Final Fantasy VI - Expanding the Vocabulary
Title: Expanding the Vocabulary.
Author: shaded_mazoku
Disclaimer: Not mine at all. They’re Squeenix’. I just borrow them. (Although I have a sneaking suspicion I might belong to Kefka...)
Sign: #1: Stop.
Fandom: Final Fantasy VI.
Pairing: Leo/Kefka.
Rating: PG.
Words: 809.
Notes: This is, clearly, way before the game. Leo isn’t quite aware of what he’s getting himself into. For 25_streetsigns
As far as anyone could tell, the word “Stop” did not appear to be in Kefka’s vocabulary.
He certainly never listened when people told him to stop, unless it was the Emperor. But Gesthal delighted in the ruthlessness of his favoured General, and only ever told him to stop if there was a danger of important plans being ruined. For all his obvious insanity, Kefka was fully aware of his actions. More than often, he was also the main contributor of any given plan that was to be executed, being the Emperor’s right-hand man and head advisor. Other than causing trouble for his plans, the Emperor had given Kefka free reins.
Too free, maybe, at least in most people’s eyes, but then, Kefka was of noble birth, and was used to having his way. It wouldn’t be easy to limit him in any way. Especially not when one considered that Kefka was the first mage to walk the world in centuries, a man who controlled forces most people couldn’t even begin to understand. And who, despite his habit of never listening to anyone trying to teach him anything, had mastered the use of the near unstoppable Magitek Armour.
Leo knew that better than anyone, he supposed, as he was probably the one person who’d spent the longest actually getting to know Kefka as more than just the Emperor’s psychotic pet general. He’d quickly discovered that applying any sort of common logic to Kefka was a waste of time. He’d also learned that anyone who was stupid enough to write Kefka off as just a pet for Gesthal’s amusement was going to regret it deeply. Or die. Much to Leo’s surprise, considering his dislike for Kefka’s methods, he was unexplainably drawn to the older man.
He had no idea why. They were polar opposites. Kefka was too pale where Leo was dark, small and too slender where Leo was tall and imposing. In fact, some people might say that Kefka was borderline effeminate, though not where he could hear them. Leo was a plain dresser, favouring simple cuts and comfortable outfits, while Kefka dressed in fanciful, bright outfits that often clashed terribly. Kefka wore a ton of mismatched jewellery, delighting in the jingling sounds they made, the way they glittered in the light. The only piece of jewellery Leo wore was a solid gold earring, to pay for a funeral in case he died in battle, as the tradition was among the men of the army.
But their looks weren’t the only place they differed. Kefka’s appearance was decidedly unsettling at times, and his outfit probably weighed nearly as much as he did, but Leo could handle his looks. His outfits were as eccentric as he was, which was of course deliberate, but though Kefka could be blamed for many things, it wasn’t his fault he looked as he looked. Except of course the face paint. Still, it was nothing that Leo couldn’t deal with. It was his personality that caused the problem. Leo was a follower of the principles of chivalry, and a great believer in justice and in fairness. His loyalty to the Empire was absolute, and he’d kill in battle if ordered to, but he took no joy in it, and would never attack an unarmed man.
Kefka was nothing like that. The pale, strange General was a sneaky person. He was a good strategic planner, and really quite brilliant, but his chosen tactics were never the same as Leo’s. He had no qualms about ambushing someone, and he often applied poison or fire to weaken the opponent. Worst of all, Kefka seemed to truly enjoy hurting people. On the other hand, he was completely unconcerned about his soldiers’ lives. How he could go from being so passionate about his work to so indifferent about the lives of those under his command never ceased to puzzle and worry Leo.
Kefka’s tactics were the embodiment of what Leo hated, cowardly ways to deal with things. The eccentric mage was quite cowardly in many ways. Maybe in another man, it could be called an survival instinct, common sense, but Kefka didn’t appear to possess something that even resembled common sense. Instead, he was intense, hot-tempered and arrogant to a fault, just doing whatever he wanted to, when he wanted to, and consequence be damned.
Still, for all his arrogance and temper, Kefka did appreciate a good joke, and when Leo presented him with a small, leather-bound dictionary with the word “stop” underlined, he’d snickered to himself and muttered something under his breath. Leo couldn’t actually pick out the words, but the tone was almost fond, as much as anything coming from Kefka could be. At that moment, it suddenly occurred to Leo that maybe, when it came down to it, he didn’t really want Kefka to stop, after all.
Author: shaded_mazoku
Disclaimer: Not mine at all. They’re Squeenix’. I just borrow them. (Although I have a sneaking suspicion I might belong to Kefka...)
Sign: #1: Stop.
Fandom: Final Fantasy VI.
Pairing: Leo/Kefka.
Rating: PG.
Words: 809.
Notes: This is, clearly, way before the game. Leo isn’t quite aware of what he’s getting himself into. For 25_streetsigns
As far as anyone could tell, the word “Stop” did not appear to be in Kefka’s vocabulary.
He certainly never listened when people told him to stop, unless it was the Emperor. But Gesthal delighted in the ruthlessness of his favoured General, and only ever told him to stop if there was a danger of important plans being ruined. For all his obvious insanity, Kefka was fully aware of his actions. More than often, he was also the main contributor of any given plan that was to be executed, being the Emperor’s right-hand man and head advisor. Other than causing trouble for his plans, the Emperor had given Kefka free reins.
Too free, maybe, at least in most people’s eyes, but then, Kefka was of noble birth, and was used to having his way. It wouldn’t be easy to limit him in any way. Especially not when one considered that Kefka was the first mage to walk the world in centuries, a man who controlled forces most people couldn’t even begin to understand. And who, despite his habit of never listening to anyone trying to teach him anything, had mastered the use of the near unstoppable Magitek Armour.
Leo knew that better than anyone, he supposed, as he was probably the one person who’d spent the longest actually getting to know Kefka as more than just the Emperor’s psychotic pet general. He’d quickly discovered that applying any sort of common logic to Kefka was a waste of time. He’d also learned that anyone who was stupid enough to write Kefka off as just a pet for Gesthal’s amusement was going to regret it deeply. Or die. Much to Leo’s surprise, considering his dislike for Kefka’s methods, he was unexplainably drawn to the older man.
He had no idea why. They were polar opposites. Kefka was too pale where Leo was dark, small and too slender where Leo was tall and imposing. In fact, some people might say that Kefka was borderline effeminate, though not where he could hear them. Leo was a plain dresser, favouring simple cuts and comfortable outfits, while Kefka dressed in fanciful, bright outfits that often clashed terribly. Kefka wore a ton of mismatched jewellery, delighting in the jingling sounds they made, the way they glittered in the light. The only piece of jewellery Leo wore was a solid gold earring, to pay for a funeral in case he died in battle, as the tradition was among the men of the army.
But their looks weren’t the only place they differed. Kefka’s appearance was decidedly unsettling at times, and his outfit probably weighed nearly as much as he did, but Leo could handle his looks. His outfits were as eccentric as he was, which was of course deliberate, but though Kefka could be blamed for many things, it wasn’t his fault he looked as he looked. Except of course the face paint. Still, it was nothing that Leo couldn’t deal with. It was his personality that caused the problem. Leo was a follower of the principles of chivalry, and a great believer in justice and in fairness. His loyalty to the Empire was absolute, and he’d kill in battle if ordered to, but he took no joy in it, and would never attack an unarmed man.
Kefka was nothing like that. The pale, strange General was a sneaky person. He was a good strategic planner, and really quite brilliant, but his chosen tactics were never the same as Leo’s. He had no qualms about ambushing someone, and he often applied poison or fire to weaken the opponent. Worst of all, Kefka seemed to truly enjoy hurting people. On the other hand, he was completely unconcerned about his soldiers’ lives. How he could go from being so passionate about his work to so indifferent about the lives of those under his command never ceased to puzzle and worry Leo.
Kefka’s tactics were the embodiment of what Leo hated, cowardly ways to deal with things. The eccentric mage was quite cowardly in many ways. Maybe in another man, it could be called an survival instinct, common sense, but Kefka didn’t appear to possess something that even resembled common sense. Instead, he was intense, hot-tempered and arrogant to a fault, just doing whatever he wanted to, when he wanted to, and consequence be damned.
Still, for all his arrogance and temper, Kefka did appreciate a good joke, and when Leo presented him with a small, leather-bound dictionary with the word “stop” underlined, he’d snickered to himself and muttered something under his breath. Leo couldn’t actually pick out the words, but the tone was almost fond, as much as anything coming from Kefka could be. At that moment, it suddenly occurred to Leo that maybe, when it came down to it, he didn’t really want Kefka to stop, after all.