Skywalkers

11: I'll Fight, Too

Women, Leon decided, were amazing. If he had been the one to learn that a treasured childhood friend who had been missing for over half his life had in fact been kidnapped by a maniac from another dimension, brainwashed, and forced to participate in his sick sexual habits - if it had been Leon, he probably would have reacted by sitting in one place, stunned, unable to do anything but stare. Sort of like what Sora was doing now. Kairi, however, had tapped into some ancient female instinct and had taken control of the situation. She ushered Cloud to the couch and produced a blanket for Riku. After being assured that Cloud would continue to monitor Riku's recovery with the PHS, she sat the shell-shocked Sora into a chair and motioned for Leon to do the same. Then, she disappeared for a moment, returning with a glass of water. When she set it down next to Leon with a soft explanation of "I'm guessing you'll be talking for a while," Leon very nearly demanded that Sora marry her right that second.

"So," she said, sitting on the armrest of Sora's chair and putting her arm around him, "Cloud is a dimension-hopping alien who fell into your hydrangeas?"

"That's right," Leon answered. He inhaled slowly, let it out, and began to talk. He told the story just as it had happened to him, revealing details as he himself had found out about them. From his place on the couch, Cloud watched him with a gentle smile on his face. He spoke only when Leon needed help with explaining the technology. Leon left out the evolution of their romance, choosing to attribute his decision to stay by Cloud to their strong friendship. He also left out the details of Sephiroth's relationship to Cloud, choosing to leave it at simple abuse, although from Riku's previous actions, he expected the other two could fill in the blanks on their own.

When he had finished with everything he could think of to say, Sora asked, "How does Riku fit into all of this?"

"Sephiroth kidnapped me," Riku replied, his head on Cloud's lap. "I apparently matched up with the criteria he had to be one of his brothers."

Cloud explained further, "Soon after he became a Skywalker, Sephiroth became friends with Xemnas, the current leader of Organization XIII which is as close to a governing body as Skywalkers get. Most of the members are either scientists or warriors. Almost all of the programs we have came from the scientists of the Organization. Xemnas was fascinated by the fact that Seph had become a Skywalker on his own without programming, so they decided to research it. That led to the birth of the brothers. They searched for young men who would be compatible with the new program and found four. Riku was one of them."

He looked down at the young man in his lap and began to run his fingers through the long, silver hair. "It's a terrible program," he said quietly. "It completely takes over both the mind and body. But there were gaps. Weaknesses. I could see them. I could see you, Riku, every time I looked at you. Zack and I both could. We saw the real you trapped back behind those cruel eyes, and we wondered if there was anything we could do to save you. But without knowing who you were or where you had come from, we couldn't think of anything."

In response, Riku only shut his eyes and nodded, curling his fingers into the fabric of Cloud's pants.

"Now that we know how to break the program," Leon asked, "do you think we can save the other three?"

Cloud shook his head sadly. "I doubt it. We'd have to know exactly where they used to live and find someone who remembered and cared about them. As far as I'm concerned, this was a miracle, and I don't expect it to happen again."

"Besides," Riku added dully, "Loz, Yazoo, and Kadaj don't want to be saved. They enjoy themselves too much."

"That's also true," Cloud agreed. He lifted his head and looked over at Sora and Kairi. "Did you two have any other questions?"

"Just one," Sora answered seriously. "Are you capable of recreating the programs Zack put into Squall?"

"Yes."

"Good. I want them."

"No, Sora!" Leon replied immediately. "I don't want you involved in this."

"It's too late," his brother declared with a fire that surprised him. "If it were just Cloud involved, I might let you talk me out of it, but I'm not letting that bastard take Riku back. I'm fighting, too, whether you give me the programs or not, so you might as well give them to me." His brows pulled down, eliminating the child-like appearance he always had. "No one fucks with my friends."

Leon's jaw fell. "Are you sure you're my brother?" he asked.

"Sora," Cloud interrupted, "I really don't think it's necessary for you to have the programs. I'm hiding more than anything, and Riku can just join me. I'd like to avoid a fight if possible."

Sora's bright blue eyes leveled a steady gaze on Cloud as he responded, "But it's not possible anymore, is it? Because Riku left one of these print things when he came here, didn't he?"

Cloud's eyes widened with the sudden realization, and he looked down at the young man in his lap fearfully. Slowly, Riku pushed himself up and sat properly on the couch, the blanket falling off of his shoulders onto his legs.

"I did," he said sadly. "I had no reason to try to mask it. But that doesn't mean I have to put the rest of you in danger. I'll just go back."

"Riku," Cloud breathed, "you can't go back." Carefully, he reached out and took hold of one of Riku's wings which the young man had not bothered to retract. He pulled the black-feathered wing forward so that Riku could see it. Green eyes widened and then shut tightly in pain; he slumped forward and dropped his head into his hands.

"Cloud, I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You have no idea how happy I am that you're all right now."

"But when I don't report in, they'll come looking for me, and they'll follow my print straight to that house. I just talked to that woman; honestly, that's all I did. But if Kadaj gets a hold of her ..."

"So that settles it," Sora announced before anyone else could. "We go back to Squall's house, and when this Sephiroth guy shows up, we kick his ass."

"He'll probably bring the other three with him," Cloud commented.

"Fine with me. We'll pound them all at once and get it over with."

"That is not my brother over there."

Riku's shoulders began to shake, and at first Leon thought he was crying again. But when Riku's hands came down and his head lifted, the sounds of laughter spread through the room. Tears still escaped from the young man's eyes, but his lips smiled with a bright happiness that lit up his whole face.

"All right, Sora," he said. "You want the inserts? I'll give them to you."

"Okay!" Sora replied joyfully, his usual expression once again on his face.

Kairi, who had spent the entire time in silence, chose this moment to join in. "I want them, too," she announced.

"No," all the males answered simultaneously.

The unanimous response surprised her for a moment, but she soon recovered and frowned dangerously. With her hands planted on her hips, she demanded, "And why not? I want to help Riku just as much as you, Sora."

"Yeah, but …" He looked up at her worriedly. "You could get hurt, Kairi."

"And you couldn't?" she countered. "You're all ready to kick ass and take names, but everyone here knows it won't be that easy. If Sephiroth brings his brothers, it'll be four against four. Do you really think you can take on one each? Especially considering that Cloud and Leon got their butts handed to them when Riku activated this brother program thing. No offense, guys."

"None taken," Cloud answered for the both of them. Leon nodded his agreement.

"So let me fight," she finished, "and you'll at least have one more person to help out."

"Sorry, Kairi," Cloud responded. "But the answer is still no."

"Why?"

"Because you're a woman," Riku answered.

Leon cringed. Kairi's face had darkened dramatically. He was very glad that gaze of death wasn't being directed at him. With narrowed eyes and tightly-set lips, she hissed, "I had no idea you were sexist, Riku."

"It's not sexist," Cloud said, coming to Riku's defense. "The programs don't react well to female hormones and physiology. They were made specifically for the male body, and when women get them, they tend to … well … change."

Riku snorted. "That's a pleasant way to put it," he commented darkly.

"So there are no female Skywalkers?" Sora asked.

"There are a few, but they're all … kind of …"

"Sadistic?" Riku suggested, his lips curling in a scowl. "Blood-thirsty? Stark, raving bonkers?"

Cloud smiled sadly. "All those and worse," he agreed. Lifting his eyes to Kairi, he finished, "So, no, Kairi, neither Riku nor I will give you the inserts. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but that's how it is."

As she flopped back against the back of the chair, annoyed, Leon decided to speak up. Something had been bothering him since the moment Riku had agreed to enhance Sora.

"Question: even if you give Sora the programs, what's he going to fight with?"

Cloud and Riku both froze. They clearly had not thought of that particular detail. Slowly, they turned to each other and their eyes met.

"Can't I just fight with my hands?" Sora asked.

Leon scoffed at him. "You're going to go against a blade that's bigger than you are with just your hands?"

"How about that old cavalry sword in the attic?"

"You have got to be kidding me!"

"I'll do it," Riku interrupted in a soft, powerful voice. "I'll go back and get one."

"How?" Cloud asked him. "You can't go to the armory. Someone will see you."

Riku lowered his eyes for a moment, thinking. When he spoke again, his voice held a note of hope in it. "Roxas," he whispered. "I'll get one from Roxas."

"Roxas hates you!"

"No he doesn't." He lifted his head; the smile that had vanished had reappeared. "We fought a lot at first, yes, but I think he must have seen what you and Zack did because lately he's been almost nice to me. I mean, as nice as Roxas gets."

"Which for Roxas means just barely civil."

"Yeah, but right before I left, he told me that I could always come ask him for help if I needed it. I laughed at him and said I'd never come to him even if I did need help, but he just kind of half-smiled and walked off. I think he realized that the program hadn't taken me completely, and he was trying to tell the part of me that fought it that I had his support."

"All right." Cloud laid a hand on Riku's shoulder and looked sternly into his eyes. "But you have to be careful. Get the weapon and get out. I don't want you hanging around Organization headquarters any longer than necessary."

"Who is Roxas?" Sora asked, breaking apart their conversation.

"A member of Organization XIII," Riku explained. "The youngest and the only one who's ever openly denounced the brother program. It's funny, because of the program, I hated him, but I still hung out with him as much as I could. I think he reminded me of you, Sora." He smiled a little at his best friend.

"If he's denounced the program," Leon asked, "do you think he'd join us in fighting Sephiroth?"

"No," Cloud replied immediately. "As a member of the Organization, he has to follow Xemnas's orders or risk punishment. But he's a perfect choice if we need to get a weapon in secret. He collects them."

Riku inhaled sharply as a thought hit him. "I can ask Roxas to pass a message to Reno through Axel." He looked over to Cloud and explained, "Kairi's right. We really need more than the four of us if we're going to have a chance. I mean, Leon and Sora are just amateurs, and you and I aren't in our best shape right now. We're going to need someone else. Maybe if I can get a message to Zack and Reno, they'll be able to help."

"That's a good idea," Cloud told him. But when Riku tried to struggle to his feet, he frowned and grabbed the young man by the arm. "Where do you think you're going?"

Riku's eyes narrowed as he looked at the blond. "To get Sora a sword and to get help. Where did you think?"

"You're not going like this," Cloud informed him, and he shoved the PHS into Riku's line of sight.

Riku blinked at it for a minute before arguing, "I can make it."

"I don't think so, and I'm not about to let you go off and die of heart failure now that you've finally found your friends." He turned to Sora and Kairi and appealed to them. "Tell him to rest, will you?"

"Come on, Riku," Kairi immediately said. "You need to make sure you're fully recovered before you go away again."

"Yeah, what she said," Sora piped up. "Besides, we haven't seen you in so long. Don't go running off before we've had a chance to talk."

Riku hung his head briefly. When he lifted it, he fixed emotion-filled eyes on his two friends. "Sora, Kairi," he began, but that was as far as he got. Suddenly, his eyes rolled up into his head and he collapsed into Cloud's waiting arms.

"Cloud!" Kairi protested as they all noticed the syringe sticking out of the PHS again. "What do you keep injecting him with?"

"That one was just a sedative," Cloud assured her. He flicked the PHS closed while still holding Riku and then settled the unconscious man on the couch. "Thanks for distracting him."

"Hmph." She crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. "I can't believe you. Honestly."

"Come on, Kairi," Sora smiled at her. "You remember how Riku used to be. He was always pushing himself too hard. Knocking him out is probably the best option right now." Kairi humphed again, but without as much malice. He placed a hand on her arm and moved it back and forth gently, an action which ranked him as one of the bravest men alive in Leon's eyes. Kairi was clearly still upset that she had to stay on the sidelines and play cheerleader.

"Cloud," she asked, her eyes fixed on Riku's still form, "how long until he's well enough to go back?"

Cloud thought for a moment and consulted his PHS a few times before answering, "Two days. And that's if we can get him to be a good boy and stay in bed. Preferably without more sedatives."

"No problem," Sora replied with a grin. "I'll sit on him if I have to."

"Sora, dear, I think that might hinder the recovery process."

"Maybe, but at least he'll stay in bed."

"I suppose," Kairi rolled her eyes a little at him. After a calming breath, she commented, "That just leaves the question of where to put him. I can't in good conscience give him the couch."

"I'll take the couch," Leon offered immediately. "He can sleep with Cloud in the guest room."

At his words, Cloud's head shot up; blue eyes looked at him with a hint of worry. Leon sent a small smile his way to ease those fears as best as he could without words. Yes, he wanted to say, I still love you and want to be with you. But this is more important right now than our simple wants. After a moment, Cloud smiled back, apparently understanding Leon's thoughts.

Sora, however, would hear none of it. "Not a chance," he argued. "If anyone is going to be displaced, it's going to be me and Kairi. She can go back to her dorm, I'll take the couch, and Riku can have the whole bed to himself."

"Sora," Cloud tried to reason with him, "it's really much easier to do it Leon's way. Then I can be near Riku in case anything happens."

Sora answered him with a furious pout. "I don't care. Kairi and I have been together for over seven years. You two have had two weeks at most. You're damn cute together, and I'm not about to split you up when there's another perfectly viable option."

"I agree," Kairi stepped in. "Your relationship is young. You should enjoy it as much as possible. Although really, I'm impressed by how comfortable you are already and how much trust you have. Either that or Leon is really good at hiding jealousy."

"Seriously," Sora grinned. "If it were Kairi with her hands all over Riku, mothering him like that, I think I'd be a little jealous, and the only reason she doesn't have a ring yet is because I'm broke."

"And I haven't said yes."

"I haven't asked. But you'll say yes."

"I dunno. Riku's awfully handsome. I might dump you for him. Or try to steal Cloud away from Leon."

"Straight back atcha, sister. You can have Riku if you want. I'll take Cloud. He's totally sex on legs."

Kairi giggled, putting an end to the mock-fighting, and leaned down to kiss Sora sweetly. "You'll ask," she whispered before kissing him again.

"Yeah," he replied against her lips. "And you'll say yes."

"Of course I will." Her hand slid along his cheek and guided him into a deep kiss that kept them occupied for a while.

Leon and Cloud just stared at them. The blond had flushed at being called "damn cute" and then turned bright red at Sora's further comment. Leon's face had begun to burn as well with the talk of being jealous of Riku. Truthfully, the thought had never crossed his mind. He trusted Cloud that much. He had even thought it sweet to see his lover acting so compassionately.

After a minute, Sora and Kairi pulled away from each other and noticed their stunned expressions. Sora began to laugh. "What?" he asked. "Did you really think I'm that oblivious? Well, okay, maybe I am, but Kairi isn't!" She batted her eyelashes at that, and Sora laughed even harder.

Leon forcibly shut his mouth and swallowed a few times before asking, "You're not going to make fun of me?"

"Nah," his brother replied happily. "I like Cloud. He's good for you." His smile softened a bit, and he met Leon's eyes seriously. "She would have liked him, too, you know."

Leon let his eyes slip sideways to catch the gaze of the man he loved. Cloud looked back at him, still slightly embarrassed and a bit anxious at the particular turn of the conversation. He had never said so, but he had probably worried about that very thing: how he compared to Leon's first love, whether she would have approved of him and left Leon in his care.

Smiling, Leon stood from his chair and crossed the short distance to Cloud's side. The blond looked at him with mild confusion, but when Leon reached out and drew him close, the lines in Cloud's face melted away. He allowed Leon to pull his head to his shoulder and responded to the arms about his waist by placing his own around Leon's upper arms.

"She wouldn't have just liked him," Leon replied to his brother's comment. "She would have loved him. Maybe even as much as I do."

And ignoring Kairi's little squeals of happiness and Sora's light chuckles, Leon lifted Cloud's head by the chin and kissed him.