Bouquet
By Snare-chan
Pairings: Leon/Tifa
Ratings: K+
Category(ies): Romance
Warning(s): None
Status: One-shot, complete
Summary: Leon offers his services to Tifa, for all the right and wrong reasons.
Notes: A holiday gift for my longtime partner in crime, Cassandra Cassidy! I surprised her with this pairing, since she's mentioned offhandedly that she enjoys the two together. A tip of the hat to Keppiehed for beta reading this for me!
Disclaimer: I dun own Kingdom Hearts 2; wish I did like everyone else. They should put KH2 in stock, then I'd buy it all!
Leon had never met someone as tough as Tifa Lockhart. He had come across many strong-willed and brawny individuals; he'd fought alongside and worked with most of them. But few, if any, were as unique as her.
She didn't need defending or guidance – she sort of did her own thing. Tifa was always glad to help, of course, but she had her own set of priorities that she kept straight. Best of all, she kept to herself – didn't nag, berate or pester him, in general. Leon really liked that.
He'd grown fond of seeing her as they restored Hollow Bastion to its former Radiant Garden glory days. It had taken so very little for her to wind up on his good side. Leon wasn't positive when it began, but he had started to enjoy the rare instances when they crossed paths, simply exchanging greetings that would last him an entire day and battling the Heartless and Nobody forces together was somehow a pleasant experience.
It was…good to have her around, he'd admit, even if she was more often than not searching for someone else. Such an occurrence was what he discovered her partaking in most. That morning she was going through flower pots, easily wrenching the plants out of their containers by the stems – roots, soil and all – to peer inside. When she didn't find who she was seeking, she'd put it back and start in on another one.
Monster disposal was on his roster for the next couple of hours, when his usual rounds had him stumble upon her strange doings. He observed her behavior for a short time, and cleared his throat after the fifth bundle of flowers had been uprooted by her hand.
"I don't think you're going to find Cloud hiding amongst the roses," he said, tentative.
"These are the last things I haven't checked around here. You can never tell when, where or how that man will turn up, so I'd rather play it safe." Tifa laughed softly and added, "Maybe he was cursed when he disappeared and shrunk!"
Or maybe Cloud abandoned us Leon thought bitterly, and regretted the thought soon after. Cloud had never hidden his intent and Leon held no illusions that the other man had an easy time of conquering his personal demons. It wasn't fair for him to judge Cloud for situations outside of his control, but that didn't stop him from being disappointed. Cloud had a habit of being single-minded and forgetting that he had close friends who worried about his wellbeing.
"Perhaps," he conceded, if only for her benefit. Who was he to doubt her? If she believed Cloud wanted – could – be found, then he'd try to believe, too. "I must see to it that the path to the castle is clear, but afterward, do you want me to help you look for him?"
Tifa paused, a bush halfway ripped out of its pot, and she tilted her head at him. Then she broke out in a beautiful smile.
"Yeah, I'd love the help."
He nodded, promising to meet her at Merlin's later, and hurried to carry out his duties. Leon didn't plan on keeping her waiting, though a part of him wouldn't mind if she looked for him for a change – with the same intensity she did everything else.
-Fin-