Title: Ready for It
Author: comeandgetmebabe
Disclaimer: I own the five empty soda cans sitting on my desk BLARGH
-NOTE- HERE IT IS! CHAPTER THREE!
Which means J.E.F. owes me fanart. And it better be good, dammit, I'm fuckin' tired.
LOLLERCOPTER!
This update is also a note to K.K. (I don't feel like writing your full penname, you damn dirty ape) that she should NOT POKE ME WITH THE DAMN SPORK!
OH! For the record, I beat Sephiroth in the game, so I know what happens is so NOT canon it isn't even funny. So…just bear with me, okay? This isn't how it happens in the game, as you should well know, but this is MY STORY. So FUCK OFF.
Erm…there's like…kinda sex in this one. Very angsty sex. And I actually have characters say the words "Make love to me" something I always swore I would never write because, honestly, who says that anymore outside of your mom's trashy love novels? But they're Cloud and Leon, we don't fuck with them, they fuck with each other. LITERALLY!
Thank you all for the reviews!
HERE WE GO!
/o/O/o/
Cloud was in Leon's room when the brunet got back from the Market
"Hey," said Leon.
"Hey," said Cloud.
It had been a week since their spar and Cloud still hadn't gone to the Dark Depths. He had now begun spending a lot of time in the Bailey, looking out at the dark castle in the distance, where he knew Sephiroth was. But as for actually going out, down the mountain path and over to confront his Darkness…he still had a long way to go.
Leon was trying his hardest to be patient, he really was, but everyone has their limits. He had taken to standing with Cloud in the Bailey, looking out the window next to Cloud's. What he really wanted to do was go stand next to Cloud, put his arms around him, embrace him, kiss him, tell him everything would be all right, but he knew he wouldn't be allowed. He knew Cloud would pull away and hiss, "He might be listening!" and Leon would have to slink back to his window.
But tonight Cloud was in his room, in his territory. Here he couldn't push him away.
But he still wanted to know why the blonde was sitting on his bed.
"You left the Market early," said Leon, taking off his jacket and hanging it on a piece of wire sticking out of the wall.
"Yeah…I didn't want to stay there anymore. And the Bailey made me depressed. So…I came here."
"To my room?" asked Leon with a smirk, going to the chest of drawers Merlin had made for him (magic was very useful, despite what Cid said).
Cloud didn't smile. "I'm going tomorrow."
Leon didn't look at Cloud, just pulled his shirt off, getting ready for bed. "Really now?"
"Yeah."
"That's good."
Cloud raised his eyebrow. "Y'know, you're not as…troubled by this as I thought you'd be."
"No offence, Cloud," said Leon, pulling his pants off., "but every time you say you're gonna fight him, you just stand around and think up strategies you don't use." Cloud gazed at the brunet's body and licked his lips. Then he mentally smacked himself.
"I mean it this time."
"That's what you said last time."
"No, Leon, you don't understand. I bought, I don't know, fifty or so Elixirs from the Item's Shop and got a map to lead me through the Ravine Trail. I'm really going." Cloud looked down at the ground.
Leon pulled on loose fitting grey sweat pants to sleep in and walked over to the bed. He sat next to Cloud, very close to him, and wrapped his arm around the blonde's smaller frame. He looked straight into his eyes, deep blue meeting mako green. "You're really serious this time?"
"Yes."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Really?"
"Leon!"
Leon sighed and pressed his forehead against Cloud's, closing his eyes. "I'm sorry, I just…"
"I know."
"No, you don't. I mean…it never really occurred to me that you would actually…go through with it."
Cloud rolled his eyes. "You kept saying how much you wanted me to."
"Yeah, but I never…" he stopped and looked into Cloud's eyes, so light and beautiful. "You could…"
"I know," murmured Cloud. He reached a hand up and placed it on Leon's cheek. "That's why I came to you. I haven't told anyone else I'm going."
"Cloud…I…"
"Don't get sappy on me, Leonhart," warned Cloud, smiling slightly. "You might make me reconsider it again."
Leon said nothing, just gazed at Cloud. He pulled away from the blonde and held his face with both of his hands. Cloud gazed back at him. Neither said a word.
Leon gently moved his left hand over Cloud's face, his right still holding the younger man's cheek. He ran it over the indented skin under Cloud's eyes, gently passed his thumb over his soft blonde eyelashes. His index finger softly traced Cloud's lips, moving over to cup his cheek once again. His right hand moved upwards, running through the silky blonde spikes covering Cloud's head. Cloud reached up and placed his hand on Leon's left.
"What're you doing?" he said softly.
"Trying to memorize you."
Cloud nodded slightly and let Leon run his hands over his face, then his neck. Cloud didn't move when Leon's fingers unclasped the buckles on the front of his jacket, didn't say a word when Leon unzipped his top. He let out a small sigh when Leon's hands began to roam over his torso. He shrugged the garment off his arms, leaving his chest and arms bare. Leon ran his hands over Cloud's chest, marveling at the compact muscles below the black material of his shirt. His fingers roamed over Cloud's arms, he reached around the blonde, pulling him into an embrace while running his hands over his back, trying to memorize every little detail.
Cloud reached his arms around Leon and just held him. He knew that, even if he did die, he would never forget Leon. Would never forget the care he took when touching him. Would never forget the sight of him, the feeling of the brunet's arms around him, the scent he breathed in when he pressed his face into Leon's hair. Even if he died and went to Hell, he'd always remember the wetness that fell from Leon's eyes as he stopped trying to explore his body and simply held him. Would never forget how tightly Leon embraced him, how he cried silent tears into the crooked of his neck.
If Sephiroth did get to Cloud, if he did turn him into a Heartless, if he did become consumed by darkness, he would always, always, remember the heartfelt kiss Leon pressed to his lips. He would remember, always, the feeling of Leon's lips on his own, his tongue in his mouth; how the brunet pulled away and whispered those three words that made him feel lightheaded with happiness. If he did die…if he did fade into the Dark…he would always have tonight.
Leon gazed into Cloud's eyes, his own eyes still full. Cloud pulled his arm back and wiped Leon's tears away. "That's not very stoic and hero-like of you."
"Shut up. I could lose you tomorrow."
Cloud didn't say what he really wanted to say, no you won't Leon, I'll come back, because he didn't know if it would be true. He knew he wanted it to be. With all of his tainted, worthless heart he wanted it to be true. He wanted to kill Sephiroth, conquer his darkness and run back to Leon's waiting arms. But he knew, deep down he knew, his chances of beating Sephiroth were slim at best. He didn't say that aloud either, though. He just leaned in and kissed Leon with all the intensity and passion he could muster. Leon wrapped his arms around Cloud's back and Cloud wrapped his arms around Leon's neck and they fell back on the bed.
Leon moved his lips from Cloud's and moved to Cloud's neck, to his chest, to his stomach. Cloud's breath hitched as Leon's lips moved lower and his gasped when Leon's tongue dipped into his navel. "Leon…" he whispered. Leon moved back upwards and kissed Cloud on the lips again.
"Cloud…I know you think he'll see…but…I want to…before you fight him, I want to…"
"Make love to me," whispered Cloud, kissing Leon's lips, then his nose, then his eyelids. "Please."
Leon kissed the blonde deeply once more. "Cloud…I…"
"I love you too," said Cloud simply.
And that was all that needed to be said.
/o/
Leon woke before Cloud.
He lay on his side, wrapped around Cloud as if protecting the blonde. He smiled and reached a hand up to go through Cloud's hair. He moved backwards a few inches and propped himself up on his elbow, gazing at the still sleeping man.
In sleep, Cloud was relaxed. He was uncomplicated. He was at peace. Leon had stayed awake at night, hearing Cloud's tortured screams, nightmares plaguing the blondes mind. Leon had always wanted to go into his room and hold the poor SOLDIER. Some nights, he did indeed go into Cloud's room. He sat at the edge of Cloud's bed and would run a hand over Cloud's cheek, silently willing the nightmares to leave his lover alone.
Some nights they did. Other nights they didn't.
But now Cloud slept soundly. He looked so innocent. Like one of the blonde angels you'd see in books. Leon wished they could have stayed like that forever—Cloud at peace with Leon watching over him. Lying in bed after such a bittersweet night, smalls rays of light shining in through the makeshift curtains Leon had hung on his window. When all this was over, when Cloud was free, Leon was going to make sure they woke up this way every morning. He would stay with Cloud, keep him safe and sound until he was as old as Merlin.
Leon sighed and moved closer to wrap his arms around Cloud's still sleeping form. He breathed in the scent of Cloud, musky with sleep and sex, but still the blonde man he'd come to love.
Leon smiled sadly into Cloud's hair. He never thought he'd say it aloud, but last night he'd told Cloud he loved him. And Cloud had said it back. And for one sweet moment, everything in the world was perfect. For those hours where he had been inside Cloud, where Cloud had clung to him, when they had moaned each other's names, there had been no Sephiroth. There had been no Darkness. There had only been the two of them. And that had been all that mattered.
Leon kissed Cloud's forehead and felt the blonde begin to stir. He chuckled slightly when Cloud burrowed his head into Leon's chest. "Too early…" mumbled Cloud.
"Lazy," said Leon, nipping his ear. Cloud hummed happily in response. He pulled himself from Leon's grasp and stretched, arching his back like a cat. Cloud sat up, sheets falling into a puddle in his lap and looked at Leon.
"Morning," said the brunet.
"Morning," said Cloud in response. He looked to the right and gazed out the window. "Today is the day."
Leon gazed at Cloud's profile, the way the light fell onto his smooth skin, shined in his hair. "Yeah."
Neither of them said anything for a long time.
"Thank you," Cloud said finally, still looking out at the window.
"For what?" asked Leon, sitting up and embracing Cloud from behind.
"For being with me."
"You don't need to thank me for that."
Cloud smiled and leaned into the embrace. They stayed like that for a while, not talking or moving.
After those last few moments of pure bliss, Cloud spoke. "I should go."
Leon felt a pain run through his heart. But he wasn't going to ask Cloud to back down just because he was scared. "Yeah. I guess you should."
Cloud got off the bed and picked up his clothes from where they'd fallen on the ground. Leon watched him as he pulled his pants on, zipped up his jacket and clasped his buckles. Cloud sat down at the edge of the bed to pull his shoes and socks on. While pulling them on, not looking at Leon, he said, "I want you to stay here."
Leon blinked. "What?"
"I don't want you to follow me. I don't even want you to leave the castle. You have a better chance of protecting yourself here."
"Cloud, I can't just let you—"
"Leon." Cloud's voice was sharp. He still refused to look at the now anxious brunet. "If I…if something happens to me, I don't want that to be your last memory of me. I want you to…remember me as I am now, not as I lay dyin—not as I might be."
"Cloud…" said Leon helplessly.
Cloud turned to Leon and looked deep into his eyes. He reached up and cupped the older man's face. "I'm trying to memorize you," he said to Leon's questioning look. He smiled sadly and kissed Leon once more. "I love you. If I die, if I get turned into a Heartless, no matter what happens, what he does to me, I will always love you. Don't ever forget that."
"I won't," said Leon. Cloud smiled at him once more, then stood and left the room.
Leon stared at the door where Cloud had walked through.
He sat there for a long time, going through everything that had happened last night in his head, trying to remember every curve, ever angle, ever contour of Cloud's body. He sighed and put his head in his hands. Cloud…
"Worthless humans. Always crying over something."
Leon's head snapped up and he looked to where that voice had come from.
Then his eyes widened and he knew, he knew, all his worse fears had come true.
Sephiroth was standing in his bedroom with a deadly smile on his face.
/o/O/o/
HO!
CLIFFHANGER!
IS CLOUD DEAD! WILL SEPHY KILL LEON! WILL HE MAKE HIM HIS LOVE SLAVE! DOES THE THOUGHT OF THAT MAKE YOU HOT! WILL I EVER STOP WRITING IN CAPSLOCK!
The world may never know.
UNTIL CHAPTER FOUR!
So, yeah, this was RIDICULOUSLY SAPPY and had quite a bit of angst. Jesus, I'm a goin' on an ANGST BINGE! WHOO HEEE, GET 'IR DONE! But seriously, this was totally sappy and angsty and LALALALA out of character, so…sorry. But next chapter is going to be FUN! And SUSPENSFUL! And hopefully you'll LIKE IT!
Also, if you may want to go back and listen to "A Drop of Color" by Hyde (the ENGLISH version, it sounds better for this ENGLISH piece of writing/crap) and read it again, because that's what I wrote it to and read it through to. Check it out. The saxophone gives it the MOOOOOD. And they lyrics are pretty appropriate too.
I enjoy cream puffs.
REVIEW motherfuckers!