Hello beautiful people! I'm just taking a little break from a Demon's Affair. I thought of this story after reading Aery's smile, just a little. and archy the cockroach's twiceover. I totally recomend them! Anyway, this was inspired by them. So ya! I will be continuing on my other story tho I promise!

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or its characters! Blame the Media people!

Locking Horns

Hollow Bastion has always been a town invaded by heartless since the mysterious Sora dropped by. The main heartless slayer in town was Leon. Along with his friends Yuffie and Aerith. They helped keep the town in order. One day Cloud had returned from a mission he had kept secret. He has always been one of many secrets.

He brought with him a guest. One the gang would later meet. He stopped by Merlin's house. He and Merlin later went to get the rest back at the inn.

"Cloud!" Yuffie screamed. She ran and hugged him. He on the other hand just looked at her and smiled.

"Cloud…" A silent voice behind Leon breathed. Aerith smiled. She always had her way with him.

"Aerith…" He acknowledged her presence. Her face lit up. Leon was indifferent.

"I better go get Cid!" Yuffie jumped up and down.

"No, I'll do it, I have to get something from him anyway." Leon didn't want to be in the same room as Cloud. And though it was true that he had to get something from him he was grateful that he had an errand to run. This excuse let him take a break from the blond soldier. He remembered their last encounter. He seemed annoying and self appreciate in a humble yet cocky way. He was too proud. Leon didn't know this but the main reason why he hated him was because they were too much alike. They locked horns.

Finally he opened the door the to Cid's shop. A woman was already there. The black leather defined her curves. Toned and strong. She was very well developed. Not that Leon cared. She looked like a warrior, this was a town crawling with heartless. She waited with crossed arms. Her long hair was loosely tide back with a black rubber band. As Leon entered she turned around without undoing her arms. Her face had rebellious strands. She was pretty but not someone Leon would be with.

'A customer.' He thought. Her face regained her focus as she turned back to the spot she was concentrating on. It seemed she was having a bad day since her face fumed.

Leon crossed his arms and waited for Cid. He needed a to get a special stone to repair the cracks on his gun-sword. The last encounter with Cloud had really damaged both of their swords. It was a waist since Cloud was an ally all along.

Finally Cid stepped out. "Here it is, 'Steel Fang.' He announced holding a smooth silver rock. Before he could give it to Tifa he saw Leon. He smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand. "Damn. I'm Sorry Tifa I need to give this to Leon. He asked for it first a couple of days ago."

"But were leaving, he cant fight with a broken sword!" Her fury was starting to get the best of her.

"I also need that to fix my-" Leon started in a cool tone only to be interrupted by Tifa.

"Cid we need that stone!" She ignored Leon. To her the only other person in the shop was Cid.

"I'm Sorry Tifa." He looked at Leon. "Can I just make you another one? They're leaving."

"I need it now." If the woman named Tifa was going to ignore his presence than he had no business giving her the stone he had patiently waited for. "This place is crawling with heartless.

"Basic ones!" She let out a loud Ha! "Cant you use your fists for those?"

"Maybe, but the only reason why they are sending basics is because they are easy to make, thus flooding Hollow Bastion. I need to get rid of them as quickly as possible." He fumed back. Her back was to him. She didn't look at him. She felt his presence was of little importance.

"Pathetic." She spat looking at the ceiling while rolling her eyes.

"If your so keen on fist fights then why doesn't your partner use his fists. It seems he needs a swords. The heartless are basic anyway."

"For your information were only here for the stone." She snapped turning to him. "Were going back to Hades' layer." She threw a bill on the counter, grabbed the stone and stormed off. Leon ran after her. Cid was too shocked to stop her.

Tifa's paste was fast but Leon was still close behind. She started running. He imitated her steps. She wasn't going to get rid of him that easily. After a couple of miles he caught up close enough to grab her arm. She spun around and delivered a hard kick. He felt a strong jab on his stomach. She was aiming lower but that was okay. As a warrior, a simple kick wasn't going to keep him down. As she kicked him the air caught her hair and released it of the band. It flew freely in the autumn air. She reclaimed her arm as she furiously shook him off.

"Don't touch me!" He had no right. He quickly recovered noticing she was about to kick him again. He grabbed her leg unaware of her other leg. This time the blow was on the face. They both spun to the ground along with the rock. The sound of it find land made them jolt to their knees in search of it. It was closest to Leon. He grabbed it. Tifa kicked it off his hands.

He grabbed Tifa's foot and pushed her to the side as hard as he could. As a result she flew a couple of feet away. He was on his belly when he found the stone again. He felt someone climb on his back. She grabbed his hair and pulled it back forcing him to reveal his neck. His skin felt the cold of her blade threaten to kill him.

"I thought you only believed in 'fists'" He grunted.

"I also believe in threats." She opened her hand next to his face signaling to place it on her palm. "The stone." He could have got up but her blade could enter with the simplest movement. She got off of him and ran off. He ran after her but was stalled by heartless. After fisting his way out of the clutches of 6 heartless the path was clear. He ran all around town. He couldn't find her. Finally he returned back to Cid's. He still needed to tell him about Cloud.

Cid wasn't there. He turned around and walked back to Merlin. He wondered what he was going to tell his comrades. He didn't want to explain the earlier events. He didn't have to waste his breath since Cid was back at Merlin's.

As soon as he entered the first person he saw, much to his dismay was...

"You!" He and Tifa "greeted" each other with shouts and accusations. Cloud stood in front of Tifa. She hated how he defended her but loved the protection.

"What's your problem?" He asked in a stern voice.

"No, whats HER problem?" He pointed at Tifa. He turned to her. "I need that stone."

Cloud looked at Leon. "This?" He showed him the silver rock.

"Yes." Cloud inserted the stone in his banded blade. It immediately dissolved into the cracks, repairing it. He was taken aback. He looked at the damage being healed. He knew that could have been his blade. That should have been his blade. Feeling cheated he turned around and walked away. Before leaving he stopped. Without looking back "If anyone needs me I'll be at the Inn." He left. Leon and Cloud had always bumped heads but this time Cloud had gone too far.

Upon returning he took off his shoes. The wooden floor felt cold. He needed a shower to cool off his fury. Anger wasn't going to help. He knew, no matter how much he yearned for it, he couldn't attack Cloud. They were both fighters for the greater good.

10 minutes and a refreshing shower later he sat on his room. Drying his hair with a towel. Night had arrived and he was wearing his usual night wear. Black sweats with a white tank top. Or Man Top as Yuffie liked to call it.

He listened to music and finally went to sleep. In the morning Aerith told him about Cloud's departure after trying to calm him down and explaining why Cloud had done it, in her caring gentle voice. "It doesn't matter." He ended the conversation. He went to the kitchen and made himself stake and eggs for breakfast. He saw a cartoon of juice and thought Aerith might have bought it for him in order to cheer him up. He was in the mood for orange.

Much to his dismay after sitting down and eating, Tifa entered the kitchen. He sighed to himself. He thought she was going to leave with Cloud. She stormed in the kitchen with the same attitude as the day before. Why cant she be more like Aerith? He thought. Taking in a smile as he concluded 'She must have gotten Cloud-itus, a side effect for being with that emo bastard too long.'

She wore black spandex like shorts. Her white tank top revealed her belly button. She had sandals on. Her hair was up in a bun, held up by what looked like decorated black chop sticks. Despite her effort to put it up she still had the same rebellious strands by her face. They had apparently became her signature bangs.

She leaned down even more as she was unable to find what she was looking for in the fridge. Leon drank his juice. He looked at the stove. He didn't want to get mad. She wasn't worth it. Suddenly she looked at him and found what she was looking for on his right hand.

The air thickened. Friction collided between them.

"Is that yours?" She pointed.

"I wouldn't be drinking it if it wasn't." He answered without looking at her. Her face angered him.

"No that's mine!" She started. He never thought anyone could be more annoying than Cloud. Then again he had never met Tifa.

"Well that's what you get for stealing my stone." He wasn't going to let it go until he got another one. Besides it serves her right. He couldn't believe he had just grabbed something that wasn't his. He grabbed the carton almost to the point of squeezing it. She went for the carton but Leon had already drank it all.

"Ugh!" She stormed out.

The atmosphere stayed heavy within the next couple of days, until Cid had brought Leon another stone. After his sword was fixed he didn't care about what had happened. 'I'll stay out her way as long as she stays out of mine.'