A/N: Boy, it's good to be back. We took some time off to churn out a few new stories and then I realized the other day that we have so many finished...but we hadn't posted them. lol. This was a fun idea we had where it's a marriage of convenience between two people. Reyaa has taken on her role as Cloud while aliceupsidedown is the voice behind Leon. We love reviews and expect an update every three days, as this fic is already completed.

Cloud

I'd sorta hoped my bad luck would have reached its limit, what with my parents dumping me in an orphanage at birth and then bouncing from one foster home to another until I turned eighteen and the government told me to fend for myself...

None of those people had treated me badly but I hadn't exactly been the social type, not knowing how to connect with them so they'd lost interest in making me their own and thus I had no family. Then of course there was that small incident of failing in school and not being able to realize my dream of becoming a vet.

My grades had been okay, not perfect enough to gain me a scholarship though and I was too poor to pay for veterinarian school to begin with. And then, on top of all of that, I was gay. Now, I didn't mind being gay, had no trouble accepting that's who I am, but it doesn't exactly make ones life easier what with the frowning upon and bullying.

I'd thought my streak of bad luck had dried out considering it had been used to the max, but apparently I was wrong. It had taken a small vacation is all. Giving me a peaceful couple of years until the age of twenty-five. I'd found myself a job in an animal shelter, working with animals like I wanted too. A small apartment, definitely, just one room and that was about it, but I was content. And now... Vacation was over.

"It's not dangerous..." I told my lawyer friend Tifa, sitting in her luxurious office to explain my situation. I was really fucking poor, I couldn't pay those bills... Much less afford surgery, "Not yet anyway. It's why they suggest I do the surgery. If I don't get rid of the tumor it'll grow over the following years and kill me." Seriously, whatever higher being there might be, they didn't like me.

"Oh, Cloud. I am so sorry." She leaned forward in her chair, sympathy in her eyes. "And there isn't any way to get insurance from your job?"

I shook my head, "No, I went over everything and there's nothing that can help me out. I need this surgery and..." I threw my hands up in the air, puffing out some air in frustration, "I can't afford it, Tifa. If I don't get the tumor removed I'll die and if I do the surgery then..." I sighed, "I'll be in debt for the rest of my life. Every penny I'll earn will have to go to that bill."

One rainy morning roughly two years ago I'd slipped with my bike and crashed into Tifa's parked car. That's how we'd met. I don't know why, but the woman had taken pity on me and hadn't charged me for the damage. My pride was a little hurt, but I would have had to sell my only mode of transportation in order to get that dent in her expensive Mercedes fixed. Luca was a big city and I needed my bike to get around. I would have sold it though, butTifa just hadn't let me. Since then we'd been friends and since she was sort of my only friend... I'd come to her with my current issue. The fact that she was a lawyer made me hope she might have a solution to the entire problem.

"Hmm..." She leaned back in her leather chair and looked thoughtful, one manicured finger tapping the desk lightly. "Okay, there are a couple of ideas that I have. First off, we need to get you insurance, but we obviously can't go about it through the front door. So, we'll need a loophole. Second, we'll need to make sure that it's good enough insurance that you won't have to pay anything out of pocket. And third, we'll need to make sure that we don't get caught."

Smiling at me with a glint in her eye, she stood up and turned around to look at the company photo hanging on the wall. About thirty men and women were in the photo, each one in a perfect suit, with perfect hair and the perfect smiles. They were the lawyers who were a part of the same firm as Tifa. She gazed at it for a moment, then turned back towards me with a serious look on her face.

"Cloud, do you trust me?"

I hate that question. "Yes..." I said carefully, tensing a bit as Tifa was unpredictable. I knew for certain I would never be able to guess what she had in mind right now.

Smirking at my obvious discomfort, she continued. "How do you feel about marriage?"

I blinked, "But I'm gay and you're a woman. And, what?" This was confusing...

She threw her head back and laughed loudly, "Oh man. No, you silly boy, not to me!" Still laughing, she turned back and gently lifted the company picture off of the wall and walked over to me pointing at one of the people in the picture. "This guy. How about it? Marriage is an exception to the pre-existing condition medical rule. They have to cover everything you need them to, regardless of how long you've had it. The insurance at this company is one of the best in the country. Ergo, you can marry someone from the company, use their insurance to get fixed, and then in a few months, just get it annulled by a judge. And guess who happens to know plenty of judges who are willing to do that for you?" Taking the frame from her hands, I tilted my head curiously, looking at the man she'd pointed out. He was handsome.

Absorbing Tifa's words, I frowned up at her, "Isn't that illegal though? And what about him." I tapped the man's face in the picture, "Why would he do that for me?"

"Illegal is such an ugly word." She said, smiling evilly and shaking her head. "I prefer to use the word, inventive. And Leon is probably the nicest most generous guy hiding behind a stoic facade you'll ever find. He would do it because I'll ask him to. And once he meets you, he'll do it because he can." Shrugging, her shoulders she went back behind the desk, and sat down. "Besides, it's only a few months."

"He's a lawyer too?" I asked and Tifa nodded, "I don't want to get him into trouble... But if you suggested it then that means you're sure it'll work." She'd never tell me to do something if she wasn't sure it could work. "I wouldn't have to actually be married, married to him, right? I mean. It's just for the paperwork, I don't have to play nice and live with him in those few months, right?" I was aware of the level of insanity in her plan, but considering my life was on the line? Yeah, I was considering her offer, definitely. It's not like I had anything better.

She shook her head slowly. "No, I don't think you'd have to live with him, but..." Biting her lip, she sent me a worried glance. "Maybe you should consider it. Not as in a married couple, but as a roommate type thing? I'm worried about you, Cloud."

"You should be. I got a tumor in my brain." I retorted, smirking as she glared at me. "I'm fine, Tifa. I can't ask this guy to cover my bills with his insurance and become my friend because you believe I don't have enough of them." I snorted, "Plus. You've seen my apartment, where the hell would I put him? I don't even have a closet..." Man, that was just pathetic.

"Leon happens to have a very nice home, with plenty of space for you." She said, sending me a pointed look. "Just, think about it. I'll talk to Leon today, and if all goes well you'll be married by the end of the week!" I was slightly alarmed by the intense squeal of glee that she let loose, and then she started rubbing her hands together, probably plotting my wedding in her mind. "This is going to be awesome!"

Leon

One down and at least four more to go. Sighing in annoyance at my client's insistence that there was, in fact, a case here to take to court, I flipped through the file, searching for these alleged 'fraudulent transactions'. So far, all I was seeing was a blatant disregard for company procedure in regards to corporate credit card purchases and not anything that was technically fraud. But old men who couldn't keep it in their pants shouldn't be given corporate credit cards in the first place.

This could all be written off as a misunderstanding and wouldn't hold up in court. But, I was being paid an obscenely large amount to study this case and study it I would. Nothing in that one either. I stretched my arms up and popped my neck, glad that the end of the day was almost here. Clock watching wasn't really my thing, but since this wasn't a case yet, it did not require me to work overtime and my couch and big screen were calling my name. The play-offs were next week and I wanted to re-watch all of the highlights from the games this season and pick who I thought would win. I'd done pretty good last year, and I thought about entering into the betting pool here at the office. Something to kill the time, anyways.

"Hi Honey!" Rinoa... "Guess what! That little restaurant down by the theater plaza is finally finished. How about you take me there, stop being such a prick and apologize for your behavior these last couple of months?" She chirped, walking over to my desk, clearly believing she owned this entire room. Including me. "How was your day? You look a bit tired. Would you like me to rub your muscles, or do you claim to be gay still?"

My phone buzzed and I pressed the button, "I'm sorry Mister Leonhart, I tried to stop her..." My assistant mumbled through.

"It's okay, thank you." It would do no good to get mad at the poor girl. Rinoa was a force to be reckoned with, goddamn her. Keeping the scowl off of my face, it would only make her burst into insane tears, I sent her what I hoped was a warning at least. "Rinoa, what are you doing here? How many times do I have to tell you not to burst into my office without an invitation?" Clearly, I would need to start locking my door...

She raised an eyebrow, leaning over so she could pat my cheek, grinning as I pulled away from her touch grimacing. "Leon, seriously..." She murmured, "What did I do to make you pretend you are gay? If you tell me then I'll fix it and we can be together again, the way we were six months ago?" She smiled softly, as if I shared the happy memories she was clearly thinking about.

I scowled. How do I get through to this girl? Did she need a restraining order? I knew a very cooperative judge who would certainly sign one if I asked him to. "Rinoa, whether or not you believe I'm gay is irrelevant at this point. What is relevant is your completely offensive disregard for the proper policies and procedures of this office. My superiors can and will make life difficult for me if you continue to invite yourself up here unannounced. Now, please leave." I waved her off, hoping she would take the hint.

She huffed, straightening and clutched her Prada purse tightly against her, "Fine. Clearly you've stepped out of bed with the wrong foot earlier this morning. No matter, I know how to deal with it." She gave me a perky smile, clicking her heel, "I'll be at that restaurant. I made a reservation under your name at nine. I'll see you then." Giving me a nod, she whirled around and then left my office just as quickly as she'd come in.

Groaning, I immediately resolved to avoid that restaurant like the plague. Maybe I should leave the city, no better yet the country, for a few days to remove the bad taste she put in my mouth. Or maybe I should alert building security to a psychotic woman harassing me? Clearly, I needed protection. And as much as I like my receptionist, she was obviously unable to stop Rinoa. Maybe I could switch with someone else in the building?

My phone buzzed again. Growling, I pressed the button. "Miss Tifa Lockhart is here to see you, Sir."

Tifa? "Send her in, and heaven help her if she brings me bad news." Sitting back in my chair, I waited for her to come inside. Less then three seconds later, the door opened, revealing a smug looking Tifa. She sat herself down in the chair opposite from my desk, scratching her cheek with a manicured nail delicately.

"Bring you bad news? I'm a smart woman, Leonhart, you really believe I'd take such a risk?" I let a small smile play on my lips. She was probably the only person in the office that I would consider a friend. We'd worked a couple of big cases together this past year, the boss's jokingly called us the 'Heart' team, and she knew about my troubles with Rinoa. Had in fact offered to step in and slap Rinoa with a restraining order for me. Or just plain slap her. The offer had been awfully tempting.

"If you were really smart, you'd know that I need a vacation to get away from the crazy that keeps barging into my office." Sighing, I leaned forward and rested my arm on the desk. "What can I do for you, Tifa?"

She grinned, "You know how I believe you to be a fool because you're much too nice a guy to tell Rinoa to fuck off?" She didn't let me answer, instead, patted herself on the back, "Since you won't let me help you get rid of her in the usual way, I found a manner for you to show Rinoa you definitely are gay, getting her off your back and... You'll be helping a dear friend of mine who really needs your help."

Intrigued but wary, this was Tifa we were talking about, I just inclined my head a little. "Tell me about this plan you have and if it's not insane, I may just consider it."

She laughed softly, "Oh, Leon, sweetie. It's me we're talking about. Of course it's insane." Reaching over, she patted my hand then sat back in her chair, rubbing her palms together gleefully. "You told me that you once asked a one night stand to stick around a little longer and have him kiss you with Rinoa present. That little display didn't seem to make her understand the situation as she is still here." She rolled her eyes, "That woman is completely nuts, Leon. How you ended up with her?" She shook her head, "Never mind. I don't even want to know. Anyway. Here's something that should tell her you really and truly are gay." She paused for dramatics, "Marriage."

I blinked. "But you're a girl." I said dumbly.

Tifa pressed her lips together, shaking her head slowly, "No, Leon... That." She groaned, reaching over to smack the side of my head, "Use you lawyer brain! God. You're like meant to be..." She mumbled before snapping back to attention, "My dear friend?" She looked pained then, "He recently found out that he has a tumor located in his brain. It's not going to kill him so long as he gets surgery to remove it before it gets the chance to grow. Unfortunately... He doesn't have medical insurance and well... There's no way he can pay for the bills. I'd marry him for show and have him use my insurance, but both his work place and hospital know he's gay."

I leaned back in my chair thinking about everything she'd just told me in a logical and objective way. Clearly, this would be technically illegal, but I knew how Tifa's mind worked and it wasn't really illegal if we stayed within the letter of the law. We'd get married, we'd share insurance, then we'd move on. It would get Rinoa off of my back, surely. But this friend...

"What is his name? Can you tell me a little about him?" More importantly, would I need to do anything special for him? Would he live with me? She smiled, happy I was considering this. Pulling open her purse, she dug through it and then pulled out her wallet and from that she plucked out a picture which she handed to me.

"His name is Cloud. Twenty-five years old. He works in the animal shelter down at the docks, wanted to become a vet but couldn't afford it and slipped the chance at a scholarship. No family and he rides a bike, which he accidentally crashed into my Mercedes roughly two years ago and that's how we know one another."

"A bike?" I asked absently, looking at what was probably the most amazing pair of blue eyes on the planet, almost completely overshadowed by spiky blonde hair. He didn't really look sick, but then again, it was just a tumor. Not really sure why, but I wanted to help him and not just for Tifa's sake or the chance to get rid of Rinoa. "When does he need the surgery?"

Tifa cleared her throat, which is something she did when she wanted to smother a grin of victory when she'd won a case. "In about three months. Aside from your insurance, he could really use another friend. He lives in this tiny apartment, doesn't even have a closet and it's impossible to turn in his bathroom. I'm a little worried about that," She was up to something, I could tell by the tone of her voice, "I mean, the tumor isn't affecting him physically and if he gets the surgery then he most likely will never get any sick feelings. But I heard that a good environment and a happy mental state of mind can really help in situations such as big, scary surgeries-"

I held my hand up to cut her off, grinning as I recognized her lawyer voice that she used on unsuspecting juries. "Ease up there, Tifa. I'll do it, and he is welcome to have the spare room in my house. When can I meet him?" And how soon can I introduce him to Rinoa? "I guess I should plan a wedding, right?"

Her hand shot up to her heart and she smiled softly my way, "You don't know what this means to me, Leon. To Cloud as well... You're saving his life." She said solemnly before clapping her hands together and grinning, "And no. You don't need to plan anything. I've gotten everything prepared already. All you need to do is show up at the chapel by the forest on Friday. That's in two days. I'll tell Cloud the good news and you guys can meet one another while saying 'I do'. It will be epic."

"But Tifa, why can't I meet him before?" I did have some reservations about this, and perhaps meeting him would make it easier to go through with it.

"Because you'll need all day tomorrow to convince the firm to give you the day off on Friday." She reasoned easily as she stood from the chair, straightening her jacket and flipping her long brown hair back as she started walking out of my office, "Be there at ten am sharp. Oh, and under-dress. No Armani suits. Cloud doesn't own a tux and can't afford to rent one. Jeans and a shirt should be fine." She instructed hastily as she flew out of my door, slamming it shut behind her.

So. I was getting married in two days to a guy I'd never met who needed my help so he didn't die. I somehow felt that this was all Tifa's fault...

Cloud - The wedding day (Friday)

I sighed in relief beneath my helmet as I saw the chapel come into my line of vision, letting my bike roar as I picked up in speed just a tad to get there faster. I was late for my own fucking wedding day. I brought the bike to a halt right before the chapel's front entrance, killing the engine and jumping off it as fast as I could so I could sprint inside.

It wasn't my fault really. Well, I guess it was since I'd just forgotten about time entirely. I'd been worrying so much about this very wedding that while stressing about it, I hadn't thought of checking the clock. Pulling off the helmet, I scanned the hallway, trying to locate Tifa, but she wasn't there. Gulping, I placed the helmet on the stair and then walked up the steps to gently push the door open that would lead into the inner area of the chapel.

Sticking my head inside, I mentally slapped myself for my stupidity as I saw Tifa pacing by the alter, the man named Leon that was to be my husband standing there, looking up at the skylight, arms crossed. The priest was looking down at his watch. Very romantic... Not that it was supposed to be. I didn't think I'd ever get married, to be quite honest. But when I had daydreamed about it, I hadn't thought it would be like this.

"I'm sorry!" I said, flaming red as I made my way inside, keeping my eyes fixed on the ground as I walked over to them.

"Cloud! Thank goodness! I thought you'd wrecked or something on that bike. Okay, well get over here." Tifa waved me closer and grabbed my shoulders to place me right in front of the man named Leon. "Cloud, this is Squall Leonhart. Leon, this is Cloud Strife."

Oh dear... Swallowing nervously, I looked up at him and then blushed because this situation was just fucking awkward. "Nice to meet you." I managed to get out, "Thanks for this?" I chuckled nervously. Okay, calm down. If he's here it means he's okay with it.

He gave me a small smile and stuck his hand out for a handshake. "It's very nice to meet you Cloud and you're very welcome. Tifa has told me a little bit about you and I want you to know that if there is anything I can do, please let me know." His voice was low and reassuring, his blue eyes staring into mine intently.

I shook his hand, giving him a smile. He was very nice. I mean... He was already letting me use his insurance and yet he told me he'd do more if I needed it. "I don't know very much about you." I told him honestly, but having some trouble looking straight at him. I knew this whole wedding was for show and what not, but getting married was like a big deal or something. I had the nervous jitters and I didn't know how to control them. And his eyes were really pretty. As he was gonna be my hubby in a couple of minutes normally that would be an okay thing to think, but... "I'm terrified." I blurted out, looking over my shoulder at Tifa, who rolled her eyes at me. Well, I was!

He didn't release my hand, instead he brought his other one up to enclose it. "Please, don't be nervous. I'm not going to put any kind of pressure or anything on you. I'm just here as a friend, okay?"

I nodded at him, "Okay. At some point between 'I do' and 'I declare you husband and husband' you'll have to tell me what it is you're getting out of this though." I squeezed his hand and then gestured for the priest waiting patiently for us to get to it.

Leon smiled reassuringly, walking with me closer to the priest to get us... married. Man, this stuff was insane. The priest gave us a nice smile, about ready to start when the door to the chapel opened behind us. I looked over my shoulder, frowning as a woman looking awfully mad, yet composed, walked up to the front row, coming to sit beside Tifa. Tifa didn't look happy and when I looked at Leon I could tell he wasn't too jolly either.

"That's why." He mumbled and pointedly ignored the woman and the glares she was sending him. "Please continue, father."

The priest nodded and opened a small binder and cleared his throat. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join these two in holy matrimony. Marriage is a sacred union before God and is a blessed practice. The couple has asked that I read the vows. Do you have the rings?" The priest paused and looked at us both expectantly. We were lucky we weren't in Spira. Gay marriage wasn't allowed there.

Tifa jumped up and shoved a case into Leon's hand. "Sorry!" She exclaimed and then sat back down. Leon opened the jewelry box and inside were two plain silver bands. Blushing a little, he held out the box so that I could remove one of them.

Rings? I suppose they were necessary to make all of this look as real as possible. I licked my lips nervously, shakily pushing the ring onto his finger, holding out my own hand so he could do the same. I didn't know this guy at all, but the fact that he seemed to be so calm made me more comfortable. He also had a very reassuring smile and he gave me a soft squeeze of the hand, mutely telling me that everything was going fine.

The priest smiled as we faced him again and turning to me he said, "Do you, Cloud Strife, take this man, Squall Leonhart, as your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, forsaking all others, to be true to him as long as you both shall live?" Wasn't he called Leon? A small chuckle escaped me as I wasn't even sure about my to be husband's name. The priest blinked and I grinned, nodding my head.

"Yeah, I do."

Turning to Leon, the priest then repeated himself. "Do you, Squall Leonhart, take this man, Cloud Strife, as your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, forsaking all others, to be true to him as long as you both shall live?"

Breaking his gaze away from the priest, Leon looked at me and softly said, "I do." Woah okay. Funky feelings in my stomach. He shouldn't be allowed to look at me like that. Then again, he was my husband now, which meant he could. Right? This was all so confusing.

Leon

As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I felt relieved. Married. I was a married man, and thank god not to Rinoa. I could almost feel the skin burning from where she was staring at me, but I didn't care. Cloud's eyes were so much more interesting to look into than hers would ever be. We needed to make sure that we were convincing right here in front of her though. Which is the reason I wasn't looking away from Cloud.

The priest closed his folder and smiled at us. "I now pronounce you husband and husband. You may kiss to seal your union." Oh, wait, what now? I held in my surprise as best I could and watched Cloud closely, hoping he would be okay with me kissing him.

Cloud looked panicked for a second before turning his body towards me instead of the priest, his eyes huge as he licked his lips, tilting his head up a bit. His hand reached up to rest lightly on my shoulder, and he gave me a very small smile with a barely noticeable nod, giving me the green light.

I didn't hesitate, only leaned forward and gave my new husband a gentle kiss. Soft lips pressed back against mine and then the kiss was over as I pulled back, not wanting to push him or push myself. This was a marriage of convenience for both of us. I was doing this as a favor to Tifa and because when I saw that picture with those blue eyes and that wonderful smile, I figured that the world would probably suck a little more without him around. Although we were technically married, nothing would happen, but I was hoping that we would at least become friends in the process.

His fingers tightened on my shirt a bit as my face moved away from his and then slipped off my shoulder, a blush on his cheeks and he still looked a bit nervous and confused. I would need to explain the Rinoa situation to him as soon as possible. The thought that she could make his life as miserable as she made mine was unacceptable. As the priest stepped back with a smile on his face, Tifa stood up and clapped quietly. Not releasing Cloud's hand, I turned us towards her, tucking his hand into the crook of my elbow and walking us over to her. Rinoa stood from the bench, her lips pressed together in a sour manner as she nodded at me and then pinned a glare on Cloud.

"So you're the one who somehow managed to turn Leon gay?" She sneered. What the hell? I growled and pulled Cloud closer to me, instantly ready to put her in her place, but somebody got there first. Cloud chuckled, taking my arm so he could guide it over his shoulders before snuggling into my side, his lips pressing against my neck.

"As far as I know he always was." His voice softly amused and confident, meanwhile his heart was thundering, I could feel it and his fingers on my back clutched my shirt nervously. But those two things Rinoa couldn't see.

Barely containing the shiver that his breath had caused, I only smirked at Rinoa and leaned my head against Cloud's. "Cloud, meet Rinoa. Rinoa, this is my husband, Cloud. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have places to go." I turned away from her, she was no longer of any importance, and gave Tifa a grateful smile. "Thank you, Tifa. I'll see you in a week or so?" Hoping that Rinoa would assume it was for a honeymoon, instead of a short vacation from work.

I saw Tifa wink at me. "Sure thing, Leon. You kids have fun now!" Rinoa, less supportive, sniffed indignantly, but didn't say more, letting me guide Cloud out of the chapel without any kind of temper tantrum and/or hissy fit combined on her part.

We walked outside and I noticed a motorcycle parked next to my BMW, and I assumed that it was Cloud's. It looked a little beat up, but I didn't say anything. I wasn't sure what to do from here. Did I invite him back to my place? Should I offer to give him a ride home? We would need to meet up next week at some point so that we could get the paperwork signed for the insurance.

Pulling out a business card, I let Cloud's arm go and quickly wrote down my private cell number before handing the card to him. "I'm not sure where we go from here, but please, take my card and call me so that I can get the insurance set up, okay?"

He took it, tucking it into his pocket before pulling out a marker. "Here," Taking my hand, he scribbled his number on the back, "Thank you, Leon. This whole situation is beyond weird, but I couldn't be more grateful." He murmured, putting the marker back in his pocket as he smiled at me.

"Are you okay living on your own?" Easy there, Leon. You barely know him and even though he is your husband, that doesn't mean that he wants you to poke his personal life. "I mean, if you want, I have a spare room and if you needed to, you are welcome to it." Leaning in to give him a gentle squeeze on the shoulder, I stepped back and towards my car. "I'll see you next week then, whenever you give me a call."

"See you." He replied simply, not answering my first question as he avoided my gaze and stepped up to his motorcycle. Throwing a leg over it he pulled the helmet he'd picked up from the stairs on our way out onto his head and then proceeded in starting the engine. Or trying to anyway.

"No, no, no... C'mon baby, don't die on me now!" He grumbled, kicking the side of it and trying to start it again. It sputtered and then there was a loud clanging noise before a ton of black smoke suddenly billowed from the back of it. Cloud to jumped off, pulling his helmet from his head so he could stare at the beaten down vehicle with wide unbelieving eyes. "Why can't anything go right?" He shouted at it, kicking it again.

I didn't respond to his shout, there really wasn't anything I could say that wouldn't sound condescending, and I'm fairly certain that he would not want my pity. His bike obviously was a lost cause but I didn't say that either. Licking my lips and making my voice as neutral as possible, I cleared my throat to get his attention.

"I can give you a ride if you would like. Don't worry about it right now. Let's just get out of here, and Tifa can take care of this." Waving my hand, I pointed it towards the passenger side of my car.

"But..." He frowned sadly at his motorcycle, "I need that thing. It's my only transportation. Without it I can't go from my apartment in Chinatown all the way to the docks where the shelter is. I need that job because, well, I like it and," He was talking really fast, kind of freaking out, clearly, "it's the only income I have! Without it I can't stay in my apartment! I don't want to quit and take on that dishwasher job in the Chinese restaurant on the first floor of my building!" He shrieked, kicking the vehicle again as he pulled on his hair. "The bus doesn't go down the docks! I can't afford a taxi and I have no option to carpool!" Groaning, he hung his head and then walked over to my car, defeated. "A ride would be nice, thanks." he mumbled.

I silently opened the door for him, already planning on letting him borrow my jeep for as long as he needed, calculating how I could coordinate getting his bike fixed without him knowing until it was already done, and convincing him that it would be easier if he moved in with me. Not to mention, we really needed to make sure we only had the one residence in case we were investigated. I didn't say anything yet though, letting him get control of his emotions before giving me directions to his apartment.

Cloud

Arriving at the Chinatown gate, I pointed at the parking space beside it. "You can just stop there and I'll get out to walk the rest. Cars aren't allowed inside that district," I grumbled, starting to unbuckle my seat belt, "Which is why I got a bike..."

This stinks. One thing goes according to plan and so because that is too much goodness for Cloud, we must poke him and throw something bad at him. Why couldn't it just have been, the wedding and then go back home with the bike? Instead, it died on me! I guess I was lucky I had a very nice husband though. Man... I was married. For fake of course, but still.

Leon stopped where I'd guided him and I almost got out of the car, but hesitated, sitting back down so I could look at him, "I'm sorry. I should have thought about this when we left. Today's just a little strange so I can't seem to think straight. But, ehm... Would you mind driving me to the docks? I think I'll just ask my boss if I can stay there until I figure things out." I knew he'd offered me a room, but I didn't know where he was located and... The man was letting me use his insurance, I kind of felt like I had taken enough of his generosity already.

He scowled at me, and didn't answer right away, just turned the car around and started heading in the general direction of the docks. "What's the address of your work?"

I gulped, feeling bad for annoying him, "Dock thirty-four." I told him, buckling up again. I hoped Cid would give me a break and let me crash on the couch in the reception of the shelter. It's not like I did any of this on purpose. It was unlikely though, he might let me stay for a night, but...

"You know, if you accepted my offer of using my spare room, you could walk to work and save money to get your bike fixed." His voice was quiet as he spoke and he wouldn't look at me.

"Thanks, Leon. But you've done enough for me already, I don't want to abuse your kindness." I clipped out. I felt utterly useless. Apparently I couldn't do anything on my own.

"It isn't kindness when it's necessary. Having two residences will raise suspicions about the legitimacy of our wedding. I had my own reasons for wanting this marriage and I know you do too. If we are going to pull this off, we will need to at least share the same address and outwardly appear like a normal married couple, okay?" Leave it up to a lawyer to always have the best arguments. I crossed my arms stubbornly, remaining silent for just a bit as I tried to find a way to fight back on that idea. I couldn't though, but I wouldn't accept right away.

"So is it Squall or Leon?" I asked.

"My name is Squall, but I prefer Leon if you don't mind." He looked a little grumpy at that, and I wondered if he was a bit touchy about his name.

I nodded at him, "Leon Leonhart." I chuckled at that, "Oh, hey, Cloud Leonhart." I figured I'd be taking his name until we annulled the marriage. "I don't need anything from my place. We can just go to yours." I mumbled out softly, agreeing to taking the room he offered me. I was moving in with my hubby until further notice. A man I knew nothing about. I wasn't worried much about the trusting part though. Tifa said he was a good guy, so I believed her.

"Cloud Leonhart." He murmured, eyes still on the road. He was silent for a few minutes and before I knew it, we were turning down a residential street, and Leon was coming to a stop in front of a two-story house.

It was a very pretty house, nice lawn out in the front, the bricks painted a soft yellow, large windows and it looked to be a nice neighborhood. Stepping out of the car, I waited for Leon to guide the way. Although this hadn't been my plan of action, now that it had worked out in this way... I felt kind of good.

I didn't have to worry about anything. Leon was right, I could walk to work from where he lived. Ten minutes tops. And the house looked big enough for me to get out of his hair if he wanted privacy, or vice versa. Maybe I should consider the roommate thing as Tifa had suggested. Make my stay here a bit more permanent instead of a handy way of fixing current transportation circumstances.

He turned the lock on the front door, getting inside and gesturing for me to do the same. It was a small square hallway, a door on my right, before me and then a staircase on my left leading up to the second floor. You had to walk past it to come into a space that I assumed to be the living room. Taking off my shoes because Leon was, I discreetly sniffled the smell of the place. Each home had their own smell. I'd gotten to know many considering how I'd bounced around. Leon's house smelled like a cozy chimney fire on a rainy evening where all you wanted to do was snuggle up on a comfortable chair with a hot cup of chocolate.

"The rooms are upstairs. Follow me." He turned and headed up the stairs, pausing on the second one to make sure that I was following. I gave him a small smile, stepping up the stairs behind him. I'd be lying if I said I didn't check out his backside. In my defense, it was right there. I only took a quick peek though, not letting my eyes linger even though his ass looked really good in those snug jeans. He led me through another square shaped hallway where there was a door on my right leading to a balcony and then two doors on my left and another beside the stairway located behind me when I turned to look. Leon took me through one of the doors on my left.

I blinked at the size of the room. The bed looked so good... Lips parted, I walked over to it, leaning down on the mattress and pushing down onto it's softness. "Oh my god..." I hadn't slept in a real bed for years now. My apartment only gave space for a tiny couch. "This room is bigger then my apartment!" I exclaimed, not really able to grasp all that was happening today.

He smiled at me and pointed towards a door that wasn't the one we came through. "You get your own bathroom attached to this room as well. It's a roommate style house so it will work out really well. Would you like a tour or would you like to rest here for a bit?"

I walked over to the bathroom, pushing the door open so I could see, "Woah! I can actually WALK in this bathroom!" I grinned, feeling a bit giddy. I was sooo going to appreciate that shower! Excited, I chuckled and then closed the bathroom door and walked passed Leon, back out the room that was now mine to start the tour by myself. I figured the door beside the one that led to my bedroom led to his bedroom so I skipped that.

Marching over to the door that led to the balcony, I stepped outside and gaped at the view. It was high enough to look out between the neighboring houses, giving a great view on the docks, the sea... Staring for just a little longer, I then snapped out of it, turning, intent on going back inside to explore the first floor. I bumped into Leon though as he stood in the door frame eying me, amused at my reactions.

Smiling sheepishly, I cleared my throat, remembering my manners, "The tour would be nice, please."

Leon

I could hear the shower running in the spare room, er, Cloud's room and I decided that the least I could do at this point, would be to order a pizza for us. Calling and placing a quick order for a cheese pizza with bread sticks, I settled on the couch to wait for him to come down. After the tour of the house, we'd sort of gone our separate ways, me to my room and him to his. I admit that the whole situation was weird, but it would be nice if we could get to know each other now that he would be living here.

Tifa had taken care of his bike, knowing the shop that Cloud would have taken it too. She'd gone ahead and paid for the repairs that would take place as a wedding present to him. And that came to another dilemma I was having. How do you help someone who needs it, without making it look like pity? And Cloud thought that I was just doing this out of the kindness of my heart, when really, I was just using him to get rid of Rinoa. At least his reasons weren't shallow like that.

I heard the shower turn off and ten minutes later the doorbell rang letting me know the pizza was here. Paid for, I set the pizza on the table and waited for Cloud to come downstairs.

"I smell food." Cloud said, walking into the room. He shook his head, letting the remaining few drops of water fly out of his hair before sitting down beside me on the couch, reaching for the food but then stopped midway, retrieving his hand, "Can I get a slice?" He asked.

I had a strange sense of vertigo as Cloud came closer to me. On the one hand, he was technically my husband but we barely knew each other, on the other hand, he was incredibly good looking and had I met him under different circumstances I would have definitely wanted to date him. So, where did that leave me? Can you date your husband? Shaking out of my thoughts, I gave him a smile.

"Of course you can have some. Technically, what's mine is now yours, so eat up!" He grinned at my words, opened the box and pulled out a slice.

Taking a bite, he hummed in appreciation, "You're a great hubby, you didn't forget my favorite food." He joked, sitting back as he enjoyed the pizza.

"Cheese pizza? Really?" I grinned, grabbing a slice for myself and relaxing a little. "So, obviously we are consummating the marriage, but maybe we should at least get to know each other? And on that note, my favorite food would have to be tacos."

Cloud faltered in his bite, blinking at me before licking his lips nervously, his cheeks turning a soft pink, "Ehm... Don't you mean, aren't? Aren't consummating the marriage?" He mumbled, quickly taking another bite of his food to distract himself I guess.

Heat bloomed in my cheeks and I quickly looked away stuttering a little. "Yes, I meant aren't. We aren't consummating the marriage. Sorry." Dear lord that was embarrassing. Way to trip over your words, Leon.

He chuckled nervously, shaking his head, "It's fine. This whole situation is really awkward so..." He shrugged, "Sure, we can get to know each other." He agreed, thankfully letting the mistake go, "I'm Cloud Strife, or, well, Cloud Leonhart now. Twenty-five years old, I don't know my parents and don't have any siblings." He frowned thoughtfully, most likely trying to think of what else he could give me. "I love animals, hence the shelter job. My favorite color is blue and oh, well, I'm gay, I figure you already knew that, but just thought I'd announce it or whatever. I have no crazy ex boyfriends who would try and tamper with our 'for show' marriage..." He winced then, interrupting himself for a moment of pause before he softly added, "I have a tumor."

I gulped my pizza down and cleared my throat so that I could tell him about me. "I'm Squall Leonhart, but I go by Leon. Twenty-eight years old, my parents are both lawyers, I don't have any siblings and I do have a crazy ex that will most likely not adjust well to my marriage. Just a heads up." I tried to remember everything he's told me, so that I could share similar stuff. "My favorite color is also blue and I'm gay. Yes, I did have a relationship with a woman, but that wasn't something serious and it didn't last long." Shaking my head, I wished to go back in time and take back dating her but, oh well. Looking at him, hoping he would believe me when I said this. "It's very nice to meet you, and again, please let me know if you need anything. We're friends now, and friends help each other out."

He nodded, "Friends." He agreed, "And I'd like to take you up on that offer of the room. Not just as a place to crash until my bike is fixed. Tifa said you were looking for a roommate? I am paying some sort of rent though. I figure you don't need me too since if you work a job like Tifa, you earn buckets of money, but please let me so my pride isn't completely trampled." He gave me a tentative smile. I felt relieved at that. Not that I cared about any kind of rent, but if he was paying something, that meant that he was going to be sticking around for a bit. We needed to make this marriage look real at least.

Grinning, I nodded at him. "Sounds like a plan. I'll figure out a fair rent amount for you after you get your bike fixed. That can be your first priority. Deal?" I didn't tell him that Tifa was already getting his bike fixed for him, let him just enjoy the no rent thing for as long as possible. Then I could figure out how much he was getting paid at his job, calculate a percentage that would have him feel like he was contributing, without putting a strain on him.

He pursed his lips, looking a bit reluctant. He nodded nonetheless though, "Okay. But then I'm in charge of cooking dinner and the dishes. I know you said it wasn't kindness, but I need to do something to return whatever it is you're giving me."

"Fine. But I draw the line at you doing my laundry." I winked, trying to let him know that this wasn't a big deal, just something that I could do for a friend.

He smiled, sighing in relief as everything fell in place for him. "Wait. If you are for Spira's soccer team then I can't live here." He joked, grinning and then suddenly became serious, looking at me curiously, "Do you like being a lawyer? I try to understand Tifa's passion for it, but it's very hard since she has no free time whatsoever. I'm surprised both of you could even make it to the wedding what with those busy schedules."

"No worries, there are no supporters of Spira in this house." I chuckled, grateful at least that he seemed to like sports. "And as for being a lawyer, it's kind of all I've really known. Both my parents are, and I grew up hearing and understanding the words. And Tifa does have a passion for it, which means that she is always taking on more and more." She was good at it too. "I'm a little different. I enjoy it, but it isn't a career for me. It's just a job that I can enjoy." I shrugged hoping I was making sense.

He nodded, smiling, "You love your job but you aren't a workaholic. Want to watch a movie? I saw you have some pretty good old horrors in the big collections of DVD's you got."

Grabbing another slice, I went to the kitchen. "I'll grab us something to drink. What do you want?" Opening the fridge, I was suddenly glad that I'd already gone grocery shopping for the week.

"Beer!" He shouted back at me. The doorbell rang, leading me to frown as I grabbed two beer bottles out of the fridge, making my way back into the living room, peeking around the staircase to see who it was. Cloud had already moved to open it and I saw Tifa appear, shoving a bag into Cloud's arms.

"What's this?" Cloud asked curiously, opening the bag.

"Your clothes." She replied curtly, grabbing his face to give him a quick peck before waving at me, "I was passing through. I have to go now, I got a date." And then she flew back out of the house. That woman never sat still for one second. Cloud closed the door behind her, turning so he could shrug at me and then make his way up the stairs, most likely putting his bag up in his room. He came down a minute or so later, wearing a simple white shirt with comfortable looking black pajama pants and I was glad my floor was heated because apparently he liked to walk around bare foot. Plopping down beside me on the couch, he thanked me for the beer.

"When do you have to work next?" I asked quietly, hoping that we could just get to know each other a little better before we got back into the swing of things.

"I get my weekends." He smiled, clinging the tip of his bottle against my own before taking a sip. As it was Friday, that meant I could spend some time with him for the next two days. "When do you go back?" He asked softly.

I thought about it. "I only have one client that wants me to tell him if he has a case or not. But nothing else really. It's the slow season for me." He looked puzzled, so I elaborated. "I'm a fraud attorney. And now that tax season is over, people are taking a break when it comes to cases. So, I could probably take next week off and be okay."

He grinned, "Isn't what we're doing fraud?" He'd been holding the remote in his hand, intent on pressing play, but now he just tossed it onto the couch beside him, lifting his legs on the couch so he could cross them beneath himself and turn to face me, "And what about that woman at the chapel? She's your ex, right? What's going on there?"

I groaned and let my head fall back against the couch. "Technically, we are within our rights to do what we are doing. We are married, and therefore you are covered under my insurance. The only way this would be considered fraud, is if they could prove that we are only doing this for the insurance. They have to prove it, and that will be very difficult. So no, it's not fraud until they prove it." Grimacing, I thought about his other question.

"Rinoa won't listen to me. I broke it off with her six months ago. And we weren't that serious to begin with. More of a casual relationship. I never even slept with her." Using my hands to twist the air in front of me, I continued, "She twists what I say, and then pushes her way into my life. I've almost convinced myself that I need to take out a restraining order on her. Is that mean?"

He snorted, "If you had to marry me in order for her to get what you're telling her, then no, that isn't mean." He frowned then, "Why aren't you taking a restraining order out on her if she gives you reason to do so? Not that I don't like this solution, it's helping me in my case."

I thought about it. Why the hell hadn't I done it already? "Well, I was just kind of hoping that I wouldn't have to take it to that level. I'm a lawyer, I argue logic for a living you know. But, her brain doesn't seem to work like a normal human's. So, I was hoping that she would get the hint before I involve the authorities. Does that make sense?"

He nodded, "Yes. You're officially the nicest guy I've ever met." He said seriously, "I'm very lucky to have you for my husband." He added with a grin.

When he said stuff like that, I couldn't control the blush that covered my face. It was so beyond wrong. I was almost thirty and I was blushing like a teenager. Not fair at all. "Thanks. I'm just as lucky."

I felt smug satisfaction as a blush of his own appeared on his cheeks at my words. "Okay. Movie time." He said nervously, making me chuckle as he couldn't shake off the shyness.

"Yeah, this is supposed to be our honeymoon, let's lay here and watch TV all weekend, order out for food, and just be general lazy asses. Sound like a plan?"

"Sounds good." He agreed happily.

To be continued...