Flashback

Author’s Note: Yeah, I took my time writing this chapter, mainly because I didn’t know how to start it, or started it and didn’t like it so I redid it and so on. But anyways, the point is, I finally updated for anyone who was interested in the last two chapters. I really did it all tonight, and have been putting off an essay that I haven’t got much on that is due Tuesday (I’m soooo smart) but I had more of a motivational push for writing this, than I did for the essay, heh. My marks are more than likely going to go from a 70 to a 60 or 50…because I’m pretty sure I won’t be getting much more done on that essay.

Warnings: May contain some swearing, and there is definitely angst throughout this whole chapter.

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A month had passed and there wasn’t so much as even one phone call from Roxas, but Cloud and Sora never gave up hope. Well, Sora never did, but Cloud on the other hand worried constantly. He would always think up worst-case scenarios, many of them being that Roxas had run away and couldn’t find his way back home, or someone kidnapped and murdered him. Every night he would watch the news, getting worked up when the reporter said that there was a murderer on the loose, or a jailbreak out. He would see something new in the newspaper the next morning, and nearly break down in tears. It took almost ten minutes for Sora to calm him down, reassuring him that their little brother was fine and he’d be call, or be home before they knew it. This would cheer Cloud up and make him work a little harder, hoping to earn enough money to get Roxas back.

But Sora’s attempts to cheer Cloud up only lasted for so long. If it were a school day, he would wake up every morning to get Sora and Roxas up for school, only to remember when he was half way to Roxas’ room that Roxas was no longer living there. Just that thought alone would make Cloud break down in tears, and Sora always woke up to the sound of his older brother sobbing in the hallway.

Cloud fell into a deep depression and the café started to lose business because he would either sleep in too late, making Sora late for school, or just refuse to go downstairs and open the store. Once more, Sora had to try again to cheer his brother up.

It worked, but only for a little while.

Cloud wiped at an invisible stain on the counter for the tenth time. He served customers off and on that morning, but soon fell into his depression again. Sora watched his brother sadly, wishing he could do more to help Cloud, as he prepared a latte for a customer.

He put the plastic cover over the cup and handed it to the woman waiting, “There you go, that’ll be $1.96 please.” The woman counted out some change and put it on the counter, thanking Sora. She glanced once at the depressed blond just a few feet away from Sora, and walked to the door.

Through all this, Cloud continued to wipe off the counter. Sora sighed and walked over to him, taking the cloth away. “Cloud, I’m worried about you…”

Cloud stared blankly at the counter.

“Cloud…”

The older brother remained unresponsive, even when the little bell over the door jingled announcing the arrival of another customer.

Sora looked up to see Leon walking in and gave him a smile. Leon. Maybe he could get Cloud out of his depression this time, Cloud loved Leon. “Cloud…Cloud, look who’s here,”

He grinned and shoved his brother playfully, finally getting a response out of him, although he wasn’t quite the one Sora was hoping for.

Cloud looked up, but seeing Leon did nothing to lift his spirits. “Can I help you?”

“I’m here for the usual.”

“Which is?”

Leon raised an eyebrow. “What I get every morning.”

Cloud stared blankly at him, and Leon frowned.

“It’s a cup of tea with a pinch of lemon, you know that.”

“Hm? Oh right, sorry.”

Leon watched Cloud turn away and prepare his order.

Something was up.

Cloud never forgot his order, plus he usually had it ready for whenever Leon came in.

“Is everything ok Strife?” Leon asked, concerned. The blond didn’t look too well.

“Yeah, fine. Never better.”

Cloud took his time preparing the tea and nearly stumbled when he walked back over to the counter to give it to Leon. “Here.”

“Really Cloud you don’t look well. Are you sleeping ok?” Leon took his tea and put the money on the counter. He lifted it to his lips to take a drink, but stopped. Something was off.

“What’s wrong, Leon?” Sora asked, noticing the man’s hesitation.

Leon frowned, sniffing the tea. “Cloud, what did you put in this?”

“Strawberry, like you asked for.”

The stoic brunet’s eyes widened and he quickly put the cup down on the counter. “Cloud! I’m allergic to strawberries, you know that!”

Cloud blinked then picked up the cup, sniffing it. “Oh god…” He whimpered, putting the cup down and placing a hand over his mouth. He almost killed Leon!

Sora went over to his brother and hugged him. “Cloud…”

“Oh god, oh god…I’m so sorry…” Cloud sobbed, body shaking.

Leon sighed and lifted the end counter piece up, going behind the counter and pulling Cloud into his arms. “I think you should rest.”

Cloud stiffened and pulled away, “I’m not tired. I’m not going to sleep.”

“Cloud, please, Leon and I are worried about you.”

The blond glanced at his brother then at Leon and shook his head. “No, I need to work.”

“But Cloud, you haven’t been doing anything all mor—“

“I just need to work, need to make money. I’ll be fine.”

“Cloud, go get some sleep. I’ll take over for you.”

“Me too,” Sora looked anxious. “Please Cloud. You’ll feel a lot better when you get some sleep.”

“I don’t trust you.” Cloud whispered, looking at Sora. His face fell, but he just nodded as Cloud looked to Leon. “Thank you for the offer, but I’ll be fine. I’ll make you a new coffee, on the house.”

“No, Cloud. You’re going to bed.” Leon then picked Cloud up and put him over his shoulder, heading for the stairs. Cloud growled, kicking and punching Leon, yelling at him to put him down, but to no avail. The brunet carried him upstairs, asking Sora which room was Cloud’s.

“It’s the first one on the left.” Sora said quietly, watching as Leon carried his now hysterical brother into the room and dumped on the bed. He felt tired himself, dealing with Cloud everyday, trying his hardest to tell him Roxas was fine, which now, he was slowly beginning to doubt himself. But he wouldn’t let his thoughts go any further, he didn’t want to turn out like Cloud.

“Cloud if you don’t shut up right now I’m going to—“

“Why won’t he call? It’s been a month, and there hasn’t been one phone call.” The blond sobbed, curling into a ball under the covers. “One phone call…just one. Just one to let me know he’s ok.”

“Cloud…” Leon sighed and lay down next to him, gently stroking the dangerous looking, but soft spikes. “You’re making yourself sick over this. You need to calm down and let yourself think clearly.” He sat up, still stroking Cloud’s hair. “You go to sleep.”

“I can’t…”

“Get some sleep. I’ll call social services and see if I can contact him.”

“Social services…of course…” Cloud sighed and shut his eyes. “I’m such an idiot…”

Leon chuckled. “No more than usual, Strife, now get some sleep.”

Cloud managed a small grin and cuddled under the blankets a little more. “After the call everything will be ok, right?”

“I don’t guarantee anything, Cloud. But I’ll try my best to get a hold of Roxas’ where abouts.”

“Thanks…” Cloud gave him a small smile before shutting his eyes and drifting into a deep sleep.

Leon leaned down and gave Cloud a soft kiss on the forehead before getting to his feet and walking out.

~~~

“I’m calling on behalf of Cloud Strife. He’s wondering if there might be anyway to contact his brother Roxas.” It had taken Leon nearly ten minutes just to find the damn number for the orphanage. But he found it.

“Strife? One moment please.” The woman on the other end put Leon on hold (this really entertaining him further) and searched through her files. Once she found the file she was looking for, she took Leon off hold and cleared her throat. “Roxas Strife?”

“Yes. Is he there?”

“Oh no, he’s been adopted about three weeks ago.” Mrs. Peters answered, smiling as she looked at Roxas’ picture in her file. “He was such a wonderful boy.”

“Mm. Can you tell me who adopted him?”

“I’m sorry, sir, that’s strictly confidential. Roxas’ current guardian made it clear not to give his name out.”

Leon frowned. Something didn’t seem right. “Mrs. Peters, I just would just like to know if Roxas is ok, his lack of communication is depressing his brothers.”

“He’s doing fine. His foster parent called up a few weeks ago to let me know Roxas was a little homesick, but otherwise he is fitting in well.”

“Is it possible to arrange for him to visit his brothers or even call?”

“I’m sorry, but no.”

“No?” Leon was skeptical now.

“They’re on vacation right now. Getting to know each other a little better. Isn’t that wonderful?”

“And he still isn’t able to call?”

“Hmmm…you seem to have a point there. Just a moment please.” Again she put him on hold, and it was all Leon could not to hang up on her. “I’m sorry about that. But I have a number he gave me to contact him at. I’ll give him a call and get back to you in a bit, alright?”

“Thank you.”

Leon hung up and sighed. “I hate that woman…” He muttered, rubbing a hand over his face.

“Leon?”

The brunet almost jumped and turned around to see Sora.

“I heard you talking on the phone and I’m just wondering—“

“She’s calling back in a while. We’ll find out then.”

“Oh.” Sora tried to look happy, but a stray tear slipped down his cheek. Leon saw it and put a hand on Sora’s shoulder.

“You’ll get him back.”

Sora just nodded and swallowed. “I-I should probably go back to the café.”

“Mm-hm.”

Sora wiped his eyes with the back of his sweater sleeve and walked off, leaving Leon by himself in the kitchen, thinking everything over. Confidential foster parent bothered him. But being the rational person that he was, Leon knew it was better to wait for the results than jumping to conclusions like Cloud or Sora would.

But he still couldn’t shake that nagging in the back of his mind. The nagging that something was horribly wrong.

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3rd chapter done. But it really didn’t turn out to be exactly what I wanted, although it’s something and has prepared me for my other chapters. I have many plans in my head for shit to happen, and some are gonna totally suck for poor Roxy :P

Anyways, thanks for reading if you did, and all that wonderful stuff. I thank you for the reviews I get in all of my stories. They also give me the motivation to keep writing, regardless of my lack of inspiration or heavy load of homework to do. XD