Disclaimer. No, They aren't mine…. But it was my birthday recently Square, and I'd love a late birthday present *Points to Squall with a big grin on her face* Nor do I own Hero by Enrique Iglesias.

Song fic alert….

And this is set after the game, and is a short time before the start of my fic the longest road. If you've read that fic you'll know what pairing this is… And my favourite pairing at that.

This is by no means related to Race Ulfon's Fic of the same name. Although, I do recommend you go and read it because I love that story. It is absolutely brilliant.

The aim of this fic is….. I dunno, I just liked the song, I think I wanted to show how much the two loved each other before the longest road… and I missed writing SquallXZell relationships.

Hero.

Would you dance, if I asked you to dance?

Would you run, and never look back?

The faintest of smiles touches his lips as I hold him against the fluttering of my heartbeat, close to me. It's when he's asleep in my arms that he seems the most defenceless; yet he's so much stronger than I.

The party tired him out, I think… but it's not every day you turn eighteen, right? I don't think we stopped dancing until a few hours ago… and it's almost 0500 now.

The man in my arms moans softly, as though lost in some dream. There's a faint sound of something that is remarkably like a giggle coming from his lips.

Of course, I worry about him sometimes. I wonder if this little monster in my arms, who I love so much, is aware of the ramifications of the events that occur in everyday battles. I watch the sunrise each morning as it creeps up over the horizon washing our room in golden light, something I picked up from an old lover, and I wonder if will be his last - or even mine.

I wonder if he knows how completely I love him.

I wonder if I know how completely I love him.

I wonder if he asked me to pack my bags and leave all that I have accomplished in my days at Garden, would I do it?

Actually, I don't wonder… I know the answer in my soul.

I'd do it in a heartbeat. And I would never regret it.

He stirs again, balling his fist in the front of my shirt, murmuring my name in his state of half sleep. He will wake up soon.

Would you cry, if you saw me cry?

And would you save my soul tonight?

Tears prick at my eyes as I see the faintest rays of sunlight fall across his handsome features, the half-light turning that wild tattoo to a charcoal smudge on his cheek. I brush one fingertip across his lips and his smile widens, the soft pink flesh of his tongue darts out for a moment, lingering to taste the leather of my glove.  The tear rolls down my cheek and drops onto the dark lines of his tattoo before I can blink it away.

He opens his bright blue eyes and regards me with my foolish half smile and the tears on my cheeks.

"Squall?" he mumbles, still half-asleep.

"Yeah?" I nod, feeling the expression slipping from my face and the tears rolling down to my chin.

"What's wrong?"

"Just remembering how much I love you." The words are soft on my lips, barely above a whisper but he hears them as if I had shouted them into his ear. His smile widens for a moment, his eyes shining brightly with restrained tears as he reaches up to brush my chin with trembling fingertips.

"Only you would cry when you say that."

Would you tremble, if I touched your lips?

Would you laugh? Oh, please tell me this.

I smile down at him and kiss him briefly. "Only because I realise just how lucky I am."

His gentle laugh fills my ears and lifts my heart, and I feel lost in his summer-sky eyes.

He wraps his arms around me, pulling me closer, until our lips meet. The faint tingle of electricity that I felt in our first kiss returns, swells, and consumes me as I kiss him back harder. Zell shivers in my arms as I tease and taste his lips with my tongue, lingering over the sweet hot flavour of his mouth. I feel his fingers move up to entangle in my hair behind my neck.

Slowly he opens his mouth, allowing me to enter leisurely, tentatively savouring the territory I know so much about, and yet exploring as if I had never been here before.

He tastes of heat, of energy... The faint metallic tang of blood and bitter sweetness of citrus fruit… It doesn't matter how many time I kiss him, I can never get over that flavour… he tastes beautiful. He is beautiful.

He breaks the kiss and holds me tight, nuzzling into my neck for a moment, lingering. We don't need words at a time like this; he just wants to feel me near him.

Now would you die for the one you loved?

Hold me in your arms tonight.

I look over his shivering shoulder to the window, spring sunshine now painting the Balamb mountains in myriad hues of silver and grey, light turning the snow on their peaks to a flare of white fire.

The sensation of Zell's lips on my neck sends a tremor of pleasure through me and I turn to look at him.

He cups my face with one hand as he traces a thumb over my lips. "Thanks baby" he says.

"What for?" I ask, a little confused.

"I think that was the best birthday I ever had." he smiles. When he smiles, his whole face is alight with happiness, from the slight crease at the corner of his eye to the curve of his lips and the dance of his tattoo. "I had all my friends around me for the first time."

"It was Selphie's idea." I shrug. "I just sorted out the details."

"You didn't let me finish…" He grins now as he punches me lightly on the arm. "I spent all my birthdays wishing for my friends to be with me, and that came true - but this year all I wanted, all I could think of, was you."

"You mean that?" I choke out as he hugs me so tight I can barely breathe; sometimes I think he forgets how strong he is.

"Yeah. I always felt so lonely. I had Ma and Pa, but there was something missing. I thought it was friends. But…" he pokes me hard in the chest with one slender finger "…it was you."

I smile in response as I catch the finger that poked me, lifting it to my mouth and drawing it in, teasing with gentle caresses from my tongue.

I can be your hero baby. I can kiss away the pain.

I will stand by you forever. You can take my breath away.

 He pulls his hand away, slowly unbuttoning my shirt with trembling fingers, watching the black silk move back to reveal the pale flesh of my chest and stomach. He looks back up at me as he pushes it away from my shoulders. He seems so vulnerable in that enduring moment, his hands shaking and his eyes asking if it's okay.

I nod, and tease the black tank top he wore to his party up and over his head, lifting him so that we kneel on the bed together.

I hold him tight against myself, relishing the feeling of his warm flesh against my own. It feels as if winter has lingered here around us, just in this room; and we are the only survivors.

The whole world is silent.

'I love you so much….' I think as he rests his forehead against mine. He closes his eyes and I see every eyelash quiver and tremble, feeling the heat of his breath on my neck.

Would you swear that you'd always be mine?

Or would you lie? Would you run and hide?

Am I in too deep? Have I lost my mind?

I don't care… You're here tonight.

He looks so good at this second; I can't bring myself to mar that perfection, no matter what my body screams out for me to do.

He must know what I am thinking, as he pulls back and with eyes still closed, reaches up to trace the fading line of my scar.

"What I wouldn't give to have prevented this. To have stopped him from hurting you… you saved me too many times to remember, Squall; I couldn't stop one little cut."

"Less of the little, it hurt like hell." I try to joke, but fall flat on my face. He winces as though struck. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. Besides, you weren't even there that morning… and how many times have you saved my life since then?"

"Dunno." he mumbles.

"You're a hero to me Zell," I kiss him "and I love you so much for it."

I can be your hero baby. I can kiss away the pain.

I will stand by you forever. You can take my breath away.

Oh, I just wanna hold you, I just wanna hold you…

Am I in too deep? Have I lost my mind?

I don't care… You're here tonight.

He blushes just a little, high on his cheekbones and I smile in return. "You're my world," he whispers, "I don't know what I'd do without you." He runs his strong hands down my chest, stopping at the waistband of my jeans. He looks down to where his hands are resting.

I catch the hands before they begin to unbuckle my belts and pull them away, folding his arms between us. "I just want to hold you and kiss you for now, okay?"

He nods and I pull him back down to lie on the bed, pulling the covers over us. We gaze into each other's eyes, and I sigh, as we begin to drift off to sleep.

I can be your hero baby. I can kiss away the pain.

I will stand by you forever. You can take my breath away.

I can be your hero baby. I can kiss away the pain.

I will stand by you forever. You can take my breath away.

You can take my breath away.

"I want to be your hero, too." I whisper, as he falls asleep.

I can be your hero.

END

Thanks to Xineko for being a beta reader. And I'm sorry for being sooooooooooo slushy with it, consider it another reason to cry over the end of the longest road. Go and read Magic FF8 ball if you haven't already, it puts my work to shame.

Please review…. It is very much appreciated.