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“But you said not everyone has secret siblings!” Xion was still complaining and giving Cloud a headache while he was trying to get dinner together.
“Not everyone does, baby.” Leon chuckled softly but there were the faintest traces of strain in his tone. “This is just as big a surprise to us as it is to you.”
“Maybe we have a secret twin too.” Sora shared a look with Roxas.
Roxas seemed to give it some thought. “Wouldn’t that make us triplets? Three feels like too many.”
Vanitas snorted. “That would depend on if they were more like you or more like Sora.
Nearly everyone twitched when Sora’s voice went up an octave. “What’s that supposed to mean?!”
“It means you’re loud.” Vanitas wrinkled his nose and fought the urge to rub at his ears.
“Shut up, Vani.” Sora pouted.
“You don’t need a triplet.” Xion said. “You already have a twin. I don’t have mine yet!”
“They don’t grow on trees.” Riku commented.
“What determines if babies come in ones, twos, or threes?” Reiku asked and both Cloud and Leon fought a wince. They wanted to avoid that conversation as long as possible.
“It comes from the mom or something.” Roxas said as if that made perfect sense. “They decide.”
Ventus ruffled his hair. “I don’t think it works like that.”
Roxas turned to Ventus with wide eyes, “How does it work then?”
“Se-”
Ventus kicked Vanitas in the shin before he could get the word out. “It’s for grown ups.” Ventus said, daring his twin to argue. Vanitas just shrugged and as relieved as Cloud and Leon were, they were worried–not for the first time–about how much their oldest twins had already been exposed to.
“It can’t be the mom.” Sora said sagely, “Or everyone would have a twin.”
“Everyone does.” Xion pointed, looking around at all of her siblings. She was not only the lone daughter but the only child without a twin.
Leon heaved a sigh. “Go get dressed for dinner.”
“Why?” Sora asked.
“We are dressed.” Roxas said right after.
“Because your new uncle Prompto is coming for dinner, remember?” Leon said and resisted the urge to shake his head when at least half of his children made noises that said they had forgotten. “And you aren’t dressed, you’re in your underwear, it is not fit for company.”
“I thought family wasn’t like company.” Riku said.
“Yeah, we don’t get dolled up when pops and Valentine come over.” Vanitas said.
Cloud snorted, eating a small bag of snack chips that were for the kids' lunches. “Pops and Valentine know you. This is the first time Prompto is coming over so a good impression would be nice.”
Ventus looked fairly concerned. “Like…like ‘Christmas clothes’ nice?”
“You don’t have to go that far.” Leon said, “But pants would be a good start. I’m looking at you Sora and Roxas.”
“Why do i gotta conform to the social norm?” Roxas pouted. “I’m inside my house.”
Leon paused, his eyes actually narrowing at the child before he turned to look back at his husband.
“Don’t even look at me.” Cloud said, “You taught them fancy language and to be assertive.”
Reiku laughed softly, hugging a book to his chest as he looked at Roxas and Sora. “C’mon, it’s just for dinner. I’d like it if Uncle Prompto liked us.”
Sora looked horrified. “He might not like us?”
“Well, that’s what a first impression is, right?” Riku added. “Meeting someone for the first time?”
“But we met him at papa’s studio this afternoon.” Xion said.
“I guess it’s different when it’s at the house.” Reiku commented.
“Ugh,” Vanitas made a face. “Social norm is right. Regular house rules are dumb.”
“Vani.” Ventus sighed, giving his brother a look.
Vanitas just shrugged. “They are.”
Leon clapped twice. “Clothes. Now. Wash your hands, wash your faces. Do those last two things before you get dressed so your clothes don’t get wet. Again, Sora and Roxas, i’m looking at you.”
“Where are we going to sit?” Roxas asked. “Are they’re more chairs for more people?”
“I’m sorry, are all of you still here and still half naked?” Leon’s brows rose. He just pointed down the hall for them to start moving and they did, eventually, one at a time.
“Is this like a tea party?” Xion was asking.
“You’ll need a hat.” Sora commented.
Leon was shaking his head and turned back to Cloud who had just been leaning against the counter with his chips the entire time. “I miss the days when at their most annoying it was because they’d been asking for snacks non stop and upon getting it they’d immediately spill it onto the carpet and we couldn’t let them eat it because we’re terrible house keepers that don’t vacuum.”
Cloud snorted. “Yeah, that’s the truth. You gotta relax, Lion. You’re more stressed out about this dinner than i am.”
“Shut up.” Leon said, snatching the bag of chips from his hands. “I don’t wanna hear that from the one stress eating. Is dinner nearly done?”
“Sauce is.” Cloud nodded towards the pan being kept warm. “I’ll throw the pasta in a little later and Rei and Vanitas wanted to make garlic bread.”
“Sounds good.” Leon said, exhausted for a weekend evening. The sudden plan of inviting Prompto and Noctis over had been a good one but it hadn’t given them much time to prepare mentally. “What’s the kid like?”
“Dunno to be honest. He was terrified of me. That i hated him or something. He was scared stiff just meeting me. Had Noctis not been with him i don’t think he’d have made it.”
“And Noctis turned out to be Zack’s younger brother, right?”
“Right.”
Leon just looked at Cloud a beat longer. “What are the odds of that?”
“Evidently extremely good.” Cloud shrugged.
“Still weird.” Leon grunted. “Did you tell Cid and Vincent?”
“Not yet. Though if what the kid said was true, Vincent already knows. The sneak.” Cloud said. It was annoying but he couldn’t find it in him to be mad about it. When he’d been a teenager he’d been angry and it didn’t take much to annoy the hell out of him. Vincent had likely just been protecting him.
“I wouldn’t be surprised.” Leon said, also choosing to not be upset over it because Cloud wasn’t. He grabbed a bottle of liquor off the top of the fridge and took a hit before handing it to Cloud to do the same. They didn’t bother with the shot glasses anymore. There was no time with so many kids.
It was put back in time as Vanitas came back in. “Garlic bread, right?”
“Right. You and Rei.” Cloud nodded.
“Good.” Vanitas said as if Reiku were the best garlic bread making partner to have.
“Are your brothers getting dressed?” Leon asked.
“Dunno.” Vanitas said honestly, pulling out the baguettes.
Leon heaved a sigh that only another parent could identify and wandered down the hall to no doubt repeat himself again.
Cloud just smiled and picked up the small bag of chips previously taken from him.
“Papa, is this a good thing?” Vanitas asked and for the first time that day, Cloud could see traces of worry peeking out in his expression.
“Is what a good thing?”
“You having a new brother all of a sudden.”
Cloud thought about it a moment and shrugged. “Well, it’s not a bad thing.” Vanitas saw more than most, and he understood just how complicated family could be. Since he still went to therapy weekly, he was learning just how broad that every subject could be.
“But you don’t like your dad.” Vanitas said softly.
“I don’t, but…” Cloud hesitated. “You need to understand that the ways my dad hurt me weren't physical. It was neglect and abandonment. He never actually wounded me.”
“Not all wounds are physical.” Vanitas said in a voice that said he was parroting his doctor.
Cloud tossed the empty chip bag and nodded. “You’re right. Leaving the way he did hurt me, and i don’t know if i’ll ever forgive him for it, but that’s not Prompto’s fault, you know?”
“It’s not?”
“Nope. It would be like… if you did something bad and i blamed Xion. Why? It had nothing to do with her.” Cloud explained. “That’s how i feel about this. I don’t know if i’ll ever want to even look at my dad again, but that’s not Prompto’s fault. He was a very different man in Prompto’s life than in mine and i won’t take that from him.”
“Can people change like that?” Vanitas asked, looking skeptical.
“Sometimes, they can. Yeah.” Cloud smiled a little. “You ask good questions.”
Heat filled Vanitas’ face. “I like to understand things.”
“I know, that’s why i tried to answer as honestly as i could.” Cloud mused, looking up when there was a knock at the door.
“I’ll get it!” Sora announced, somehow teleporting into the hall from wherever he was.
“For the millionth time. No!” Cloud followed him. “Let me see who’s at the door before you invite in a monster.”
“I wouldn’t let a monster in, papa.” Sora swore, swinging the door open. “Hi new uncle!”
Prompto looked as pale and as nervous as he had that afternoon. He had a small container in his hands but there was a faint shake to his limbs.
“Hello.” Prompto said kindly, but in that awkward tone that said he was still getting used to kids.
“Hello Prompto. Noctis.” Cloud greeted with a smile. He lifted Sora up and threw him over his shoulder, making the boy giggle as if this were a well played game. “Come in.”
Both men stepped inside and Noctis gently nudged Prompto, urging him to speak.
“Oh, ah…I, uh, thanks for inviting us.” Prompto mumbled shyly. “Um, i didn't know what your kids could have but i brought brownies.”
“I love brownie’s!” Sora informed him, still upside down.
Prompto smiled weakly. “They won’t go to waste then.”
“No!”
Cloud snorted and set Sora down on his feet. “Go make sure everyone is getting ready for dinner, okay?”
“Can i have a brownie?”
“Does it look like it’s time for dessert?” Cloud’s brows raised.
Sora stared back. “Why does dessert have to be under a time limit?”
“Gooo.” Cloud said, pointing down the hall where Sora marched off before getting in trouble. As he dashed off, Cloud nodded for Prompto and Noctis to follow him to the kitchen, finding that Vanitas had disappeared again. “Dinner’s not quite done but when you’re cooking for seven kids, it takes a little time. Hope you don’t mind.”
“No!” Prompto rushed. “Of course not.”
“Let us know if we can help with anything?” Noctis offered, a different kind of awkward.
Cloud hummed, “You a better cook than Zack?”
Noctis blinked, stalling a moment before answering but it didn’t matter anyway when Prompto just snorted. “I don’t think so, no.”
“Hey!” Noctis frowned.
“I’m just saying…” Prompto smiled, for one second that shyness disappeared when teasing Noctis.
Cloud almost would have liked to see how this kind of teasing would have played off on a normal day but for now, Noctis just pouted and shoved his shoulder against Prompto’s. Instead of whatever playful jabs they might have had, Noctis instead chose to continue his role of support friend.
“Yeah, i’m sure you were.” Noctis pouted, gesturing for Prompto to set the container of brownies down.
Prompto’s smile weakened again when turning back to Cloud, who just laughed.
“Trust me, Zack has tried to poison me more than once. Thank god Seph can cook.”
Noctis looked mildly interested. “So you know all of them?”
Cloud nodded. “I was a runner for them years ago. Became exclusive to the Firsts, and basically a member of their team for over a year.” He said it so casually, but for him it was a lifetime ago.
The way Noctis’ eyes nearly bugged out told what he thought of it and Prompto clearly didn’t understand the notion of ‘mercenaries’.
“No big deal.” Cloud finished.
“Still, who’d have thought?” Prompto added after a long moment of silence. “Noct’s brother and… mine.” he finished timidly again.
“You’d be surprised how often things like that happen to me.” Cloud said dryly. Someday he’d tell them the whole story over how he’d never planned to have seven children. Things just added up, sometimes in the best way.
“This is likely another one of those things.” Leon said, leaning against the kitchen door frame. “Caelum. Argentum.”
Neither man looked surprised, but they did appear to be fairly sheepish as both shot Cloud looks.
“You know them already?” Cloud asked, a tinge of surprise coloring his tone.
Leon nodded. “Didn’t know they were Zack’s brother or yours but they’ve both been my students.” He gave Prompto an amused smile. “But i imagine you knew who i was.”
Prompto was fidgeting, his face losing some of its color. “Yeah…”
“Honestly.” Leon shook his head, “You should have said something then. It’s been at least two or three years since then. You shouldn’t have carried this around so long.”
“Yeah…well..” Prompto faltered, and even knowing the truth it was hard to separate his teacher from his…. Brother-in-law? “It’s… a lot.”
“Yeah.” Leon agreed. “Regardless, now you know.” He turned to look at Cloud. “Ventus and Vanitas are bringing up the game table from the basement.”
“Ah, that’s a good idea.” Cloud muttered. Their regular kitchen/dining area table fit eight comfortably, and nine a tad awkwardly. Any more than that was annoying and someone, usually Cloud, ate nearby at the kitchen counter. Eleven was not going to happen, but the game table from the basement would help. It sat four adults which means almost all the kids could squish in if they actually tried.
With it sitting alongside the normal table, they’d all fit easily enough. “Is this fine, dad?” Ventus asked.
“Yep, perfect.”
Vanitas grunted once and yelled down the hallway. “Rei, hurry up!”
“Vani…” Leon winced, “Inside voices, kid.”
“Right.” Vanitas said, shrinking in on himself for just a second before brushing it off and heading to the counter. Under Cloud's watch, he preheated the oven.
“Um…” Prompto cleared his throat awkwardly. “So you have everything covered?”
Cloud chuckled. “Right. We got it. Take a seat, relax.”
Leon sat with them, hoping things would be less awkward as Reiku ran in with Shadow on his heels.
“Don’t start without me!”
“I didn’t, here.” Vanitas said, passing one of the baguettes to Reiku. There was a good couple minutes where everyone was silent, focused on the boys cooking. Garlic bread was a favorite and something they were allowed to make by themselves.
“So you’ve graduated?” Leon asked. It wasn’t surprising at all he steered the conversation back to school things.
“No..” Prompto muttered, red faced.
“This year.” Noctis said, explaining quickly. “We took a little over a year off. Did some traveling. Some sightseeing. That kind of thing.”
Leon found himself smiling. “Same majors?”
“Uh…Photography.” Prompto muttered.
“Foreign language.” Noctis added.
Leon nodded, not really caring what someone went to school for. Learning was learning in his eyes.
“So finishing this year?” Cloud asked, finally putting the noodles on to cook. He had two pots going, there were a lot of mouths to feed. “That’s a big deal.”
Prompto’s face was pink. “A little later than some but we made it.”
Cloud snorted. “No it’s good. Even better for the kids to see.”
Leon smirked back at him. “Drop out.”
“Bite me.” Cloud grinned.
“Do i have to go to school that long?” Vanitas asked.
“Yes.” Cloud and Squall spoke at the same time.
It was a strange amount of levity. Prompto knew his brother had dropped out but he hadn’t expected it to be such a touchable, spoken about topic around the kids.
“You can go to school for taking pictures?” Riku asked, leaning into the kitchen.
“Well sure, it’s an art medium.”
Riku frowned. “Medium?”
“Materials.” Leon explained. “Painting. Crayons. Markers. These are all different mediums. Photographs are their own art form.”
“Clay!” Vanitas added from across the kitchen.
“Clay.” Leon agreed.
“Oohh.” Riku nodded. “That’s cool. I like taking pictures.”
Prompto smiled faintly. “Do you like playing with a camera?”
“Camera.” Riku repeated. “Like on daddy’s phone.”
Prompto bit his lip, smiling, he couldn’t help it and Cloud ended up snickering as Leon groaned.
“God, my children don’t know what a camera is.”
“Welcome to the times.” Cloud grinned, turning back to his brother. “It’s your major so you have a portfolio right?”
“Ah.” Prompto stiffened a little again. “Well sure.”
Cloud nodded and turned back to Riku. “Maybe next time Uncle Prompto comes he’ll bring some of his work so you can see it.”
A smile appeared on Riku’s face. “Really?”
Prompto seemed stuck for a moment, searching for his voice. He was flustered, but something about knowing he had already earned his invitation back had him smiling. “Yes. I can do that for sure.”
“He’s really good.” Noctis added. “Takes portraits for people on occasion. Had a phase of animal portraits too.”
“You can do one for Shadow!” Rei said, peering around Cloud as Vanitas put the garlic bread in the oven.
The support dog they’d met that afternoon was now laying by the kitchen door to not be stepped on inside the room. She just lifted her head when she heard her name but didn’t move otherwise.
“Yes, i could.” Prompto agreed. “I’ll bring my camera too.”
With the tension momentarily broken, Leon looked at Riku. “What are your siblings doing? Tell them to come set the table for dinner.”
“They’re looking for hats.”
Leon…wondered what had become of his sanity that he didn’t have to ask why they were looking for hats. “Go ask them to hurry up, please.”
“Okay.”
Cloud had been spending most of the conversation observing Prompto. He was relaxing little by little, but the kids seemed to be a great buffer for conversation. It wasn’t hard to see, however, the longing on his face. Prompto had grown up as an only child and had obviously wanted a big family.
It wasn’t guilt that Cloud felt, because he had none over the past situation. To have Cid and Vincent in his life he’d have done it all over again, but he did feel a little bad for Prompto.
“Dinner in five.” Cloud announced, knowing it would give the kids just enough time to assign everyone’s seat as they were inclined to do when company was there.
“Are…are you sure there’s nothing we can do?” Prompto asked.
Leon shook his head with a small smile. “Nope, they do their chores or they’ll be a mob, impossible to live with.”
“We got the hats!” Sora said, walking in wearing a beach hat as he and Roxas carried in an armful. Roxas in a ball cap and Xion wearing a princess crown. They’d even shoved hats on Riku and Ventus who were agreeing to the game with an odd amount of grace for young boys.
“We have lots.” Roxas nodded. They stopped at Leon and he pulled out a black, knit hat that was actually Cloud’s and put it on. It was easier than arguing.
“Table when your done with the hats.” Leon said, getting confirmation noises from all of them.
“So..why hats?” Noctis asked as the boys stood next to Prompto. Prompto, in the spirit of good fun, pulled out an alien looking hat they’d gotten at the fair.
“It’s a party.” Sora said simply.
Reiku appeared by their side to pick a hat. “Aunt Aerith said you wear hats for tea parties.”
“Is this a tea party though?” Vanitas asked in a grumble but he could do nothing about Xion standing on her toes to put a hat on his head.
“Whatever.” Leon shrugged, having learned long ago how to pick his battles. The kids sprinted around the room, setting the table and double checking that everyone had their hats as a very loud dinner followed it. There was no time to be awkward and nervous when seven kids spent the entire dinner chattering and asking a million questions to both Prompto and Noctis. Most of them wanted Prompto to take pictures of them and they were also delighted to learn that Noctis was related to Zack.
Xion in particular liked Zack since he was one of the men that brought her to her forever home. That notion alone had Noctis keeping his usual snark about his brother in check. She’d been in the same home with Zexion and Ienzo and were happy they got a nice home too.
It was almost strange how intertwined the two families were already.
After dinner the kids each rinsed off their own plates and took off, heading down into the basement to play games until a movie was possibly voted on. Cloud and Leon often got to spend a quiet ‘after dinner’ together once the kids were done.
“Cid got the kids a foosball table and they’re obsessed.” Leon rolled his eyes, but it made Noctis and Prompto laugh.
“It’s an old favorite of ours too.” Noctis mused.
Leon snorted. “Really? You wanna see?”
“Sure.”
With an amused smile, Leon stood up. “Good then. You, come with me. You.” He pointed at Prompto. “Stay.”
“Uh..”
“Wait…”
Neither man seemed to know what to do.
“Move your ass, Caelum.” Leon said, waving Noctis on to follow him. He got up, throwing Prompto an apologetic stare as he was ushered out of the room towards the basement where all the children were already cheering through their games.
“Um…” Prompto swallowed nervously.
Cloud huffed out a laugh. “I married a tyrant, sorry about that.”
Prompto managed to smile. “I feel like i’m about to retroactively fail his class.”
“Yeah.” Cloud grinned. “I’ve heard that before. He means well.”
“Yeah?” Prompto fidgeted.
“Yeah. He wanted to give us a minute.” Cloud explained, able to spot Leon’s intentions a mile away. “The kids seem to like you.”
Prompto’s shoulders sagged. “I’m glad. Honestly, i don’t have a lot of experience with kids. I’ve been going with Noct to visit Ienzo and Zexion but other than that, i’m just kinda winging it.”
“You’d be shocked to learn how much of parenthood is winging it.” Cloud mused. “Still, people either mesh with kids or they don’t. You’ve already had a successful dinner with seven kids. It’s impressive.”
“Way different from being an only child.” Prompto mumbled, his shyness returning. “I never thought…i’d be here.”
Cloud hummed softly. “Well you’ve already had invitations back, right? Besides we’ll have to plan something else soon. Denzel and Marlene want to meet you.”
The color that had returned to Prompto’s face was draining again. “How do you think that’ll go?”
“Oh, i’m sure it’ll be fine. Denzel is excited.” Cloud said. “He’s out on a delivery this week but he’l be back in a couple days and he’ll find you if we don’t pick a day ourselves.”
Prompto was fiddling with his own glass, not knowing what else to do with his hands. “He’s not mad?”
“Not even a little.” Cloud said, wondering if Prompto really did have an anxiety disorder or if it was just this particular topic that made him nervous. “Listen, Denzel was four years old when he last saw the old man. He doesn’t remember him. It took him years before he realized what i’d done. That i’d run away with him and that we’d essentially been homeless for a couple days.”
Prompto sat silently as Cloud spoke, his lips pressed together tightly.
“I was angry, but Denzel wasn’t. He didn’t know he was Supposed to be angry.” Cloud said. “I kept that for myself and let Denzel just grow up happy. We ended up with two dads and he never realized what he was missing. He doesn’t hate you, and he doesn’t hold any ill will towards the old man. I never wanted Denzel to be angry just because i was.”
“It’s still hard to believe he doesn't have any negative feelings on it.” Prompto said.
Cloud shrugged. “If he does, he’s never shared it with me. Regardless, that has nothing to do with you. Kid, you gotta relax. If i didn’t like you, you sure as fuck wouldn’t be around my kids.”
Prompto bobbed his head into a nod. “I don’t mean to…to panic… i just… I just…”
“You just do. A few of my kids are the same. I’m just trying to figure out where yours stems from.” Cloud said, keeping his voice calm. “You said you had a happy childhood.”
“I did!” Prompto said quickly. “I don’t know where my anxiety comes from, i swear. Just sometimes… I don’t know. I get nervous. I feel like i’m not…good enough.”
“Hey…” Cloud shook his head. “That’s just the anxiety talking. I’ll tell you the same thing i tell my kids. It’s not the boss of you. The worst that can happen is a little embarrassment and then life goes on.”
“Even now…” Prompto muttered. “I feel…better? But i’m still not better.”
“And no one expects you to be so comfortable so fast. We just met this afternoon after years of build up in your head. It’s going to take time.”
He inhaled and nodded. “You’re really good at this kind of thing, huh?”
“I have two kids in therapy, one who almost died, one who occasionally doesn’t speak, and one who rarely shuts up…” Cloud smiled. “You just have to love your kid and try to do what's best for them. That means learning to understand what’s going on in their head or at the very least, accepting that you can’t always understand and love them anyway.”
Cloud could not imagine all the things Cid and Vincent had had to deal with when he was a kid. He was just a bag of traumatic treats. Loving your kid means loving those flaws too.
“You’re no different to me. Just a little brother who needs a talk and a little reassurance.”
Prompto’s face went hot but his smile widened. “I’ll get there.”
“I know you will. Seriously, don’t be a stranger. The kids will knock that anxiety right out of you.” Cloud mused. “In fact, they’ll probably be up here soon to drag you into the basement for a game too.”
“You think so?”
“Yeah, partly because they’ll realize you never came down and partly because one of them will remember there’s brownie’s up here.”
Laughter was startled out of Prompto, the words had barely left Cloud’s lips before they heard little footsteps running up the basement steps.
“Big families are nice…” Prompto commented.
“Mhmm.” Cloud said. “Now you’re part of it.”
Prompto’s jaw dropped, but he’d had no time to respond before he was abducted by three of the children, the container of brownie’s disappearing along with them.