Show Me Love

Chapter 1: Random acts of Mindlessness


Leon slammed the lid of his laptop shut, nothing was working tonight. Prying his glasses off his face he set them on top and rubbed his tried, grey eyes. He pushed himself away from the desk and reached out to grab the bottle of Cutty Sark and a glass from atop the cupboard. Pouring himself a large measure he downed it in one, before getting up, the bottle and glass still in his hands, and making his way into the lounge.

He sat in the darkness, the only light filtering in from the moon and stars, through the window of his lavish, top floor apartment. Closing his eyes the brunet sank into the plush, brown leather chair, head tilted back, absently rubbing the bridge of his nose.

He ran the last sentence through his head over and over, trying to get just a little further, but soon giving up. Instead, he opened his eyes and wearily glanced at the glowing numerals of the DVD player. A little after midnight. Leon slowly got up and slid on his fur trimmed leather jacket, then headed out the door, deciding that a walk might be just what he needed.


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Across town, in a cluttered studio apartment, a young blond was sat staring blankly at the canvas before him. He turned his gaze to the brushes and tubes of paint before him, then turned away. He didn’t see the point in trying to paint. He’d given up after everything began to turn out the same way. Everything looked unfinished somehow. There was just something missing from all of them.

Cloud sighed. He ran a hand through his already dishevelled hair and turned away. Deciding he just couldn’t face things right now, he got to his feet and left his make shift studio. As he washed his hands he decided that he’d go for a drink, he just needed to get out of the apartment. Away from the suffocating smells of paint and turps and the knowledge that if he didn’t paint something he could show, and someone would buy soon he wouldn’t be able to eat. Cloud shrugged on a light jacket and grabbed the keys to his bike, in the mood for speed and danger.

The Seventh Heaven was a small, dimly lit but clean bar owned by his long time friend Tifa Lockheart. Hence, no sooner had he sat at the bar than she had slid his usual in front of him.

“A little late for you isn’t it?” She asked with a friendly smile.

Indeed, the bar was nearly empty. Just the last few stragglers left, though Cloud knew that the bar would still remain open for another few hours yet.

“You’re going to wear yourself out.” She warned when he didn’t answer.

“I can’t help it Teef.” Cloud sighed, “I just can’t paint and when I do nothing turns out right.” He muttered. Nothing since he died, he added silently to himself. “If I don’t paint something soon...” he trailed off.

Tifa looked at him with sympathy in her eyes. Cloud hadn’t been the same since Zack, his boyfriend, had died. A traffic accident, a car had collided with the motorbike he was riding. Cloud had practically locked himself away from the world for a good month or so. Eventually she had gone to see him, banging on the door until he let her in. The figure who had answered had been unrecognisable. The blond had been thin and gaunt, painfully apparent that he hadn’t eaten properly in weeks. The apartment itself looked untouched since the funeral.

That had been almost two years ago now, but Cloud had never really recovered. Tifa wondered if he ever would as she refilled his glass. He’d been full of such promise, having graduated from one of the top art schools and won several prestigious awards. Yet, after Zack had died he seemed to have given up. Unable to paint, he’d shown a few paintings at small galleries, where people had owed him favours, but none of them sold. He’d stopped painting after that.

“Zack wouldn’t have wanted you to morn him like this, Cloud.” Tifa began gently, “He would have wanted you to go on with your life, live it to the fullest and chase your dreams.” She gently laid her hand on his own, offering him what little comfort she could.

She moved away from him as another customer entered the bar and took a seat on the stool next to his. Cloud didn’t bother to look at him at all, though he felt piercing eyes on him.

“What will it be?” Tifa asked, regarding the newcomer.

“Scotch, neat.” The brunet answered, grey eyes appraising the bar. He wasn’t sure what had attracted him to this place, but he had been walking past and not having noticed it before had decided to see what it was like. Besides he had been in need of a drink and it was getting rather cold outside.

Leon muttered his thanks as the bar tender set the glass in front of him and then proceeded to begin cleaning glasses, rather than talk to the blond sat beside him. Obviously he must have interrupted something private between the two. His mind turned the idea over and over for a few moments, before inspiration hit.

His fingers itched as he fished a small notebook from inside his pocket. He knew it was pointless because as soon as he sat before his laptop he knew he would once more be unable to write a thing. Everything that he put onto paper sounded so pathetic, it lacked passion and emotion. His characters were hollow and unbelievable. Still he had to try, he wouldn’t give up. He wouldn’t let himself.

He glanced up from fishing in his pockets, unable to find a pen, only to be greeted by the fact that the bartender had completely disappeared. He looked first to his left, then his right. The only person still at the bar, other than himself was the blond sat beside him.

“Excuse me, but you wouldn’t happen to have a pen, would you?” Leon asked politely.

The stranger looked up from his own drinks and checked both his outer pockets, one of his inner pockets and then the other before coming up with a pencil. He turned and offered the rather gnarled looking, paint covered item to the other man.

Leon reached out to take it from the blond but found himself pausing, the man before him oddly captivating. His frame was lithe and he wasn’t very well built, with just a hint of muscle beneath his jacket. His blond hair was dishevelled, shinning where the light caught it. Examining his face more closely, Leon noticed that there was delicateness to the other’s features, making him look almost beautiful, angelic. Only the image lost its power when he noticed how lifeless his blue eyes were, the tired circles around them.

The blond waved the pencil at him, Leon hadn’t realised he was starring till that moment. He accepted the object and turned away.

Cloud patiently waited for the brunet to finish with the pencil, his eyes never leaving the other man’s slightly hunched form as he scribbled, still feeling a little on edge that the brunet had spent quite that amount of time starring at him.


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Finally, after snapping his book closed and tucking it back into one of his inner jacket pockets, the stranger handed Cloud back his pencil.

“Thank you.” The brunet, who now Cloud looked more closely had a scar running diagonally, from left to right, forehead to just below his eye, said.

Cloud simply nodded slightly and took the pencil back, tucking it into his pocket. Exchange over they both turned back to their drinks.

Eventually, closing time rolled around and Cloud hadn’t touched his drink since they’d spoken.

“Here. Keep the change.” Leon told Tifa, little hint of emotion in his voice, sliding more than the required amount of munny across the counter, along with his bill.

“Thanks.” Tifa smiled.

Leon nodded and got up as Cloud began to count out the munny for his bill, but Tifa reached out to stop him.

“Don’t worry, it’s on the house.” Tifa smiled kindly, “Cloud.” She warned, when she saw the protest written on his face, before he could open his mouth.

“You’re too good to me.” Cloud sighed, knowing better than to argue with Tifa.

“I don’t do it for just anyone.” She laughed, brushing off his comment.

“Thanks Teef.” Cloud replied, returning her smile, “Good night.”

“Good night, Cloud. Take care of yourself and remember you’re welcome here anytime.”

Cloud held up his hand in way of a goodbye, before leaving.

His smile disappeared as he walked out into a new day, without sparing a thought for the man who had been sat next to him.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters.  Square Enix does.