Wow! Hold up- don't tell me. I'm a big girl and I can count on my own. It's been five whole months since I've done a thing to this story! I know I promised everyone a speedy update and look what actually happened. I didn't even come back! I know a lot of you probably thought I had given up . . . but why would I? This story is freaking awesome! So guess what I've done to celebrate my whole year on ? I updated and edited every single chapter of this story. You wouldn't believe it but I made the whole thing a bit better. I fixed up almost every error my reviewers said I had. I even actually put the correct albed alphabet in the story! I thank the reviewer who sent me the translations. I added things, took out things, and even fixed some things up. I really recommend you read the new revised version of the story. However, if you do not read it, any changes will not hinder your capability to understand the story in future chapters. So, what else can I say? I've done five months of making you wait. Why wait any longer? On with the story!
Chapter 18: Almost there
"I'm hungry!" Leon moaned over to Cloud who was currently fluffing the pillow that was propped between the brunet and the chair.
"You just ate!" He countered a bit agitated that Leon was pouring down a rain of demands on him. It had been a day since Leon had gotten out of the hospital and the whole mess with the police and the bus hijacking was over with.
"Yeah but I want something else!" Leon whined again very out of character from his usual un-begging behavior. He picked up a card on the table next to him. Ever since he was back home people from school kept sending him get-well cards and flowers. On top of all the other junk around, the house was quickly filling up with the sent of roses and carnations.
Cloud glared at the brunet and stopped fluffing his pillow.
"What do I look like to you; your maid?"
"No but you are my partner so you have sole duty over taking care of me 24/7"
"You wish." Cloud scoffed and began walking towards the front door.
"Wait where are you going?!" Leon yelled after him.
"To find your brother. He needs to take his shift in looking after this big, oversized baby I call a lover."
Sora and Riku had gone out a little earlier to buy some supplies to help fix Cloud and Sora's house door. As much as they liked living together, they had to do something about it. They couldn't just leave it like that. The house was already collecting bugs and bums.
Cloud turned the handle of the door and walked out.
"Hey wait!" Leon jumped up out of his chair to follow the blonde.
"Oh! So the baby can walk?" Cloud snickered.
"Shut up!" Leon cursed and closed the door behind him.
Edea stepped out of the Yellow Taxi and pulled her belongings out with her. She quickly paid the driver and looked around her. After spending a night in a dirty, old, run-down hotel, she was eager to feel the comfort of an actual house. And that's exactly what she was expecting. Looking around the neighborhood, she noticed a house across the street that had no door. Cringing at the site of a few mousey friends and a stinky old man she made her way up the steps of the Leonhart's residence. Giving the door a quick few raps, she waited for an answer only to be granted with none.
That was just peachy. She flew all that way for them to not even be home!
Frustrated, she gripped the doorknob tightly trying to let her anger out on something. But surprisingly enough, the door opened up.
"Leon?" She asked stalking in the house.
"Riku?" She echoed walking in a little further while dragging her luggage behind her. No more that four steps in the house, she stumbled upon a foreign object.
"What the heck . . ." She mumbled. Picking it up she found it to be a giant paper fan.
Tossing it aside, she journeyed through the masses of junk on the floor. Getting from one side of the room to the other seemed like a voyage!
"Leon! Riku!" She yelled up the stairwell hoping to hear a response only to be greeted with a creaking noise of the house.
Edea sighed and walked back across the room to close the door and lock it. After completing her task she turned around and began what every strict, prestigious woman like herself would do! Fix things up a bit.
"Hey! Cut it out!" Sora giggled while trying to bat Riku's hands away.
"What?" He asked innocently while not so innocently groping and fondling Sora in the middle of the isle. They were currently in the supply shop supposedly trying to find locks, bolt, screws, and nuts for Cloud and Sora's house door. But it looked like Riku had other plans.
"Stop!" Sora yelped when Riku nipped on his ear.
"Why? I'm having fun."
"But Riku! We're in the middle of an isle! And I don't want a doctor to happen to come by and give me a whole sex education lesson again!"
"A what?" Riku asked while letting Sora go a little.
The brunet raised his eyebrows and shook his hands in dismissal.
"Long story."
Riku shrugged and let his lover go completely, looking up at the glass case full of different home repair goods.
"Soooo. . . what are we looking for again?" the platinum blond asked
Sora reached in his pocket and pulled out a crinkled sheet of paper. Skimming over it, he looked back up at the case.
"Ok, we need-"
"May I help you gentlemen with anything?" A young man asked from the left.
Sora and Riku both turned at the direction of the voice and instantly, their jaws both dropped to the floor? Standing in front of them was the most beautiful being on the face of this planet! He was so beautiful he almost glowed.
He had choppy, thick jet-black air with blue tips that was styled in a similar fashion to Riku's hair just a little bit shorter. He had tanned skin, the perfect bluish-green eyes, and one silver stud in his left ear. His work uniform hung on him perfectly giving him a graceful form.
"Um, excuse me? May I help you?" He repeated while watching the other two salivate on the floor.
Snapping out of their daze, Riku and Sora instantly jogged up to him and tried to tell them what they 'needed'.
"Oh! Hello there um," Riku started and looked over at the man's nametag while grabbing his hand. "Toya."
"Hello?" The beautiful Bishonen answered looking at Riku a little cautious. "Are you looking for something?"
Glaring at the silver headed boy next to him, Sora shoved him out the way and took Toya's hand in his.
"Yea, we were looking for supplies to fix a door. Do you know where we could obtain that?" the brunet said trying to sound as flattering as possible.
The store employee gave him a funny look and then pointed to the glass they were formally looking at with his free hand.
"Um, you two were looking at the right thing. I was wondering if there was anything special you needed." He inquired not thinking of the double meaning behind that.
Riku glared over at Sora seeing straight through his sweet act and right into the heart of his intentions! Pushing him out the way, he once again grabbed the lovely man's hand.
"Yes, my friend here is a little slow at times. We—"
"Wait one cotton-pickin-minute!" Sora interrupted him.
Riku and Toya looked over to him giving full attention to the sudden outburst.
"That the fuck do you mean friend!?" Sora fumed.
"What?" Riku asked when deep down he was thinking something along the lines of 'Oh, shit! Why'd I have to say 'friend''
"I'm your friend!?"
"I didn't mean it like that!" Riku said trying to cover up the big mistake he just made.
"So this is what you do!? You see some cute guy and then I automatically turn your 'F-R-I-E-N-D'!?"
Toya stood there looking back and forth between the two half way trying to figure out what they were talking about and half way not wanting to know. From the cute guy comment and the way the person in front of him was holding his hand, he was beginning to think they were fighting over him!
"Sora! Please don't be like that. It came out wrong, I didn't mean it like 'you're only a friend and nothing more'."
Toya's eyes widened at that comment. He wasn't very comfortable with where their argument was going and didn't like the way the boy in front of him was holding his hand. It wasn't dignified!
"Um, excuse-"He started but was cut off.
"Stay out of this, pretty-boy! It doesn't concern you!" Sora snapped at him.
Getting scared, the tanned dream-guy tried to pull his hand out of the other's grasp to no avail. As soon as he moved the limb, Riku held it tighter and stomped on the floor in rage while yelling at what Toya assumed to be his boyfriend from the way the conversation as going.
"Um, excuse me." He tried again but was completely ignored.
"Riku, sometimes you really make me wonder." Sora said, with unshed tears welling up in his eyes. This time Riku stopped playing and got serious.
"Make you wonder what?" He asked getting a littler nervous.
Sora sighed.
"Nothing." He didn't want to say something he knew he'd regret a second later. He was only mad for the moment and he didn't think it was wise for him to say something that could turn this little dispute into something drastic.
"Look, Sora I'm sorry." Rikui said letting go of the employee's hand.
"No, don't worry about it. I just got a little jealous." Sora smiled at him.
Being very uncomfortable by the current situation, Toya removed himself as soon as he had the chance. He stalked away slowly, bumping into things here and there.
"Riku?" Sora asked a second later
"Yes?" The other replied.
"Do you mind if we look for the supplies now? I really want to get home. . . if you know what I mean?" Sora winked at him.
Riku was a little shocked that his usually submissive Sora would be so forward.
"Yes sir!" The silver-had teen saluted and instantly turned his full attention to the glass where the tools were located.
Smirking, Sora looked around to see Toya nowhere in sight. He always got what he wanted.
"They should be in there right?" The blond, spiky-haired teen asked.
"Yeah, they better be! We sent them to the store for tools. They have no reason to go anywhere else." Leon answered walking through the automatic sliding doors while munching down on a Taco Bell burrito.
Cloud followed him in and the two walked around looking for two familiar faces. And it wasn't long until they found them. Riku was looking at the glass case of tools like a hungry little puppy waiting for his puppy chow. And Sora was standing to the side looking as coy as ever.
"Is there something I missed?" Leon asked.
"Yeah, why are you so happy, Riku?" Cloud added on.
Turning around happily, he gave his brother a look that said it all.
"I suggest you find the tool before you even think about anything else, Riku" Leon scoffed while looking up at the case.
"Wow, you really have a nice way of bursting my bubble, no?" Riku sighed looking at the list in Sora's hands. "What are you two doing here anyway? Aren't you supposed to be resting, Leon?"
"We came to make sure you two we're somewhere you're not supposed to be." Cloud said while giving a parental-like look.
"Oh really? Now where would we be; the adult shop down the street? We're good boys" The silver-head teen smirked.
"There's an adult shop down the street?" Cloud said with a small hint of excitement in his voice.
"Yeah but you need like a bazillion forms of ID to even stick your toe in the door."
"And how would you know this?!" Leon snapped turning his attention from the case to his not so innocent brother
"You see- what had happened was- well you see I- I mean," The younger sibling stammered trying to worm his way out of the hole he dug. He knew Leon would just kill if he found out he had tried to sneak in there one day with Tidus. In the end they both got caught and the storeowner even threatened to call their homes.
"Hey, you guys. I found all the supplies. We can ring it all up now." Sora said unknowingly pulling Riku out of the ditch he put himself in.
"Wow! Well would you look at that? Ok Sora lets go pay for the stuff" Riku muttered while walking around Leon and pulling the Sora along with him.
Leon glared and then turned to Cloud who just gave him a sheepish look. Shrugging, the blonde grabbed the burnet by the hand and walked towards the front of the store.
"Finally! We can fix the door!" Cloud exclaimed with a strong sense of relief in his voice. The four were currently walking up the street to Leon's house with about two bags of hardware supplies.
"Speaking of doors, I hope Rikku got home safely. I wonder what Aunty will do." Sora commented.
Rikku has chosen to take her chances and go home. She didn't know what kind of an excuse she would come up with but she promised her cousins she wouldn't rat them out. She also had to straighten things out with her friend Emiko.
"Sora, what does that have to do with a door?" His brother mumbled to him.
"It has everything to do with a door!" He pouted.
Riku chuckled as they walked up the step to their house. Pulling out his keys, he unlocked the door. After unlocking it, he turned around and scooped Sora up in a bridal fashion.
"Now, we had a few plans didn't we, love?" Riku smirked.
Sora shook his head to snap out of the daze he had been put in from being picked up so quickly.
"Why, yes I think we did." He grinned back.
"Will you two get a room?" Leon grumbled.
"We plan to!" Riku grinned.
Leon just glared and pushed past him to open the door with his good arm
"These supplies are heavy in case you haven't noticed." Cloud said as he pushed pass the two lovebirds. He stopped when he noticed Leon had froze in the middle of the living room.
'What the heck happened to my house?!' Panic rose on his features as he gazed around.
"Leon what are you doing. Move!" Riku yelled, barging into the house. Cloud followed in after him to see why Leon had froze up like a deer in headlights.
"What-when-who-how," Riku stammered trying to figure out why the house was so clean. He knew the never in a million year would Leon clean the house all buy himself. His motto was, 'We both made the mess, we both clean it. I'm not doing a damn thing by myself!'
"Oh hello!" a womanly voice called from the kitchen.
All four teens turned to see who it was and to Leon and Riku's ultimate shock, there was their aunt Edea standing in the kitchen eating a bowl of cereal. Instantly, Riku dropped Sora out of his arms letting him hit the ground with a loud thud.
"What are you doing here?!" He asked her while thinking of a million excuses to give if she asked any questions about . . . anything!
"How did you get in here?" Leon added.
"Wel that's a nice welcome." She said sarcastically. She walked into the living room and looked Leon straight in the eye. "Actually, you're not the who should be questioning me." The middle-aged woman glared.
Leon felt a twitch in his eye. There was no way he was going to be able to lie his was out of this one. Now matter what he said in the beginning, eventually the truth would come. The brunet put his good hand over his eyes trying to calm himself down. The lies you tell will always get bigger until eventually, the break down. The truth will always be exposed. Riku who was standing a few feet from him pretty much had the same thoughts.
When she saw that it looked like no one planned to continue, asked another question.
"Leon, I saw you on the news the other day. What on earth happened?" She asked as her glare turned into an expression of pure concern while looking at the sling around his body.
'Maybe I can get out of this one. Just tell her the little she needs to know and then all will be good.' Leon though. Finding satisfaction in his reasoning, he decided to tell the truth. Partial truth anyway.
"I was on my way to go downtown when some fools hijacked the bus. When one of the men shot me, I got up to take the bus over. And that's how they got the image of me on the new hijacking the bus."
Riku's eyebrows lit up at what had really happened. He never bothered to ask so he didn't know. Looking over in Sora's direction, the same boy who had predicted this would happen, he saw the brunet with an, 'I told you so.' Look on his face.
"I'm so glad you're ok!" She said with a sullen sigh of relief. But after a few moments of registering what she was hearing she asked another question in a rather demanding tone.
"What where you doing out of school!?"
This looked like the moment if would all come out. The truth about school, the truth about Rikku, the truth about their jobs, and everything else that was kept in the dark.
When Riku saw that Leon was in a state of trance, he decided to speak for him. This time he would stop lying as well and he would tell her the truth. It really didn't feel good to continue with the obstacles they were running. 'Look what happened to Leon! And all this started from just one little lie. It's all my fault anyway.'
"Ma'am," the younger of the two brothers began as pin-drop silence flowed throughout the house. "I-"
And of all times, this was the perfect time to be intermittent. A loud, anxious knock on the door stopped Riku from coming out with the gruesome truth. The knocking continued and got louder each time. Cloud, who was closest to it walked over to see who was outside. Without looking through the peephole, he opened it up. In barged the last two people he wanted to see. There was one blonde woman with an irate look upon her face and there was another blonde girl, with a gloomy look on hers.
Cloud backed into the living looking from Sora to the two women and then back. When sable-haired teen saw whom Cloud had let in the house. The absolute fear of death arouse in his mind, body, and soul.
"Cloud! What the hell is your problem?! I'm have so many things I would like to say to you, I don't think I can say them without being sent off to jail!" The older blonde woman fumed.
Cloud look at Sora and then back at her. She had the attention of everyone in the room, taking the spotlight off of Riku and his brother. Sighing he attempted to reason with her.
"Mom, I'm so-"He tried to get out
"Sorry Cloud!? You're sorry? Is that all you have to say to me? Rikku's mom calls me saying that she hasn't been home in about three days and here you are saying sorry? And if that wasn't enough, I find that you and your brother have been kicked out of school! A week ago!"
Cloud looked over to Sora who was on the verge of crying. He couldn't believe he had gotten his brother into something like this.
"How long did you think you were going to keep this from me?" She shot him a glare and then moved farther into the house and over to Sora. Her expression softened a bit when she saw he was going to cry but she still wouldn't go easy on him.
"Sora, why didn't you tell me? I mean, I hope you and your brother know I pay money for you to go to that school." Her frustration was very apparent. "And then, I find out as I'm almost here that you two aren't even at home." She said as she looked at them both. "You were at some guy's house who got expelled with you."
All attention turned back to Leon and Riku whose aunt was current in a state of distress.
"You two got expelled?" the raven-haired woman asked just above a whisper.
The lies will all come out. And the time for truth was now.
END
Ok, here's your lovely chapter you've all been awaiting. As you can imagine, the story is at its end. But I will say, I promise you an epilogue. There's no way I can just leave it like this. This is the official end but I want to resolve things a little in an epilogue. Like, will they get back in school, Leon's $1000, and what about Rikku and the baby? So please don't think this is the VERY END of HGBM. That will be next chapter. Thank you to my very dedicated readers for reviewing and helping me through this story.