squall. You slept all day. It’s nighttime now. I told you the last time this happened I can’t just flip my sleep. Cloud’s been up, too, and he’s hurt. Don’t bother him. Bother Cid, if you want. He’ll yell at you if what you're doing actually bothers him.”
“It’s nighttime all the time here.”
“I know, it sucks, but I can’t sleep whenever you decide you need sleep. We’ll try something else to get on a better schedule, alright? Cloud has a couple ideas that I didn’t think of.”
“You talked to him about my sleep?”
“You were sleeping in the hallway all day. He had some questions about you.”
“Whatever, I have a question about him. Why does he hang around Aerith? Why would anyone want her around? If she gets into his head, he’s going to spout off the same shoot as that kid. I’ve heard enough about ‘darkness’.”
“Wait, wait, wait, Squall. What are you talking about?”
“Darkness. You did it, too. This morning, no earlier. Does Cid talk like her? You don’t buy into this, do you?”
“What? No, what about Aerith and Cloud? I mean, she nabbed him when he first got here, but I don’t think they talked for that long.”
“She’s in Cloud’s room now.”
“Maybe she’s helping him with the potion.”
“I helped with that.”
“You did?”
“You told me to be nice. He wasn’t feeling well.”
“And he keeps saying he’s fine. Why does he always do that? Did Aerith say anything to you?”
“None of it made sense. What’s with her? She’s off, and she’s talking to your friend. Is he going to buy into all her talk about darkness and heroes?”
“Heroes? When did she say anything about heroes? She better not be messing with Cloud. He… he’s been through a lot. We all have, but he…”
The door creaked open down the hallway, and Aerith stepped out of Cloud’s room.
“Let’s go see what she’s up to.” Yuffie hopped out of their room. She exaggerated the swinging of her arms and the height of her knees as she walked towards Aerith, and Leon followed.
“Yuffie,” Aerith said. “I’m so glad that you’re here.”
“Cut the crap,” Yuffie said. “What were you doing with Cloud? He got sliced up by some stupid kid with a stupid key. He needs to rest.”
“Did Leon say anything to you about me, Yuffie? I’m afraid that I said something that upset him.”
“He thinks… No, we both think you’re acting weird.”
“Did he tell you how he ended up here in this world?” Aerith said. “It’s struggling between light and dark, you know.”
“I told you that I don’t remember how I got here,” Leon said.
“Oh I do wish I could believe you,” Aerith said. “Do you believe him, Yuffie?”
“I believe him more than I believe you, A-Aerith.”
“What is his darkness? Why can’t you be a hero, Leon?” Aerith said. “You should-”
“Who are you?” Yuffie said. “You’re not Aerith. You’ve got some nerve, blaming Leon for… I don’t even know what. How’d you get here? Do you remember? Hm?”
“I’m disappointed, Yuffie,” Aerith said. “I thought we were friends.”
Yuffie glared. “Not going to answer my question, huh? If you want him to be a hero so bad, why aren’t you signing up for that? Why do you care what he does here anyway?”
“Yuffie, there are things you don’t understand about our world,” Aerith said. “Things that Cloud didn’t tell you. The Lifestream works in ways that are outside of our understanding. I…came here through the Lifestream to help.”
“Help? Help who?” Yuffie said.
“Sora, who else?” Aerith said. “And I guess, Leon as well, to some extent. But Cloud’s here, so he doesn’t have to worry about that anymore.”
“Worry about what?” Leon said.
Aerith looked at Leon. “A fierce battle against darkness.”
“That’s it.” Yuffie pulled out her boomerang and waved it around. “Stay away from Cloud, you…you…fake. You ugly fake. And me. And Cid. And stay the heck away from Leon.”
“You’ve grown up so much, but in some ways you haven't changed, have you? You were always quick to anger.”
“Leave,” Yuffie said. “Please just leave.”
Aerith clutched her chest. “I only want-”
“She wants you to leave,” Squall said.
“I’ve upset you. I’m so sorry. We’ll talk when you calm down, Yuffie.” Aerith turned and walked away soundlessly. Leon watched her to see if she would disappear, but she gave one last look at Yuffie, tilted her head, and opened one of the exit doors.
“Squall, she.” Yuffie sunk to the ground. “She’s supposed to be dead. We all saw her die. What kind of place brings people back to life like that? She’s not Sephiroth. She couldn’t have wanted this. Where are we? Really? Are we… are we dead? Did he…finally…”
“We’re not dead.” Leon squatted next to her.
“Then is she really alive? I was supposed to be happy to see her again. But it’s not her, she’s nothing like that thing, and all this does is make me miss her more. I…I didn’t know that I could do that. She was… she was so nice to me. Even…even if I didn’t deserve it.”
Yuffie threw herself onto Leon and cried into his chest, softer and stiller than he had expected. Leon stayed in place, resisting the urge to stand up and throw her off.
“It’ll be alright,” Leon said, patting her back twice.
“None of this is alright,” Yuffie yelled, standing. “What am I doing here? Why is Cloud here? Why did he follow us? And Cid…he…he was only visiting me. He never visits me. We shouldn’t be here.”
“I don’t know,” Leon said, looking up.
“Aerith,” Yuffie said, eyes brimming with tears. “Oh, Aerith. Aerith… Why did it have to be her? Why did she…”
Leon stood. “Look at me, Yuffie. Breathe. Count backwards from five.”
“What are you doing?”
“I’m trying to help.”
“It helped. Maybe. Not really. It’s… the thought that counts. I could really use a hug right now, Squall.”
“I don't like hugs," Squall said. "I’ll give you one if you want.”
“But hugs are the best. You really are weird. It’s alright. I’m not… freaking out anymore.”
Leon didn’t know what else to say or do to comfort her. The lull was uncomfortable again. She already had expectations for him, and he couldn’t meet them, again.
“Squall?” Yuffie said. “I… don’t want to sleep alone tonight either. Could we sleep in the same room, just this last time? Maybe we can hang out for a little while first.”
“Sure. Yeah…” Leon said. “Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me, dummy. You’re the one doing me a favor.”