Thanks to Koorino Megumi for beta reading this!

Characters belong to Square-Enix and Disney.

Sora plus ninety-nine puppies equals chaos.

Tummy Rubs

"Is something wrong?"

Donald and Goofy turned to see Yuffie approaching them from the Second District doorway.

"We're lookin' for Sora," Goofy replied. "He was with us at the café and then alluva sudden he was gone."

"He should know not to wander off!" Donald huffed, folding his feathery arms and looking mightily unimpressed.

"Oh, don't worry guys. I saw him heading to the Dalmatian's place. Leon's there too." Yuffie stretched her arms over her head. "Hm, guess I should get something to eat too." She ran a finger under her nose. "I'd love to go with you, but those puppies are crazy…" And off she went to the café.

"She's right," Donald said as he pushed the Second District's door open. "Those puppies are crazy..." He trailed off thoughtfully, silent for a few moments. "Ninety-nine hyper puppies… Maybe Huey, Dewey and Louie aren't so bad."

"Kinda makes y'wonder how Pongo and Perdita cope," Goofy commented.

The pair discussed the marvel of parenting ninety-nine puppies as they strolled to the house. As they got closer, the sounds of excited yapping grew louder. Donald and Goofy glanced at each other. What was going on in there?

They pushed the doors open and stepped through into a sea of spots. Donald and Goofy clung to each other so they took up less space, not wanting to step on any of the puppies that had carpeted the floor.

"Hey guys!" Sora's cheery voice greeted from the other side of the room. The boy was just visible below the polka-dotted crowd. "Sorry I ran off without telling you but I remembered that Leon had asked me to come and…"

"Leon did?" Goofy asked, picking Donald up and lifting him above the puppies who were sniffing at the wizard's webbed feet.

"Yeah! Leon's right…"

"PUT ME DOWN GOOFY! PUT ME DOWN!"

"Gwarsh Donald, I didn't want you to get…"

"DOWN! DOWN NOW!"

Goofy promptly dropped Donald, who disappeared beneath a pile of puppies.

"Goofy." Donald's tone threatened a Thundaga spell.

"Gee Sora, why don't me an' Donald meet you back at the Small House later huh? Cya!" And Goofy once again grabbed Donald and dashed out the Dalmatian's home.

Seconds later came the sound of poor Goofy receiving a bolt of lightning.

Sora grinned at Leon, who just about barely gave the teeniest smile known to humankind. "They're cute huh?"

"…Yeah."

Sora had a puppy in his lap, the tiny Dalmatian the picture of joy as the boy stroked her belly. Her back legs kicked out and she was licking Sora's hand when it was close enough. Sora laughed, his other hand lifting a male puppy onto his lap and giving it the same treatment. All the puppies were lining up for their belly-rub. It was their favourite treat. Sora was glad Leon was there to help him out, the tall man surprisingly gentle even if his expression was as grimly unimpressed as usual.

Sora looked down and saw that the puppies he'd been stroking were now sleeping. Placing them to one side (the side where Sora was piling all the puppies who had nodded off after their belly rub), Sora picked up another pair. "Heya!" he greeted the pair, both of who were jumping up and spinning around, their tiny paws batting at Sora's hands. He kept his fingers dancing, the puppies barking excitedly as they jumped and tried to grab on. Sora laughed. "Okay, okay, I know why you're here. Roll over!"

The puppies obeyed and Sora once again began stroking bellies. He glanced over at Leon. The man placed two puppies on each of his shoulders before resuming stroking with another set. Leon wasted no time with games. The puppies clambered up onto his legs, saw his expression and promptly rolled over. Leon began the belly rubs, the puppies letting out yips and squeals of satisfaction.

"You're better at this than me," Sora commented. "They like you. Not that they don't like me," because Sora was certainly covered in his fair share of belly-rub demanding puppies, "but they definitely like you."

"Mm."

Sora picked up a new pair of puppies, the pair even bouncier than Sora's previous two who were now in Sora's 'mellow but awake' pile. "Awww!" He gushed at the new puppies. The two were getting a little rambunctious, chewing on Sora's fingers and shaking his hand and arm. "Aren't you guys here for your belly rub? Huh?" The pair started tackling each other to get to their treat first. "Hey, hey, hey!" Sora pulled the male pair apart, holding them up by the scruff of the neck. "No fighting otherwise you'll have to wait longer, okay?" He put the pair back on his lap and they rolled over. "Brothers aren't supposed to fight," Sora advised as he tickled their tummies. "You have to look out for each other."

Leon didn't comment on the look that briefly marred Sora's cheerful expression. Instead he said, "You did well to bring them all home."

Sora grinned. "Getting them onboard the ship was a challenge."

"I can imagine."

Sora put the still-playful brothers to one side and lifted a pair of girls. He tickled both under the chins. "I wish I could take some home with me. Mom would love them."

"They get bigger."

"Well I know that!" Sora nodded towards Pongo and Perdita who were watching their puppies in amusement. "But it's not like I can split up a family." The look was there again. "And I don't know when…" he trailed off. "Well, you two are much better behaved than your brothers! You know girlies, I'm glad belly rubs are your favourite thing and not walks 'cause I don't think I could walk all of you. I reckon you'd all run away and rip my arms off! So, 'cause I need my arms, I'm not gonna walk you."

"Sora."

"Yeah?"

Leon said nothing. Puppies were leaping on top of one another to reach his lap. He was concentrating too much to notice.

"Uh…Leon?" Sora asked as he so often did.

Silence. Sora pouted. What was it with Leon and long pauses? Did it really take him that long to think of things to say? And Sora didn't call out again, worrying that if he did he'd annoy Leon into yelling at him. A yelling Leon would definitely be scarier than the usually grim, brooding Leon.

The man stood up, the puppies falling away and rolling around. Leon had his back to Sora and a hand held to his head. "You should stay here and… play with the puppies."

Sora's eyes went wide. Had Leon really just…

"Did you just say play?"

Leon silently exited the house.

Sora looked at the puppies. They all looked at him, tongues lolling and heads cocked to one side. "You heard it too right?"

There was a brief moment of silence. Sora could sense what was coming. A short, nervous stutter of laughter broke out of him, his hands coming up as if to ward off a swarm of Heartless. "Two at a…aaaaaaah!"

Poor Sora. Even Leon felt a stirring of pity as he stood outside with Donald, Goofy and Yuffie, listening to the barking, laughing and the more frequent pleas of "Sit!" and "Lay down!" that went ignored.

"Shouldn't we go in there and save him?" Yuffie asked.

"They're puppies," Leon replied.

"Yeah but… it's not like there's only one or two in there…"

Leon shrugged. "The kid should play."

Yuffie burst into sniggers.

Goofy couldn't quite believe his ears.

Donald was looking up at Leon in wonder.

And the puppies continued to bark, jumping all over their squishy friend Sora. They weren't letting him leave until belly rubs were had by all.

The End.