"Lighting the Flame."

Disclaimer: I don't own any of 'em, I tell you. But I do own the evilness of making Squall overemotional in this one. In fact, he's on the verge of being lame. But I'm sure you'll all forgive me eventually. The song 'I Need You' belongs to LeAnn Rhymes.

A/N: Oh dear...I'm sorry about this one guys. I'm in that muse hangover where I'm posting all my ancient stories. But this will be the last one I hope. I just wanted to see what you guys thought of this one, since its sort of a mix of all my reeeaaalllyyy old Squffies that were never finished. Its sort of half storyish and a little pit poeticish. A little. I'm SORRY! Sobs and throws herself on the floor FORGIVE ME!

Right. I know its crap. But read anyway, and enjoy the funniness that is my old Squffies.

Blah Blah, Leon, Blah Squall's ponderings/poetic type scene

alouette, gentille alouette The song

kiss me, Squall! Action scenes/flashbacks/whatever you want to call them.

Traverse Town was always cold. That's what he most hated about it. There was never any sun and there was hardly any happiness in the people that lived there. You could try to be as warm as possible and you still wouldn't be able to escape the lost look in the eyes of the people walking around you. No one was happy they survived. Everyone just wanted to find the ones they loved. There was a lingering happiness underneath the surface of the small town, the bright lights and the beautiful buildings. But it was sad. So sad it was cold.

Squall Leonhart didn't know what to think sometimes. Didn't know how to feel as he saw a new, devastated face wandering the streets. He could help them settle in, find them places to stay and offer promises of protection. But it wasn't easy to help someone get used to a place they didn't want to be. More so when he himself had once felt the same way, and often still did.

I don't need a lot of things I can get by with nothing

It was hard being strong for others when you weren't strong yourself. He could promise to protect that people of Traverse. But he'd promised the same thing to a person he had loved and couldn't even do that. He was faithless, useless, and finished. Worn down to the core, something he had fought his entire life. Because his core wasn't that strong, a weak person, a broken spirit.

But being depended on had become sort of an obsession. He'd needed to protect, to keep his loved ones safe. That obsession had soon turn into a fear, a dark secret in his heart that kept him looking over his shoulder and his heart pounding. He couldn't escape it. He needed it.

But that fear, that need, had been broken the moment he saw his most beloved die. In front of him. Because he had failed to protect her. Fail. Failed. Always failing. Grinding his soul into a broken spirit. A lost face among the crowd.

Of all the blessings life can bring I've always needed something

A candle in a window. It was an old Hollow Bastion tradition. A candle placed in a window on stormy nights was an invitation. A gesture, welcoming wanderers to come closer, offering a place for lost souls to stay. To feel safe. To feel loved. To find their way once the storm was over. He'd seen that light in Traverse Town the instant the King had taken him there.

But in the end, Traverse Town was only the candle. Wanderers and lost souls were drawn to it, but many failed to see the light that was offered. The light, for them, was elsewhere. Gone, distanced, or lost. Many failed to see that light could be rekindled, in other places, in other people. And it had taken him a long time to see that himself.

But I've got all I want When it comes to loving you

Yuffie Kisaragi was as much of a candle flame as anything else. Bright, scolding and brilliant. Young, vibrant, still burning. She was strong, stronger, strongest. The sad faces of Traverse were drawn to her like moths in the dark, captivated and moved. And she would help them and protect them. And she was strong. A mended spirit. A flame.

He was a moth. A lost soul drawn to her perhaps stronger than anyone else. At risk of getting severely burned. A risk taken in his own broken heart, needing that light once his flame had gone out. Her light had broken him, drawn him, healed him. Turned him from the harsh lost traveler, to a strong protector. Taking him as a moth, burning him with her light until he became part of it himself.

You're my only reason

You're my only truth

But with that strength came old habits. The fear of losing what she'd given him, losing her like he'd lost everything else. A need to keep her safe, to keep her with him. Old habits die hard. Even a flame can sometimes act like a moth. A fierce protectiveness she couldn't handle, something that confused her. She wanted to know, yet he couldn't tell her. He couldn't tell her anything.

But she needed to know.

I need you like water Like breath, like rain

I need you like mercy From heaven's gate

There's a freedom in your arms That carries me through

I need you

"What the hell were you thinking?"

Yuffie Kisaragi winced and grimaced as she was pulled roughly by the arm down the dark streets of Traverse. Leon's grip was strong on her arm and she could still feel her nails in her skin despite the thick gloves he wore. She could tell from his grip if not from his face that he was angry. His eyes were dark and hard as he tore down the alley, mouth set in a teeth-bearing growl. She feared him when he was like this.

"I...I was..." She hissed and attempted to rip her arm from his grasp. "I was trying to help!"

He ignored the tone of her voice. He could still see her. Trapped in a corner. Heartless advancing on her while she tried to back into an escape that wasn't there. It was a sight he'd seen before, a scene that had ended differently. Something he didn't care to see again. His heart was still pounding, despite the fact that he knew she was safe, arm clutched so tightly in his hand.

"I told you to stay in the Hotel!" He growled, trying to block out the image.

"I...you're hurting me!" She cried, kicking him in the shins so hard he was forced to let her go. She pushed away from him roughly, stopping their mad course through the streets and fixing her fists on her hips as she glared at him. "And I don't have to do what you tell me, au contraire to what you may think!"

His movements, his anger, his eyes were wild. An anger she had known since she'd first met him. His arms reached out to grab her shoulders, pushing her roughly back and into the damp wall behind her. They stayed in that position for a long time, Leon pushing, Yuffie being pushed. His hands rested on either side of her head, body trapping her, eyes closed and forehead resting dangerously close to hers.

"You better listen to me." He opened his eyes, and she saw the pain there. "God, Yuffie...."

She felt him let out his breath against her neck when she flung her arms around him. It was a sound, a hitched breath, a sob from someone who no longer knew how to cry. His arms were as tight around her waist as they had been around her arm. But this was different. Wild anger torn from pained desperation and fear. She loved him. She loved this scared, angry, lost man. She loved his rare smiles, sarcasm, and unintentional humor. She loved him too much.

"I'm sorry." She whispered to him, lips drifting over his ear. "I'm so sorry..I didn't..."

"Stay mine." He growled, fingers brushing through the ends of her hair. "That's an order."

She smiled, burying her head on to his shoulder. "Yes, sir."

You're the hope that moves me To courage again

It was amazing how much faith a little flame could have when he had lost all his. A strong belief in new beginnings; a strong confidence in a young boy who had a devastating weapon and no idea what to do with it. A fierce stubbornness that annoyed, amused and confused him all at once.

A strong belief in him, a strong confidence in him. Too stubborn to think else wise.

You're the love that rescues me When the cold winds, rage

It hurt. It was kind of like having one giant splinter throughout his entire body. The feeling of disappointment, of letdown, knowing that more people had died because of him. It was a pain he couldn't rid himself of, a pain that haunted him while he slept and lingered in the back of his mind when he woke. A pain that came from being useless. He couldn't even complete the jobs he was given. How was that to work when he wanted to be....helping Sora.

"Squall?"

"Leon." He said, eyes staring hard at the roof shingles below him.

"Moping?" She asked, sitting down beside him and trying to identify the shingle in which he was staring. "Or having a great time?"

"Having a great time, moping, alone." He replied pointedly.

"If you're blaming yourself for the deaths today." She said. "Then you're wasting your time. You could be moping about more important things."

"Three people are dead, Yuffie." He growled. "What could possible be more important?"

"Three people." She whispered, wrapping her arm around his shoulders and ignoring his question. "Three people in a slaughter that happened when you were light-years away. You managed to get back here from the Coliseum, dead tired from the tournament, and save all but three people. I'd say that's pretty damn amazing."

He remained silent, eyes cold and guilty, studying a tile that Yuffie had yet to find. She sighed.

"Did you know the people here idolize you?" She asked him, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"What?" He snapped, tilting his head to look at her.

"Before we came, the Death By Heartless rate was twenty four every attack." She whispered. "Then you came, and its lowered to a rare three. You save them and they appreciate it."

She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "Even heroes fail sometimes."

If he hadn't been himself, he would have blushed. Instead, he fought a smile, looking out over the First District and noting the relaxed look on people's faces. They were safe for now. He shook his head and the wonder of it, tilting it and drifting his lips over Yuffie's nose. She scrunched it in the perfect way that he loved, resting her forehead against the side of his.

"That's my Squall." She said teasingly. "Always worrying about others."

"I'm beginning to think you're dense, Yuffie." He whispered, an odd form of affection behind his words. "Its Leon."

"S'all in a days work, Squall." She chirped, standing up and offering her hand. "We'd better get back before Aerith sends a search party."

"I'll stay out here." He looked up at her, and she saw the difference of his thoughts.

"You're sure?" She paused at the rim of the rood, preparing to leap down.

"I'm sure." He turned from her, tilting his head to look up at the sky.

Yuffie watched him for a moment longer, throwing her hands up in exasperation as she tossed herself on to the boxes below. Squall watched her skip her way through the district, and allowed himself a small smile.

And it's so amazing 'Cause that's just how you are

It was one of those nights where everything was cold. The air and the crisp material of her pyjamas. She was lucky enough to have a large bed with gigantic blankets on that night, warming her completely all except the tip of her nose. The light from the streets below the Hotel in which they dwelled shone only on the edge of her blanket, drawing attention to the fact she still had one toe poking out. She burred herself deeper into her cocoon before he came and invaded it, but it was a lost cause. She could only giggle helplessly when Squall Leonhart entered the room, dark eyes landing on her with amusement.

"Comfy?" He asked, raising an eyebrow as she disappeared under the blankets.

"Warm!" She said happily. "But there's this one spot in here somewhere that's letting cold air in and I can't find it!"

She giggled again and Squall couldn't help but watch her with a small smile. She crawled around underneath the blankets again, talking happily and trying to find some clue as to where the cold air was coming from. She didn't notice when Squall walked over to the side of the bed, eyes shining with affection as he opened half of the blanket mound. Yuffie squeaked and shrunk into herself, arms curling over her tiny body as the cold air touched her skin.

"No, No, No!" She said angrily. "I had it set up just perfect and...."

Squall ignored her completely, settling himself onto the bed and closing the blankets again. Yuffie was mumbling about that tiny hole in her cocoon when he moved in, gloveless hands brushing over her goosebumb covered arms and pulling her close. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, tucking her in as close as possible.

"Better?" He murmured into her hair, full of warm affection for this ridiculous ninja.

She made a small sound of agreement, blowing warm air on to his neck as she sighed. Her fingers traced patterns on his arm, making him shift towards her and falling into a blissful state of sleepiness. He drifted his lips over her hair, snapping the strap of her tank top and clicking his tongue in scolding. Yuffie shrugged, smiling into his neck as she snuggled closer.

"This is nice." She murmured, raising her head to grin at him.

"Better than the blanket-mound?" He teased, twitching his nose for her.

"Much better." She agreed. "You smell better."

"I should hope so." He murmured. "You hardly wash these."

"You could wash them, you know."

"I could." He pulled her closer. "But I'm lazy."

"Typical." She clicked, preparing to lecture him with vigor, but his lips descended on hers and she could speak no more.

He kissed devastatingly, consuming her mind, her thoughts. It was a feeling that left her uncomfortable for only a moment, until he touched her neck or her hair with such gentleness that she wanted nothing more than to remain thoughtless. To feel, think and breath nothing but him.

And she gave in. Dishing out everything she felt and trying to make him feel the same. Eventually he had to pull back, as breathless as she was, giving her a strange satisfaction. His lips drifted over her face, her eyes and cheeks. Affection from such a naturally cold person, the fact that she was the one he had these feelings for...

"I love you." She whispered fiercely, not caring any longer if he wanted to hear it.

He kissed her again, softly, just once.

"I know." He murmured, pulling her closely in his embrace and burying them into her blanket mound.

And that was that.

And I can't turn back now

'Cause you've brought me too far

I need you like water Like breath, like rain

I need you like mercy From heaven's gate

There's a freedom in your arms and it carries me through

I need you

Oh yes I do

It was too late to turn back. The candle was gone from the window but he was still inside the haven it had offered. He was no longer a traveler, a lost soul. He loved and was loved, had a purpose, had a need. No more obsessions, no more fear. Just love...and...

Trust.

I need you like water Like breath, like rain

I need you like mercy From heaven's gate

There's a freedom in your arms and it carries me through

I need you

Oh yes I do

I need you

He was no longer a face in the crowd. No longer a moth. He wasn't lost and he wasn't scared. He was found and he kept safe. She'd taken him in and healed him, drawn to her light though he was. She was salvation, his love, his second chance. An obsession, a fear, a need.

Love.

That's what he needed.

Love and Light. Together.

Her.

He needed her.

And that was it.

I need you

Ahhhh...Yes, you can sooth the frown lines from your forehead now. I'm not being over-critical like I usually am here. This fic was pure experiment, and I decided to post it for fun.

Was the format confusing? Tell me if it was, and I'll somehow arrange it differently.

As for the song, for some unknown reason it made me think of Squffie. Don't ask me, I just thought it went well with how Squall might have thought about her behind all those glares. But songs randomly remind me of things sometimes, so you can choose to ignore the song if you want to.

Anyways, I really should be working on my ACTUAL stories now. But I have ideas for another Squffie songfic, and a one-shot coming up. I'm turning into a Squffie maniac.

Please Review!