A/N: Takes place at some point after their A support conversation. Title and summary taken from Futile Devices by Sufjan Stevens, which is like a rly good song for these two.

It was unlikely Valbar would ever return his feelings. This was something Leon was forced to admit to himself a long while ago, and he had accepted it.

When Valbar spoke of his family, he seemed to still be in love with his wife. He spoke of how beautiful and kind she was, always loving and a devoted mother to their son. Certainly, Leon couldn't compare.

He had accepted Valbar would never love him back, but he had stopped trying to tell himself that it didn't hurt.

It was nice to have such feelings, however. After the loss of his first love, Leon felt as if he would never find love again. He hadn't gotten a chance to admit his feelings to the man before he was killed, and it was something he still regretted. At the very least, Leon wanted Valbar to know how he felt, but every time he had the chance to, every time he had almost said I love you, he had stopped himself. There was no use saying it if nothing would come of it. So he kept himself to his imagination, fantasies that would never come true, like Valbar's hands on his as he kissed him.

Leon was pulled from one such fantasy when Valbar approached him one day.

"Leon, do you have time for us to talk?" Valbar asked him.

"Of course, old friend," Leon answered with a smile on his face. "I always have time for you. What do you want to talk about?"

"It's just about our conversation the other day," Valbar said.

Leon raised an eyebrow. "What about it?"

"It's what you said, about your unrequited love," Valbar said. "I was just thinking, you lost the man you were in love with, didn't you? But, you were able to move on and find new love."

"I was," Leon said. "What are you trying to tell me, exactly?"

"I just wanted to say that that helped me," Valbar said. "There's someone I've fallen in love with, but I haven't been able to move on from my wife. I felt like loving someone else was betraying her, but what you said made me realize that's not true, and that I can find love again. Thanks for that, Leon."

"You're welcome," Leon said.

Of course. He should have seen this coming. Valbar wanted a family again, surely. He found some nice woman and fell in love with her. When all this was over, he would marry her and settle down, have a child with her, most likely, and what then? Would he forget all about Leon?

Well, it was now or never.

"Old friend, there's something I need to confess, too," Leon said.

"Go on, then."

Leon's heart was pounding. "In truth, it's you," He said. "You're the one I love. I know you don't feel the same, but I just wanted you to know that. No matter what, I'll always be happy just to be by your side."

There was a long pause before Valbar said anything. "Leon," He said, shocked.

Immediately, Leon regretted it. "I'm sorry, I knew telling you would be a mistake," He said. "Just forget I said anything. Go and be with the one you love, Valbar."

"No, that's not it," Valbar began, "Leon, you're the one I've fallen in love with."

Leon was in disbelief. "What... Did you just say?"

"You're always by my side. How could I not feel this way?" Valbar said. "I love you."

"This is wonderful, but..." Leon said, "I thought you were in love with some woman!"

"I thought you were in love with Kamui!" Valbar exclaimed.

"Kamui?" Leon laughed. "He's been trying to come on to me, but I told him, he is not my type."

Valbar laughed, too.

"So, it's really true, then?" Leon said. "You really love me back?"

"Well, I've already told you twice, but if you need me to say it a third time to prove it to you, I can," Valbar said. "I love you, Leon."

Leon felt like he was flying. He had long imagined Valbar saying such a thing to him, but this wasn't his imagination. This was real. "I love you too, Valbar," Leon said, smiling softly. "But, to be quite honest, I don't think just you telling me that you love me is really going to prove it to me."

"What, do you want me to kiss you to prove it?" Valbar asked.

Leon grinned. "Why don't we give it a try?"

Valbar took Leon's hands and pulled him close. Leon's heart skipped a beat as their lips met. He had imagined such a thing many times before.

The real thing was better than he ever could have imagined.