Thank you, every one who reviewed and read. I present the second chapter, or how Cloud and Leon think they are talking about the same thing, but not really. Oh, and before I forget, the idea of mistaking a psychiatrist's office with an accountant's office comes from the movie Intimate Strangers, a French film. Thanks for pointing that out, Jewel. The movie's plot is nothing like this though, which is a real shame.


Cloud only could do so much for Tifa. How to make her smile, or to how to comfort her, were actions that he just couldn't grasp. Being there for her was enough, sure, but Tifa needed more. And that was how Cloud found himself, five minutes to two o'clock, climbing stairs to get to his appointment.

Rikku jumped slightly at the sight of Cloud. It felt awkward to her; to have a slight idea of what was going on, but not really.

"I'm here to for my appointment," Cloud said. Rikku nodded her head, feeling quite stupid, and fumbled for her appointment book to check Cloud in. What am I doing, she thought as she grabbed a pink florescent highlighter. This guy could be insane and she was letting her boss see him again. She tried to avoid looking at Cloud as she highlighted 'Strife', but found she was unable to do so when she needed to speak with him. "Ah, Mr Leonhart will be with you in a minute. I'm just going to go tell him you're here."

Mistaking offices like that? If the guy wasn't a stripper, then he had to really mean it about the Dr Leonhart thing. The real psychiatrist's office was two doors down and there weren't any other doctors' offices in the building. It made sense, and who knew what the problem was with this guy anyway? Strife could be a killer for all she knew, and her boss was about to meet with him!

"Um," Rikku started, pushing Leon's door open and not bothering to knock first. Leon was at his desk, hunched over some papers with a pen in hand. He didn't bother to look up. "What is it Miss Highwind?"

Rikku began thinking of her boss being bludgeoned to death by one of his heavy text books, or worse, that glass paper weight she had gotten him. Weren't glass things always the first to be suspected in homicides? Or that could have just been one of those statistics that never were really true. "I, uh, should warn you, Mr. Leonhart," she paused, causing Leon to actually look up from his paper work at her.

Tapping her polished nails against the door jamb, Rikku moved slowly from foot to foot. She looked from Leon, who was looking curiously at her now, to Cloud, who was sitting in the same chair as last time, and sighed. Seifer, in the next office, yawned loudly enough to hear, and Rikku brightened up at the sound. That's right, she thought, Seifer's here. If worse came to worse, and Leon wasn't able to fend off Cloud, Seifer could help!

"Mr Strife is here for his appointment," Rikku said cheerfully. Ignoring Leon's look of confusion, she waved for Cloud to come over. "Mr. Leonhart will see you now, Mr. Strife," she announced, walking back to her desk when Cloud entered Leon's office.

Leon was frowning as Cloud took a seat in one of the leather chairs. Yuffie was at it again, he was sure of it. "I thought Yuffie knew enough to tell you that I'm not interested." He waited for a response, watching as Cloud seemed to hesitate.

"Am I really that bad?" Cloud asked after another moment.

Leon was confused. "Bad at what?" he asked, moving his current work to the side.

"At this," Cloud stated, beginning to stare at the floor. Leon thought, Oh, great, now I'm making him upset saying that I'm not interested in him. Trying to mollify Cloud, Leon asked, "So, how long have you been doing this?"

"This is my first time doing something like this," Cloud answered while Leon hid his shock at the statement. "I really didn't like the idea of doing it, but Tifa suggested it," Cloud continued, "and last night she started talking about role-playing."

Nodding sympathetically, Leon rubbed at his scar. This Tifa sounded more like a madam than a friend of Yuffie's. "We don't have to role-play today. We'll just talk," Leon suggested while feeling quite relieved that he wouldn't have to kick Cloud out. Cloud's posture seemed to relax at that statement. "Why don't you tell me more about Tifa?"

"She's nice," Cloud started, "but the fact that I don't get close to people bothers her, or so I think. She suggested that I come here."

Picking up the notepad he had used yesterday and a pen, Leon started to jot down some notes. He needed to keep Cloud's screwed up life organized somehow. "Okay, and then what?"

"I'm here, aren't I?"

Leon frowned at Cloud's answer. "I'm only trying to help. You don't need to snap at me," he replied back, feeling a hint of annoyance towards the blond.

Cloud didn't apologize, but went on, "she's overtaxed with work, and it doesn't help that some of the clients haven't been paying."

"Why haven't they been paying?" Leon knew it was a legitimate question and even the look Cloud was giving him wasn't going to make him withdraw it.

Cloud shrugged, and Leon barely caught the motion. "Reno keeps saying that the service isn't good enough and that's why his boss refuses to pay."

"That's low." Leon nearly missed the shrug Cloud gave in reply. "If coming to see me is helping her, then see me next week. I'll make sure Yuffie takes care of things for you," he reasoned.

"I'll see you next week then."

Leon watched Cloud leave his office. What in the world made him do stupid things like allow a stripper to actually continue visiting him? Cloud was interesting, Leon had arrived at that conclusion yesterday, but this was ridiculous. Either Yuffie was desperate when she found Cloud, or extremely quick to realize Cloud's potential. Closing his eyes, Leon relaxed in his chair for about a minute before hearing Rikku.

"So, how was it?" she asked. Leon could hear her taking a seat on one of his leather chairs.

He could almost see her fidgeting with her nails. "He's harmless, Miss Highwind."

"Are you sure? He made another appointment for next week."

"I told him he could," Leon affirmed.

"But why didn't you just refer him to down the hall?"

"He's not crazy, if that's what your implying, Miss Highwind."

"Then what's wrong with him if he keeps coming back here, eh, Mr. Leonhart? You do realize that there are some things wrong with him, right?"

"People do tend to have things wrong with them, and I do actually give good advice, you know."

"He tried to give me his card again, so I took it like last time."

"And you're going to keep humoring him about it," Leon gave a small smile, just a twitch of his lips really, at the thought of Cloud giving Rikku his business card.

"Whatever, you say, Mr Leonhart."

Leon still didn't open his eyes after Rikku left his office. After a conversation like that with a beginner stripper, which had been the most excitement he had all day, he deserved a little rest.


Okay, I caved and wrote a second chapter. I will write a third. Writing a chapter without the heavy use of epithets is really quite difficult and is the reason why this chapter is shorter. I hope you all enjoyed anyway, and weren't bothered that I'm becoming kind of repetitive with my verbs.