Originally written for the Strifehart Kink Meme.
Prompt: Keeping warm; Maybe Cloud listening to Squall's heartbeat
The world he wakes up to is dark and cold. Each breath he takes is constricted and painful. At least he knows he's not dreaming.
Slowly, he regains his awareness, remembers where he is… He – they; he remembers he was with someone – are in Traverse Town, in the waterway he liked to train in so often. It is dark now because someone let the light go out. It is cold now because he is partially in the water, soaked to the bone.
He still hurts everywhere when he takes an experimental breath, but as far as he can tell it is from healing wounds and nothing fatal – he can feel it there, in his heartbeat that remains steady and strong. His chest is constricted not by anything that could cost him his life, but because he is being pinned down by something… no, someone.
"… Cloud?" he asks, and is surprised at how raspy his voice is. The weight shifts, but the hold around him tightens a little. It is uncomfortable, but not life-threatening.
"Give me a minute," Cloud murmurs back, refusing to explain why exactly he is hugging Squall so fiercely. He does not let go either, leaving the brunet he is curled up against all the more confused.
"Half an inch…" Cloud's voice had cracked, right there. It drops to a whisper, choked with emotion, and those usually strong arms are shaking as Cloud continues to cling to Squall. "… sliced you open… just half an inch more and it would have… you would have…"
Squall does not wonder anymore. He manages to lift his frozen arm, resting it on the warm back of the broken warrior. He understands the terror of nearly losing someone he cared about – he had experienced it himself too many times.
"Don't disappear," Cloud begs against his chest, his ear pressed against the new scar and listening intently to that pulsing heartbeat, "… don't leave me again."
"I won't," Squall replies, and he hopes he can keep that promise.