Title: A lion and a wolf
To: My beloved co-writer, QttQ
Authors: Anae
Beta: Akapain
Fandom: Kingdom Hearts
Characters/pairing: Leon/Cloud
Rating: Erhm. PG?
Spoilers: None.
Disclaimer: I'd love to keep the boys but sadly, Square Enox disagrees with me.
Summary: One morning, there's a note on the kitchen table. "It's been a year. Within a year, you tamed a lion."
A/N: Last Tuesday a bit special day for me and QttQ and for our fic "Without shadow, nothing". It's been a year since we published the first chapter.
This piece of fiction was my little anniversary gift. "Without shadow, nothing" has given us multiply headaches, robbed our time to sleep, and yet... I wouldn't change a thing.
And it's not only the two of us, but our readers as well.
Thank you all for this year, you've given me reason to smile. Hope this ficlet gives you one.
Ps. Rewievs are always love, and appriciated.

One morning, there's a note on the kitchen table.

It's not something spectacular, it's simply something one isn't used to.

When one leans over the table, he is able to read the words, carefully written to a piece of paper with a ballpoint pen.

It's been a year.
Within a year, you tamed a lion.

Next to the note, there lies a necklace, shaped like a lion's head.

Its wearer would never leave it behind, if not for a good reason. Or meaning.

Apparently one year of multiply emotions, co-operation and care is more than enough.

And if that's not enough to melt a heart, there is a question written on the lower part of the paper, capitals small.

Care to do another?

Another year like this one, with its ups and downs; happiness, joy, desperation. Within a year, you can learn the most important things about a person; how he works, what he thinks, and if you're lucky enough, you get to co-operate with this person. And more so, you learn to care. And love.

Another year with such an awesome personality?

The answer couldn't have been easier.

In the evening, when the other person living under the same roof returns home, there's another note on the kitchen table.

It doesn't take much to lean over and read it.

Who's taming who?
The one who is being tamed is the wolf.

On left side of the note, there lies the lion necklace that was left there in the morning.

But it's not alone.

There's an earring, shaped like a wolf's head, next to it, and the chain is wrapped around the two animals.

And there are three words beneath the phrases, font so small it's barely readable.

Make it forever.

It's such a simple gesture, such simple words, but it means more than any phrase ever could. It means to tie two roads together for life.

And when one lifts his head after reading the paper, after having the answer to the question written on the note he left this morning, there is a person leaning to a doorframe.

Shocked stormy blue-grey eyes meet the enchanted blue ones in awe.

"Is this a promise?" The lion's voice - far from a roar - carries nothing but hope.

Is it? The smallest of smiles rises to the wolf's lips as he steps closer, braver now that he's sure they want the same thing.

Their hands find each other, fingers slipping between one another. "It's a vow."

And on the next day, when they wear matching, silver rings, only one person notices it.

But she doesn't comment it, only smiles knowingly as she passes by.

Because the small, rare smiles on their faces tell more than words ever could.

It doesn't matter whether it was the wolf taming the lion or the lion taming the wolf.

It just matters that they found each other.