Kingdom Hearts II (Sora/Riku/Kairi)
Cloud eyed her warily. “Yes?”
Her cheeks dimpled as she smiled - a distinct warning. “Would you go and ask Sora and the others what they’d like for dinner tonight?”
Oh. That wasn’t nearly as embarrassing as he’d expected.
Cloud found most of a smile for her. “Sure, Aeris.” He marked his page and stood, leather creaking as he left the room, her sunny ‘thanks, Cloud!’ following him into the hallway.
There was no one sign of anyone on the main floor so Cloud started up the stairs, heading for the room that Sora, Riku and Kairi shared. The Keyblade Contingent, as Cid had taken to calling them, had been in and out of Radiant Garden on a fairly regular basis over the last few months, often stopping to visit in-between saving worlds all over the known galaxy. Aeris had finally cleared a room out for them after the third time Sora had fallen off the couch in the study. She’d offered to make some more space if they wanted it, but all three had been adamant that one room was more than enough. Aeris had smiled and let them be.
It made Cloud a little jealous, actually, to see just how well the three of them fit together. They had easily found their own spaces amongst the mismatched bunch of crazies that lived in Radiant Garden, separate but connected, content in themselves and the bond they shared.
There was always laughter in the house when they were around, tumbling along at Sora’s heels like a faithful puppy, tempered by Riku’s wry amusement and softened by Kairi’s gentle cheer until you couldn’t help but smile along. It was a breath of fresh air in a place where Cloud and Leon habitually one-upped each other in the ‘brooding hero’ category, and they lightened the sometimes heavy atmosphere every time they visited, often bearing outlandish stories and bizarre souvenirs of their travels.
Their tales of Sleipnir-like creatures called ‘horses’ had been unbearably strange, and Cloud still couldn’t recall the subsequent revelation of a variety of horse whips without feeling distinctly warm.
The Keyblade Contingent had brought a large red trunk with them this time, Cloud recalled as he started across the landing, footfalls muffled by the carpet. He’d gotten only a vague glimpse of the thing as they’d dragged it upstairs into their room three days ago, giggling mischievously all the while. Or rather, Kairi and Sora had been giggling - the day he caught Riku giggling was the day Cloud shaved his head and joined a monastery in the Land of Dragons - which had been more than enough to convince him that whatever was in there was either very embarrassing, very personal or disturbing enough to give him nightmares for the next fortnight. None of which were entirely unusual occurrences around here, but Cloud wasn’t in any particular hurry to find out, thank you very much.
Sora, Riku and Kairi’s room was at the end of the hall and Cloud could hear them inside as he approached, the vague murmur of sound drifting through the mostly closed door coalescing into words as he came closer.
“But why not?” Sora was asking, sounding distinctly put out. “You’ve had a turn and Riku’s had two - why don’t I get one?”
A patient sigh from Kairi. “We’ve talked about this Sora,” she told him. “You can’t be the dominatrix because you never stay in character.”
Cloud froze in the middle of lifting his hand to knock, brain stripping gears as he tried furiously not to think of the implications to that.
Of course, Riku chose that moment to throw in his own two cents. “Maybe this time we should try the empress with her harem boys, eh Kairi?” he suggested. “At least the costumes are nice.” A rustle of fabric, the sound of someone sliding across the bed and Riku’s voice, rough and warm, drifted through the door. “How about it Sora? Would you rather be a harem boy instead?”
Very calmly, Cloud lowered his hand. Then he used his not inconsiderable skill to sneak back down the stairs the way he’d come, figuring Aeris could decide on dinner on her own.
There were some things he just did not want to know.
~owari
Her cheeks dimpled as she smiled - a distinct warning. “Would you go and ask Sora and the others what they’d like for dinner tonight?”
Oh. That wasn’t nearly as embarrassing as he’d expected.
Cloud found most of a smile for her. “Sure, Aeris.” He marked his page and stood, leather creaking as he left the room, her sunny ‘thanks, Cloud!’ following him into the hallway.
There was no one sign of anyone on the main floor so Cloud started up the stairs, heading for the room that Sora, Riku and Kairi shared. The Keyblade Contingent, as Cid had taken to calling them, had been in and out of Radiant Garden on a fairly regular basis over the last few months, often stopping to visit in-between saving worlds all over the known galaxy. Aeris had finally cleared a room out for them after the third time Sora had fallen off the couch in the study. She’d offered to make some more space if they wanted it, but all three had been adamant that one room was more than enough. Aeris had smiled and let them be.
It made Cloud a little jealous, actually, to see just how well the three of them fit together. They had easily found their own spaces amongst the mismatched bunch of crazies that lived in Radiant Garden, separate but connected, content in themselves and the bond they shared.
There was always laughter in the house when they were around, tumbling along at Sora’s heels like a faithful puppy, tempered by Riku’s wry amusement and softened by Kairi’s gentle cheer until you couldn’t help but smile along. It was a breath of fresh air in a place where Cloud and Leon habitually one-upped each other in the ‘brooding hero’ category, and they lightened the sometimes heavy atmosphere every time they visited, often bearing outlandish stories and bizarre souvenirs of their travels.
Their tales of Sleipnir-like creatures called ‘horses’ had been unbearably strange, and Cloud still couldn’t recall the subsequent revelation of a variety of horse whips without feeling distinctly warm.
The Keyblade Contingent had brought a large red trunk with them this time, Cloud recalled as he started across the landing, footfalls muffled by the carpet. He’d gotten only a vague glimpse of the thing as they’d dragged it upstairs into their room three days ago, giggling mischievously all the while. Or rather, Kairi and Sora had been giggling - the day he caught Riku giggling was the day Cloud shaved his head and joined a monastery in the Land of Dragons - which had been more than enough to convince him that whatever was in there was either very embarrassing, very personal or disturbing enough to give him nightmares for the next fortnight. None of which were entirely unusual occurrences around here, but Cloud wasn’t in any particular hurry to find out, thank you very much.
Sora, Riku and Kairi’s room was at the end of the hall and Cloud could hear them inside as he approached, the vague murmur of sound drifting through the mostly closed door coalescing into words as he came closer.
“But why not?” Sora was asking, sounding distinctly put out. “You’ve had a turn and Riku’s had two - why don’t I get one?”
A patient sigh from Kairi. “We’ve talked about this Sora,” she told him. “You can’t be the dominatrix because you never stay in character.”
Cloud froze in the middle of lifting his hand to knock, brain stripping gears as he tried furiously not to think of the implications to that.
Of course, Riku chose that moment to throw in his own two cents. “Maybe this time we should try the empress with her harem boys, eh Kairi?” he suggested. “At least the costumes are nice.” A rustle of fabric, the sound of someone sliding across the bed and Riku’s voice, rough and warm, drifted through the door. “How about it Sora? Would you rather be a harem boy instead?”
Very calmly, Cloud lowered his hand. Then he used his not inconsiderable skill to sneak back down the stairs the way he’d come, figuring Aeris could decide on dinner on her own.
There were some things he just did not want to know.
~owari