Disclaimer: dood, fanfiction. Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, and the characters and universes therein are the property of Disney and Square Enix. I receive no remuneration for this work; it is a parody and as such utilizes the Fair Use clause of the Copyright Act.
"And this one?" Cloud asked quietly, running his finger across the bridge of his lover's nose.
"My rival, back at...back at Garden," came the murmured response. "Mercenary academy. We were just two volatile teenagers, always at each other's throats. Looking back, it was stupid, really...that fight, I mean. I shouldn't have risen to the bait."
"It's in our nature," the younger of the two offered reasonably.
The gunblader released a sharp breath through his nose, canting his head and lifting a brow in agreement and amusement. The moment soon faded, and both were brought back to the solemn exploration they'd found themselves immersed in. Leon brushed soft blond strands away from Cloud's left eye and touched a wild, fractured scar near the end of his eyebrow.
"Bullet. There were three of them after me; one had guns. Ricocheted off my shades, knocked them straight off my face." He frowned in remembrance. "I really liked that pair, too." He shook his head, distracting himself by smoothing his palm along a large, jagged ring of scar tissue just inside Leon's right shoulder, looking into steel-blue eyes with mild curiosity.
A grimace tugged on the brunet's mouth. "Ice Strike. It was...a powerful spell. I don't remember much besides falling...just falling forever, and reaching for..." He closed his eyes and let out the faintest of sighs, turning his head away.
Cloud made a low humming sound, resting his temple against Leon's in an intimate, comforting gesture. He slid his hand along the older man's pectorals and down his arm to grasp his hand, placing it on a narrow scar on his own chest in almost the same exact place. "Sephiroth. One of the many," he added wryly, though no smile graced his features. He was quiet for a moment as Leon ran a calloused thumb over the rough fissure, then moved his attention to a similar two-inch long line running vertically just above the small dip of his belly button. The blond's mouth twitched downward minutely. He reached behind himself to place Leon's other hand on the middle of his back, leading his lover's fingers along the remnant of the exit wound. "This...this was the first. Not really sure how I survived this one, actually," he laughed weakly.
Leon lifted his softened gaze to meet Cloud's eyes, tracing both sides of the nearly perfect through-and-through incision. He sank slowly to his knees, arms wrapping protectively around the blond's bare hips and waist before he pressed his lips to the mark the blade's entrance had left behind.
The swordsman sighed, setting a hand on the top of Leon's head. "I'm..." He slid his fingers through sable-brown hair, angling his head back so their eyes met. "Lee, I'm not going anywhere," he said gently.
The man only tightened his grip.
Cloud let out a patient breath and folded his arms around Leon's head, holding the warm cheek against his abdomen. "I promise. You think I'm actually gonna let you go?"
There was silence for several moments before Leon whispered, his voice barely audible and more than a little depressed, "Sometimes it's not our decision to make..."