Yazoo

The sun's rays were hot today, miserable. Even my loose white cotton shirt wasn't protecting me from the heat. I sighed, placing my book on the table beside the bed. The fan overhead seemed to blow out more humid air than what was on the outside of this desert that my brother's and I call home. Kadaj and Loz were in the home doing what? Gaia knows. I wiped the sweat from my face; it was Tifa's idea that we lived in this home after Leonard had the divorce with Graceona. I however, didn't think we should have left the dark mage alone, after four years of dating the woman and married four years, it had come as a shock to all of us when Leonard had announced that he and Grace where getting the divorce. He had gotten Kourtney and after that ruling; I don't think he was too upset about anything else. The marriage ended on good terms. The two stated the spark had been gone for a while. But the two remain good friends, Graceona as the leading Turk, over TSUNG, and Leonard taking the position of General. Things for the two of them couldn't have worked out better.

I stood up from the bed going to the closet. Every article of clothing I owned was the sun's worst enemy, black. I took my shirt off as my door opened. "Yo, Zoo. Leonard is downstairs. Get your stuff, we're moving back in with him."

I glared at Loz. "Haven't you heard of knocking?"

"I have, but it's you, so I didn't see the need to. Let's get going." He shut the door as I pulled the suitcase from the closet and began packing what I had. After five minutes of fighting with clothes and limited space, my door opened once again. "Loz, start knocking!"

The voice I heard from the door caused me to look backward. "Calm down, we're both men and dressed."

"Leonard, sorry. Loz has a habit of walking into my room without knocking. How have you been?"

I looked at the older man who was leaning against the door frame. "I can't complain, we're ready to leave when you are. Try to hurry, Kourtney is with Vincent. He agreed to keep her while the three of you got moved back in." He looked around the home with a sigh, shaking his head. "Why Tifa got you three to move here, is beyond me. I know she means well, but it was rather uncalled for. I could have used your company, it's been brutal for me when Kourtney goes to bed."

"Everything alright?"

He looked at the ground. "Yeah, sure."

He walked from the room, closing the door behind him. I gathered my suitcase, grabbing my book from the table, following him. "I knew we shouldn't have left you alone. What went on with you during your month alone?"

He sighed. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Are you sure? I'm here if you need to."

"I told you I didn't want to talk about it. I'll talk about it when I'm ready. Just let it go." He glared over his shoulder at me, then looked away, placing his hands in his pockets with a sigh, "Sorry." He sighed, looking at the ground, walking away from me. I picked up my pace.

"Was it Sephiroth?"

"No."

I grew silent seeing the bandage peeking up from under his glove, and traces of healed scars showing from his shirt sleeve. "Leonard, look if you need to talk, just know I'm here."

He said nothing as we got to Kadaj and Loz. "You three ready to go back home?"

"Yeah." Kadaj and Loz said in unison.

"Let's go home. You look like you can use a meal." I looked at the older man in front of us as he pulled his glove up further.

"I'm not hungry. Kourtney may be when she comes home. I've eaten a little here and there today. I'm just tired."

Kadaj grabbed Leonard by the injured wrist, removing his glove. The older man flinched in pain, jerking loose from Kadaj's grip. "What is this, Leonard?" Kadaj demanded.

I looked at him; he looked at me, biting his lower lip, looking away. "I don't want to talk about it, let's go." Leonard grabbed his glove from Kadaj's grip, putting it back on.

"We're not going anywhere until you do some explaining." I demanded, looking at Leonard, who glared at me.

"Suit yourselves." He opened the door. I placed a hand on his shoulder, pulling him onto the table. He continued to glare at me. "What, Yazoo? What is that you want me to say?" He clenched his fists, pushing me away, standing to his feet. "It was a night of weakness. Can we just leave."

His glare turned icy as he rested his hand on his weapon, a trembling hand. "Let it go, Yazoo." Kadaj said with a sigh.

I looked at Leonard's glare and sighed. "Fine."

The four of us left the home. The walk home was silent once we arrived home, Leonard left us alone. I unpacked my suitcase, placing it in the closet. The sound of Tifa's voice downstairs talking to Leonard brought my attention to the conversation between the two.

Leonard

I sat on the couch looking at Tifa, who sat beside me; she unwrapped my bandages, sadness hovered over the room. "Leonard, you need to stop. You got what you wanted, you got Kourtney, why do you continue to hurt yourself like this?" I looked at her with a sigh. "If you keep doing this, you're going to lose Kourtney."

"Save me the lecture Tifa, don't you think I don't know that? I hear it enough from Yuffie, don't you start." I sighed. "I know I let my family down. Must you be the one to remind me?"

She looked at me. "Nothing that happened is your fault. You and Grace fell in love. You had wonderful memories, remember there are those who care about you, Leo."

I looked at her standing on my feet. "What this love triangle between you, me, and Cloud. I don't need that right now. You know how I feel about you. That will never change, but I don't need this right now. I got to go get my child, stay as long as you like." I looked at her with a sigh. "Kourtney and I will be at the bar later. I hope to see you then. Goodbye Tifa." I walked from the home.

Yazoo

I heard a movement in the hallway, opening the door, seeing Kadaj, who was standing outside my door. I looked at him. "He's not well."

I looked at him as he shook his head. "No, he's not. He's never lashed out at Tifa before, he's never lashed out at any of us. I'm worried about him."

"You got any plans on how to fix this."

He looked at me, shaking his head. "No, I can't plan if I don't know the problem. I think that month that we left him alone, something happened though I don't know what. And we're going to understand it at all costs, no matter what we have to do. No matter how many brawls the four of us have, we will know the secret he's hiding."

I looked at him. "What if we've already lost him?"

I saw a tearful Loz, behind Kadaj I then looked at Kadaj. "He's still around, Loz, you and Yazoo. Go find him, stay with him. We will not be leaving him alone."

Loz looked at him. "What are you going to do?"

Kadaj looked at him. "I'm going to get this mess sorted out. Go."

We looked at him running from the house.