AN: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, I just play with the characters.
Yuffie was singing again. Trying to block out the noise, Cloud started edging slowly towards the open door. He'd been in Merlin's hosue all morning with Yuffie, Aerith and Tifa, as they tried to work out a plan for defeating the Heartless. So far, they'd achieved precisely nothing except infuriating him beyond all belief. If Tifa called him "Cloudy, babe" just one more time, somebody was going to get hurt. It had been a while since he'd unleashed the power that was Omnislash, and all he needed right now was a hint of a reason to do so. All in all, getting out of the house was seeming like a very good idea.
The bailey was peaceful, even with all the construction work taking place not far away. Sora, Kairi and Riku were all occupied with the building programme at the moment, thank all the powers that be. He had nothing at all against the three teenagers, but he just didn't feel up to dealing with them right now. They confused him with the affection between them all; he just couldn't work out who was dating whom, if they were all just good friends, or what it was. Cloud sat on the ledge, leaning against a solid stone pillar, and looked out towards the horizon.
"What are you looking for?" He almost didn't hear the question; he was so lost in his own thoughts. Squall "Call me Leon" Leonhart had sat down beside him, sweat beading on his skin. He'd clearly been working hard - he'd actually removed the fur-trimmed leather jacket he always wore. In fact, Cloud had begun to think it was surgically attached - the brunet was never seen without it.
"I'm not. Just trying to find some peace and quiet." Leon, of all people, should understand that. He hated crowds even more than Cloud did.
"Everybody's looking for something, whether they realise it or not." Insightful, from the stoic warrior who rarely spoke. Cloud had long suspected there was more to him than met the eye.
"What are you looking for, oh wise one?"
"A purpose, a meaning to my life. I lost everything I thought I knew, and there was nothing I could do about it."
Things were making more sense now. Leon was fanatical about the rebuilding of Radiant Garden, and Cloud had never really understood why. It wasn't his home world, after all. "I see."
"So, what are you looking for?"
"The same, I guess." Although Cloud hadn't given the matter any serious thought before, he too needed a sense of purpose. He always had to be doing something; he wasn't good at sitting around and waiting for things to happen.
Blue eyes met grey as they looked at each other, both understanding what the other hadn't said. Neither of them were fond of talking, being the quiet, strong type. But even they needed to lean on someone at times. Perhaps, just perhaps, they could fulfil that role for one another.
"Come on, Strife, we've got a town to build."
Leon was right. They had a job to do, and they'd wasted more than enough time moping about. Together, they stood, and walked purposefully towards the construction site, where Sora, Kairi and Riku sprawled lazily on a patch of grass.
"On your feet, you lazy buggers. We've got work to do."