(no subject)

[leatheredlion.livejournal.com]

Who: Squall and Sora
When: Early Morning, (before the Mickey incident in The Hall of Passage)
Where: Training Center, Squall’s office
What: Fixing Sora
Rating: PG-13



It was early, very early, and Sora was still asleep. His hair was still as spiked as ever and his nearly naked body was half-covered by the blanket. His blue eyes were shut tightly and he moved awkwardly in his dream, thrashing a little.

Squall slid his master keycard through the card reader outside Sora's room, stepping inside when the door swished open. He set a tray down beside the bed , on it was fresh toast and orange juice. He looked Sora over, before resting a gloved hand on the boy's arm. "Sora?"

The teen flailed and thrashed, getting tangled up in his sheets. He panted, eyes squeezing tight, sweating a cold sweat. "Ngh...!"

Squall frowned and sat on the edge of the bed, using both hands to hold Sora against the bed. "Sora, wake up."

"No... no... aghh!!" The boy jerked awake, panting still and looking to Leon. "...s-sorry... I..." He exhaled heavily, resting back on the mattress.

Squall kept his hands in place until he was sure Sora was calm. He looked at, slowly moving his hands away. "Bad dream?"

"...the same one I always get when I think about the Heartless." The young boy sat up, running a hand through his hair. "Riku... he's being eaten by the Heartless, ripped to shreds... then Kairi... then Donald and Goofy... a-and you..." He shook his head slightly. "I can't do anything because Ansem is holding me..."

Squall frowned and reached over to pet Sora's hair. "It's just a dream. We all get them when we think too much." He let out a soft sigh. "You're tougher than you realise, we'll make sure it doesn't become a reality."

Sora gave a nod before scratching at his chest, one hand reaching to bring the pendant on his necklace back to the front of the chain. "Did... did you need something? It's kinda... early."

"I brought you breakfast. Then I thought we could have a few hours in the Training Center. If you're up to it, of course." Squall stood, he was dressed in full battle leathers, his gunblade resting proudly at his hip.

"Ahhh... it's so early! Can't I just sleep late?" He flopped back on the bed, grinning at Leon and watching him through half-lidded eyes. His hands rested; one on his stomach, the other by his face on the pillow.

"Sleep isn't good training." Squall replied, moving to rest against the wall, folding his arms across his chest, watching Sora from beneath chocolate hair.

"You should sleep more, too. I'm not getting up." He pulled the blanket over his head, smiling childishly beneath it.

Squall moved to grab a slice of toast from the tray, taking a large bite from it. "Don't make me pour water over you..."

"You wouldn't." He replied, smirking. "You need me; if you get me wet, I might take an airship and go back to my island."

Squall rose an eyebrow. "I wouldn't, huh?" He lifted his hand, half-calling a Water spell. "Shall I finish casting or are you up?"

Pouting, Sora pulled back the blanket and looked up to Leon. "...I'm homesick. I want to stay in bed..."

Squall frowned and lowered his hand. "Homesick? You want me to take you back?"

Sora shook his head but continued pouting. "...make me feel more at home here." He slightly smiled, holding his arms up for a hug.

Squall frowned and removed his gunblade, resting it up the wall, before moving over to the bed, pulling Sora into a hug.

The teen smiled, nuzzling into Leon's chest and closing his eyes. After a moment, a soft sleeping sound came from him. A light snore.

Squall looked down at Sora, giving him a light shake. "Hey! Hey... no sleeping!"

Sora whined before just giving up and rubbing his eye, reaching for a glass of juice. He sipped it before moving the rise from bed, crossing the room to the small window and opening it, letting in the morning sunrise as he stood there, in just his boxers and Kingdom Hearts chain.

Squall watched Sora for a moment, before pinching at the bridge of his nose, threading a gloved hand through his hair. "Should I leave you to get ready?"

"No, I'll be ready in a minute. Just give me a chance to see the morning in." He took some toast and held it between his teeth, stretching his arms up.

Squall chuckled a little, stealing another slice of toast. "It is a better view from my office. I've watched the sun rise many times."

"I'll just have to sit up all night in your office, then." He chuckled before stuffing the toast in his mouth and moving to his bathroom, half-waving at the older teen as he slipped inside. Mere moments later, the boy returned, fully dressed and looking fresh-faced. "Kay, I'm ready."

Squall chuckled more, picking his gunblade up from it's resting place. "No doubt I can find you some paperwork if you like!"

Sora stuck his tongue out, shaking his head before holding his hands out to the door. "Lead the way, Leon. I don't know where we're going..."

Squall nodded and swiped the keycard again, before turning down the corridor towards the training center. Once there, he swiped his keycard through the slot, releasing a large number of high level fiends inside, also putting a lock on the door to prevent anyone of a lower SeeD level than Squall entering until the fiends were gone.

As soon as those fiends appeared, he whined slightly. "Yeah. Start me off easy, huh?" He huffed slightly, taking up his fighting stance and allowing the Keyblade to spark into his fingers. At that, he began bashing those damn fiends to pieces.

Squall curled his hand comfortably around his gunblade, before moving into a crowd of fiends, swiping through them with ease. "Just pushing your comfort boundaries." He murmured

"I don't need my comfort boundaries pushed around here..." He muttered, dodging a strike and stabbing his keyblade into the fiend, green blood splattering his face. With a slight shudder he moved to go against the next one.

Squall dodged and dived between the fiends, swiping and slashing at them with ease, it looked more like an intense dance than a battle.

Taking his eyes off the fiends for only a second, Sora watched Leon but was soon fighting back a group that had taken advantage of his lapse in concentration.

Squall sent a lightning spell at the group surrounding Sora, killing most of them, but not all. A fiend swiped at him, clawing across his stomach. With a groan, he slammed his blade down into the fiends head, sending it's brains across the floor.

Sora concentrated and within moments, he had taken on his Valour Form, his clothes changing colour to match his mind's focus and an extra Keyblade appearing in his free hand. Taking a run up, the teen jumped onto the head of a fiend and threw himself into the air, moving both blades with expertise, slashing away as many fiends as possible, soon clearing most of the room with his moves.

Squall paused to watch Sora. The boy could really move! it was quite amazing to watch. He wiped the various goo and bloods from his gunblade, onto his leather pants.

Eyes sharp and focused, the young teen stood practically in one place, the blades doing most of the work as he swung them around in his fingers, moving them as though they were as light as feathers.

Squall watched him intently, catching his breath as he did. "...I think you killed them all."

Still standing in fighting position, Keyblades out from his body, Sora looked over his shoulder to Leon. He gave the Keys a flick and they both disappeared, his clothing returning to its normal colouring. "I guess I did, huh?" He chuckled, wiping the back of his hand over his cheek.

Squall chuckled a little. "You're pretty good. I think I might have lost my title as best swordsman in Garden."

"I'm not from Garden. Besides, I gotta be good. I'm the Keyblade Wielder." He chuckled, ruffling the back of his own hair.

Squall smiled. "Well, the world is safe in your hands, that's for sure." He teased, as the fiends began to respawn.

"Aw, geeze, Leon... no down time?" He huffed before letting his Keyblade appear as he continued to fend off the beasts.

Squall slashed his gunblade through a fiend, slashing it's head off. "You could always run, if you wished."

Sora shook his head, fighting off more fiends. "I battle Heartless. I should be able to handle these guys..." He frowned in concentration.

Squall gave a nod and ran ahead, diving into a large group of strong fiends.

Sora continued to battle off fiends, casting magic at a few, preferring to use the Keyblade against them, finding it easier and quicker.

Squall sent a fireball through the crowd, burning them to a crisp.

As soon as this set were gone, Sora put away his Keyblade, his hands resting on his knees as he panted. He was, after all, still a kid.

Squall rested a hand on Sora's shoulder. "Had enough for now?"

Slipping down to sit on his butt amongst the goo and blood, Sora nodded slightly. "I... guess I'm not as good as I was..."

Squall held out his hand to Sora. "Give it time. It'll come back to you."

Taking the hand, he pulled himself up, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his free hand. "I suppose." He stretched his arms up, wincing slightly and looking to see a gaping wound on his right side. Frowning, he ran fingers over it. "I... didn't even feel it when I got it..."

Squall pulled Sora in close against him, resting his gloved hand over that wound as he whispered a cure spell.

Gasping slightly, Sora laid his fingerless gloved hands on Leon's chest, looking to the wound, a slight blush on his cheeks.

Squall smiled at him softly from beneath long bangs. "That should hold it until we get you to the Infirmary." He murmured.

"I'm fine... here..." He rested his forehead on Leon's chest, between his hands, closing his eyes briefly.

Squall flushed a little and petted Sora's hair lightly. "Let's go get cleaned up, okay?"

With a nod, he stepped back, crossing his arms over his chest as he waited for Leon to lead the way, as usual.

Squall rested Lionheart at his hip, before reading towards the exit. He shook his head, trying to get as much as the goo and debris from his hair as possible.

Sora just followed along behind, his clothes, hair and face covered in blood and goo.

"Seems like a shower for us both would be a good idea." Squall murmured as he walked, Lionheart bouncing against his hip.

Sora nodded once, his eyes falling upon the gunblade. Sneaking past, he snatched the weapon from its place and rushed slightly ahead, smirking back at Leon.

"Hey!!" Squall's brow furrowed, giving chase tot he young keyblader. "Don't make me hurt you!!"

"You wouldn't!!" He laughed, running ahead, spotting a sign that directed him to the locker room. Slipping inside very quickly, he spied an open locker and slipped inside, pulling it closed, holding the gunblade close to his chest.

Squall frowned and followed, growling a little in frustration as he lost sight of Sora. He scrunched his nose up and searched the locker room. He gave a groan and began to check each locker.

Sora tensed, holding his breath as he heard Leon begin checking each locker. With a slight, exhaled laugh, he waited for the instant he'd be found. Expecting a beating.

Squall opened the locker Sora was in oh so slowly. He rested his hands on either side of the locker. "Looks like a dead end..."

"I have two weapons." He replied, materialising the Keyblade and holding up both it and the gunblade. He grinned at Leon.

Squall raised a hand, casting a Stop spell on Sora. "What good are two weapons if you cannot move?"

The boy used his mind to make the Keyblade vanish and pouted at Leon. "How bad is this gonna hurt...?" He murmured about his punishment.

"It won't." Squall murmured, taking back his gunblade and moving to lean against the opposite lockers.

The boy sighed slightly, his body beginning to ache like this. "C'mon, Leon... let me move..."

Squall folded his arms across his chest, tilting his head. "Why? So you can steal my blade again?" He teased.

"No... it's starting to hurt..." He wheezed out, eyes blinking slowly as he tried as hard as possible to get some movement.

Squall raised his hand, reversing the spell, keeping his eyes on Sora. "Learnt your lesson?"

The boy's body gave in for a moment and he slipped to his knees. Sora huffed slightly, crawling from the locker and kneeling on the floor. "That was mean. I was only joking..."

"You stole my gunblade." Squall huffed, resting his foot on Sora's shoulder.

The boy winced slightly at the weight of that foot on his weakened body. "I was joking, Leon..." He pouted up at him, frowning.

Squall leaned down, cupping a gloved hand under the boy's chin, tilted his head to force him to keep his gaze on him. "Hm... I might forgive you..."

"...what do I have to do?" He tilted his head just slightly in Leon's hold, one hand resting on the floor, the other on Leon's wrist.

"I can think of many things." Squall replied, purring a little.

A blush crossed the teen's face as his lips parted slightly, his icy blue eyes locked on Leon's stormy ones.

Squall brushed his thumb over Sora's cheek, before moving his hand away. "You can start by helping me with my paperwork."

Sora pouted, frowning at Leon. "I don't wanna do paperwork... I thought coming to fight another Heartless war would mean I wouldn't get stuck with homework..." He sighed, shifting to get on his feet again.

Squall chuckled and ruffled Sora's hair. "Okay then, you can sharpen the pencils."

"I'm a Keyblade Master... and you want me sharpening pencils..." He shook his head, nudging Leon's hand away with a slight laugh, moving to where the showers were, at the back of the locker room.

Squall chuckled and followed, discarding his leather jacket as he walked. He tossed it into a locker with his gunblade, before unfastening each belt in turn, stripping out of his remaining leathers and t-shirt until he was naked, save for his Griever pendent.

Sora removed his own clothing, also leaving only his necklace in place, shifting to step under a shower head, shuddering slightly as the water ran over him, waiting as it warmed.

Squall stepped under a warm jet, tilting his head back to let the water rinse away the various goos coating his hair.

Sora's hair still stayed spiked under the water, despite him scrubbing at it with his hands. Glancing towards Leon, he blinked a few moments before looking to the wall, shifting uneasily on his feet.

Squall shifted beneath the water, resting his weight on one leg, his hip jutting to one side as he scrubbed at his skin.

Sora bit into his lower lip, tilting his head down to get a better peek at the older teen, purely curious. His hand came to his mouth as he chewed the nail on his index finger.

Squall's eyes were shut, a look of contentment across his face as he washed beneath the jet of water, letting the warmth melt away any muscle aches.

The teen shifted more, coughing slightly then stopping himself, moving his gaze to his wound, his fingers brushing it still. "...hurts..."

Squall's eyes snapped open, his gaze falling on Sora. "Your wound?" He stepped closer to the boy, resting a now gloveless hand against the deep wound, whispering another cure spell.

Sora blushed, both hands coming to his mouth now as he tried hard to keep his eyes on the wound. He was so innocent, it was sickening.

Squall watched Sora closely, keeping his hand against the boy's side. "How does it feel now?"

"A... little better... kinda warm." He scrunched his nose slightly, shuddering a little. "It feels... o-okay... I guess."

Squall frowned a little. "You're stuttering. It hurts so much?"

"I... I dunno... it just kinda aches and it's hot." He looked up to Leon's face, blushing brighter now.

Squall rose an eyebrow, keeping his eyes on Sora's face. "Are we still talking about the wound?"

"...what?" He tilted his head a little then squeaked slightly as he caught on. "I... I didn't... I... Leon!!!" He blushed brightly, tensing up.

Squall chuckled and stepped away from Sora, returning to his own jet of water.

"...you're teasing me a lot today..." He pouted, fingers touching the wound. After a moment, he looked to Leon. "...what if I was talking about something else?"

Squall leaned over, resting a hand on the tiled wall. "Are you sure you want to know the answer to that?" He purred.

Sora blushed but, being a confident boy, he nodded, biting his lip. "Yeah, actually I do."

Squall leaned in, until his lips were almost ghosting over Sora's, before suddenly turning the water dial to the coldest setting, backing away.

Sora squealed and dodged out of the water, moving to thumb Leon hard in the bicep. "Stupid!!" He stormed towards his clothes, huffing as he began dressing.

Squall laughed soft and switched the water off. "Hey, not hitting the Commander!"

"I'm the Keyblade Master, I can do what I like!!" Sora snapped, yanking on his pants but leaving his shirts and shoes off, waiting for Leon.

Squall frowned and dried off as best as he could to allow himself to wriggle into his tight leather pants. "Come on Sora, I'm sorry."

"Yeah, yeah... I get it. I'm here for the war, that's it." He ruffled his wet, spikey hair before turning for the door, dripping water as he did.

Squall frowned and scooped up the rest of his clothes. "Sora... Come on... it's not like that, I was just teasing, I'm sorry."

Sora shrugged a little, yawning. His wound was still bleeding down his side. Despite Leon's magic. "I'm going to sleep a while." He stepped back the way they'd came, slowly finding his way to his room, receiving odd looks from the SeeD members in the halls.

Squall followed, letting himself into the keyblader's room without invitation. "Sit. I shall bandage the wound."

Sora huffed and flopped back on his bed, yawning and letting his finger childishly toy at the wound, possibly making it worse.

Squall moved to the bathroom, grabbing a small first aid kit, before moving to sit on the bed, slapping Sora's hands away lightly.

The boy grumbled before wriggling a little, watching Leon. "When the Heartless are gone, I'm gonna go back to my island."

Squall began to dress the wound with a skilled ease. "I wouldn't expect anything different. Your family is there. be sure to visit though."

"No... I mean, I'm going back there and that's it. I'm done. I don't want to be on this world anymore. I'm staying up there with Riku and Kairi." Sora sighed slightly. "That's if they're even there when this is all over."

Squall frowned a little, hands faltering on the bandages. "I... I see."

"I'm tired of the Keyblade. It's stupid." He pouted, pulling his pillow from under his head and smooshing it into his face.

Squall pulled the pillow down, resting his chin on top of it. "I understand how you feel. So much responsibility, the weight of the world on your shoulders, when all you want is to enjoy life."

Sora nodded slightly, looking at Leon's face with a pout. "I'm a kid, Leon. I still don't get why I'm the one stuck with this stupid Key."

Squall frowned, wiggling his nose. "Because you have a pure heart and the fates deem you worthy. The same reason I was made Commander of Garden during a war."

Sora nodded again, huffing slightly. "I just wanna be a kid, sometimes..." He closed his eyes, running a hand over his wet spikes.

Squall folded her arms on the pillow, practically flopped on top of Sora. "I know the feeling. And it is okay to be a kid sometimes."

"No, it's not. I gotta be the Keyblade Wielder all the time. I have to save the worlds single-handedly with just a giant Key." He huffed a little.

"You're not alone. You have me." Squall replied, watching Sora.

"Yeah... but you can only do so much... I have to do everything I did twice all over again. It's enough to wanna quit." He frowned, reaching a hand out to toy with Leon's necklace.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have dragged you into this..."

Sora shook his head. "I'm glad you did, though. I got to see you again. You said you'd keep in touch but our worlds are so far apart..."

Squall frowned a little, cupping Sora's cheek softly. "I'm sorry."

Leaning into his touch, he tugged a little at that chain, trying to pull the older teen closer. "It's okay. Don't say sorry."

Squall leaned in more. "But I am. I'm sorry for everything." He murmured.

"Don't be. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have managed with the Keyblade the first time. You're one of the reasons I'm not dead now." He replied.

Squall smiled a little, petting his fingers against Sora's spikes. "You'd have managed even without me."

"Sure, but I'd be constantly wondering what was going on. You explained it all to me." He smiled slightly, leaning into the petting.

Squall watched Sora, keeping his eyes on the boy, still practically sprawled over him. "Perhaps."

Sora smiled, closing his eyes and almost purring to the petting, his fingers curled around Leon's chain. "Mmhm."

Squall smiled and laid his head on the pillow, letting his own eyes close. "We'll get through this together, okay?"

Shifting to curl into Leon, wincing in pain at his wound, Sora nodded, even if Leon couldn't see it. "Sure. You gotta get me back on top form."

Squall frowned and shifted to lay beside Sora. "You're still in pain?"

"I dunno... maybe I'm uncomfortable with the wound. It doesn't hurt really..." He shrugged.

Squall frowned more, resting his still ungloved hand against the bandaged wound, tapping his fingers softly, almost soothingly.

The younger teen purred softly, pressing his hands to Leon's chest, still toying with that pendant. "...feels nice..."

Squall smiled. "Feel free to fall asleep." Squall murmured, continuing to pet his fingers.

Sora's hands trailed around Leon's neck, his arms curling there, as he pulled himself closer, not allowing Leon an escape from this. He was comfortable.

Squall gave a soft chuckle. "Looks like I make a good pillow, hmm?" He asked, holding the boy against him.

Sora nodded, burying his face in Leon's neck. "I... I miss everyone, Leon. Do you think we'll all join together for the final battle, like we did before?"

"It's likely. Either way, you can visit everyone if you wish." Squall replied, holding the boy closer.

Forcing Leon onto his back and sitting up, with his knees either side of the older teen, Sora beamed at him. "Will you come with me?"

Squall blinked up at Sora, folding his arms behind his head. "If you want me to."

"Promise?" He grinned, pressing his hands to Leon's chest. "You and me, we'll go and see all our friends and you'll let me meet your friends I don't know?"

Squall chuckled and closed his eyes, shifting a little. "Of course."

Sora blushed slightly as Leon moved, his fingers pressing a little harder into the older man's chest. "Hey... you were really good in the training, earlier. Better than I remember."

Squall smiled, keeping his eyes closed. "I spend hours in the Training Center every day."

"Don't you have to do paperwork...?" Pausing for a few moments, he jiggled on top of Leon. "I wanna see your office!!"

Squall flushed bright as Sora jiggled. "Ah... right... sure. It's on the third floor."

Lifting off, he threw on a clean shirt, swapping his pants quickly for clean ones then beamed at Leon. "Take me?"

Squall sat up, reaching for his own discarded shirt and jacket, pulling them on, flicking some goo at Sora. "Let's go!"

Sora twitched slightly before following Leon out and off to this office he'd spoken about. He felt a little annoyed that he still couldn't manage his way around alone but he assumed he would eventually.

Squall smiled at Sora, leading him to the elevator, swiping his keycard through the slot.

The boy bounced along behind like a little puppy, grinning from ear to ear.

Squall couldn't help but laugh, leaning against the elevator wall, crossing his arms. "It's only an office."

"Yeah, but I haven't been off Destiny Islands in ages. It's something new!" He toyed at his chain, his free hand hanging beside him, a ghostly image of the Keyblade occasionally flickering there. Proving he was always alert.

Squall chuckled and stepped out of the elevator, walking along the corridor to his office, stepping inside, setting his gunblade in it's holder. "Well... this is it."

Sora walked slowly around the office, brushing his fingers over things; books and other objects, before settling into Leon's chair, swinging in it a little with a big grin.

Squall laughed and rested his hand on the back of the chair, spinning it. He leaned against the desk, watching Sora. "Comfy?"

As soon as the chair came to a stop, he put his feet up on the desk, either side of Leon. "Very. You're an important guy after all." He teased.

"Of course. I am a Commander after all." He smiled at Sora, tapping his fingers against the underside of the desk.

"Yeeeeah. I bet you just goof about all day. Making other guys do the hard work." He grinned up at Leon.

"Only sometimes." Squall replied, running a hand through his own hair.

Sora giggled childishly, crossing his legs and slumping down into the chair. "I like your office. I wanna stay here to see the sunrise."

Squall laughed and pushed a pencil and pencil sharpener over to the youth. "Make yourself useful then, kid."

Sora picked up the pencil and flicked it at Leon, sending the sharpener a second after. "Do it yourself."

Squall dodged and gasped. "Hey!! No throwing my stationary!"

Sora grinned at him. "What are you gonna do about it?"

"Hang you out of the window?" Squall asked, voice neautral, not showing if he was serious or not.

Sora tilted his head. "I don't think you would." He grinned still.

"I might if you throw things at me anymore." Squall murmured, moving in closer.

Sora reached for an eraser, tossing it at Leon, watching it skim towards him as he kept a grin.

Squall huffed and kicked Sora's chair, sending it rolling across the room.

Sora gripped the chair, laughing until the chair it the wall. "Nnh... didn't hang me out the window."

"That comes later." Squall murmured, hopping onto the desk, hanging his legs over the edge.

Slipping his feet to the floor, Sora wheeled the chair to the desk, folding his arms on Leon's knees. "You wouldn't, anyway."

"Hmph... Only because I need you." Squall replied, watching Sora.

"Mm. Need me for this war." He looked down to his arms, his head very near Leon's crotch.

Squall threaded his fingers through Sora's hair. "Partly."

"What else am I good for but being the 'kid with the Key'?" He didn't move into nor away from Leon's touch.

"I've never thought of you as the 'kid with the Key'" Squall replied, frowning a little. "You're my friend. A good friend."

Sora shifted slightly closer, resting his forehead on Leon's stomach. "I am, huh? I'm glad. Friends are important!"

Squall continued to pet the boy's hair tenderly. "Very important." He looked down at Sora. "Comfy?"

"Kinda. You're warm." He nuzzled a little, smiling. "I like being close to you. It's sorta like being with Riku. But different."

Squall smiled a little. "You miss him, huh? I know the feeling."

"He's my best friend. We grew up together... I guess you never let go of your best friend." Sora lifted his head. "Who do you miss?"

Squall leaned down, pressing a kiss to Sora's forehead. "It's not important."

With a nod, and a slight blush, he smiled up at Leon, knowing it must be hard for him. "We'll stick together, yeah? Until the end?"

Squall nodded. "Of course. I'll stand by your side."