Chapter Text
Leon excused himself to a shower, feeling rather groggy after such a dull drive. Sora got that, he wasn’t exactly feeling pristine himself.
But.
That left him with Cloud.
Sora didn’t dislike Cloud, but that doesn’t mean he was entirely content with being left alone in a room with him.
Cloud was quiet, painfully so, and it conflicted with the loudness that was Sora. That was Sora. So he supposed that’s why he quietly accepted the silent offer of tea with a whisper of thanks.
The silence wasn’t comfortable, but he couldn’t call it suffocating, and he’d rather no talk than awkward small talk. Oh boy, did Sora really hate awkward small talk.
“I think you’ll like it at the high school.” Cloud snaps Sora to attention. There it is, dreaded small talk. “My brothers go there. They love telling me about it. It’s a nice place. Different, but fun.” He smiles while saying the last part. He doesn’t look at Sora, mostly gazing into the coffee table between them.
“I’m just concerned. New place and all.” Sora responds curtly , ignoring the steady flow of memories seeping into his consciousness. He must’ve pulled a face because Cloud lets out a sigh and smiles.
“You’re a likeable kid, Sora. Don’t worry about it too much.” Sora huffs a sigh. There was no escaping the inescapable trap that was Cloud’s small talk. Besides, this was his second chance at life.
Even if it wasn’t rightfully his.
“I sure hope so. People say I talk too much. I’ve been trying not to lately, but y’know it’s in my nature.” He lets out a hollow laugh. “I-” He cut himself off, ironically finding that he was about to talk too much. Cloud lets out a soft laugh before stretching out his legs and crossing his arms across his chest looking up at Sora.
“It’s charming.”
“Not everyone agrees.” Sora quips, much harsher than intended. Cloud’s face fell into a frown. Dammit, there goes the possibility for a playful banter. Cloud goes back to examining his, apparently, intoxicating coffee table. The silence stretches on, thick with a tension he didn’t know could get worse. Sora relents, huffing. “Sorry, that was stupid of me. I’m just- worked up, I guess. Things are feeling weird.”
“Sora, listen to me. You don’t have to apologize for every little thing. It’s okay to feel shitty. It’s okay to snap at people, it’s okay to feel weird. You’re in a shit situation and no one expects you to be okay with it. We just ask you to talk to us. Anytime you need it. I just-” He pauses, breaking eye contact with Sora and taking a deep breath. "I want you to feel okay talking to Leon and me. You’re so… Quiet. And like I said before, that’s okay.” He chuckled to himself. “I’m not great at words, but listen Sora, you’re still breathing, and at the end of it all you’re going to be okay. Okay?”
The words were so sincere, and it wrecked him. He- He didn’t deserve this. After all the shit he caused, it was- fuck it was all his fault. Sora hugged the pillow sitting in his lap, lodging the knife back into his chest. His breaths grew unsteady, and he felt his wall crack and crumble, opening up the floodgates.
“I- I’m just so lost. I don’t feel real, everything about me is gone.” Sora gasps for air. “I want to relive those moments I lost and love them and appreciate them and I-” He pauses, taking in a shaking breath as his voice crescendoing. “I’m so lost. I- Why does it hurt so bad? What did I do to deserve this? Why is this so hard? Why am I so angry?!” Sora shouts the last part, now tugging at his hair trying to get a grip on his emotions as tears flow freely down his face. His breathing sped up pulling him into hyperventilation, his head spinning as he fell limbless into the arm of the couch. Cloud stood up in a panic, rushing over to Sora as he spoke in concerned mumbles. He hovered over Sora’s limp form before giving in and pulling Sora into a gentle embrace.
Sora was too far gone to process his own actions, grasping onto Cloud’s shirt, trying to return to reality. He sobbed uncontrollably, letting out pained whimpers into Cloud’s chest as he shushed him and rubbed circles into his back mumbling quiet, It’s real, you’re here, and other assurances into his mess of hair. Sora’s mind was numb, and he allowed himself to tumble into the exhaustion that his breaths forced into the forefront of his mind.
Cloud didn’t let go of him, now carding his fingers through the brunette’s hair, refusing to stop his reassurances.
The door to Cloud’s room quietly creeped open, revealing a disheveled and now clean Leon.
“Cloud…” Leon steps out of the room stepping over to the pair in a rush. Cloud sighs, running one final hand through the boy’s hair before carefully lifting him up bridal style.
“It’s been a long day, help me get him settled in.” Leon nodded in response and led the both of them to Sora’s new room.