Author's Note:
Petrice says:
Ohgod, this fic is turning sappy.
Petrice says:
NO CLOUD.
Petrice says:
-shoots him-
Bibi says:
O.O
Bibi says:
Boom, headshot.
Bibi says:
Why is Cloud being sappy? ;.;
Petrice says:
I don't even know.
Petrice says:
I'm probably the only one who would consider it sappy.
Petrice says:
It's actually like. A shouting match. XD
Bibi says:
XDDDD
Bibi says:
Wow.
Bibi says:
You know, in my fandom, a shouting match is practically a wild night in bed.
The end got weird on me, but I haven't posted anything since September, so... ta-da!
Also, I really need to stop making Cloud swear. It's lots of fun, but it's not RIGHT. D:
Disclaimer: I do not own I do not own I do not own.
Black boots hit the dirt with slow, measured steps. Two pairs of eyes flashed with dark caution as their owners squared off on a cliff-side path. One was a brunet with a distinguishing scar across his face, his weapon a gunblade. The other was a blond; shorter, with a sword wrapped in bandages, the very size of which a casual display of his strength. The sky was dark, and as the men watched each other, the wind began to pick up. Only the brunet seemed to notice, grey eyes flickering with something almost like sadness. 'How did it come to this?'
--
"Uhn…" The blonde groaned, one hand clapped over his eyes, the other immediately fishing around for his sword.
"You're fine, Cloud." From a few feet away, the brunet leaned back against a wall, gunblade shouldered and the other man's sword kept safely at his feet. "Aftershock from the trip, and treatments."
"What?! Who are you?!" Scrambling to sit up, the blonde hissed, even the tiny amount of light in the room painful to his sensitive eyes.
"Squall Leonhart. You're my new partner, for better or worse. I'm supposed to train you on-site, so let's go."
"What the hell are you talking about? How did you know my name?!"
"You've been selected to be part of an elite group of mercenaries. You've been biologically advanced using the latest technology to increase your already present skills in the areas we judge potentials on – that's why your eyes hurt. We've – that is to say, the higher ups – have been watching you for some time. Now come on, let's go."
"What if I don't want to?"
Squall looked back, eyes cold. "Then I kill you, and find a new partner. One who might not care as much about the lives of those who aren't involved. You've been inducted into the Pack. You'll live as a Wolf, and you'll die as a Wolf."
Cloud got to his feet. "The Pack? Oh… I see. I suppose that would make you my Alpha, then?"
Laughing dryly, Squall shook his head. "We're partners, Cloud. Now let's go – I'll debrief you on the way."
--
"Remember when we met?" The blond asked, ignoring the way the wind howled through the cliffs. "You told me I would die a Wolf. That all of us would die that way."
"Things change, Cloud. Just like we did."
"You're the one who made me a Wolf, Squall! You're the one who changed me – I hardened myself for you! It's not my fault you didn't do it fast enough – how was I supposed to know your bleeding heart, the thing I tried to create before you knocked that shit out of my head, would take you away?!"
"…It's Leon now. You should know that, if you did your research right. Know everything about the target, Cloud," the brunet scolded.
Cloud growled, his grip tightening on his sword, though neither of them had attacked the other. "Know the target? You think the Pack sent me to get you?!"
His voice strangely flat, Leon nodded. "Why else would you be here?"
"Know the target… I doubt anyone knows you as well as I do. We were partners for eight years. We were fucking for five."
"Is that all it was?"
The blond snarled this time, nearly charging the other man but keeping himself still just in time. "You know damn well that's not all it was, Squall!"
--
"Cloud?"
The blond didn't look up from his papers, mindlessly toying with the wolf earring. "Yeah?"
"I…"
The hesitation made him look up to see his partner, who was looking rather uncomfortable. "I was thinking… about what you said. You're right. Let's get some drinks and we'll… talk, I guess.."
Smiling slightly, Cloud nodded. "I've got some bottles in the cabinet."
An hour later, an angry brunet was pinning him to the bed, growling. "You're too soft, Cloud! You're too fucking soft! You're going to be hurt, and it's going to fucking kill you!"
"And you're not made of steel, Squall! You need to let it out once in awhile; I saw you today, killing that girl hurt you, but you're just going to hold it all in because you think you have to! I'm your partner, Squall! Let me help you, because just having me sit here worrying isn't going to solve anything!"
The ripped black leather and the aches the next morning weren't enough to stop them from coming back.
--
The brunet shook his head. "I know. But I can't go back to them, Cloud."
"You can't run forever, Squall! Not from them, not from your mistakes, and not from me. Once a Wolf, Always a Wolf – remember?"
"Cloud…"
"I don't want to kill you, dammit! Fuck, I can't… I've never… You've got to come back, Squall!"
"Show me."
"What?"
Leon stroked his gunblade, eyes meeting Cloud's. "You've undoubtedly been training since I left. You never won a fight against me when we were partners, but this place doesn't have the tech that the Pack does. Show me what you've been doing."
--
"If I win?"
"You won't," the brunet promised, smirking. "But if you don't lose too horribly, I may get you something pretty."
"Yeah, like a dress. No thanks, Squall."
"I didn't think of that, actually."
Rolling his eyes, Cloud turned away to adjust his shoulder guard as he replied. "So, what do you want for winning?"
Hot breath tickled his ear, the brunet having moved to stand behind him. "Do you really have to ask?" he murmured, letting a gloved hand move down to Cloud's hip before reeling away, gunblade out and at the ready.
A smirk ghosted across the blonde's lips, and he charged forward.
--
It was nerve-wracking, the way they fell so quickly into place. Familiar swings, blocks, footfalls… it was a well-practiced pattern that even the time apart hadn't been able to break. The wind was howling around them, the edge of the cliff only a few feet away, and the two men began to circle, panting slightly. A bead of sweat ran down the brunet's face, and Cloud grinned slightly.
"You may have been right – you're out of shape."
Taunts were familiar, and Leon found himself falling further back into the pattern as he replied. "Not all of us can use our weapons as weights."
Not bothering to reply with anything more than an eye roll, Cloud found himself under a swift barrage of attacks. Squall's upper hand had always been speed, and the blonde found himself being pushed back. Grimacing, he swung at the other man's middle. Though it forced the brunet away, it left him open for attack, and Cloud hissed as steel cut into his arm, though he continued to attack – it wouldn't do for the other man to regain his advantage.
Grunting, the gunblader took a few steps back, tensing as he realized that he was close to the edge of the cliff but not striking back. Cloud didn't seem to notice the distance (or lack thereof), but he did notice the sudden lack of offensive action. "What's wrong with you, Squall?! Are you trying to let me kill you – do you think it'd be easier?!"
"I told you," the brunet replied quietly, dark grey eyes narrowing. "It's Leon now."
"Fuck that!" Cloud raged, blue eyes flashing a dangerous green. "You're still the same cold, stoic, asshole of a brunet you always were, only this time you actually have a heart beneath all that indifference!"
"I killed people-"
"So did I!"
"But not in cold blood!"
"The only time you were truly cold is when you got up and left!" Cloud screamed, throwing any technique out the window and lunging forward. The brunet easily side-stepped, realizing too late that the blond was headed right for the cliff.
"Shit!"
Losing the grip on his sword, it clattered away, and Cloud rolled, scrambling for a hold on the rocks. A gloved hand soon found his forearm, and the blond looked up in shock, scrabbling for a hold. "Sq- …Leon?"
"It's like you said," the brunet murmured, gunblade discarded, his other hand moving to grab the blonde's other arm and haul him up. "Once a Wolf, always a Wolf."
--
"Hey, Squall?"
"Hm?"
"You think it'll ever get any easier?"
The brunet sat up, ignoring the way the blankets shifted around them. "…Maybe," he admitted at last. "But it'll always be a part of you."
"Just like you said," the blond agreed, moving closer.
"Once a Wolf, always a Wolf."