A/N : This little piece is not beta'd because I wanted to surprise Kacey. It's her Christmas pressie for being so thoroughly awesome as my beta and for being such an amazing friend. What a wonderful pillar of support and encouragement she has been. Words cannot express how grateful I am to have her support. So Cleon will just have to do!
I'd also like to take this moment to mention some of you that have been wonderfully awesome as well. Windform, Watcher in the woods, TheAnnoyingVoice and Kai-Chan94, you have all been so amazing this year. It makes my heart swell and do funny flip flop things to think of all your kind words and I just wanted to say thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
I hope you all have a very happy Christmas, and if you don't celebrate Christmas, then I hope your New Year is filled with love, happiness, family and friends.
My little hobby would truly mean nothing if it were not for you. Thank you.
Much love and happy reading.
Disclaimer: All characters and places belong to Square Enix and Disney. No infringement or profit intended.
Smile
Cloud Strife stole moments. He was a thief of time and a man that lived on the edges of everyone else's life so long as he continued his hunt for his own dark half. He knew he would never be able to share in anyone's world. He took time and moments for himself because it was all he could do and he was, after all, still human. Or so he hoped. Cloud Strife had allowed himself this moment, and it was quickly becoming a predictable pattern. It was his favourite type of moment to indulge in and one that he could never tire of. He watched Leon sleep.
The Gunblader's normally impassive features softened and relaxed during sleep, leaving behind a trouble free and child-like countenance that Cloud found hard to rip himself away from. Leon unguarded was a thing that no one got to see, ever, and yet here he was. The enormity of the moment was not lost on the young man. Sharing their enigmatic leader's bed happened to be a delightful bonus that even now made Cloud's heart swell with unnameable emotions. Leon was so impenetrable in every way, Cloud had no idea how he had found himself there.
Cloud shifted onto his side and propped his head up with his hand to better his view, liking how it brought their bodies closer with Leon's head tucked into the crook of Cloud's shoulder. From here he could look down, sweep chocolate bangs from sleeping eyes and gently stroke the high cheekbone.
Leon's head was pillowed on his own arm, his left hand tucked up underneath his chin and Cloud had a feeling it was possibly the most adorable sight he had ever seen. He had never ever used the word adorable to describe Leon before and he would never ever say it out loud, but in his own head in this private stolen moment it was the only word he could think of.
He lent down and pressed a soft kiss to the older man's forehead, reaching round to hug him closer. He breathed in all of the scents, storing them away for when this moment ended and he was once again on his own. The thought alone made his heart ache.
This was the trouble, he thought. This was the trouble with indulging in moments. It led to never wanting them to end.
Cloud had never been a petulant man, but he couldn't help the childish thought that this wasn't fair. His life wasn't fair. But those kinds of thoughts had never gotten anyone anywhere and Cloud had always been good and dealing with the cards he had been dealt. He hated it though. He was a moment stealer, with nothing to give back.
The soft kiss that he had planted on the older man's head had now turned to tiny butterfly kisses that Cloud littered over Leon's closed eyes and along his nose. If this was to be just another moment among many, then he wanted it filled with Leon. Cloud pressed himself up against the Gunblader, bringing their bodies as close as he could, wrapping his leg over Leon's as his hand tangled in the older man's hair and it was in this way that Leon awoke, his face inches from Cloud's, who was hugging him like he would disappear.
"Cloud?" Leon asked sleepily, his voice thick. Cloud pulled back only slightly to catch Leon's eye, a shy smile flickering his lips at being caught snuggling. His grip loosened as Leon pitched himself up on to his elbow bringing his face level to Cloud's.
"You stayed."
It was the incredulity in Leon's voice that made Cloud realise how much it must have meant to the older man, when really Cloud had done it out of pure selfishness. If only Leon knew. The thought made Cloud's smile broaden.
"I couldn't seem to tear myself away." He confessed reaching up and brushing bangs from off Leon's forehead. "You're very distracting."
"Huh?" Leon's face was a picture of confusion. "I've been asleep." He said bringing the heel of his hand to rub at his tired eyes in a way that was most definitely not adorable. Cloud chuckled.
"Well then I guess it just goes to show how hard you work at distracting me. You can even do it in your sleep." The younger man teased, cupping Leon's beautifully baffled face in his hand.
"What?" Leon asked, exasperated and confused. It was strange enough to wake and find Cloud still there in his bed, let alone snuggling him and making jokes at his expense. "What are you talking about?"
If Cloud thought that a sleeping Leon was worth stealing moments from then a sleepy Leon just after waking was even more so. Never had he seen him so… vulnerable. It was as if years of horror and loss and pain had never touched him and he had woken to a world that did not demand everything from him whilst giving nothing back.
This was definitely Cloud's new favourite time of day. He reached up and pulled the drowsy Gunblader into a sweet and hot kiss, loving how he could feel Leon smile against his lips, loving everything about Leon in that moment.
Leon's own heart gave an uncomfortable twist and before he could stop himself he was allowing feelings to flood him that he had promised he would never feel again. How the fuck that had happened he had no idea and in that exact moment in time he didn't care. He kissed Cloud back, allowing himself for once, to revel in things that he had hidden from for so long. He pulled away after long moments, relishing in the touch of Cloud's skin next to his, of Cloud's lips still tracing hot patterns along his jaw, cheeks, throat and closed eyes.
"I'm glad you decided to stay." Leon said, trying to bring back a sense of decorum to a situation that was spinning wildly out of control.
"Me too." Cloud aloud himself; breathing his confession over Leon's flushed skin. It wasn't much but in the grand scheme of things, it was turning out to be a morning for allowances and revelations.
"Does this mean you're staying for breakfast?" Leon tried, but he couldn't keep the anticipation out of his stupid voice. He inwardly cringed hoping that Cloud wouldn't pick up on just how desperate and hopeful he really was.
Cloud pulled away just enough to look Leon in the eye, brushing more sable bangs from his adorably apprehensive face.
"You can cook?" It was Cloud's turn to be incredulous and it earned him a soft punch in the shoulder. After a moment of soft chuckles and awkward glances Cloud composed himself and replied in all earnestness.
"I'd love to."