Happy birthday, Staci! *adores like nobody's business!*

Don't blame me for the sad, this was done at her behest. XD Title is from "Flames" by VAST, the song to which this was written. It's an immensely gorgeous, slow, soulful piece and I highly recommend it. Also, feel free to draw your own conclusions at the end–this is only a oneshot.

And, um. Might need tissues. I did.

Disclaimer: dood, fanfiction. Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, and the characters and universes therein are the property of Disney and Square Enix. I receive no remuneration for this work; it is a parody and as such utilizes the Fair Use clause of the Copyright Act.

Cloud sat behind Leon on their bed, up against the headboard, holding the faintly quaking body tightly to his own, cradled between his thighs so the taller man's bare back was pressed to his chest. He brushed back sable bangs to touch his lips to the dry, heated skin of Leon's temple, murmuring soft, comforting words that did somehow seem to seep through the fever-induced fog, because the brunet eventually stopped shaking. Only the persistent but weak pulse slipping through his veins, the beat of his heart against Cloud's, and the slow, shallow breathing reassured Cloud that his lover was still with him.

It had been three weeks now, and with every day that passed, Leon's condition only seemed to worsen. None of the potions, remedies, elixirs, or even anything Aerith or Merlin could come up with were helping anymore. Whatever this was, Leon's body had to work through it on its own.

The gunblader let out a slow, quiet groan and stirred in Cloud's arms, beginning to wake from a fitful, pained sleep. He opened his eyes, and after a moment, he whispered the blond's name.

Cloud rested his chin gently on the crown of dark chocolate locks, humming softly in question, in confirmation.

"...Stay?"

"Never leaving. I'm never leaving you."

Leon sighed out a soft, wordless acknowledgement, then took several uncomfortable breaths before he was able to manage, "Didn't think this'd be quite the way I'd go."

Cloud couldn't hold back a faint growl of frustrated anxiety, realizing Leon must be far worse off than he thought if he was even considering his own mortality. "You're not going anywhere." He cradled the burning cheek against his chest and pressed a firm but tender kiss to the brunet's forehead. "You're going to kick this. Yeah, you'll die someday—of old age. I will, too. I won't do this without you."

It was a few moments before Leon was able to respond, his voice rough and fatigued. "We're mercenaries and soldiers, Cloud. It's not...it's not ours to die a peaceful death in our sleep. We're meant to die valiantly in battle...defending what's ours...and if that's what's led to this..." He sighed wearily, closing his eyes. "Then it's what we must accept."

Cloud's mouth tightened. He stroked Leon's brow with his thumb, tracing over the line of his scar and gently across his cheekbone. "Haven't we earned it, though? After everything..."

Warm fingers lightly touched the forearm the swordsman held over the older man's abdomen, trying to offer as much comfort and solace as he had the energy for, though he didn't say anything in reply.

Cloud let his eyelids lower slowly, unable to fight back the painful pricks of moisture that began to sting them. "I don't want to let you go."

The brown-haired man smiled weakly, turning his head just a little to press his lips into Cloud's fingers as they passed over his cheek. "Then don't..."

After a moment, Cloud nodded slowly, stiffly. He gathered Leon closer to him, curling around him in the hope that he could absorb some of the radiant heat and maybe relieve at least some of his lover's discomfort. They lay there quietly for a time, then the brunet's breathing grew heavier as he gathered the strength to speak again.

"In case I..."

"Lee..."

Leon shifted again, tilting his head back to look up at the younger man. His brow furrowed slightly in pain, but he took another breath and went on. "Cloud, you...you know I..."

The blond's throat constricted, and he shook his head slowly. Yes, he knew. They were words that they'd never shared before, but they really hadn't been necessary. Both knew the depth of what they felt for the other, and both knew it was reciprocated. It was a given. Neither had felt the urge to utter words that once spoken were so easily shattered.

Cloud drew and released a shaky breath. It wasn't that he never wanted to hear it, it was just that...

"I–"

He made a soft halting sound and touched a fingertip to Leon's mouth, then bent to replace that finger with his lips in a chaste, pleading kiss, an attempt to keep Leon from speaking, keep him from saying goodbye, but the words could not be stopped.

"–I love you."

Cloud swallowed hard, shaking his head again. "Don't. Please don't..."

"Cloud..."

"No..."

Leon's breath caught and his face tightened in a wince. He let out a brief, faint groan upon exhaling, and looked up into wet Mako-blue eyes. "I do. And I don't regret anything." He reached to thread his fingers into Cloud's hair, pulling him into a kiss that, while lacking any strength because he had none to give, was all at once deep and soft and searching and answering and breathtaking on more than one level, leaving them both gasping for air and choking on unwanted emotions that refused to be caged in any longer.

The younger man was shaking a little now, too, and he tightened his arm around Leon's waist, stroking the fever-flushed cheek with his other hand and gazing into sad steel-blue eyes. "I...I don't regret, either. And I won't ever. I...I do love you, Lee. Leon. Squall. All of you," he stressed. "Don't act like you're going away..."

"Mm," Leon breathed, eyelids drooping as exhaustion caught up with him again. "'m not...'d never leave you."

Cloud held onto him long after he'd fallen asleep, memorizing all the features he already knew better than his own reflection, fortifying memories of the time they'd spent together, and forcing himself to think of the future, of all they still had to look forward to. He couldn't let himself give up hope.

Not when Leon hadn't, not completely.

Not yet.