Work Text:
Same shit, different day.
Cloud tugged down the Garage door and locked it with a barely repressed yawn, “I’m home,” he mumbled as he shouldered open the door to the hallway. Fenrir securely locked up for the afternoon … damn he hated early mornings, Cid was a slavedriver when he wanted to be.
He pulled off his boots and threw his scarf over the nearest surface, his gloves vanished into pockets, and finally he shrugged his coat from his shoulders.
As soon as he hung up his coat warm arms encircled him from behind, Leon warming him from the chill of the ride. A soft cheek rested against his own, “Welcome home,” those large hands moved to his bare arms and rubbed up and down.
The temperature difference between their skin was enough to bring tingles through Cloud’s body, and hair stood on end.
Cloud leaned back against him, and into the forehead resting on his shoulder, “Hey …” he sighed.
“How was it?”
“Abysmal.”
Leon kissed his shoulder.
The TV buzzed with animated voices and bright colours, noise and light trickling under the door and through the kitchen. Cleanliness wafted from the floors, exuded by a shine of dedicated polishing, it tickled Cloud’s nose, but something more appealing perfumed over the scent of recent mopping; A scent of gravy and roasted potatoes, a carnal, satisfying smell that had Cloud’s stomach growling in want.
“Is that Shepards Pie?”
His husband smiled against his shoulder, they had not yet moved, one too tired and the other too content to stand and share warmth.
Thankfully, Leon seemed to sense his short edge, because Leon didn’t tease him. Instead, he slowed his warming hands and planted a final kiss to Cloud’s neck. “There’s coffee in the pot, and Aerith’s pie on the table, all yours” Leon took Cloud’s hand and brought his weary self to the kitchen.
“Hmm, amazing,” Cloud moaned in gratitude, sliding into his seat and instantly finding the knife and fork to begin his feast.
In his peripheral vision, he saw Leon moving about, finishing the task that Cloud’s homecoming had interrupted. Long strides taking him from one end of the room to the other, gentle chinks of china and rasps of cutlery held in a fist.
As always, Aerith’s cooking was glorious, rich and meaty, with a side of roasted potatoes and steamed vegetables that Cloud suspected Leon put on his plate; always insisting that they should be the good example to their young son. Even if their happy child was too small yet to take notice of what their Daddies ate. But, Cloud would do anything for Denzel, including taking his fair share of brussel sprouts. Yuck.
Swiftly warming from the inside, and easing the weariness from his senses, Cloud watched as Leon went about the kitchen, clearing the remains of two other dishes. “Denzel likes Aerith’s pies too, no surprise,” the brunet chuckled, pushing his hair from his eyes as it slipped out of the rubber tie.
Rushing water in the sink accompanied Cloud’s laugh, he swallowed his latest bite and said; “Was that ever in any doubt? Who doesn’t like her cooking, if she wasn’t so dedicated to Cid’s shop like us she’d make a fortune in a bakery, or restaurant or something.” An involuntary shudder chased the final grasps of cold from Cloud’s body, and heat radiated from his stomach as he satisfied his hunger.
Leon stacked the used plates, “Na, too big a job for her, she’d love a cafe though. She’d be able to fill it with her flowerpots, and Zack could put his unread-book-collection in there too.”
“You’ve been thinking about this a lot,” Cloud remarked, Leon was always picking up projects, “You going to suggest this to them? Be a partner?”
“Ha, already have, but you know them; too loyal to Cid to strike out on their own and leave him two staff down.” Leon took the seat next to Cloud after checking the living room with the TV. His soft expression told Cloud that Denzel was napping before Leon could say it out loud.
Cloud gently covered Leon’s hand, eating one handed with his fork, “What did you do to tire him out? He’s usually making himself at home on my lap, stealing my dinner,” he ran his thumb over Leon’s knuckles, waiting for the report of the day. The little moments he’d been forced to miss to support his family.
That hand twisted to catch his fingers, interlocking them lightly, Leon raising his hand to kiss, “He did that to himself, singing along to the TV.”
The blond hesitated taking a sip of coffee, his cup inches from his mouth that turned up into a grin, “Aww, really?”
Leon nodded, reaching into his pocket for his phone, “See for yourself.”
“You got it on video?” Cloud gasped, almost snatching the phone from Leon’s hands.
Cloud’s heart ached as he watched their young boy on the screen, staring at the TV open mouthed then shrieking at random whenever the Characters on the screen struck up the music. Denzel’s gaping mouth looking so silly, then suddenly bellowing notes of glee!
Tiny fists flung a starry blanket around in his lap, he never let go but his arms just moved widely with little control and overflowing excitement!
Cloud saw Leon steal his coffee mug, but he couldn’t take his eyes off of this perfect moment. His expression softened when their baby boy caught sight of the phone and reaching up towards the screen, gurgling needy noises; wanting to be held.
“Aww …”
“We had a sing along after that,” Leon set down his stolen coffee mug as Cloud replayed it again, leaning forward over the small screen like he could fall in.
Smiling, Cloud abandoned half his meal to stand and take his husbands hands, “Show me,” he tugged his husband to his feet and lead him into the living room, “Come on-”
Leon pulled Cloud back to his chest and squeezed, “He’s asleep-”
Denzel gurgled from his mound of pillows before the TV.
“You were saying,” Cloud chuckled, kneeling before his baby boy, “Hey Denzel, have you been good for Daddy?” he took the baby’s reaching hands into his own, Denzel gripping as hard as he could and squirming in his pillow-nest.
Cloud leaned down and gently rubbed noses, causing Denzel to go cross eyed, “Have you?”
“He has,” Leon lowered himself to the pillows too and laid on one side of Denzel’s nest, “Been really quiet, unless he’s singing, right sweetheart?” his hand rested on Denzel’s stomach and gently rubbed his thumb back and forth over his fast little heartbeat.
As Cloud pulled back, Denzel brought one of his much bigger hands to his mouth to gum on his knuckles, “Quite the singer now, aren’t you. Finally letting things out of your mouth, and not just shoving things into it to ‘nom nom’ on,” he teased. One finger tucking under Denze’s chin and lightly tickling, “Yeah?”
Denzel giggled, his laughter joining Leon’s chuckles. Cloud well aware that his husband found endless amusement in his ‘baby talk voice’. Catching Leon’s handsome smile, Cloud tugged his finger free and started to hum a familiar tune.
Silvery eyes softened at the nostalgic melody.
Leon’s hand stroked up and down Cloud’s back as the blond coaxed Denzel into singing along too. The touch of his husband vanished though, but Cloud only smiled; Leon had his phone trained on them, recording a new moment.
Denzel's soft coos and babbles of nonsensical chatter were drawing smiles from Cloud’s face. No melody, no tune at all for Denzel, just his strong desire to join in.
Cloud recalled singing him lullabies when he was first brought home, he recalled how wide eyed his tiny son would be as Cloud cooed all the nursery rhymes he knew to beckon sleep into his child’s eyes. His boy would watch silently, absently sucking on a pacifier and nuzzling into Cloud’s chest, slowly, gently blinking himself to sleep to his Papa’s songs … to his voice.
Leon had a recording of that moment too, Cloud’s heart ached fiercely. It hurt so tenderly his song cut off as his vocal cords constricted, he blinked a tear away.
Denzel clapped his hands with a loud “Ba!”
Cloud laughed, all aching gone. He drew his happy child into his arms and pressed a kiss to his cheek, “Aww, you’re so good,” he praised.
“Watch out for- oh too late,” Leon laughed, leaning on one hand as Denzel worked his hands deep into Cloud’s locks and held tightly, giving Cloud’s scalp a strong yank! There was a soft beep that signalled Leon ending the recording, setting his phone aside to help.
Cloud winced but put up with it, “Hmm, caught,” he deadpanned. “But close enough for this,” he kissed Denzel again, following Leon’s tug down to lay across his husband’s chest- Leon gently working Denzel’s fists loose from Cloud’s hair, replacing the handholds with corners of his blanket; the less painful option.
Denzel didn’t mind the blanket replacement, and kept chattering against Cloud’s chest, staring up at his parents with big eyes, arms and legs kicking now and then for more emphasis during his one-sided conversation.
Cloud listened contently, smiling as Leon stroked his sore scalp and petted the arm holding Denzel to their hearts.
What a lovely day ...