Everyone turned their heads towards the welcoming hall as they heard the front door fall shut.
"That must be Cloud." Kairi happily spoke from her seat at the set dinner table.
And indeed, not a second later Cloud walked in with a smile. "Sorry I'm late, I had forgotten an important ingredient for dinner." He held up a bottle of Piper Heidsieck Champagne and got acclaimed by a round of applause by everyone.
Another moment past and they all saw Sephiroth walk in with a large red bag. "Is it too late to play Santa?"
Even Kairi couldn't hide a chuckle at the sight of Sephiroth carrying that bag on his back. "Please join us." She whispered with a smile.
"Here, let me help you with that." Riku offered, standing up from his seat and walking over to his brother. "I don't think there's any more room underneath there…"
Sora watched with a soft smile how the two brothers occupied themselves with the gifts for a moment before turning around in his seat and finding Wakka and Kairi exchanging soft whispers and Leon cutting off a slice of ham and placing it on Cloud's plate. He laid back then, enjoying these moments of simple togetherness, the angst he had felt during the last week and even the sadness he felt knowing that Kairi and Wakka were leaving tonight, paling against the feeling of happiness that took over him now.
"Are you guys almost done over there? I'm hungry!" Kairi exclaimed, looking at Riku and Sephiroth still kneeling next to the tree.
"I'll go get an extra plate." Sora said as Riku and Sephiroth returned to the table. "I didn't know if you were going to be here with us tonight." He whispered apologetically towards Sephiroth.
"Wouldn't want to miss it…" The elder brother replied with a smile. "Especially when that ham looks so delicious— Is it honey glazed?"
Sora chuckled and blushed slightly. "Yes… I'll get you a plate."
Sephiroth took place next to Riku at the head of the table. "Excellent catch, bro…" He whispered towards Riku, who gave him a knowing smile.
"You should taste his house rolls…" Riku said, taking one out of a nearby basket and handing it to him. "To die for."
"Stop embarrassing me, Riku…" Sora said with a shy smile as he laid Sephiroth's plate in front of him and reached to cut the ham.
"He is right though, these are absolutely delicious." The silver haired man spoke with a smile after he had taken a bite. "Riku should consider himself very lucky to have someone who can cook for him like that."
Sora blushed again and chuckled shyly. "Thank you."
"Would you mind stop making him blush? Thank you!" Riku interjected with a chuckle. "Lower those eyes."
"Aww, Riku's jealous?" Kairi chuckled from above her glass of wine. "I expected more from you."
"You shut up!" Riku grumbled, making the entire table laugh.
Sephiroth chuckled. "I'm sorry if I offended you in any way, Sora."
"Don't worry about it." The brunette said with a giggle. "Riku's just being stupid."
"Eh?!" Riku exclaimed, turning to his boyfriend now. "I have the right to protect you from anyone who's trying to make sneaky advances towards you!" He said with an eye on his brother. "Especially people like him!"
Both Sora and Sephiroth chuckled and Sora bent over to kiss his protective lover on his head. "Then you'll be happy to know that I only have eyes for you. Sorry, Sephiroth." He added with a soft grin.
"Oh, I'm sure I'm not the first one to be disappointed like this." Sephiroth replied courteously.
"Oh…" Sora couldn't help but blush again.
"Wow, smooth…" Wakka said, his voice holding a little hint of awe. "Maybe you should take lessons from him, Riku. He's good."
Muffled snickers could be heard, although everyone tried hard to hold them in.
"Okay, enough already!" Riku exclaimed, his eyes shooting daggers towards his brother.
Sephiroth only chuckled some more and decided to switch the attention on something else. "Those beans also look mighty appetising, could I have some of those?" He asked Sora who was filling his plate. "Who made those?"
"Leon did." Sora said, placing some on the plate.
"Ah." Sephiroth turned to the man sitting next to Cloud with a smile and raised his glass of red wine to him. "I've had the pleasure to taste your filet mignon the other day. I didn't get the chance to congratulate you yet on its exquisite taste."
"Glad it was to your taste." Leon replied with a microscopic smile that immediately cooled off the atmosphere.
Sephiroth brought his glass to his lips, his eyes never leaving Leon's loathing ones, a predatory gleam appearing in them. He then looked at Cloud who was only staring at his food-filled plate, his unease painstakingly clear to anyone who cared to look.
"Would you like some oven baked smashed potatoes?" Kairi offered, unknowing of the building tension between the three men.
"Yes, please." Sephiroth said with an amiable smile, shifting his eyes to Sora who reached towards the potato dish.
Riku frowned slightly at the switch of climate and as he laid his eyes on Sora's face, he knew that the brunette knew something more about the situation judging by his sad, yet worried face.
"Could you tell me what all of that was out there?" Riku placed the dishes in the sink before he turned to look at Sora who was taking out the cake and the fruit salad out of the fridge.
"I don't know…" Sora whispered back, shaking his head sadly. "I really don't."
"It's about Cloud isn't it?" Riku asked, catching the brunette's attention. "They're fighting over him, aren't they?"
"So…you noticed it?" Sora's expression was now a worried one.
"It isn't exactly hard to see. Leon and Sephiroth haven't exchanged a word in the two weeks that we've been here and Cloud's been trying to avoid being in one room with the both of them." Riku said walking over to him. "What's going on?"
Sora looked at him and hesitated. If he told Riku what he knew, it would piss him off and ruin the renewed relationship between him and Sephiroth. Still, he could never lie to him…
"Cloud and Sephiroth are sort of seeing each other behind Leon's back." Sora whispered, recalling his conversation with Sephiroth a week ago.
"You're kidding me." Riku said, not believing it. "Are you absolutely sure?" He whispered in utter disbelief.
"Sephiroth told me so himself... In fact, that was what we had been talking about on that night you found us in our room and…" Sora bit his lower lip, hesitating again.
"And what?"
"I caught Cloud coming down from Sephiroth's room on our third night here, after we returned from the Utada concert. I know for sure they had sex because Sephiroth confirmed that as well…"
"What the hell?" Riku exclaimed, staring at Sora, totally astonished.
"I know. Don't get mad, please, this is not our problem…" Sora whispered, seeing Riku's face change into a scowl.
"No matter where he goes, he just -has- to fuck everything up…"
"Riku, please…" Sora pleaded, placing a hand on his arm.
"I know, I know." Riku said softly. "I won't butt in, but Cloud and Leon are our friends. I think it would be best if we had a conversation with them."
Sora sighed. "I'm glad you're offering that. I was unsure of doing it on my own. Though I don't think that Leon knows about the entire situation, I mean I don't think Cloud told him…"
"Then we'll talk alone with Cloud after dessert and after we've opened all the gifts." Riku said, moving over to the cake and picking it up from the table.
Sora nodded in determination and took hold of the large bowl of fruit salad and walked over to the door, closely followed by Riku.
After dessert, they had moved themselves to the lounge were all reunited for the exchange of gifts. Kairi was sitting in-between Riku and Wakka on the couch closest to the Christmas tree, Sora was sitting on the floor in front of it and Cloud, Leon and Sephiroth shared the left couch, Cloud lying comfortably in Leon's arms while Sephiroth watched everyone from his seat at the end of the couch, closest to the sliding doors of the room.
"Okay, why don't we start with the person with the most gifts?" Sora spoke with a smile, handing Riku one of Kairi's gifts. "Let's start with the smallest one. It's mine."
Kairi took the small, red cube in her hands and undid the gift paper, revealing a blue jewellery box . "Swarovski!"
"I know how much you love that jeweller." Sora said softly.
She gave Sora a thankful smile before proceeding. "Oh… so pretty!" The box contained a pair of 3 inch long teardrop crystal earrings who shone brightly as she took them out and held them up. "Thanks Sora! I love them!" She beckoned him to move closer as she couldn't make too many movements yet.
"You're welcome, Kai." Sora hugged her back.
"Next is me." Riku said, reaching towards a medium sized, square box. "This one Sora and I bought for you, but my personal gift is in it already."
She took the in silver wrapped box and opened it, revealing a puzzling, with golden Chinese inscriptions written shiny black box. "It's kind of heavy… what is it?" She whispered, looking at the box from side to side. "Too bad I don't read Chinese…" She reached to the top of the box where a golden pin was settled and twisted it.
"You have to take it out." Sora informed with a smile, he and Riku exchanging a smile.
"Oh…" She took the pin out and the box fell apart in 4 equal parts, revealing a silver bonsai tree with a silver pendant, which matched the earrings she had just received, hanging from one of its branches. "Wow… you guys…"
"Good taste…" Sephiroth spoke in approval. "Very beautiful…"
She took the pendant and held it up. "I love it! Thank you Riku! Both of you!"
Riku kissed her on her right cheek. "You're welcome, princess."
From her brother and Leon she received a brand new laptop and Sephiroth gave her and Wakka a decorative water fountain.
"Here baby…" Wakka then whispered as she had received all of her gifts. "This is the last one, from me."
She smiled at him and took the small square box he was holding out to her with a blush.
"Oh-oh…" Cloud amusedly said. "It's small and squared, people…"
Sora gasped and held in a giggle, looking up at Riku with an excited smile.
"I would like for you all to excuse us for a few minutes…" Wakka then spoke with another blush on his face, standing.
"W-Wakka…" Kairi whispered, her lips trembling. She took the hand he was holding out to her and stood, following her out the room and into the hall.
"Oh no he isn't…" Riku chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh no he isn't…!"
"Oh yes he is…" Leon replied with a small smile, as they all watched how the doors of the lounge slid closed again.
"Cloud, you must've known about it." Sora said, turning to Kairi's elder brother now.
"Known about what?" The blonde innocently whispered back.
A loud squeal was then heard and they all looked at the still closed doors.
"About that." Riku commented, pointing with his finger towards the doors.
"What on earth are you guys talking about?" Cloud replied with a questioning expression on his face.
"You guys, we're engaged!" Kairi squeaked as the doors opened again and she showed them the new rock on her left hand finger.
"That!" Sora said with a giggle, now standing to go embrace his friends.
"Oh yeah…." Cloud said, acting as if it was all coming back now. "Yeah… I knew about that." He looked up at Leon with a chuckle and the brunet pressed a kiss on his forehead.
"Congratulations, Kairi!" Sora squealed as he now looked at the purple stone imbedded in between two white diamonds in a silver ring. "What kind of stone is this?"
"It's a purple diamond." Sephiroth said, with slight awe. "Very expensive because of its rarity…"
"Well at least I know my sister won't be marrying a hobo, that's a reassuring thought." Cloud said with a small grin.
"You jerk!" Kairi exclaimed, holding her fiancée close.
"It's alright, because it's true;" Wakka whispered to her now. "For as long as I live, I will make sure that you don't come short of anything, ever."
"Baby…" Kairi whispered, biting her lower lip to prevent it from quivering from the emotions coursing through her.
He bent over and they shared a soft kiss, holding each other close as Kairi buried her face in his neck to hide her tears.
All onlookers emitted a soft sound of endearment and then started clapping and whistling at them.
The evening proceeded and now it was Sora's turn to receive his gifts.
"Alright let me go first." Sephiroth said, as he stood and walked towards the tree. "Riku told me that you're a writer, Sora. A columnist."
"Yeah, he is!" Kairi happily said. "A good one too."
"Stop embarrassing me." Sora said, holding on to his flaring cheeks.
"Well, I hope this may come in handy some time." The tall platinum haired man spoke gently, holding out a red, rectangular box out for him.
As soon as Sora got hold of it, he was surprised by the heavy weight. "Wow! You're not giving me rocks, are you?" He said, placing the gift on the carpeted floor so he could open it more easily.
"Just open it." Sephiroth spoke with a soft smile.
"What is this?" Sora wondered as he had taken out a silver cube out of the box. "There's something written on it…" He held it up for Riku to see.
" 'What would you do if you if you knew you could not fail?' " Riku read with a small smile. "I think it's an inspirational paper weight, babe."
"Cool, give me one." Kairi said, holding her hand out as Riku reached out for another cube. " 'It's not the destination, but the journey…' " She read. "Deep…"
"Thanks, Sephiroth." Sora stood and embraced him. "I love them."
"I'm glad you do." Sephiroth whispered back, patting him on the back.
"Then I guess it's our turn next?" Leon said, looking at his lover who nodded and stood in turn.
"Now this is for the both of you and we want you to enjoy this until it is broken!" Cloud handed them a rectangular black box with a beautiful red bow.
Sora gave him a suspicious look. "I wondered when we'd get to see the sex toys…" He whispered with a blush, taking the gift and starting to open it. "What is this?!"
Riku burst out in laughter and took the object out of the box, holding it up to the light. It was a black transparent, 7 and a half inches long dildo with curved bulb tip and internal vibrator. "A prostate massager." He chuckled. "Oh yeah… Are you doing anything later on tonight, babe?" He then asked his still blushing lover.
"Just give that here." Sora whispered, taking the toy out of his boyfriend's hands and putting it back in the box. "Thanks, you guys." He then said with his eyes closed, his face changing into another shade of red.
Everyone laughed and Sora hid his face in his hands.
"Next is us!" Wakka said and he took a flat, square brown box from underneath the tree. "The rest will come later."
A bit puzzled, Sora accepted the gift and opened it. "Is this some kind of a sex toy again?" He said with an amused smile as he took out a black leather dog collar with round studs and a nameless ID tag attached to it.
"I guess it's my turn now." Riku said, standing in turn, but instead of reaching underneath the tree, he walked out of the room and ran up the stairs.
"You guys?" Sora asked the rest, "What's going on?"
"You'll see." Sephiroth said, smiling.
"Riku's been through a lot to get this gift for you." Cloud added with a slight nod.
"I'm sure you'll like it." Kairi said. "It will be hard not to."
Sora then turned to the hall and they all saw Riku descending the steps with a large black box with holes and adorned by a big white bow in his hands.
Sora stood and walked up to him. "Here's your gift baby, I hope you'll like him."
A soft whimper could now be heard coming from the box and the brunette could feel starters of tears well up in his eyes as he removed the top of the box. "Riku…!" He whispered, reaching inside and taking out a small, black puppy with a way too large, red bow tied around its neck and amazing light blue eyes. "Oh my god… he's so cute!" Sora giggled as the small dog licked his right cheek in sign of affection. "Oh baby, thank you!"
"Merry Christmas." Riku kissed him on his lips. "I love you."
"I love you too! Oh, thank you!" Sora hugged him tightly, kissing him in his neck. "Look everyone!" He then turned to the group to show them the newest member of the family.
"He really is cute isn't he?" Kairi whispered as Sora sat back on his spot on the floor with his new puppy in his arms.
"What breed is it?" Leon inquired, watching how Riku sat himself down on the couch again.
"A Chesapeake Bay Retriever." Riku answered, looking at Sora playing with his dog with a smile. "The store owner told me that these dogs are valued for their bright and happy disposition, intelligence, quiet good sense and affectionate protective nature."
"I love him Riku, look at him!" Sora giggled as the dog ran circles around him and then stopped to rest with its front paws on Sora's crossed feet and barked cutely, wiggling its tail happily.
"Looks like he likes you too." Wakka said with a chuckle. "What are you going to call it?"
"How about…" Sora looked up at Riku for a moment for inspiration and back down at the dog that was still looking at him expectantly. "Trooper. I think I'll call you Trooper. Is that alright?"
Trooper barked, still wiggling his tail.
"Then Trooper it is!" Sora happily said, clapping in his hands, making the dog bark again. "Yay!" He laughed, taking Trooper in his arm again.
"Sora, it's not that I want to rush you or anything, but it's getting late and Wakka and Kairi still have a long way to go." Cloud whispered, sitting up now in his seat.
"Oh! I'm sorry!" Sora said with a giggle. "Let me take your gift, Riku." He gave the puppy to Riku and reached out towards the second to last gift that lay underneath the tree. It was square, flat and wrapped up in a blue gift paper. "Here baby."
Riku smiled at him and handed him back his dog before taking the gift and opening it. A white CD-case got revealed with the inscription 'Riku's Mom' on it.
"Sora…?" Riku looked at his boyfriend now, a questioning look in his watering eyes. "What…?"
Sora gave him a small comforting smile. "It's a video of some moments you guys shared. Sephiroth helped with some additional footage from friends and other relatives."
"You did this all for me…?" Riku whispered, holding back his tears. "W-when…?"
"Not long after she died I started with that project and thanks to Sephiroth I managed to complete it three days ago along with the photo album that I'm planning to give to you as well after this." Sora gave a short chuckle. "It was a close call."
Riku looked at his brother and they exchanged a knowing glance before Riku stood and almost ran to the DVD-player to insert the CD in.
Wakka dimmed the lights and the film began, the words "For Riku…" coming up on the screen.
A young woman with long platinum- blonde hair and smiling blue eyes was then shown posing on a picture, wearing what looked like hippie styled clothing and then another, in which she was near the end of her pregnancy showing off a cute baby-blue toddler ensemble.
"She was so beautiful…" Kairi whispered.
"I wonder whose huge head it was that made her look so big…" Sephiroth teased, making all of them laugh, even Riku.
Another set of images were then shown in a slide, showing Riku and his mother in the hospital, hours after his birth.
Then the images on the screen changed and a crying, blond toddler could be seen, sitting on his chair refusing to eat what looked like a light green mash of vegetables.
"If you don't eat, you won't become a strong man… Come on, Riku… Come on…"
The group made endeared sounds as the infant on the screen sniffled and opened his mouth reluctantly.
"Sora, I can't thank you enough for this…" Riku whispered as he was now sitting next to him on the floor, a tear finding its way out of his right eye. "This is of unimaginable value to me. Thank you…"
Sora smiled and kissed him softly on his lips without saying anything. They shared a few moments like that, simply watching each other before turning their heads back to the screen.
Half an hour passed as they all let Riku relive his shared memories with his mother, different emotions lingering in the air as the DVD came to an end.
"Okay, so now you've all seen that I used to wet my bed when I was five." Riku said as he now stood with Sora by his side.
They all laughed and every one could tell that the evening and their shared time together had come to an end.
"I am so grateful you all came these holidays." Riku spoke drying his cheeks quickly. "Even those who weren't invited in the first place." He said with an eye on his brother who gave him a smile. "I'm glad I was able to share my memories here with you all, all the bad stuff that happened set aside."
"Anytime bro. Always a pleasure." Wakka said, moving in to embrace his life-long friend. He then moved in to embrace Sora. "You take care of my bro like you've done tonight, alright? It was a fantastic gift you gave him."
"Thanks, Wakka." Sora smiled, hugging him back. "For everything. And I will take care of him as long as you take care of my Kairi there, alright?"
"Sure thing." Wakka chuckled.
They all exchanged goodbyes and wishes with good intentions and a few minutes later Kairi and Wakka were ready to leave.
"Post the invitations for the wedding as soon as possible, okay?" Sora whispered into Kairi's left ear as he gave her his final goodbye. "God, I'm so going to miss you, Kai. Take care."
"I'm going to miss you too Sora, take care." The redhead whispered back sniffling, holding her friend closer before letting go.
"Call me when you get in DC." Cloud said to Wakka, who nodded.
"Okay you guys, we'll see you in a couple of months when we'll be back in DC." Kairi said, now stepping inside their car.
Sora took a step back, wrapping his arm around Riku's weight and laying his head against his shoulder. "Bye you guys!"
Everyone waved at them as the car started to move and drove its way out of the gate, disappearing into the woods.
"Hey Cloud, could we talk to you?" Riku asked the blonde as they were all walking back inside the house.
"Sure Riku, what's up?" Cloud spoke back, standing still now.
"Let's get in the house first, okay?" Sora softly whispered. "I need to put Trooper inside; it's too cold out here."
"So, what's up you guys?" Cloud asked Riku and Sora now that they were standing on the terrace of the first floor, overlooking the dark woods and the moonlit lake. "Something wrong?"
Sora bit his lower lip and looked up at Riku standing beside him. Sora bit his lower lip and looked down at the floor before looking up at Riku beside him. "Uhm… Cloud, listen... I know that this is none of our business, but Riku and I have some reasons to believe that you... Well that you and Sephiroth..."
"Did you sleep with my brother?" Riku asked him straightforwardly.
It was obvious to both of them that the blonde was surprised with that question, and even more estranged with the whispered response "How did you guys know? ... Did someone tell you?"
"I… I know you slept with him on that night we saw each other when I was coming up the stairs after we came back from the concert…" Sora whispered, feeling very uncomfortable now. "And Sephiroth confirmed it to me…"
"Ah… I see." Cloud whispered with a soft smile. "Please, don't bother yourselves with it any longer. Leon and I have worked it all out already."
"Y-You have...?" Sora asked, feeling like a load was taken off his shoulders now. "You... told him about it?'
Cloud nodded. "Everything's alright now, thank you guys for worrying."
"So you and my brother don't have anything going on anymore?" Riku asked, though he couldn't hide the little hint of scepticism in his voice.
"No, there's nothing left between us." Cloud answered with a soft reassuring smile. "Nothing."
Sora smiled at him. "We're glad to hear that." He looked up at Riku. "Aren't we?"
Riku watched Cloud leave with a closed expression on his face. "Sora…"
"What?" Sora asked, looking at him.
"I think he was lying." Riku whispered back, now looking at his boyfriend. "He wasn't telling the truth."
"How do you know?" Sora softly wondered, giving him a non-understanding look.
"When Cloud's nervous, he constantly smiles what he thinks is a reassuring smile." The blond answered. "I don't want to call him a liar, but he was hiding something that's for sure."
"Why else would he have acted so nervous at the dinner table, right?" Sora whispered, realisation dawning on him.
"Exactly." Riku answered. "Things are definitely not over between him and Seph, but if he truly loves Leon, I wonder why he hasn't stopped it yet." He held his left hand out for Sora so he could take it.
"Do you think it is because he just can't?" They were walking back inside the house now and saw Cloud walk up the last steps to his room.
"Whatever it is, my brother doesn't have an innocent part in this." Riku spoke, watching how Leon came out of the lounge room as they walked down the stairs towards the welcoming hall.
Not too soon after Cloud entered their room, Leon entered as well finding Cloud sitting on their bed.
"You've been crying." He whispered, walking over to him as he saw him rubbing his eyes.
Cloud stood and moved himself to their bathroom to take off his shirt. "It was just the wind that blew in my eyes." He answered back, before coming out again in a t-shirt and walking over to the bed to take the thick sweater he had readily laid there. "Don't worry—"
"Avoid me all you want, but don't lie to me." Leon calmly whispered, making Cloud halt in his movements. "You've been crying and not because of the wind."
Cloud turned around with a comforting smile. "It's nothing, really."
"Please stop lying to me." Leon took a step closer and placed a hand on the blonde's face, tracing the line of his cheekbone with the back of his fingers. "I can see it in your eyes."
Cloud averted his eyes and closed them, taking his sweater from the bed before leaving the room.
Leon watched him go with a pained expression before he noticed something that caught his attention. He walked over to the bed and retrieved Cloud's jacket from it, holding it up in front of him.
Four of its six buttons were missing, the fabric torn on the places where they had been, meaning that they had been ripped away with force. Then something else came up in his mind, something he hadn't paid much attention to.
When Cloud had left to get Kairi earlier, his shirt had been red, when he returned it had been dark blue...
He found his cell phone turned off in one of the jacket's pockets, something he knew Cloud never did, especially not on a day like this, when there could be someone that needed him.
And then, there was one last piece of evidence that made the case complete.
One long, silver hair on the right arm of the jacket.
He did not need to ask what had happened anymore. The time for action was at hand now, and with it, the time to put everything to an end.
"I have a gift for the both of you as well, but I'm afraid that there wasn't anymore room in the bag and I left it in my car." Sephiroth spoke, moving to stand. "Could anyone come and help me out?" He then turned to Cloud. "Cloud?"
Leon held Cloud's arm down on the couch as he had shifted to rise and shook his head towards the silver haired man. "Cloud's not going anywhere." He spoke softly with a smile. "Let me go with you."
Sephiroth's face briefly changed from mild surprise to slight amusement and he gave him a court nod. "Very well." He turned and walked over to the glass doors.
As Leon stood to follow him, he felt himself being held back by his arm; Cloud was looking up at him with an apologising face, slightly shaking his head.
Leon bent over and pressed a tender kiss on his lips. "I know, I'll be right back."
"Leon..." Cloud whispered, on the verge of tears.
Leon smiled at him a last time and followed Sephiroth out the house.
"Cloud..." Sora whispered softly.
"I haven't been honest with you guys..." The blonde whispered back, the first tears rolling down his face now as he stood up. "This is my entire fault."
Sora and Riku exchanged a glance, both dreading what would happen now.
The snow cracked underneath their feet as they walked towards the silver Mercedes standing a few meters away from the stairs leading to the house.
"You can keep your gift. We didn't buy you any so it would only be fair." Leon said, stopping as they approached the vicinity of the car.
Sephiroth only smiled and waved the comment away. "It doesn't matter." He opened one of the doors to the back seats and took out a large square box. "I'm pretty sure Cloud will appreciate it anyhow."
"Stay with your paws away from him, you hear me?" Leon calmly spoke, his eyes glowing dangerously.
"Why so much hostility, Leon?" Sephiroth asked him as he locked up his car again. "It's Christmas, let us all enjoy each other's company."
"Christmas was a week ago and you overstayed your welcome here." Leon replied, his voice still maintaining its cool, articulate tone.
Sephiroth chuckled. "Pardon me, I often lose track of time. But I do remember that this house is half my property."
"Funny you should use that word, 'property' for I recall that you don't seem to have a sense of what is yours and what isn't." Leon said nonchalantly, taking a step closer to him.
"Have you noticed how we always end up talking about Cloud?" Sephiroth spoke with a chuckle, placing the box on the trunk of the car.
"This is the only conversation we've had so far." Leon noted, crossing his arms over his chest. "And I, for one, would like to keep it that way."
"Couldn't agree more." The older man responded. "So tell me, what is it that he ever saw in a street reject like you?"
Leon only chuckled and shook his head, not even fazed. "Why don't you ask yourself that question, after all, you're the one he left, not me."
"Ah... the past always catches up with you, does it not?" Sephiroth dramatically spoke with an amused smile. "But fortunately for us, mere mortals, it's the present that is of importance. I may have been the one he left, but you'll be the one to be abandoned pretty soon, mon cher."
"What makes you so sure about that?" Leon asked with a mistrusting face.
"I would think that the answer is painfully obvious, Leon. Cloud cannot love one who is dead, now can he?" He answered, shrugging.
"You blackmailed him..." Leon whispered, unfolding his arms from his chest and laying them by his side.
"Yes, you see, the deal was that he stays with me, so I wouldn't hurt you." He took out a revolver from his back pocket and pointed it at him. "But I figured that if you were to disappear, he'd have to stay with me either way."
Leon froze, his eyes directed to the weapon directed at him in anger. "And I who wondered why he left you?"
Sephiroth gave him a Machiavellian smile. "Move yourself over there." He shook his head in the direction of the frozen lake, his aim still on Leon's hart. "Move it."
Leon implied, though his mind tried to find a way to intercept the weapon from this madman's hands.
It was the sound of a gun shot that shook up the three remaining people in the chalet.
"Oh my god!" Sora exclaimed, throwing his hands in front of his mouth, his eyes open wide in terror.
"Please… oh please no…" Cloud whimpered the tears of anxiety streaming down his face as he stood up and ran towards the exit door in panic. "Leon!"
"Cloud!" Riku called after him, moving himself to stand but feeling himself held back by a hand on his wrist.
"Riku…" Sora pleadingly whispered, shaking his head.
"He's my brother, Sora, I have to do something…" Riku whispered back.
"He shot Leon!" The brunette whispered back with a trembling voice. "He's gone crazy!"
"We need to make sure Leon is alright. I have to go, Sora."
Sora bit his lower lip and nodded reluctantly. "But I'll go with you." He bravely replied, standing beside him now. "I'll go with you." He put the dog that had been lying on his thighs in his box near the tree and took Riku's hand.
"Ok." Riku slowly nodded, keeping their eyes locked in silent determination. "Let's go." He led Sora to the kitchen, where they exited the house through the backdoor and got down the stairs leading to the ground.
"What if he shoots Cloud?" They were now walking around the house on the paved path that led to the façade of the house from the garage and halted on the corner of the house.
"He can't," Riku whispered in response, keeping his back pressed up against the wall as he spotted Sephiroth holding his gun pointed towards something in front of him, in the direction of the lake. "He wouldn't hurt Cloud if it's him he wants… He's aiming at something, but I can't see, his car is in the way."
"I can't believe this…" Sora softly said, reinforcing his grip on Riku's hand.
"Stay close to me." The other one said with one eye on what was happening near the lake. "I can't see Leon anywhere…"
"And Cloud?"
"I can only see Seph… aiming towards the lake, and he's saying something. I think he's talking to Leon or something… What the -Cloud!"
"What's happening?!" Sora gasped and moved to see for himself but Riku held him back with a firm hand on his chest, shaking his head.
Cloud was looking at Sephiroth dead in the eyes, his arms spread wide and the point of the 9 mm Baretta pressing against the middle of his chest.
An endeared smile crept on the older man's face and he made a soft 'tsk-tsk'-sound. "Step away, koishii." He softly spoke, pushing the blonde out of the way gently, who didn't budge. "He's the one in our way. Let me get rid of him and nothing will keep us from being together at last." He caressed away a tear rolling down Cloud's right cheek. "Now stand aside."
"No Seph!" Cloud sternly said, tears rolling from his eyes. "You promised. You promised you wouldn't hurt him…!"
For a moment, Sephiroth lowered his pistol and gave him a reprimanding expression. "I know I promised, but wouldn't having him dead save you from worrying about him?"
Cloud could only shake his head in disbelieve. "You're not the man I once used to love…"
Sephiroth chuckled. "I still am who I used to be ten years ago, koishii. Step aside."
"No." Cloud softly whispered, bending his head, and closing his fingers around the gun. "No…"
Stunned by the force of the shot he received in his right arm, Leon now opened his eyes and winced, reality coming back to him. He looked around himself, noticing that he was lying on the frozen lake now with his arm burning like hell. He groaned in pain as he moved himself to stand, looking at the shore to see Cloud standing with his back to the lake.
"Now, Cloud!" Sephiroth's voice had lost its sweet tone, he was getting angry. "Step aside."
Sobbing, but still determined, Cloud shook his head, his eyes never leaving his.
"Cloud, no!" Leon called out to him as he was limping/ slipping his way towards the lake shore, his right arm covered in blood and hanging limply by his side. "Cloud!"
"If you shoot him, you might as well shoot me too." Cloud whispered to Sephiroth, knowing Leon was trying to approach him. "I have no reason to stay with you if you do."
"You love him to such extend?" Sephiroth asked, the corners of his lips trembling slightly.
"I'd die for him." The blonde replied without a second thought. "That's how much I love him. And he'd do the same for me."
"No Cloud, that's not true…" The older one chuckled, not wanting to believe or hear what he had just been told. "What you and I have is real! He'll just go and break your heart!"
"Like you have?" Cloud coldly whispered back. "I don't think so. There's no way I could feel more pain than the pain you've caused me!"
In a sudden fit of rage, Sephiroth back slapped him hard, sending him to the snowy ground. "No one, you hear, no one will love you like I do!" He yelled at him. "NO ONE!" He then turned to Leon who was still on his approach to them and aimed at him again. "What have you done to him, you piece of shit!"
Cloud crawled back on his feet and launched himself towards the pistol, wanting to disarm Sephiroth. "No!"
"No!" Sora cried out, sinking to the ground his hands pressed against his mouth in shock. "Ohmygodohmygodohmygodoh—"
"Sora, I need you to listen to me now." Riku spoke very seriously to him, holding his crying face his hands so he'd look at him. "I want you to go call the police and an ambulance."
Sora whimpered at that and shook his head, holding on to Riku frantically. "No, Riku… please… I'm not leaving you!"
"Sora—Sora listen to me!" Riku sternly whispered, keeping Sora's head still and looking into his eyes. "I have to go see if I can help them! Ange, please I need you to go call for help!"
Sora only sobbed and shook his head. "Baby… he shot Cloud!"
"I know…" Riku held him to him now, kissing his crown. "But he might need my help." He let go of him. "Call the police."
"Riku…" Sora whimpered, most definitely not wanting to go but knowing it was Cloud's only way to survive as he now turned and ran towards the stairs leading towards the kitchen.
Leon was bent over Cloud's body, the snow around him rapidly turning red as the blood escaped from the wound on his back. "Cloud… baby…" He sobbed as he used all the strength he had left to turn his lover over on his back so he could look at his face.
"Le-Leon…" Cloud shakily whispered, his lips trembling as they were rapidly turning purple. "I-I'm so s-sorry…"
The brunette shook his head and laid a trembling, bloodied hand on his lips. "Don't talk, save your strength." He whispered, sobbing. "Save your strength… Oh god…" The sight of the rapidly expanding crimson snow rendered him with an immense feeling of helplessness and despair.
Sephiroth took a step back at the scene, the horror of what he had done now dawning on him. "Cloud…" He whispered with regret. "Oh, Cloud…"
"You sick bastard! Are you happy now?!" Leon yelled at him, holding on to Cloud who was slipping in and out of conscience now. "Is this what you wanted?!" He then whimpered, turning his head back to Cloud's paling face. "Stay with me, baby… Don't close your eyes… Stay with me…"
"Leon…" Cloud almost inaudibly whispered, gripping the fabric of Leon's jacket with his right hand, his body tensing up with pain. "You…"
Leon shook his head, grabbing Cloud's hand in his. "Don't talk Cloud save your strength…" He whimpered, brushing back the stray blond hairs that hung in his beloved one's face. "Please…"
"You m-must know that…" Cloud whispered, though it was hard to understand now. "You're the only… one I… truly—" He took a shaky breath, letting a few tears roll down his face, "Truly loved…"
"You are not going to die, you hear me?" Leon spoke through gritted teeth, desperately wanting for them to get through this somehow. He turned his head back to Sephiroth, who was still standing there with hands on his head. "Call a fucking ambulance, what the hell are you waiting for!"
"Shut up! This is not what was supposed to happen! It wasn't meant to go this way!" The platinum haired man shouted, now moving to point the revolver back on Leon. "You've made everything go haywire! From the moment you came in, you fucked with his head and now—"
Leon watched how Sephiroth suddenly froze in his speech before collapsing on the ground. Riku was standing behind him, holding a large branch. He then stepped around him without giving him much care and kneeled next to Leon.
"Sora's calling for an ambulance. Try and keep him warm…" Riku whispered, taking control of the situation.
"How long will it take for the medics to get here?" Leon asked, removing his jacket now and covering Cloud with it. "He's lost a lot of blood."
"It shouldn't be too long now…" Riku answered, looking behind him to check on his brother who was still unconscious on the snowy ground. "Sick bastard." He then saw Sora running up to them from the house, carrying a warm blanket.
"I've called the police and an ambulance and they're on their way…" He said, not looking at Sephiroth on purpose and handing Riku the blanket to cover up Cloud who had passed out. "Is he going to be alright?"
"He took a bullet in the back to protect me…" Leon whispered sadly, caressing Cloud's face. "If he doesn't make it…"
"Don't think that way…" Sora comfortingly whispered, "He has to make it, I know he will."
The sound of sirens was then heard in the distance and all felt a small feeling of relief wash over them, a small bit of hope resurfacing.
Then, they heard low growling behind them and they turned to look behind Sora to find Trooper growling at Sephiroth who was starting to come to.
"What is he doing here?" Sora whispered in horror and wanted to stand to go get the dog, but Leon held him back.
"Riku, the gun!" Leon whispered but it was too late; Sephiroth had already sat himself up and spotted them.
"Enough fooling around." Sephiroth whispered between his teeth, standing now. "Hand him over to me, NOW!"
"Why don't you just go?" Sora whispered, "We already called the police."
"Why don't you just shut your mouth?" Sephiroth said angrily, pointing his gun on Sora's forehead. "Fucking hand him over, or I'll shoot him."
"Seph!" Riku cried out in horror at the position he was putting all of them in. "Have you lost your mind?!"
"It's not worth it, Sephiroth!" Leon shouted.
The sirens of the police were sounding very close by now.
"5." Sephiroth then counted, his eyes still fixed on Sora. "Give Cloud to me. 4."
Sora gasped, tears rolling down his face as he was too afraid to even move. "Riku…" He whimpered in fright.
Trooper barked now, bearing his front teeth.
"3."
"Oh god…" Sora whispered, closing his eyes.
"Sephiroth please," Riku spoke gently, slowly moving himself to stand with his hands held up in front of him with his palms up. "Sora has nothing to do with this… just let him go. Cloud needs medical help; he'll die if you take him with you now."
"If you all had just minded your own business we wouldn't be here." Sephiroth coolly replied, still aiming at the brunet. "I'm taking him with me, whether you like it or not."
"If you take him away from the one person he loves more than anything and you kill me, how do you expect him to love you?" Sora whispered bravely, "How do you expect him to love a murderer?!"
At that Sephiroth growled in anger and was about to shoot when Trooper bit him in his left calf. Taken by surprise, Sephiroth pulled the trigger firing the shot he had aimed at Sora.
Riku watched as in a slow movie how Sora hit the snowy ground face first and didn't move, the police and an ambulance stopping right in front of the scene, Sephiroth finding himself surrounded and unable to make another move with all the guns suddenly aimed at him.
"SORAAAAAAAAAA!"
The paramedics rushed to Leon and Cloud examinating them on the spot, the blue and red flashing lights illuminating the entire scene as in a surrealistic dream.
"NOOOOOOOOO!"
It was as if his scream stretched itself out for ever as he ran up to him, his vision becoming blurry and his feet moving slower and slower with every heart beat that stretched itself out into eternity as the seconds became entire hours filled with growing despair…
