Clogged

By Snare-chan

Pairings: Leon/Cloud
Ratings: K+
Category(ies): Romance
Warning(s): None
Status: One-shot, complete
Summary: Their relationship ebbs and flows alongside the happenings in Radiant Garden, the current not always smooth.

Notes: The second story I was fortunate enough to have time to write for the dreamwidth community Are You Game? The prompt was: Kingdom Hearts 2, Leon/Cloud: jealousy – He spent so much time working on the Restoration. I probably pushed the envelope as far as the prompt went, but I remain pleased with how this story came together.

And for the record, Keppiehed is an amazing beta, no doubts about it. I wasn't sure I was going to make the end-of-October deadline for stories from the free-for-all post, but she got this edited as swift and accurate as a proofreading ninja. What errors remain are my own and if found, will be disposed of silently in the night.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts; wish I did like everybody else. They should put KH in stock, then I'd buy it all!

Cloud was an emotionally invested man who fought and struggled to never let on that he was. The universe didn't favor bleeding hearts such as himself and willed to demonstrate that the stronger he felt, the more likely he would fail or be hurt. That no matter how hard Cloud tried to protect his home, defend those he cared for most or defeat Sephiroth – the darkness – he was forever destined to be disappointed.

Yet he never learned, nor changed.

The day was blistering hot and the water pipes were broken, cutting off half the supply to Radiant Garden's sweaty, irritable residents. Cloud regretted his choice of all-black attire this once, and had to remind himself that washing the blood and grime was made easier when it would never reveal itself on the dark cloth – when there was an opportunity to clean. Just…today the excuse wasn't cutting it.

He let out a controlled sigh and fit his sunglasses more snugly against his face, the slight sheen of sweat coating his skin causing the object to slip. Cloud would be glad when showers and drinking water would be restored, which he was going to help orchestrate now. Aerith had directed him to the problem area, though without the instructions Cloud would have found his way thanks to Cid's cursing.

The engineer and Leon were busy in a chiseled hole halfway between the cobblestone street and a brick building, standing amongst numerous pipes of varying size and material. Filthy and disheveled, Cloud could see what he had to look forward to.

"Piece of worthless crap, I swear I'm going to rip out this entire pit of garbage! Mark my words, Leon!"

His working companion was silent.

"Going well, I take it," Cloud said, in lieu of a greeting.

"You can take your lip and stuff it, ya hear me? I've no patience for it after spending five hours in this hellhole. Seriously, who designed this setup? Some crackpot, that's who!"

Cloud gestured for Cid to calm, having meant no offense, and crouched with his hands on his knees to get a better view of the situation.

"I was sent to assist you two."

"Yeah, well, big lot of good that'll do us!" Cid snapped, then stopped what he was doing to resume his cussing streak. "That's it, I'm going to head back to my shop and see if I've got some parts to replace this junk. Forgot some tools I need to boot."

"I just got here; I can go pick up the supplies for you," Cloud offered, but the older man gruffly declined.

"You wouldn't know what equipment to grab, and I'm not about to take the time to explain it to ya. I've a mind to borrow gummi ship parts at this point! No, you help Leon here and I'll do it myself. Try not to blow anything up while I'm gone or so help me."

"Alright," he agreed, and lent a hand to hoist Cid up and out. He watched him leave before turning to take in the task at present.

Leon hadn't stopped working and had remained engrossed in his job during the entirety of Cloud's visit. Setting his sword aside – but keeping it within easy reach – he pushed his sunglasses securely into his hair and slipped down into the opening.

"What seems to be the problem?" Cloud asked, coming up behind him.

The other man gave him a tired glance under the layers of dirt as he listed off the issues they faced: "Two clogs, three cracked pipes and five bursts. Hand me that wrench, please."

Cloud forbid any change in expression, but internally he winced, knowing that any hope of running water being restored that night was out of the question. He did as requested, picking up the heavy wrench to his right that was a good three feet long and managed to pass it along one-handed with no effort. Leon applied it to some industrial bolts to separate two thick tubes.

"Is this the only source or are there places elsewhere we should check?"

"Yuffie thinks so. She's reporting too many complaints from zones not directly connected to this area. We'll have to investigate the rest when we're done here," Leon informed him, having to pause in his explanation as the slightest of grunts escaped as he strained to undo the tightened bolts.

He nodded, not liking the sounds of it, but understanding Leon's concerns. Grabbing an extra wrench, Cloud started on the opposite side, doubling their efforts. The bolts were rusted and reluctant to dislodge the closer to the top and bottom the two men got down – the heat still wasn't aiding their cause, either. Cloud felt sweat slithering along his back, making his shirt cling. He saw that Leon was in a similar state with his jacket already removed and clothes soaked in sweat and liquid ick from the pipes. A single drop slid from Leon's creased brows to the tip of his nose, and Cloud reached across the tube to run a finger along the same path, startling the man out of his revere.

"When was your last break?" Cloud asked, suspecting he knew what his reply would be.

"I'm fine," he said, avoiding answering, and hastily resumed his work.

"Let me do this. Push yourself any harder and you'll be next to useless."

"I'm fine," Leon insisted, testy now. "This is nothing compared to what else I have to do around here."

"Then tonight…let me help."

Such an offer was spoken softly, but Leon was able to hear it clearly over the racket his wrench was making. He stopped again, long enough to stare and gauge Cloud's earnest – which he deemed to be true. Leon was about to give his reply, but before Cloud could receive it the pipe suddenly split, spewing nasty water all over the floor and themselves. The blond grimaced, feeling the lukewarm mess seep into his shoes, and Leon pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation.

"Not tonight," he said. "I'm going to be up fixing this."

Resigned, Cloud nodded in acceptance.

For three days the problem persisted. The heat that year wasn't the worst it'd ever been, but the fact that water was becoming scarce made it difficult for the citizens of Radiant Garden to acknowledge that as fact.

Cloud found a bit of shade to hide under and allowed himself a rare reprieve. His search for invaders was proving slim that day; not even the Heartless seemed inclined to pick a fight in this heat. Twenty minutes after he began to rest, Leon crossed his path carting a metal tool box and his Gunblade. He looked almost sickly under the grime, and Cloud motioned for him to join in his break.

"Can't," Leon said, shaking his head. "Tifa is waiting for me to deliver these. We might be close to pinpointing the major issues."

"Then when?" he asked, posing a deeper question than what was said. If he didn't break now, Leon may never rest, for this world was not short on problems.

Leon gave him a steely look and just left.

By the end of the week, Cloud had had enough. Everyone was on edge except for maybe Merlin, who had magic handy to keep himself cool, but all the delays had frayed many nerves.

It was dark outside, and Leon had missed dinner. Even Cloud, who could be anti-social to a disappointing degree, did not show Aerith up when it was her turn to cook. He was often late, or would eat separately in the kitchen, but he understood that a warrior could not function on an empty stomach. At the rate Leon was going, he'd collapse before the water system was repaired.

So he confronted him about it.

"You need to eat," Cloud insisted, finding Leon at his new post at a busted water fountain, "and you need to sleep."

"I'm not finished."

Cloud stepped over the stone rim and directly in front of Leon's working space, blocking him from moving dismantled components and pipes. The man frowned and straightened, forcing Cloud to stare up at him for those two inches that separated them. For all the good being older did Cloud, in times such as this, height was still a consideration.

He ignored the display and said, "Yes, you are."

Tempers flared, hotter than the aggravating air that lingered after the sun had set.

"Don't assume you can boss me around. I'll continue working if I please."

"What can you possibly hope to accomplish by ruining yourself this way?" Cloud was swift to ask.

"I can handle this, and I don't need you telling me when I've had enough. I don't make you give up-"

"Stop," Cloud demanded, but the other man plowed on, as if he hadn't spoken.

"On finding and defeating Sephiroth!"

Cloud narrowed his eyes and took a determined step forward, nose almost brushing the other man's skin.

"That's not the same."

"It is," Leon said, letting his own eyes slip closed. "It really is."

In the end everything resolved itself, though it was painstaking. Countless pipes had to be replaced. Finally, Sora made an impromptu visit and one of his traveling companions, Donald, had hit the flood gate controls in a fit of rage to jump start the entire process when the reign of bad plumbing came to an end.

The people were relieved, and Cloud in particular found himself bemused that the situation had ended in such a way, but did not complain. He went to inform the other members of the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee of the good news, but only Leon was present at headquarters. He was slumped on a pile of books, so exhausted he obviously didn't care about comfort, if lying on a mound of old tomes was any clue. Cloud was going to leave him be, but Leon saw him when he removed his arm from across his eyes at the sound of the blond entering the room. They said and did nothing else for a moment.

"You reek," Cloud pointed out; not that he particularly cared what he or anyone else smelled like, but he was still touchy after their last meeting and wasn't inclined to be kind.

Leon only snorted in disinterest and pushed himself into a sitting position on shaky arms.

"Yeah, so?"

"So go take a bath. The water's running again, thanks to the Keybearer and his friends."

"Figures," Leon said, and rose to leave. He stopped when their shoulders brushed in the doorway, and he stared at Cloud intently. "You coming?"

"Why?"

"I thought you were feeling put out earlier, and would want to join me."

"I wasn't 'feeling put out'," Cloud said, but didn't refuse to follow him out.

-Fin-