Author: Ponderosa (ponderosa@dragonworld.com)
Fandom: Final Fantasy 6
Pairing: LeoxKefka
Archived at: Destiny Interrupted (My site. URL in profile)
Warning: [PG-13] Yaoi. Angst.
Spoilers: All over the place.
Disclaimer: Characters belong to their respective copyright owners, like Square. Plot, if you can call it that, belongs to me.
Notes: I love Kefka an insane amount. Mwa, ha! *cough*
-=*=-
A Taste of Tears
"Colonel Palazzo! How do you feel?"
Kefka stumbled out of the chamber, irritably brushing away the hands that sought to help him. The floor refused to stop swaying, and he lifted his aching head to try to get his bearings. The assistant engineer clutching at his elbow took a half step backwards.
"Cid!" the young assistant cried out. "Sir! I think there's been a problem."
Before Cid could respond, the door to the lab burst open and a dark-skinned man in uniform stormed in. A heavy broadsword was naked in his hand and he ignored the engineers' protests that the area was restricted. His stride ate up the ground, and when he got to the stairs leading up to the platform where Kefka wavered, he took the steps three at a time.
"Get out of my way," the man snarled. He raised his blade menacingly and the young engineer at the top of the stairs retreated.
The assistant held his clipboard in front of him as if it would shield him from the tall officer's wrath. "You can't be in here," he protested weakly.
"What have you done?" Leo said. He slipped a thickly muscled arm around Kefka's narrow waist.
"Colonel Palazzo v-v-volunteered."
"They've given me magic," Kefka said, leaning heavily on the taller officer. "Magic, Leo..." He blinked and something warm and wet slid down his cheeks.
"Fool," Leo whispered. His fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword, daring anyone to challenge him as he helped Kefka stumble down the steps. It took an agonizingly long time, but with his blade out, there was little else he could do. Besides, he doubted the slender blonde would appreciate being carried. When they made it to the door without anyone moving to stop them, he felt relief wash through him.
"You shouldn't have agreed to this," Leo said, his brows pulled together in concern. They were making slow progress along the hallway, and Leo's blunt admonishment echoed down the metal corridor.
The world began to spin again, and Kefka steadied himself against the wall as he waited for the wave of dizziness to pass. His hair was loose from its usual high ponytail, and the fine gold strands fell into the edges of his vision. "Too late, Leo my friend, the deed's already been done," he replied, and lifted a slim hand to gather his hair and tuck it behind his ear.
Kefka's fingers came away red and he stared at them in shock for a long second. His breath catching in his throat, he grabbed Leo's swordhand and forced it up to where he could catch his reflection in the length of gleaming steel. The pale face that stared back at him was distorted and blurry, but the makeshift mirror was enough for Kefka to see the blood that ran down his cheeks.
"Enough," Leo said, gently prying the other man's fingers off his wrist. "We need to get you to the infirmary."
"I'm crying," Kefka murmured absently. The other officer's strong arm slid around him again and urged him to walk. It took almost all the concentration he had to start his feet moving one in front of the other.
"No, you're bleeding," Leo corrected. To his horror, Kefka began to laugh. It was a strange, keening sound, unlike anything he had ever heard from his friend before.
A few heartbeats later, the laughter ceased abruptly. "You're right," Kefka said, his voice dark and distant. "And you know, Leo, this is a good sign. Every birth should be accompanied by blood."
An icy chill raced along Leo's spine, but before he could dwell on his friend's strange words or the hollow tone of his voice, Kefka clutched his head and choked on a scream.
In the end, despite all protests, Leo sheathed his blade on his back and resorted to gathering the other man into his arms.
-=*=-
At the infirmary, Leo had spent the time pacing around the room trying not to watch too closely. The man had poked, prodded, and done such uncomfortable looking things as prying apart his friend's eyelids and swabbing Kefka's eyes with cotton soaked in some minor potion.
Now that the blonde was lying curled up in the center of his narrow bed, Leo didn't know what to do. "Don't go, please," Kefka had asked him, and so Leo had stayed. Like a dark shadow, he hovered at the foot of the other man's bed, feeling awkward and useless.
Kefka's arms were folded over his head and he had begun to cry - real tears this time. His light hair fanned out over the maroon of his pillows and he shifted uncomfortably, making a soft, whimpering sound in the back of his throat.
"Should I go fetch the-" Leo ventured nervously.
"No," Kefka interrupted quietly. He drew in a shuddering breath and pushed himself up on the bed until his shoulders were propped up on the dark red pillows. His tears sparkled on his cheeks and he made no move to wipe them away. He looked at the dark man and shook his head dismissively. Extending one thin arm towards Leo, he said, "I'll be fine. The ache comes and goes...."
Leo stared at the long, slender fingers reaching towards him. He wondered what the other man wanted of him.
"Stay with me," he said. There was nothing unfamiliar in his light blue eyes, and when a faint smile touched Kefka's lips, the meaning behind the whispered request dawned on Leo.
Leo swallowed and he willed his arm not to tremble as he put his hand in Kefka's. The man's bird-boned fingers gripped his hand tightly, desperately, and pulled him forward. Leo pressed a knee onto the bed, and fought down his fear when the other man leaned forward. Kefka buried his face against Leo's chest and drew the bigger man down beside him.
"I think something happened inside my head," Kefka whispered, as he nestled into the circle of Leo's arms.
The warrior sighed and he slowly stroked his friend's back in a way he hoped was comforting. He closed his eyes and wondered aloud, "Oh, Kefka, why did you do this?"
"I'm tired of being weak," Kefka said, twisting his fingers in the folds of Leo's uniform.
"You're hardly weak," Leo replied. Certainly there was some lack of physical strength, but Kefka had blazing fast reflexes and a quick wit that ran circles around anyone who thought him an easy target because of his fair looks. "Since we returned from the campaign in the North, even the Emperor has taken note of you. It won't be long until you're promoted.
"You've proven yourself to every man in the ranks."
"But now," Kefka said faintly, "I can prove it to the world."
TBC