Chapter 32

"So, Leon?"

"Hmm?" He was staring at the newly remodeled house built on the quiet country strip between Traverse and Twilight. There was something that was not quite right about it; the paint job, or the windows lacking shudders? Perhaps it was just the lack of construction equipment lying around that made it look odd.

"You know they're throwing us a surprise party right?"

"Of course. Otherwise, why would they want all those balloons?"

Cloud easily draped an arm about Leon's lean waist. After nearly a year of knowing him, Leon didn't feel the slightest bit awkward or apprehensive about it. In fact, he welcomed it. Offcially adopting Terra into the family has taken up most of Leon's anxiety and whenever Cloud had offered comfort, he had surprised himself by willingly accepting.

Leon had occasionally visited Riku, who was going through a long healing process that might never be over. As much as Riku had been involved in Leon's pain, he just couldn't find it in himself to completely abandon someone he'd grown up protecting. Sora wasn't too pleased with the visits, but went anyway. Roxas had flatly refused to go, grumbling something about "not wanting to be thrown into the cell next to that" and had drifted into unintelligible mutters.

Axel was back on his feet and to his old self. Which meant he was driving Leon insane with his constant chatter and Dixcyn was telling him all the "best" stories about living with Leon. Ugh, he could have done without everyone in the county knowing he had a stuffed Moomba on his bed. In his defense, Dixcyn had bought it as a birthday present and Leon had simply set it on the bed and there it stayed.

"You should act surprised." Cloud said with a smile as they climbed the steps onto the porch.

"That would be the surprise, now wouldn't it?" Leon leaned in and lightly placed a kiss on Cloud's temple, thankful that he'd found someone who balanced him.

Cloud returned the gesture by nipping Leon's neck which sent a pleasurable shock through him.

"Lea said he and Saix would take the kids to the park in a couple days." Cloud murmured.

"Yeah. Saix mentioned it." Leon still had mixed feelings about sharing his sister, but Saix hadn't been the one to give her away, so he didn't really have a valid argument for them not to spend time together.

"Terra will be thrilled." Cloud hugged Leon and was speaking softly into his ear.

Sliding his arms about Cloud, Leon returned the embrace, "He's glad to have a family."

"I'm glad to have you." The words were so soft, he almost didn't hear them.

Smiling, Leon tightened his arms for a brief moment before stepping back.

"I'm glad I'm off my mother's radar so that I can spend time with you." He had briefly worried that she might continue her attacks, but when she saw the bank statements, his mother had been so mortified that she'd immediately started hitting on the guard who she said made more money than Leon did.

Chuckling, Leon nuzzled Cloud's ear.

"Hmm?"

"I can't believe she didn't look at the dates on those things." The statements had been old and from when Leon first opened up his shop. Pretty much everything had gone to remodeling the building and his old accounts were still under "Squall". He'd barely touched those. Hadn't really dared for fear that someone would tell Raine. Sephiroth had tidied that away though, using his super police powers to find and imprison the leak and thief at the bank.

Cloud chuckled and again nipped at Leon's throat, "Blind. How long do you think they can hold out?"

"If it's Sora, not much longer. If it's Roxas, all day." Leon brushed a kiss on the corner of Cloud's firm mouth which softened at the touch.

"Dixcyn?"

"Any second."

The front doors were yanked open then, "HEY! No one wants to see that. Seriously, Cloud, that's my brother! And you knew we were waiting! Why'd you tell him!" Dixcyn's maroon eyes glared at the blond accusingly.

Cloud held up his hands, "I didn't have to."

"Dixcyn, you ordered half the decorations at the store. Did you really think I wasn't going to double check the shipping manifest?" Leon still had an arm looped over Cloud's shoulders.

"Don't care! You are doing it on purpose." She got behind both of them and started pushing. "No one likes to see their sibling make out on the porch. Gah! And we're throwing a party for you guys, get in there." Growling, Dixcyn shoved them both into the spacious living room that suddenly lit up with light, smiles and music. Leon felt his heart lift as he watched everyone greet them. This is what coming home after a long wait should feel like.