Explanatory A/N: So many lovely Author Faves and nothing to show for it. I send my apologies, along with a few scraps of what-could-have-beens. I feel it's okay to post the ending Sephiroth/Zack tale since it is being completely rewritten and will be posted soon. No beta. No nothin.'

Failed Endeavors – Part II

Fandom: Kingdom Hearts - Final Fantasy 7

Summary: Never-to-be finished conclusions to "Tomcat's Luck/Puppy's Good Fortune" series, along with another Sephiroth/Zack Fail.

Warnings for first two stories: Shonen-Ai, Magical-Induced Kemonomimi, OOC, AU, Future Mpreg, Cursing

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this fan fiction. All characters in this story are eighteen and over.

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Cat's Cradle – Sephiroth/Leon/Zack

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Leon stared at the small glowing ball Aerith placed in his hands. His formerly waving tail drooped to the floor. "Sis, are you sure this is the answer to my prayers?"

Aerith smiled with confidence. "Absolutely. With Tseng's Full-Cure Materia, there should be no worry of complications. Even so, I'm just a few doors away if you need me when the time comes."

Leon clutched the orb close to his heart. Fluffy kitten ears flattened against his head. "There's still a chance I'll never conceive."

Trilling with concern, Aerith retracted sharp claws so she could pet Leon's face. "It's a chance we all take, Leon. Male or female. I wish I could guarantee conception, but our transformations were magic-based, so even Merlin's treating this as something new."

Leon gave up a small smile, watching Tseng embrace his new wife from behind. "Thanks for letting me borrow this, Tseng. I swear to give it right back to you once the babies are born."

Tseng purred, feeling Aerith rub against him. "No hurry. With Aerith by my side, healing is the last thing I need to worry about now."

Sensing Sephiroth's approach, Leon kissed Aerith goodbye. "As for you, I won't be bothering you anytime soon. Something tells me you'll be busy yourself with birth and babies."

A rosy Aerith pushed Leon away with a giggle. "I've earned it and so have you. Better get going. I sense a squawking wolf-bird beginning to panic."

Leon sighed. "Sephiroth hates that nickname so much. I hope Reno got the hint last time. Two more inches and he would have lost his head."

Tseng chuckled. "Don't worry. It's a game of Chicken those two have played since they first met. If Sephiroth really meant it, Reno would have been dead years ago."

Turning to leave, Leon carefully pocketed the Materia. "Wow. Reno really is a lucky cat."

Reminiscing on years past, Tseng nodded. "You have no idea, Leon."

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Exiting Aerith's house, Leon beamed at Sephiroth and Zack a few doors down.

The happy feline took his time swaying towards his mates. His fanged smile became a worried frown when he spied Sephiroth's thunderous expression. "Husband, is something wrong? Did something happen during your patrol with Zack?"

Sephiroth waited for Leon to survive Zack's special Glomp of Love before answering. "You left the Den."

Cradled cute in Zack's secure hold, Leon tilted his head in confusion. "Yeeesss. I went to Aerith's, located three houses down. I sometimes walk all the way to the Computer Room by myself too."

With a flick of a disdainful tail, Sephiroth looked away with a harrumph. "You left the Den."

Sensing the conversation getting nowhere near Dinner, Zack decided to translate. "Since it's almost Mating Week, your scent's gotten stronger. You can't smell it, but the other wolves can. When you leave the Den, it makes Seph's brain go a little woo-woo."

Reaching out with tender paw and comforting purr, Leon petted his way down Sephiroth's bared skin between leather bracers. "Calm, Sephiroth. I have my mates. I wish for no other."

Expression coming close to a pout, Sephiroth embraced Zack and Leon in his arms. "I have lost so much. When I think of either of you being taken away, my rage holds no bounds."

While Zack licked Sephiroth's chin, Leon nuzzled against a firm chest. "I'm sorry, Sephiroth. I didn't understand. This next week I'll stay home. I promise."

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Cat's Cradle – Cloud/Reno

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Cloud felt sure Reno wished to stay a cubless couple. With the pair being who they were, the thought of being parents boggled the mind. However, the lone wolf's beliefs were quickly swayed with the discovery of a silently crying tomcat in their walk-in closet two weeks ago. "Reno, it's lunch time. I brought over a feast for us to share. Don't worry. Leon cooked it so it's edible. Come on out, Baby. I hate it when I find you like this."

Reno curled up even more in the corner, covering tear-filled eyes with shaking clawed hands. "Not hungry, Wolf. Sad day when ya hear this Turk say that, yo."

Cloud crouched down, whining with concern. He waited until Reno gave him the hidden signal to be held. "Is this about Mating Week? I noticed you've been acting strange since the Town Meeting. Aerith and Merlin both said we would only have a 30-40% chance of conceiving. If it helps, I'll wear a condom the whole time."

Wiping tears on a tense shoulder, Reno relaxed in Cloud's secure embrace. "Fooled ya good. Didn't I? I want it, Cloud. I wanna family really bad. Ancient Reno secret, ya might say. My good-for-shit parents taught this Turk how not to raise kids. Figure we couldn't be worse than them. Aerith's info just made this cat want it more. Sorry, yo."

Cloud allowed a rare smile to light up his face, while rocking the weeping Turk close. "I'm glad, Reno. I want a family too, but we don't have enough munny saved, especially if you have a full litter. I'll have to take some off-World mercenary jobs for the first month or so while you raise the cubs. I don't like leaving you alone."

Reno tightened his tail around Cloud's waist. "Yeah, I know. Baby Turks gotta have the best; but don't talk about leavin' yet. Okay?"

Burying his nose in Reno's long hair, Cloud inhaled the cherished scent of his mate. "Okay."

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The next week, in-between delivery jobs, Cloud growled at a closed bedroom door. Tail swishing back-and-forth ominously, with ears pulled back, he glared at the offensive barrier.

At the previous Town Meeting, Aerith outlined the hypothesized scenario if one's mate actually went into heat.

To Cloud's elation, but utter frustration, Reno showed all the signs times twenty.

Snarling and hissing, the feline hated everyone and everything. All the Turk wanted was alone time and comfort food. Lots and lots of comfort food.

Lucky for Cloud, Leon's hormonal shifts reacted somewhat differently.

The heat transformed the glowing Lion into a cooking frenzy. The accompanying culinary deluge was served to all of Radiant Garden by a grinning Zack and quietly pleased Sephiroth.

Cloud snarled at them both. "It's not fair. Leon's going through the same hormonal changes as Reno. How come you're not scratched up like me?"

Zack's grin shined brighter, while Sephiroth smirked from his vantage point on the roof. "Unlike you, Seph and I actually listened to Aerith. Seph gives Leon everything he asks for, we stay out of his way, and I get to eat what Kitten cooks. Winner, Winner, roast beast dinner!"

Pocketing another meat pie, Cloud grumbled. The wolf listened to what Aerith said during the meeting. He just hadn't really listened during the meeting, believing his Turk wouldn't follow the norm.

Placing a gaily wrapped rack of ribs in his sack, the sad Lone Wolf turned to head home. "More like you win. Meanwhile, I'm a sex-deprived scratching post."

Zack sent his friend away with a cheerful glomp and rub to the head. "Just remember what it's all about, Spiky! Cubs and kittens! Kittens and cubs!"

After wrestling Zack off, a mumbling Cloud walked away with a familiar frown on his face. "Right. Cubs and kittens. Kittens and cubs. It's Reno's one wish. Cubs and kittens. Kittens and cubs…"

XXX

(The following has nothing to do with the previous two.)

I Never Told You

Summary: One-shot. Zack's returned and Sephiroth's in the doghouse.

Pairings: Sephiroth/Zack, Cloud/Leon, mentioned Cid/Vin, referenced Riku/Sora

Warnings: Shonen-Ai, OOC, AU, Past Mpreg, Cursing

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"Breakfast smells great, Leon."

Leon Strife, once Squall Leonhart, swiveled around the hot stove with a small smile. "It's the least I can do, Zack. If you didn't help Cloud in time, I would've been stuck waiting for him to return from Darkness's Abyss again. It took Cloud four months to return to me the last time."

Zack lowered troubled glowing eyes. "All I did was step in front of Masamune. No big deal."

The former SOLDIER tried, in vain, to ignore the incessant banging on the Strife's front door. "Leon? How many times has Sephiroth attacked Cloud since you two have been together?"

Leon paused, spooning hot eggs onto a plate. "This would be the second? No, third time."

Emitting a groan, Zack buried his head in his hands. "Man! I'm mostly dead for a couple of years and come back to my husband trying to shish-kebab my best friend. It's like I never left!"

Leon sent a worried look towards a bedroom door. "Zack? I hate to ask you, but Cloud needs to go to work soon, and he's tired of climbing out the window."

Zack held up a hand. "Say no more, Leon."

Taking a big breath in-and-out, Zack jumped up and opened the front door. "You got the harassment schedule. I know you did because I gave it to your Dad. No Sephiroth is to be released until Chocobo flies to work."

Vincent peered around an extremely distressed former General. "My apologies, Zack. I glanced away for only a moment and he was gone."

Zack shut the door, walked around the huge lump of yearning husband, straight to the small treasure Vincent held in his arms. "Hey Grim! Ya want some eggs and cooked beast?"

Without looking, Zack kicked the back of Sephiroth's knee, causing the lovesick Demi-god to fall to the ground. "You should be ashamed, making your Dad and little brother chase after you!"

Rising quickly to his feet, a silent Sephiroth embraced Zack from behind.

Wide-eyed, Vincent held his gauntlet up. "Sephiroth!"

Sephiroth failed to raise his face from where it lay hidden in ebony spikes. "Father, take Grimoire inside. It is almost feeding time and my sibling has the patience and lungs of a true Highwind."

Zack waved an uncertain Vincent towards Leon, who waited near the open door. "No worries, Father-in-Law. If Seph loses it and stabs me, it wouldn't be the first time."

Vincent half-turned, but a warning growl from his waking baby pilot decided his next action. Releasing a sad sigh, the former Turk shut the door on his troubled Firstborn and mate.

Sephiroth wouldn't want anyone else witnessing his tears.

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"Unnecessary and cruel, Beloved."

"Nooo, that's you. I tell the truth. Just one time, my Gongagan butt! The Lion told me you've attacked Cloud three times since they've been together."

Sephiroth had no speedy reply to fall back on. If he informed Zack he'd been bored, he would lose his Puppy for sure. "Zackary, please forgive. At least, before Riku returns from Destiny Islands. Our son was so happy with your return. Do not let him come back to this."

Zack answered with a sharp elbow. "Don't even try to guilt me with my pup! I e-mailed Riku yesterday, telling him we're having some adjustments problems. He understands and wrote he'll stay with me when he comes home. For some strange reason, our son thinks you're a little too distraught right now to deal with Sora's constant blah-blah. My boy sends his love, by the way. Not that you deserve it, lying liar."