It was just another typical day.

Yuffie laughed manically as Sora chased her, yelling at her for stealing his new favourite plushie. No one knew where, how, when or why the heck he got it, but he did. He did is mysteriously, just like Sora does. He always does.

Riku face-palmed and began muttering to himself about uncontrolled idiots running around in a deranged fashion and reluctantly went over to capture his brunet friend after Kairi's punch to his arm and declaration of him being too much of a wuss to try and restrain his hyperactive friend.

Riku did not like people suggesting that he was a wuss. And so, just as Kairi predicted, he went after Sora.

When Kairi started giggling in an evil fangirl-like way, Leon thought he should run. He didn't however, as that would damage his pride. That was obviously exceedingly important to him and so he let himself await his impending doom.

"I haven't seen Cloud for a while," Kairi said too-casually.

Here it comes, thought Leon grumpily. He didn't reply to her, but she continued anyway.

"Is he alright?" she enquired innocently with no hidden motives whatsoever. Pshaw, right.

Leon stared blankly at the scene before them.

Riku had gotten tired of running after Sora like an insane lunatic and tried jumping at him instead. On the first try, he missed and fell face-first into the ground. Forever the martyr, Sora gasped and rushed to his best friend's side, completely forgetting about his kidnapped plushie. Yuffie took that as her cue to hide Sora's plushie and prank someone else.

When Riku had opened his aqua eyes to see concerned aqua-marine ones staring back at him, he grinned evilly and yanked Sora down on top of him and then reversed their positions.

"E—eh?" Sora blinked a few times before whining. "Rikuuuuu!" he wailed. "That's not faiiiir! You always cheat," he said with a kicked-puppy sort of pout which almost made Riku give in.

Kairi glanced up at Leon and raised a brow inquisitively, showing that she wasn't going to let him get out of her interrogation – oh, sorry, innocent question.

"I don't know," Leon muttered begrudgingly.

Kairi rolled her bluish-purple eyes at him and turned back to watch Riku tickle Sora to death. She smiled fondly but grew sober once more. "You know," she said, capturing Leon's attention again. "Cloud hasn't been very happy recently."

"He's never happy," the brunet replied in an uncaring tone, but a voice in the back of his head denied that. He hastily blocked that voice unsuccessfully.

"That's not true," the redheaded girl said softly. "He is happy sometimes. When you spar, when everyone else is happy… that sort of thing," she listed. "He doesn't want to admit it, but he is way too selfless. But when it comes to harbouring guilt, he is utterly selfish. He takes it all upon himself, thinking it will be better if he 'doesn't burden anyone with it.'" She said, imitating his not-so-manly voice.

Leon's face remained blank, betraying no emotion. "Sora does that too," he said.

"Yes," Kairi agreed with a heavy sigh as she shook her head. "I wish he would stop, but he's just too much of a martyr. If he didn't have Riku here, he'd always be sacrificing himself. When Riku lost himself to the Darkness"—Leon's eyes narrowed, but Kairi was used to this reaction and didn't falter—"I tried to prevent Sora from his martyrdom." She stopped briefly and her eyes darkened with melancholy.

"…" Leon remained silent. He wasn't good at comforting people so he just stood beside her uncertainly.

He didn't have to do anything. Kairi instantly covered up her sorrow with a small apologetic smile and continued, "As you can tell, I wasn't of much use. I'm thankful for that, actually. If I'd stopped him, he wouldn't have gotten Riku back. We wouldn't be the same again." She finished with a soft sigh.

"Rikuuuuuuuuu! Stop tickling meeeeeeeee!"

…Well, that ruined the moment, didn't it?

Kairi just giggled happily.

"Kairiiii! Help meee! Riku's torturing meeee!" wailed Sora.

The redheaded girl grinned and waved. "I know!" she called back jovially.

Sora gave her his kicked-puppy look, but she had grown immune to it after their years of friendship. Riku wasn't so immune and hesitated briefly. Sora grinned evilly and began tickling Riku incessantly.

"S—Sora! D—damn it, you're acting like Roxas!" he complained.

Sora giggled cheerfully, but grief was in his eyes when he had heard the name. Riku obviously noticed and they both sobered up.

Riku sat up and stared down at his friend. He placed a hand on the brunet's shoulder and scowled in disapproval when Sora didn't even blink. "Sora," he said. It didn't work. "Sora. Sora, look at me." He ordered.

Reluctantly, the aqua-marine eyes rose to meet his aqua-green ones.

"You've got to get over this. Roxas wouldn't want you to be depressed; he'd want you to get on with your life and live it happily," he said sternly yet softly.

Sora's eyes widened in realisation and Riku shook his head at his naïveté. Darn heroes and their… hero tendencies of being… hero-like.

Riku was surprised when he fell back with a lapful of Sora. "So…ra…?" he said quietly in confusion.

"Thanks, Riku," the brunet whispered with a sniffle.

Riku registered the quiet sobs and the wetness seeping into his shirt and smiled fondly, readjusting them to a more comfortable stance.

"Idiot," he said tenderly. "You cry too much."

Kairi bit her lip to prevent a squeal at the sheer amount of cuteness in that scene whilst Leon rolled his eyes, but his lips twitched with slight affection.

"Leon."

The addressed brunet turned to the redheaded girl who had sobered up from her fangirl side and stared at him meaningfully.

"Go and check on Cloud," she commanded softly.

So he did.

O—o—O—o—O

Leon didn't know where Cloud would be, admittedly. He assumed that the blond would be at his usual location — the training area.

Needless to say, he wasn't.

Since then, he had been thinking of where the blond would be. Realising he didn't know the other man as well as he thought he had, he decided that the only way to locate the blond was to search everywhere.

Leon didn't like searching.

Inwardly groaning childishly at the task, he started looking. He looked everywhere he could find and snickered when he realised he had even looked in the cupboards. Cloud could fit, he told himself. He's small enough too.

After a while, he decided to give in when he saw Yuffie sniggering and smirking.

"What are you up to?" he demanded of her in an indifferent tone.

Yuffie didn't jump. She turned to him with an evil grin, obviously not surprised. She was a ninja, after all.

As an answer, she gestured to the door she was in front of. She didn't speak because she knew she wouldn't be understandable through bouts of insane laughter.

Leon reluctantly—because he knew that anything Yuffie was laughing at meant trouble—moved to the door and peeked through the keyhole.

"Cloud," Tifa said in an exasperated tone. "Hold still."

"…" The addressed blond scowled at her but couldn't help his already red blush from deepening.

"Have a heart, Tifa," Aerith said with a soft smile. "I'm sure Cloud's already-battered ego can't take this."

Tifa snickered when Cloud looked like he wanted to pout.

"So true," she agreed wholeheartedly, almost squealing over Cloud's kicked-puppy look that he had obviously adopted from Zack. "But hey, look on the bright side."

Cloud looked at her silently with a glare as if to ask, 'There's a bright side to this?'

Leon almost laughed. It was cute – uh, funny. He meant funny.

"There is," she said with a small punch to his arm, making the blond man's scowl deepen. "At least you can wear women's clothes and get away with it. Anything and everything suits you, Cloud. It's not fair," she whined and pouted.

Aerith laughed softly and smiled serenely when Cloud scowled at her with an even deeper blush decorating his cheeks.

"Now, hold still, would you?" Tifa sighed exasperatedly when Cloud huffed.

Now that the talking was over, Leon fully appraised Cloud. He was wearing a dress, which was palpable and no different from usual – Tifa and Aerith always made him try out clothes – but it wasn't the usual pink sort of frilly thing they forced him to wear for kicks, it was… it was…

Leon couldn't help it. He sputtered at first and as he hadn't laughed for Gaia knows how long, he sounded like he was choking. Yuffie clapped him hard on the back and he couldn't be bothered to glare at her. He continued his… weird laughter and it gradually grew louder so that the occupants of the room could hear. Tifa grinned and Aerith couldn't help smiling widely.

Cloud blinked a few times before turning to the door slowly.

His ethereal azure eyes locked on the door and they glowed slightly. He twitched in agitation.

No fucking way was Leon watching him. Cloud had always made it exceptionally clear that whenever he was with Tifa and Aerith, Leon was never to go near the room they were in. Ever.

Leon never questioned him, and he never elaborated. But it seemed that Leon hadn't taken him seriously.

Cloud gingerly made his way to the door and yanked it open. He glared darkly at Leon and Yuffie. The ninja grinned and cackled before getting out a camera—how did she get that out of nowhere, anyway?—and took a picture before giggling and running down the hallway calling everyone's names.

Cloud's face became a brilliant shade of pink.

"Hey, Cloud," Leon muttered nonchalantly. "If you blush crimson, it'll bring out your red collar."

Aerith pursed her lips together and raised a hand to hide her mouth. She tried hard not to laugh. She failed.

Tifa wasn't so restrained. She held her waist and doubled over, laughing loudly.

The blond man's blush deepened and he willed it back down to a pink tint. He glared evilly at Leon before shoving him out of the way and brushing past him before disappearing into the hallway.

"He's upset," Aerith said delicately after she had recovered.

Tifa tried to sober up as well and eventually managed to. She nodded in agreement. "He's been acting different," she said quietly. "Something's up with him."

"What?" Leon mumbled before realising it. He glared at the floor before the girl's could blink at him in surprise. He had never expressed curiosity about anything before. …Apart from fighting, anyway.

"It's Zack," Aerith said, barely above a whisper. She turned away and walked over to the window. She leant on her elbows and stared out at the azure sky that was so similar to Cloud's eyes.

"Zack…?" Leon repeated quietly. Who was this 'Zack'? Had he also hurt Cloud in some way? He didn't realise it, but he was growing quite furious.

"He was Cloud's best friend. He was like a big brother to him," Aerith explained gently with pain lacing her words, but also lingering fondness and love.

"Cloud mentioned him once," Tifa realised. "But he never told me about him. All he said was that it was 'The Day'. I asked him what day, and he said 'Zack's'. Was he…?" the dark-haired girl began with a frown.

"He was in SOLDIER too, yes," Aerith said, answering the unasked question. "They were ever so close. Inseparable, almost."

"What happened?" Leon asked, surprising himself once more.

Tifa stared at him silently but Aerith didn't miss a beat.

"He died."

O—o—O—o—O

As soon as Cloud entered his room, he walked over to First Tsurugi and stroked it gently. "Zack," he said softly. He closed his eyes. "It's That Day again."

His azure eyes opened slowly and he picked up his sword. He hesitated and then put it down before tearing off his… maid's dress… and putting on his usual bleak outfit. It was a relief to have it on again. He hated dressing up in those feminine… things. Why did people like them, anyway? He knew he didn't.

He realised that his thoughts were drifting and he shook his head and grabbed his sword before departing.

He ignored Yuffie's questioning look and everyone else's curious ones and silently left.

"Cloud, it's raining," Kairi pointed out unnecessarily.

Cloud didn't reply.

"You'll catch a cold," the redhead continued.

"I'll live," said the blond.

He was out of sight in seconds.

O—o—O—o—O

"I can't find him."

Kairi knew who Leon was talking about but tilted her head innocently and smiled anyway. "Can't find who, Leon?"

Leon scowled at her. "You know who I mean."

The redheaded girl sighed and rolled her eyes. "You aren't any fun."

The brunet glared at her, but that was nothing new.

"He left five minutes ago. He took his sword, but not a coat. He's going to get sick," she informed him with an oddly fangirlish smile.

If Leon didn't pride himself on his fearlessness, he would have cowered at it.

"Not if I can help it," he muttered crossly. He grabbed one coat and turned to leave.

"Only one, Leon?" Kairi enquired with a smirk.

Leon ignored her and departed. He was intent on finding Cloud.

O—o—O—o—O

Cloud slammed his sword into the ground and it stood firmly beside Zack's grave that he and Aerith had made to honour him.

"Hey, Zack," he said kindly. "I'm here."

Silence answered him, but a strong wind rustled through the trees and ruffled his hair.

A ghost of a smile appeared on Cloud's lips. "I actually wouldn't mind if you did that right now. I don't care if you mess my hair up even more than it already is. It'll never be as bad as yours, at least," he said quietly. His face suddenly fell and he felt his eyes burn. He closed them tightly. Damn it, this happened every time. He thought he could get through it okay, but no. He always lost it.

He tried to stand tall despite the pain and loneliness tugging at his heart. He slammed his lips shut before he could let out a strangled whimper but he dropped to his knees and pounded his fists into the mud angrily.

Thunder crashed and the rain and wind grew stronger, as if it were crying and howling with him. Cloud was silent, however. Tears didn't spill. He remained soundless and motionless. He hung his head and let his soaking wet blond locks fall over his face.

"Zack, I'm sorry," he whispered weakly. "I'm—I'm still not strong enough to do it. I can't come here without… without…" he stopped when he choked on his swords.

A louder crash of thunder sounded and Cloud winced.

"You were always with me during storms. Whenever I was… scared… you were here. I wasn't alone. Now, though…"

"You still aren't," a different voice interrupted.

Cloud's shoulders tensed and in less than two seconds flat, he had grabbed his sword and got into battle stance. He lowered it slightly when he realised that it was Leon, who hadn't seemed surprised by the reaction.

The blond man deposited his sword back onto the ground and turned away from Leon in silence.

"…What do you want?" he asked almost inaudibly after a moment.

"The others want you to come back," Leon muttered without consideration. He could have sworn that Cloud's shoulders sagged but he shook the thought off. Why would Cloud be upset?

"I can't go back yet."

"Nonsense," Leon murmured. "It's pouring with rain; it's freezing, there's thunder—"

As if on cue, thunder crashed.

Leon was unperturbed but Cloud's fingers twitched and his breath hitched. If Leon hadn't trained with Cloud countless times before, he wouldn't have noticed it.

"You…" he began with slight surprise. "You're scared of thunder." He said with astonishment and not in a questioning tone.

Cloud's face flushed slightly. "I'm not," he denied with an edge to his voice, but Leon could hear the fright beneath the strong tone.

"And you're cold," the brunet stated carelessly and almost smiled when Cloud's blush deepened slightly.

"I'm not," Cloud denied again.

"Then why are you shaking?"

"…"

"That's what I thought. Come here," Leon said triumphantly.

Cloud scowled at him and eyed him warily before walking over to him.

Leon pulled off the coat he had been wearing and tossed it to Cloud, who caught it on reflex.

"…" Cloud studied it silently.

Leon watched with hidden amusement. "It's not a Heartless. It isn't going to try and kill you," he said.

The blond scowled at him but he looked confused and he tilted his head like a little child. Leon noticed that he looked so innocent like that, and he also realised that Cloud didn't even know he was doing it probably.

"But…" the blond spoke, bringing Leon out of his reverie. "What about you?"

The brunet shrugged. "I'll be fine," he said.

Cloud frowned and shook his head.

"Cloud," Leon said with a glower. "You're shaking."

"So are you."

Leon blinked before looking down and seeing that his hands were trembling slightly. He looked back at Cloud whose shoulders were shaking much more, his chattering teeth and bluing lips.

"You're colder."

"You are."

"Your lips are blue."

"…"

"Exactly," Leon said victoriously again, earning another scowl. "Fine, fine," he said in surrender. "We'll share it."

Cloud's eyes widened a fraction and he frowned warily. "Share… it?" he repeated cautiously.

Leon wondered how Cloud became so untrusting and had the sudden urge to prove that he could be trusted. He dismissed it but took a step forward and took the cloak-like coat (which Cloud thought looked very similar to Vincent's) and wrapped it around himself, and then gestured silently for the blond to enter the cloak.

Cloud looked at him like he was Sephiroth on crack. Cutting his luscious silver hair. And admitting that he wasn't as awesomely powerful as Cloud.

"Stop looking at me like I'm insane, Cloud," Leon muttered. "Get in unless you want to catch pneumonia and be banned from missions until you're better."

That was enough prompting.

Cloud reluctantly walked up to Leon and almost yelped when he tripped. On impulse, Leon caught the blue-eyed man and pulled him against his chest tightly. Both of them blushed at the position they were in but Cloud's was more prominent as he recalled a similar situation happening once before with Zack – which was much less embarrassing for some reason – and for this time.

I'm such a klutz.

"You're such a klutz."

It seemed Leon shared his thoughts.

Cloud just grunted in reply and stood. Leon smirked slightly and wrapped the cloak around the blond as well as himself before they began walking back home.

"Cloud."

"…"

Leon took that as enough prompting.

"Who is Zack?"

Cloud froze and Leon stopped just in time not to fall over. He turned to the blond with a slight glare at stopping so instantly but stopped when he noticed the guilty and melancholy looked in Cloud's now-dazed eyes.

"Cloud…?" he said hesitantly.

"Z—Zack…" the blond whispered softly. "Zack… Zack was… Zack is… he's…"

Most people would have just tapped his shoulder by now and said 'It's okay. You don't have to tell me.'

Leon didn't.

"Zack… he was like my brother. I loved – I love him. He… when I joined SOLDIER, he looked out for me. Everyone thought I was just a useless brat who couldn't fight at all, but Zack… he helped me. He trained me. And most of all… he treated me like I mattered. He was… is a very important person to me."

Leon was surprised by the emotion in Cloud's small speech. The blond hardly ever showed emotion, although Tifa said you could see it if you looked for it. Leon never did. Zack probably had. He should have too.

"We… a mission… he… if I had just been stronger… if I weren't so useless, he wouldn't have… he'd still be…"

Suddenly, Cloud saw black. He thought he had passed out, but he soon realised that someone was… holding him?

Utterly astounded, he raised his gaze to meet Leon's.

It wasn't pitying, it wasn't sympathetic. It was understanding.

"I know," he said and held Cloud even tighter. "I know."

Silence reigned for a moment and Leon saw Cloud's lower lip tremble slightly, and he didn't think it was because of the cold this time.

"You can cry," he urged. "If you want to."

The blond hesitated briefly before realising that he trusted Leon. Leon never hurt him, and he hadn't judged him, and he had always just been there for him, and the same way around.

He trusted him completely.

So he cried.

O—o—O—o—O

Everyone looked up when the door opened and everyone's mouths fell open in surprise.

Apart from Aerith, who looked as if she knew this was going to happen.

When Sora asked how, she just smiled serenely as she always did and said, "Women's intuition."

He asked Tifa and Kairi, and they shrugged.

He dropped it.

Leon ignored the eyes that were glued to them and carried Cloud upstairs.

"Ten munny on he's gonna do Cloud," Cid said.

"Don't be an idiot," Tifa said. "He's obviously going to lavish great care on him."

"Yeah, and Cloud's gonna get a fever and Leon will be nursing him," Yuffie snickered.

"And then Leon will do Cloud," Aerith finished tranquilly.

Everyone stared at her.

She smiled and tilted her head innocently. "Did I say something wrong?"

O—o—O—o—O

The next morning, the girl's claimed their munny from Cid.

…Damn "woman's intuition." It ruins all bets.

Cleon—Cleon—Cleon—Cleon

Characters © Square Enix.

–Shrugs– I felt like doing some Cleon fluff. :3 I bet Zack videotaped it from Heaven. xD Aah, I love Zack. Clack, Cleon… so hard to choose! Oh, and there's Vincent and Sephiroth too… Cloud's such a little—

Cloud: –Points sword at Gosan– Don't you dare finish that sentence.

Zack, Leon, Vincent and Sephiroth: We will.

Cloud: …I hate you all.

–Whispers– Such a li'l liar, too. –Ignores Cloud-chan's death glare– Reviews are appreciated! :D