Yami: ... OK! after having some ::ahem:: 'scuffles' with my microsoft program I realized AFTER I posted this that I no longer had my author notes or disclaimers or nothing. so. here they are. :3 This was my measly little addition to the Strifehart Kink Meme. if you haven't checked it out then do so now!!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own (sadly enough) Kingdom hearts or any of it's characters. Nor do I own Basch from FFXII. ;; they all belong to Square-Enix. lucky bastards...

oh and btw... did anyone else realize Nobuo Uematsu is going to this years Anime Boston. :D SO STOKED!!

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" You're back."

Cloud awoke with a start, though he did not so much as twitch slightly in bed. Slowly sitting up he glanced around the room, taking in the dim lighting and the solitary figure sitting at his desk. If the darkened sky was anything to go by his little nap had been over several hours long. Or at least long enough for a certain workaholic to wrap things up at the restoration site, shed his jacket and shirt, grab an apple from the kitchen, and sit his perfect leather clad ass at his desk. Well, at least he had some eye candy now that he was awake…

"Did you defeat him?" … Or Leon could bring that little issue up…

"… No…"

Leon swallowed his last piece of apple before tossing the core into the garbage bin. He slowly got up and made his way over to where Cloud still lay. The brunet carefully climbed onto the bed before swinging his leg over and straddling the blond soldier. Leon smiled softly before leaning down and capturing Cloud's lips in a soft kiss. As the gunblade specialist made to move back Cloud moved along with him while sliding one hand to brace himself on the bed and the other to grab a fistful of chocolate colored hair. Leon gave a slight groan of approval before moving his own hands to rest on Cloud's shoulders. He gave a gentle push and the blond eventually relented and lay back down on the bed. Following along with his movements Leon slowly began kissing his way along Cloud's neck, earning a small sound of approval. Between each gentle nip and kiss Cloud could hear Leon whispering to him.

"Promise me… you won't… just take off… again…"

"I'm sorry…" Cloud muttered, trying to pull Leon back up to claim soft lips again. Just as he thought he had claimed victory the brunet pulled back to glare down at him. Cloud stared back into steely eyes, not very amused at the stop to their game. "What?"

Leon continued to glare down at him before speaking in a more stern voice. "I mean it Cloud. You just… left. I didn't even know until Cid had mentioned your ship was missing from the gummi hangar. Again."

He sighed softly before glancing away and running a hand through unruly spikes, "I'm sorry… but you know how important it is for me to defeat Sephiroth… and--"

"I know that!" Leon growled out sharply, startling Cloud a bit. " I know that finding Sephiroth is important to you but don't you think you could've told me you were leaving at least!? Gee, I don't know maybe leave me a message that says 'Hey Leon, don't panic about me not being around for dinner again, gone off on my usual trip of finding my physical embodiment of darkness. Be back soon' or something?" Feeling too frustrated Leon sat up and moved off of the bed. "You can't just… take off. I can't keep going on like this."

"Going on like what Leon?" Cloud growled out as he sat up fully on the bed. Did he think this was easy? Like this was a walk in the park for him?

"Going on wondering if you're even coming BACK Cloud!" Leon was beyond pissed. " You've been gone for MONTHS and when you finally get back I get to hear the news, again, from Cid! Do you know how irritating that is!? Am I not important enough to you to at least know what you're doing? Where you're going?"

Cloud looked down at his hands, which were now resting in his lap, while Leon turned away from him. "…How can you say that? How can you even think you're not important to me?"

Leon sighed softly and began heading towards the door. " I can because that's how I FEEL Cloud. And I don't know if I can keep going on feeling like this…" He paused at the doorway and turned slowly to face Cloud, who eyes were still focused downwards. Turning around Leon barely kept himself together, trying to keep the tears that threatened to fall at bay. Cloud didn't need to see him to know how torn up he was.

"Cloud… if you leave again like that… I won't wait for you. Not anymore…," and with those words of parting Leon left the blond alone with his thoughts.

Cloud had known deep down this would happen, regardless of how much he denied it.

Leon had warned him and Cloud had cast that warning aside. It was his mission-- his goal in life-- to defeat Sephiroth once and for all. He thought that once Sephiroth was gone everything would be ok. He thought once he defeated his darkness he could live in peace with the one person he cared for the most. That everything would be forgiven.

He had thought wrong.

It had been several years since he had last left Radiant Garden. Several years of complete isolation from everyone and everything. It had taken a long time but he had finally hunted down the very being that plagued his life and in a grueling battle struck the final blow. Coming home he had expected a warm welcome and to find a certain brunet gunblade specialist and have his way with him. He had not expected, however, to find that Leon had kept true to his words and had not waited for him. It hit him rather hard…

He watched from a distance as some other man came over to where the brunet was finishing some repairs to a shop. Cloud guessed the man was handsome, what with blond hair brushed back and beard carefully trimmed. He was taller than the both of them, and bulkier too. Cloud doubted he could lift the buster sword though.

"His name is Basch. He came here several months after you left."

Cloud barely glanced over at Yuffie, whom he hadn't even noticed sneaking up on him, before returning his attention back towards Leon and this… Basch guy. By now he was leaning down to whisper something into the brunet's ear. After a few moments Leon began to smile and shake his head with mirth before leaning up and placing a small kiss onto Basch's cheek. Cloud felt a slight burning in his chest at the display. He turned sharply to glare at Yuffie as she coughed loudly to gain his attention.

"You know it took him over a year to finally get Leon to at least acknowledge his presence, and that was only because he's a great swordsman, and even longer for him to get Leon to think of him romantically"

"Hmm…"

Yuffie sighed. "You left, Cloud. He was so torn up and he was beating himself up over it! When Basch came around I could tell-- he eased the pain that you had left him in."

Cloud slowly felt his attention being turned back towards the mentioned couple. Leon had moved closer to that man, whispering something back into his ear before lacing his fingers through blond hair and pulling him down into a kiss. Cloud could remember when it was his hair Leon was running his fingers through, when it was his ear that had sweet nothings whispered into it.

"Cloud…"

"I know." Cloud spoke softly, " I know I left him, and I know he told me…," he couldn't even say it. Turning around he headed back towards the gummi ship hangar. "It doesn't matter. There was no other way around it. I had to leave… I had… to do what I did." How many times would he have to repeat himself before the words would actually sink into his own mind…?

"But… Cloud…" Yuffie started but he held up a hand to stop her, not bothering to turn around or to stop walking.

"Don't bother letting anyone know I'm back. I'll be leaving soon anyways. Tell Aerith I said I'm sorry." With that he gave a quick wave goodbye and didn't turn around. He didn't see Yuffie looking nervously between himself and the now attentive couple. He didn't see the way Basch put a comforting hand at Leon's waist. He Didn't see the way Leon glanced at him before slowly turning around and wrapping his arms around the swordsman's shoulders, burying his face in Basch's neck.

He didn't need to see any of it. Deep down he knew, just like he had all those years ago.

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There you have it. :3 a little angst to start you day/night/whenever. review and CONSTRUCTIVE critisism is welcome. hope you all enjoyed.