[036.] Gender Roles
Title: Gender Roles
Fandom: Kingdom Hearts
Claim: Cloud/Riku
Theme: [036.] Hard
Word Count: 3,957
Rating: R for language
Summary: Cloud was contradictory, and though it seemed simplistic, habits are hard to break.
Disclaimer: It’s all lies. I don’t own anything, and if I did, I’d make better use of my penchant for Cloud/Riku instead of writing so much damn fanfic.
Soft lips pressed against Cloud’s cheek and trailed down the flesh to brush along his jawbone. The tingling warmth of a tongue brushed a spot just below his ear and lapped its way down his neck sending shivers through his spine. Muscles in his abdomen drew tight as teeth nipped at tender spots in his neck, and Cloud groaned, a smile stretched across his face. His eyelids fluttered open, and Riku’s face came into view, devilish smile in place, and his eyes gleaming.
“Good morning to you, too,” said Cloud.
“Time for you to wake up,” said Riku. “I made you breakfast.”
“What time is it?”
“Just before ten.”
“It’s early.”
Riku snickered.
“Leon warned me that you might say that when he left this morning so I made sure that breakfast came with a large mug of coffee.”
“Coffee?”
Riku nodded, disappeared from Cloud’s blurry vision, and came back into view with a steaming mug. He handed it out, and Cloud took it, circling his fingers around the porcelain and sipped.
“Holy . . . that’s good coffee. You make my coffee from now on, okay? Only you.”
Riku rolled his eyes and laughed.
“Okay. You think you can sit up a little more for food?”
“Food?”
“I told you that I made you breakfast.”
“But you brought it to me? I get breakfast in bed?”
“Yeah. Something like that.”
“I like you, you know that? I think I’ll keep you.”
“Thanks. I’m so honored.”
Riku leaned forward to press a kiss against Cloud’s lips, and then he leaned over the side of the bed, returning with a tray. A plate of pancakes sat in the middle with a little dish of maple syrup to the side and a glass of juice. Cloud raised his eyebrows.
“I gotta tell you, Riku, I don’t know what to say. No one’s brought me breakfast in bed before.”
“Don’t get too sweet on me, now. I had ulterior motives.”
“Oh, yeah?” said Cloud. He readjusted the tray on his lap and picked up the utensils. “What are those?”
“I was bored, wanted you to wake up, and I figured it’d be easier on me if I brought the coffee and food to you.”
Cloud shrugged and nodded.
“How long have you been up?”
“Since about five-thirty.”
Cloud scratched his fork across the plate.
“In the morning?” Riku nodded. “Why would you do that without force?”
“I woke up to use the bathroom, but then I remembered that we have to be up at that time tomorrow so I figured I might as well stay up. I usually sleep in until eight.”
“In the morning?”
Riku laughed.
“Yes, Cloud. I occasionally like to wake up in the morning.”
“Why?”
“I’m used to it?”
“Yes, but why?”
“Because I like to go out and do stuff. It wasn’t that long ago that I got up at five-thirty everyday.”
“Why would anyone do that?”
“Because I had to go to school. I’m only fifteen. Remember?”
Cloud snorted.
“I didn’t even think of that.”
“Obviously.”
“Okay, that freaked me out a little.”
“What? That if I were on Destiny Islands right now, I’d be in class?”
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Make me think of you in school eating crappy lunches and doing homework. It just makes me feel like a pedophile.”
“You are a pedophile, not that I’m complaining, and it shouldn’t bother you because I’m more than capable of making decisions regarding who I date. If that freaks you out, it may as well bother you that I’ve killed people, too.”
“That does bother me.”
Riku rolled his eyes.
“You’re impossible. How’s your breakfast?”
“It’s good. Your pancakes are better than Leon’s.”
“Thanks, I think.”
“Hey, pancakes are an art. Leon tried to teach me to make them once, but half the batch was really hard and burnt, and the other half wasn’t cooked the whole way through. You got them really good and golden and even-shaped in little circles.”
Riku raised an eyebrow.
“I used boxed mix.”
“So did I.”
“. . . Yeah. I think I’m going to cook for you from now on. I wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself.”
“I don’t cook. I make cereal. It’s simple. You just add milk, and even them sometimes I have problems because I don’t add enough and some of it is still dry, but then I add more and the bottom gets really soggy, so I just eat it really fast.”
“You’re so hopeless. Remind me what you bring to this relationship again?”
“A stable ground for you to love and support you even when you think I shouldn’t?”
“Oh, yes, that’s right.”
“And you’re here to feed me, make me coffee, pick up after me, and worship me.”
“What do you think I am? Your housewife?”
“Well if there was a woman in this relationship, you’d be it.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Did you hear that laundry list of chores? Oh, that reminds me, you can do my laundry, because I’m bad at that, too.”
“Is there anything you can do?”
“Kill shit.”
“Cloud, I am not the woman.”
“Sure you are. You know all that girly stuff. Not to mention you’re the one with all the emotional problems.”
“You have emotional problems, too.”
“Yeah, but I don’t talk about them. I bottle them up and pretend like nothing’s wrong. That’s what men do. You talk about your problems.”
“It’s healthy to talk about your problems.”
“That’s a very woman thing to say.”
“You do know that in addition to all the ‘girly stuff,’ I’m the one who knows how to use tools, too, and I can kill shit with the best of them.”
“So you’re an independent woman. A woman of the new world. Tifa can beat the shit out of me, but she’s still a woman. She also happens to be much better with a hammer than I am. You’re a nurturer, Riku. Deal with it.”
“You’re such a chauvinist.”
“I’m a new age chauvinist. What? You have a problem with that?”
“Not really. I actually like taking care of that kind of stuff. Cooking, laundry . . .”
“I know. I could tell. You had this proud glimmer in your eyes when I told you your pancakes were better than Leon’s. Hey, I could have been a real chauvinist and said you served my sexual needs.”
“Yeah, I guess it’s a good thing that you aren’t that bad.”
“You see? I would never say something like that. After all, I serve your sexual needs, too . . . I hope.”
Riku laughed.
“Well, I was awful lonely this morning so I went to see Cid. I hope you don’t mind.”
“That’s not even funny; that’s just sick.”
“I thought it was funny.”
“I’m glad you amuse yourself.”
“No one is quite as funny to me as I am to myself.”
“Yeah . . . I crack myself up, too.”
“Speaking of sexual needs . . .”
“Oh, are we still talking about that?”
Riku nodded.
“I do have to take a shower after last night, and I wouldn’t be terribly disappointed if you joined me because you reek of sex, too.”
Cloud sniffed his shirt and nodded.
“You’re right. I do.”
Riku wiggled his eyebrows at him, grabbed the empty tray from Cloud’s lap, and left the bedroom. Cloud lay in bed, staring at the empty doorway for a few seconds and allowed the previous conversation to roll over in his mind a few times.
Riku brought him breakfast in bed, didn’t fight with him about laundry, and woke him up with kisses.
Riku accepted Cloud’s teasing suggestion that Riku was the woman in the relationship without too much protest.
Riku wasn’t angry about how embarrassed he’d felt yesterday with his friends, or that Cloud had been so little help with them.
Riku didn’t blush mentioning last night’s foray, flirted, and invited Cloud into the shower.
Cloud wondered when this thing with Riku moved from new relationship to established, comfortable relationship. Riku was living with him now, meeting his friends, and mentioning them in passing through conversation. They spoke of each other as if they intended to be together forever. Disagreements were disagreements, but they didn’t turn into ugly fights even when Riku or Cloud didn’t care to hear the other out. Cloud could list three personality traits of Riku’s family members, and got the feeling that if Riku were to go back to Destiny Islands any time soon, he’d be meeting them next.
It was morning, and Riku wasn’t gone. He didn’t need to leave this afternoon, tonight, or tomorrow. Cloud’s room, Cloud’s bed, Cloud’s house . . . they were all Riku’s now, too. The part that concerned Cloud the most was that he was more content than concerned. He lay in bed for a few more seconds, noted that he’d have to talk to Leon about this later, and then he heard the shower turn on in the bathroom.
“Are you coming or do I have to shower all by myself?”
Cloud grinned, threw off the blankets, and walked into the living room. Riku stood in the bathroom doorway, leaning against the jamb and wearing nothing but a smirk.
“You’re getting awfully promiscuous.”
“Only when it comes to you, but don’t let that go to your head.”
“Oh, it’s going somewhere all right.”
Riku laughed, shook his head, and disappeared through the shower curtain. Cloud followed.
~*~
“You’re early,” said Cloud as Leon walked into the house around six o’clock.
“So how’s he doing today?” said Leon, sitting next to Cloud on the couch and glancing toward the kitchen. “Making dinner again?”
“He wants to help out. Where’s everyone else?”
“I left early. Wanted to get back here before they did to see how he was. Yesterday didn’t go so badly, but he was really uncomfortable. If I can tone it down or keep Yuffie in line to help . . .”
Cloud shook his head.
“Nah, he’s all right. Smoked about half of what he did yesterday so far, so his nerves have calmed down a bit. I think he just doesn’t know what to do or say considering you all knew Sora first and it isn’t like he’s your friends. You’re my friends, and he’s my boyfriend.”
“I know, but I really do like him, and . . .”
“Yeah, I know. He can become your friend, but he’s just meeting everyone. It’s all new right now.”
“He doesn’t want us to tell you to ditch him.”
“Right. That too. But listen, while you’re here . . . there’s something I want to talk to you about . . .”
Leon frowned, shook a cigarette out of his pack, and lit up.
“What’s going on?”
Cloud glanced past Leon into the kitchen. Riku had his back to them, was cursing profusely, and kicking the oven.
“He sounds like he’s in a fight with the kitchen appliances,” said Leon.
“I think the kitchen appliances are winning.”
“This about him?”
“Yeah.”
Leon nodded and waved a hand.
“Continue.”
“I’m in love with Riku, right?”
“Why are you asking me?”
“No, but . . . I’m in love with Riku.”
“Okay?”
“No, Leon, you aren’t understanding this.”
“Obviously. I know you’re in love with Riku. What’s the problem?”
“It’s not a problem, but I am, right? I’m really in love with Riku. It’s not just like I love him and really care about him, but like . . . I don’t know. That true blue, forever and ever kind of love.”
Leon nodded.
“Yes, definitely.”
“That’s what I thought.”
“I thought you already knew this.”
“I knew it was different than anything before, but the idea of that true blue, forever and ever kind of thing didn’t really sink in until this morning, and-”
“And you freaked out?”
“No. That’s just the thing. It made me all happy and content, and then that freaked me out.”
“So this isn’t about Riku at all. This is about you thinking you can’t really be happy and open, but that you should be moody, emotional, and distant.”
“I don’t think I should be moody, emotional, and distant.”
“Yes, you do. You have these weird gender ideas where men shouldn’t express things too much, and you shouldn’t talk about things, and just keep it to yourself, only you’re really bad at it, and then that makes you think you aren’t a real man.”
“I am not like that.”
“Yes, you are. You say you aren’t, and you’ll tell everyone-me included-differently, but you do it all the time. You have this idea of what a man should be, and you try to do it, but you suck at it, and then that makes you moody. It’s an endless cycle, and you really should do something about it.”
“Do I really?”
“Yes, you do. It’s a bad habit of yours, and you need to break it.”
“How am I supposed to break it when I don’t even know I’m doing it?”
“By not freaking out that you’re happy with wanting to be with Riku forever and ever and just be happy that you found someone who makes you feel like that.”
Cloud frowned.
“But it sounds so simplistic.”
“It sounds so simplistic because it is so simplistic, but I get the feeling you’re going to find it harder than it sounds.”
“Where did I get this strange idea?”
“I don’t know. You’ve always been like that. Even when we were kids. When the older boys used to make fun of me when I got hurt and cried, you told them to shut up because it was okay to cry, but if you got hurt and cried, you’d fight like hell not to and start muttering about boys not crying.”
“Did I really?”
“Yes.”
“Did you actually cry?”
“See? Right there. You can’t believe I’m capable of crying.”
“No. It’s not that. I believe you’re capable of crying, but you’re so distant and . . .”
“Manly?”
“Er . . . hm . . . I really am that contradictory, aren’t I?”
Leon lit another cigarette and nodded.
“Yes.”
“What am I going to do about that?”
“I don’t know. Not do it?”
“That does seem a lot harder than it sounds.”
“Motherfucker!” Riku yelled from the kitchen. Leon arched an eyebrow.
“You okay in there?” said Cloud.
“I just burnt my fucking arm.”
“Cloud’s burn ointment is in the drawer by the sink,” said Leon. He turned to Cloud. “That’s your future. I just wanted to warn you.”
Cloud smiled.
“I’m okay with that.”
~*~
“Yuffie’s here!” she shouted, throwing the door open and stepping inside. She glanced around the living room, rushed toward the couch, and leaped. “Squall! Did you miss me?”
“Oh, yes, Yuffie, my love.”
Leon grabbed Yuffie around the waist and held her in his lap, grinning. She struggled against his grip, wrenched herself free, and hid behind Cid as he entered.
“Gah!”
“It’s so easy now,” said Leon. “Tifa, I have to thank you for this.”
“You can thank me when you’re married,” said Tifa. “Until then, please, by all means, continue your flirting.”
“Married?” said Yuffie. “Please! The great ninja Yuffie will never be tied down to a man.”
“I didn’t know Yuffie swung that way,” said Riku, walking into the room with dinner. “Cloud, why didn’t you tell me?”
“This is news to me, too. So, Yuffie, who’s the lucky girl?”
Yuffie stuck out her tongue.
“I’m not a lesbian, either. I just meant that I’m not going to get married.”
“Yuffie still thinks boys are icky,” said Leon.
“Isn’t that one of the main classifications for a lesbian?” said Cloud.
“Yuffie isn’t a lesbian,” said Tifa. “If she was, I’d have gotten in on the action by now.”
“Now, Tifa, what would Vincent think if he heard you talking like that?”
“Probably that it was hot,” said Cid. Tifa nodded.
“Probably.”
“I’m not a lesbian,” said Yuffie. She turned and pointed at Riku. “And I hold you responsible if these kinds of jokes continue.”
Riku grinned and shrugged.
“I’m sorry, Yuffie, but I do have to say that I find it odd that you protest the lesbian jokes, but you don’t fight the Leon ones that much.”
“You mean besides the disgusted faces and the screaming,” said Cloud.
“Yeah, but she still jumped him.”
“He has a point,” said Tifa. “Then again, I did come to Yuffie’s defense regarding her sexual orientation, and I was the brave soul to point out what we’ve all been thinking.”
“Yeah,” said Cloud. “It’s okay if you want Leon, Yuffie. Leon’s a leather-clad god.”
Leon rolled his eyes.
“Whatever . . .”
“I’d also like to say that I find it odd that Leon has nothing to say but ‘Whatever,’ when it comes to Yuffie,” said Riku.
“He has a point there, too,” said Tifa. “Because we all know Leon says ‘Whatever,’ when he’s uncomfortable.”
“Whatever . . .”
“So I guess they didn’t scare you off for good yesterday, huh?” said Aerith.
Riku laughed and shook his head.
“No. Don’t get me wrong, I think you’re all psychotic, but so’s Cloud and I’m actually dating him, so it was kind of expected.”
“Speaking of Riku and Cloud,” said Leon, “Cloud told me he wants to be with Riku forever and ever. Isn’t that sweet?”
Riku dropped his plate. Cloud glared.
“That is so sweet,” said Yuffie. She clapped her hands together, beaming at Cloud. Aerith gave a little cough and covered her smile with her hand.
“That was just plain mean right there,” said Cloud. “I confided in you and you used it to divert the attention away from you and Yuffie. That’s just not right.”
Leon shrugged.
“Nothing wrong with being a little ruthless.”
“Look, you made Riku spill his dinner after he burned himself and went through all that work for you. This is how you repay him? You can have some of mine.”
“It’s okay. There’s extra . . .”
Riku’s eyes darted around the room before landing on Cloud. He rubbed at his forearm and then got to his knees to clean up the spilled food. Cloud rolled his eyes, shoved Leon, and walked over to Riku.
“Nice going, Leon,” said Tifa.
“What? It’s not like he should hide it, anyway. I’m doing him a favor. He’ll thank me in the long run.”
“Or give you a broken nose.”
“Cloud’s still in the room. He can hear you.”
“Why do you always insist on announcing that?” said Leon. “We know.”
“Because that’s Cloud’s way of telling you that you’re pushing it a little too far,” said Aerith. “Give him some room.”
“It’s okay,” said Riku. “Really.”
“No, it’s really not. You should hear that kind of thing from me first. Preferably without the circus in town.”
“Since when is the circus in town?” said Yuffie. “And what does that have to do with anything?”
“He was calling us the circus, Yuffie,” said Leon, rolling his eyes.
“Why are we the circus?”
“Because we’re all psychopaths,” said Cloud.
“That includes you, too, you know,” said Riku.
“Yeah, well, it includes you, now, too, because you actually choose to be with me.”
“I never said I wasn’t a psychopath.”
The last of the spilled food was back on the plate, and before Riku returned to the kitchen he placed his free hand on the back of Cloud’s neck and kissed him on the cheek.
“It’s okay,” he whispered. “Really. Don’t be mad at Leon. I doubt his intentions were entirely selfish.”
“You sure?”
“Yes. Don’t make this more awkward than it already is.”
Cloud smiled. Riku pulled back, got to his feet, and walked into the kitchen to toss away the wasted food and fix up a new plate. Leon sighed as Cloud returned to the couch.
“Everything all right?”
“Yeah, everything’s fine. You just have a big fucking mouth, you know that?”
“Not nearly as big as yours. Hey, you said not to tone it down.”
“Well as long as you’re not toning it down, I’ll be sure to assist Tifa in keeping at you and Yuffie until someone confesses something.”
Tifa grinned.
“Ah . . . reinforcement. I like the sound of that.”
“I don’t,” said Yuffie.
“You’re not supposed to. It’s you we need the reinforcements for,” said Riku, returning to the living room. Instead of sitting in one of the chairs opposite the couch like where he’d been before, he crossed the area and squeezed between Leon and Cloud.
“You could have asked me to move over,” said Leon, scooting down to the end.
Riku laughed and shrugged.
“Where would have been the fun in that?”
Cloud dropped his elbow on the armrest, propped his head up on the heel of his hand, and watched as Riku moved closer, touching his hip to Cloud’s.
“I thought you were eating,” said Cloud.
“I’m not really that hungry anymore,” said Riku. He shrugged. “I already ate a little, but I’m never very hungry after I cook.”
“Neither am I,” said Leon. “After I’ve been staring at it too long it’s like I already ate it.”
“It’s no wonder you’re both so skinny,” said Tifa. “Maybe that’s why Cloud’s kind of thick.”
Cloud tore his eyes away from Riku to look at Tifa. He frowned.
“What are you talking about? I’m not thick.”
“Sure you are. You’re not fat, Cloud. I said you were thick.”
“I know what you said. I’m not thick.”
“I didn’t mean it in a bad way except for teasing you about your cooking. You’re just kind of a thick guy. It’s your build.”
Riku leaned into Cloud, laid his head on Cloud’s shoulder, and patted his chest.
“Am I thick?” said Cloud.
“You’re perfect,” said Riku.
A smile started to spread across his lips and then fell.
“Hey, that doesn’t answer my question!”
Riku snorted.
“You’re a little thick, but that’s what makes you so hot so you can just deal with it.”
“Awe,” said Yuffie. “That’s so sweet.”
“Yeah, Cloud,” said Leon, “you are really hot.”
“Fuck off,” said Riku. “He’s my boyfriend. I’m required to say shit like that.”
“Oh,” said Cloud, “so it doesn’t make me hot.”
Riku laughed, lifted his body, and pecked him on the cheek.
“That didn’t answer my question, either.”
Riku pressed his lips against Cloud’s ear.
”I’ll let you know just how hot I think it is later when we’re alone.”
Cloud smirked. Leon shook his head.
“I don’t even want to know.”
~*~
Soft lips pressed against Cloud’s cheek and trailed down the flesh to brush along his jawbone. The tingling warmth of a tongue brushed a spot just below his ear and lapped its way down his neck sending shivers through his spine. Muscles in his abdomen drew tight as teeth nipped at tender spots in his neck, and Cloud groaned, a smile stretched across his face. His eyelids fluttered open, and Riku’s face came into view, devilish smile in place, and his eyes gleaming.
“Good morning to you, too,” said Cloud.
“Time for you to wake up,” said Riku.
“It’s dark outside.”
“We have to paint today, remember?”
“Yes. Hence my protests.”
“I brought you coffee.”
Cloud took the cup from Riku’s hand and brought it to his lips. Riku’s eyes were on him, and Cloud squirmed, smiling. He shoved the blankets away and moved to get dressed.
“Hey, Riku?”
“Yeah?”
“I really like having you here.”
Riku smiled, the look of pure adoration still in his eyes, and Cloud lowered his head to peck Riku’s forehead.
“I like being here, too.”
( Prompt Table) for previous installments. 036/100 Complete.
Fandom: Kingdom Hearts
Claim: Cloud/Riku
Theme: [036.] Hard
Word Count: 3,957
Rating: R for language
Summary: Cloud was contradictory, and though it seemed simplistic, habits are hard to break.
Disclaimer: It’s all lies. I don’t own anything, and if I did, I’d make better use of my penchant for Cloud/Riku instead of writing so much damn fanfic.
Soft lips pressed against Cloud’s cheek and trailed down the flesh to brush along his jawbone. The tingling warmth of a tongue brushed a spot just below his ear and lapped its way down his neck sending shivers through his spine. Muscles in his abdomen drew tight as teeth nipped at tender spots in his neck, and Cloud groaned, a smile stretched across his face. His eyelids fluttered open, and Riku’s face came into view, devilish smile in place, and his eyes gleaming.
“Good morning to you, too,” said Cloud.
“Time for you to wake up,” said Riku. “I made you breakfast.”
“What time is it?”
“Just before ten.”
“It’s early.”
Riku snickered.
“Leon warned me that you might say that when he left this morning so I made sure that breakfast came with a large mug of coffee.”
“Coffee?”
Riku nodded, disappeared from Cloud’s blurry vision, and came back into view with a steaming mug. He handed it out, and Cloud took it, circling his fingers around the porcelain and sipped.
“Holy . . . that’s good coffee. You make my coffee from now on, okay? Only you.”
Riku rolled his eyes and laughed.
“Okay. You think you can sit up a little more for food?”
“Food?”
“I told you that I made you breakfast.”
“But you brought it to me? I get breakfast in bed?”
“Yeah. Something like that.”
“I like you, you know that? I think I’ll keep you.”
“Thanks. I’m so honored.”
Riku leaned forward to press a kiss against Cloud’s lips, and then he leaned over the side of the bed, returning with a tray. A plate of pancakes sat in the middle with a little dish of maple syrup to the side and a glass of juice. Cloud raised his eyebrows.
“I gotta tell you, Riku, I don’t know what to say. No one’s brought me breakfast in bed before.”
“Don’t get too sweet on me, now. I had ulterior motives.”
“Oh, yeah?” said Cloud. He readjusted the tray on his lap and picked up the utensils. “What are those?”
“I was bored, wanted you to wake up, and I figured it’d be easier on me if I brought the coffee and food to you.”
Cloud shrugged and nodded.
“How long have you been up?”
“Since about five-thirty.”
Cloud scratched his fork across the plate.
“In the morning?” Riku nodded. “Why would you do that without force?”
“I woke up to use the bathroom, but then I remembered that we have to be up at that time tomorrow so I figured I might as well stay up. I usually sleep in until eight.”
“In the morning?”
Riku laughed.
“Yes, Cloud. I occasionally like to wake up in the morning.”
“Why?”
“I’m used to it?”
“Yes, but why?”
“Because I like to go out and do stuff. It wasn’t that long ago that I got up at five-thirty everyday.”
“Why would anyone do that?”
“Because I had to go to school. I’m only fifteen. Remember?”
Cloud snorted.
“I didn’t even think of that.”
“Obviously.”
“Okay, that freaked me out a little.”
“What? That if I were on Destiny Islands right now, I’d be in class?”
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Make me think of you in school eating crappy lunches and doing homework. It just makes me feel like a pedophile.”
“You are a pedophile, not that I’m complaining, and it shouldn’t bother you because I’m more than capable of making decisions regarding who I date. If that freaks you out, it may as well bother you that I’ve killed people, too.”
“That does bother me.”
Riku rolled his eyes.
“You’re impossible. How’s your breakfast?”
“It’s good. Your pancakes are better than Leon’s.”
“Thanks, I think.”
“Hey, pancakes are an art. Leon tried to teach me to make them once, but half the batch was really hard and burnt, and the other half wasn’t cooked the whole way through. You got them really good and golden and even-shaped in little circles.”
Riku raised an eyebrow.
“I used boxed mix.”
“So did I.”
“. . . Yeah. I think I’m going to cook for you from now on. I wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself.”
“I don’t cook. I make cereal. It’s simple. You just add milk, and even them sometimes I have problems because I don’t add enough and some of it is still dry, but then I add more and the bottom gets really soggy, so I just eat it really fast.”
“You’re so hopeless. Remind me what you bring to this relationship again?”
“A stable ground for you to love and support you even when you think I shouldn’t?”
“Oh, yes, that’s right.”
“And you’re here to feed me, make me coffee, pick up after me, and worship me.”
“What do you think I am? Your housewife?”
“Well if there was a woman in this relationship, you’d be it.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Did you hear that laundry list of chores? Oh, that reminds me, you can do my laundry, because I’m bad at that, too.”
“Is there anything you can do?”
“Kill shit.”
“Cloud, I am not the woman.”
“Sure you are. You know all that girly stuff. Not to mention you’re the one with all the emotional problems.”
“You have emotional problems, too.”
“Yeah, but I don’t talk about them. I bottle them up and pretend like nothing’s wrong. That’s what men do. You talk about your problems.”
“It’s healthy to talk about your problems.”
“That’s a very woman thing to say.”
“You do know that in addition to all the ‘girly stuff,’ I’m the one who knows how to use tools, too, and I can kill shit with the best of them.”
“So you’re an independent woman. A woman of the new world. Tifa can beat the shit out of me, but she’s still a woman. She also happens to be much better with a hammer than I am. You’re a nurturer, Riku. Deal with it.”
“You’re such a chauvinist.”
“I’m a new age chauvinist. What? You have a problem with that?”
“Not really. I actually like taking care of that kind of stuff. Cooking, laundry . . .”
“I know. I could tell. You had this proud glimmer in your eyes when I told you your pancakes were better than Leon’s. Hey, I could have been a real chauvinist and said you served my sexual needs.”
“Yeah, I guess it’s a good thing that you aren’t that bad.”
“You see? I would never say something like that. After all, I serve your sexual needs, too . . . I hope.”
Riku laughed.
“Well, I was awful lonely this morning so I went to see Cid. I hope you don’t mind.”
“That’s not even funny; that’s just sick.”
“I thought it was funny.”
“I’m glad you amuse yourself.”
“No one is quite as funny to me as I am to myself.”
“Yeah . . . I crack myself up, too.”
“Speaking of sexual needs . . .”
“Oh, are we still talking about that?”
Riku nodded.
“I do have to take a shower after last night, and I wouldn’t be terribly disappointed if you joined me because you reek of sex, too.”
Cloud sniffed his shirt and nodded.
“You’re right. I do.”
Riku wiggled his eyebrows at him, grabbed the empty tray from Cloud’s lap, and left the bedroom. Cloud lay in bed, staring at the empty doorway for a few seconds and allowed the previous conversation to roll over in his mind a few times.
Riku brought him breakfast in bed, didn’t fight with him about laundry, and woke him up with kisses.
Riku accepted Cloud’s teasing suggestion that Riku was the woman in the relationship without too much protest.
Riku wasn’t angry about how embarrassed he’d felt yesterday with his friends, or that Cloud had been so little help with them.
Riku didn’t blush mentioning last night’s foray, flirted, and invited Cloud into the shower.
Cloud wondered when this thing with Riku moved from new relationship to established, comfortable relationship. Riku was living with him now, meeting his friends, and mentioning them in passing through conversation. They spoke of each other as if they intended to be together forever. Disagreements were disagreements, but they didn’t turn into ugly fights even when Riku or Cloud didn’t care to hear the other out. Cloud could list three personality traits of Riku’s family members, and got the feeling that if Riku were to go back to Destiny Islands any time soon, he’d be meeting them next.
It was morning, and Riku wasn’t gone. He didn’t need to leave this afternoon, tonight, or tomorrow. Cloud’s room, Cloud’s bed, Cloud’s house . . . they were all Riku’s now, too. The part that concerned Cloud the most was that he was more content than concerned. He lay in bed for a few more seconds, noted that he’d have to talk to Leon about this later, and then he heard the shower turn on in the bathroom.
“Are you coming or do I have to shower all by myself?”
Cloud grinned, threw off the blankets, and walked into the living room. Riku stood in the bathroom doorway, leaning against the jamb and wearing nothing but a smirk.
“You’re getting awfully promiscuous.”
“Only when it comes to you, but don’t let that go to your head.”
“Oh, it’s going somewhere all right.”
Riku laughed, shook his head, and disappeared through the shower curtain. Cloud followed.
~*~
“You’re early,” said Cloud as Leon walked into the house around six o’clock.
“So how’s he doing today?” said Leon, sitting next to Cloud on the couch and glancing toward the kitchen. “Making dinner again?”
“He wants to help out. Where’s everyone else?”
“I left early. Wanted to get back here before they did to see how he was. Yesterday didn’t go so badly, but he was really uncomfortable. If I can tone it down or keep Yuffie in line to help . . .”
Cloud shook his head.
“Nah, he’s all right. Smoked about half of what he did yesterday so far, so his nerves have calmed down a bit. I think he just doesn’t know what to do or say considering you all knew Sora first and it isn’t like he’s your friends. You’re my friends, and he’s my boyfriend.”
“I know, but I really do like him, and . . .”
“Yeah, I know. He can become your friend, but he’s just meeting everyone. It’s all new right now.”
“He doesn’t want us to tell you to ditch him.”
“Right. That too. But listen, while you’re here . . . there’s something I want to talk to you about . . .”
Leon frowned, shook a cigarette out of his pack, and lit up.
“What’s going on?”
Cloud glanced past Leon into the kitchen. Riku had his back to them, was cursing profusely, and kicking the oven.
“He sounds like he’s in a fight with the kitchen appliances,” said Leon.
“I think the kitchen appliances are winning.”
“This about him?”
“Yeah.”
Leon nodded and waved a hand.
“Continue.”
“I’m in love with Riku, right?”
“Why are you asking me?”
“No, but . . . I’m in love with Riku.”
“Okay?”
“No, Leon, you aren’t understanding this.”
“Obviously. I know you’re in love with Riku. What’s the problem?”
“It’s not a problem, but I am, right? I’m really in love with Riku. It’s not just like I love him and really care about him, but like . . . I don’t know. That true blue, forever and ever kind of love.”
Leon nodded.
“Yes, definitely.”
“That’s what I thought.”
“I thought you already knew this.”
“I knew it was different than anything before, but the idea of that true blue, forever and ever kind of thing didn’t really sink in until this morning, and-”
“And you freaked out?”
“No. That’s just the thing. It made me all happy and content, and then that freaked me out.”
“So this isn’t about Riku at all. This is about you thinking you can’t really be happy and open, but that you should be moody, emotional, and distant.”
“I don’t think I should be moody, emotional, and distant.”
“Yes, you do. You have these weird gender ideas where men shouldn’t express things too much, and you shouldn’t talk about things, and just keep it to yourself, only you’re really bad at it, and then that makes you think you aren’t a real man.”
“I am not like that.”
“Yes, you are. You say you aren’t, and you’ll tell everyone-me included-differently, but you do it all the time. You have this idea of what a man should be, and you try to do it, but you suck at it, and then that makes you moody. It’s an endless cycle, and you really should do something about it.”
“Do I really?”
“Yes, you do. It’s a bad habit of yours, and you need to break it.”
“How am I supposed to break it when I don’t even know I’m doing it?”
“By not freaking out that you’re happy with wanting to be with Riku forever and ever and just be happy that you found someone who makes you feel like that.”
Cloud frowned.
“But it sounds so simplistic.”
“It sounds so simplistic because it is so simplistic, but I get the feeling you’re going to find it harder than it sounds.”
“Where did I get this strange idea?”
“I don’t know. You’ve always been like that. Even when we were kids. When the older boys used to make fun of me when I got hurt and cried, you told them to shut up because it was okay to cry, but if you got hurt and cried, you’d fight like hell not to and start muttering about boys not crying.”
“Did I really?”
“Yes.”
“Did you actually cry?”
“See? Right there. You can’t believe I’m capable of crying.”
“No. It’s not that. I believe you’re capable of crying, but you’re so distant and . . .”
“Manly?”
“Er . . . hm . . . I really am that contradictory, aren’t I?”
Leon lit another cigarette and nodded.
“Yes.”
“What am I going to do about that?”
“I don’t know. Not do it?”
“That does seem a lot harder than it sounds.”
“Motherfucker!” Riku yelled from the kitchen. Leon arched an eyebrow.
“You okay in there?” said Cloud.
“I just burnt my fucking arm.”
“Cloud’s burn ointment is in the drawer by the sink,” said Leon. He turned to Cloud. “That’s your future. I just wanted to warn you.”
Cloud smiled.
“I’m okay with that.”
~*~
“Yuffie’s here!” she shouted, throwing the door open and stepping inside. She glanced around the living room, rushed toward the couch, and leaped. “Squall! Did you miss me?”
“Oh, yes, Yuffie, my love.”
Leon grabbed Yuffie around the waist and held her in his lap, grinning. She struggled against his grip, wrenched herself free, and hid behind Cid as he entered.
“Gah!”
“It’s so easy now,” said Leon. “Tifa, I have to thank you for this.”
“You can thank me when you’re married,” said Tifa. “Until then, please, by all means, continue your flirting.”
“Married?” said Yuffie. “Please! The great ninja Yuffie will never be tied down to a man.”
“I didn’t know Yuffie swung that way,” said Riku, walking into the room with dinner. “Cloud, why didn’t you tell me?”
“This is news to me, too. So, Yuffie, who’s the lucky girl?”
Yuffie stuck out her tongue.
“I’m not a lesbian, either. I just meant that I’m not going to get married.”
“Yuffie still thinks boys are icky,” said Leon.
“Isn’t that one of the main classifications for a lesbian?” said Cloud.
“Yuffie isn’t a lesbian,” said Tifa. “If she was, I’d have gotten in on the action by now.”
“Now, Tifa, what would Vincent think if he heard you talking like that?”
“Probably that it was hot,” said Cid. Tifa nodded.
“Probably.”
“I’m not a lesbian,” said Yuffie. She turned and pointed at Riku. “And I hold you responsible if these kinds of jokes continue.”
Riku grinned and shrugged.
“I’m sorry, Yuffie, but I do have to say that I find it odd that you protest the lesbian jokes, but you don’t fight the Leon ones that much.”
“You mean besides the disgusted faces and the screaming,” said Cloud.
“Yeah, but she still jumped him.”
“He has a point,” said Tifa. “Then again, I did come to Yuffie’s defense regarding her sexual orientation, and I was the brave soul to point out what we’ve all been thinking.”
“Yeah,” said Cloud. “It’s okay if you want Leon, Yuffie. Leon’s a leather-clad god.”
Leon rolled his eyes.
“Whatever . . .”
“I’d also like to say that I find it odd that Leon has nothing to say but ‘Whatever,’ when it comes to Yuffie,” said Riku.
“He has a point there, too,” said Tifa. “Because we all know Leon says ‘Whatever,’ when he’s uncomfortable.”
“Whatever . . .”
“So I guess they didn’t scare you off for good yesterday, huh?” said Aerith.
Riku laughed and shook his head.
“No. Don’t get me wrong, I think you’re all psychotic, but so’s Cloud and I’m actually dating him, so it was kind of expected.”
“Speaking of Riku and Cloud,” said Leon, “Cloud told me he wants to be with Riku forever and ever. Isn’t that sweet?”
Riku dropped his plate. Cloud glared.
“That is so sweet,” said Yuffie. She clapped her hands together, beaming at Cloud. Aerith gave a little cough and covered her smile with her hand.
“That was just plain mean right there,” said Cloud. “I confided in you and you used it to divert the attention away from you and Yuffie. That’s just not right.”
Leon shrugged.
“Nothing wrong with being a little ruthless.”
“Look, you made Riku spill his dinner after he burned himself and went through all that work for you. This is how you repay him? You can have some of mine.”
“It’s okay. There’s extra . . .”
Riku’s eyes darted around the room before landing on Cloud. He rubbed at his forearm and then got to his knees to clean up the spilled food. Cloud rolled his eyes, shoved Leon, and walked over to Riku.
“Nice going, Leon,” said Tifa.
“What? It’s not like he should hide it, anyway. I’m doing him a favor. He’ll thank me in the long run.”
“Or give you a broken nose.”
“Cloud’s still in the room. He can hear you.”
“Why do you always insist on announcing that?” said Leon. “We know.”
“Because that’s Cloud’s way of telling you that you’re pushing it a little too far,” said Aerith. “Give him some room.”
“It’s okay,” said Riku. “Really.”
“No, it’s really not. You should hear that kind of thing from me first. Preferably without the circus in town.”
“Since when is the circus in town?” said Yuffie. “And what does that have to do with anything?”
“He was calling us the circus, Yuffie,” said Leon, rolling his eyes.
“Why are we the circus?”
“Because we’re all psychopaths,” said Cloud.
“That includes you, too, you know,” said Riku.
“Yeah, well, it includes you, now, too, because you actually choose to be with me.”
“I never said I wasn’t a psychopath.”
The last of the spilled food was back on the plate, and before Riku returned to the kitchen he placed his free hand on the back of Cloud’s neck and kissed him on the cheek.
“It’s okay,” he whispered. “Really. Don’t be mad at Leon. I doubt his intentions were entirely selfish.”
“You sure?”
“Yes. Don’t make this more awkward than it already is.”
Cloud smiled. Riku pulled back, got to his feet, and walked into the kitchen to toss away the wasted food and fix up a new plate. Leon sighed as Cloud returned to the couch.
“Everything all right?”
“Yeah, everything’s fine. You just have a big fucking mouth, you know that?”
“Not nearly as big as yours. Hey, you said not to tone it down.”
“Well as long as you’re not toning it down, I’ll be sure to assist Tifa in keeping at you and Yuffie until someone confesses something.”
Tifa grinned.
“Ah . . . reinforcement. I like the sound of that.”
“I don’t,” said Yuffie.
“You’re not supposed to. It’s you we need the reinforcements for,” said Riku, returning to the living room. Instead of sitting in one of the chairs opposite the couch like where he’d been before, he crossed the area and squeezed between Leon and Cloud.
“You could have asked me to move over,” said Leon, scooting down to the end.
Riku laughed and shrugged.
“Where would have been the fun in that?”
Cloud dropped his elbow on the armrest, propped his head up on the heel of his hand, and watched as Riku moved closer, touching his hip to Cloud’s.
“I thought you were eating,” said Cloud.
“I’m not really that hungry anymore,” said Riku. He shrugged. “I already ate a little, but I’m never very hungry after I cook.”
“Neither am I,” said Leon. “After I’ve been staring at it too long it’s like I already ate it.”
“It’s no wonder you’re both so skinny,” said Tifa. “Maybe that’s why Cloud’s kind of thick.”
Cloud tore his eyes away from Riku to look at Tifa. He frowned.
“What are you talking about? I’m not thick.”
“Sure you are. You’re not fat, Cloud. I said you were thick.”
“I know what you said. I’m not thick.”
“I didn’t mean it in a bad way except for teasing you about your cooking. You’re just kind of a thick guy. It’s your build.”
Riku leaned into Cloud, laid his head on Cloud’s shoulder, and patted his chest.
“Am I thick?” said Cloud.
“You’re perfect,” said Riku.
A smile started to spread across his lips and then fell.
“Hey, that doesn’t answer my question!”
Riku snorted.
“You’re a little thick, but that’s what makes you so hot so you can just deal with it.”
“Awe,” said Yuffie. “That’s so sweet.”
“Yeah, Cloud,” said Leon, “you are really hot.”
“Fuck off,” said Riku. “He’s my boyfriend. I’m required to say shit like that.”
“Oh,” said Cloud, “so it doesn’t make me hot.”
Riku laughed, lifted his body, and pecked him on the cheek.
“That didn’t answer my question, either.”
Riku pressed his lips against Cloud’s ear.
”I’ll let you know just how hot I think it is later when we’re alone.”
Cloud smirked. Leon shook his head.
“I don’t even want to know.”
~*~
Soft lips pressed against Cloud’s cheek and trailed down the flesh to brush along his jawbone. The tingling warmth of a tongue brushed a spot just below his ear and lapped its way down his neck sending shivers through his spine. Muscles in his abdomen drew tight as teeth nipped at tender spots in his neck, and Cloud groaned, a smile stretched across his face. His eyelids fluttered open, and Riku’s face came into view, devilish smile in place, and his eyes gleaming.
“Good morning to you, too,” said Cloud.
“Time for you to wake up,” said Riku.
“It’s dark outside.”
“We have to paint today, remember?”
“Yes. Hence my protests.”
“I brought you coffee.”
Cloud took the cup from Riku’s hand and brought it to his lips. Riku’s eyes were on him, and Cloud squirmed, smiling. He shoved the blankets away and moved to get dressed.
“Hey, Riku?”
“Yeah?”
“I really like having you here.”
Riku smiled, the look of pure adoration still in his eyes, and Cloud lowered his head to peck Riku’s forehead.
“I like being here, too.”
( Prompt Table) for previous installments. 036/100 Complete.