Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, its characters or storyline. This collection is mine, as are McCallister and Jake. Some more silliness in this chapter. I gotta say, Merlin and the Fairy Godmother isn't really a ship I sail, but I had some fun writing it. Enjoy!

..:-X-:..

029 – Merry Matchmaking

(For The Sacred and Profane; Prompt: 'Tifa and Squall find out about Merlin's crush on the Fairy Godmother. Together, they try and set up the pair.')

"Did you see that?" Tifa asked, drawing her eyes back to Leon.

Keeping his hand around her back, he smirked. "Don't even think about it."

Tifa held his hand, letting him spin her through the dance. Radiant Garden's annual ball had had the largest turnout in its five year history tonight. Well, Tifa presumed that it was the largest. This was actually her first year ever going to it. She had never really had a reason to come before this year. Her reason currently being to see Leon in his rarest form: tuxedo-ed up and dancing with her.

She looked over his shoulder at the crowd. "You know you saw that look he gave her."

"Don't poke it." He said smoothly as they slow danced.

Aerith and Jake waltzed up beside them.

"Did you see—" Aerith started.

"Right?" Tifa agreed.

"It was so obvious." Jake input.

Leon rolled his eyes and pulled himself and Tifa away from the two.

"We have to do something." Tifa said.

"What? No. Why?" He implored.

"Because I'm feeling romantic tonight." She chirped.

"There are better outlets when feeling romantic than pairing up old people." Leon muttered.

Tifa snorted, "You have to admit, they would look cute together."

She glanced back over to where Merlin was talking to the Fairy Godmother. The two had been enjoying each other's company frequently as of late, and Tifa knew she wasn't the only person to notice. The idea of setting the two magicians up was enticing. Tifa was starting to understand why Aerith loved playing matchmaker. But she would need an accomplice.

"I never took you for someone who liked playing cupid." Leon remarked.

She shrugged, "I didn't either, but it's a full moon. Strange things happen." She canted her head at him. "If I talk to her, and you say something to him—"

"No, no, no," Leon stopped dancing with her, standing still. "You are not dragging me into the crazy with you."

She cast him a mischievous look. "If you do, then tonight, we can…" She leaned in and whispered something in his ear.

Leon straightened, "We'll rendezvous in fifteen minutes with a status report."

And then he was off. Tifa snickered as he bolted toward Merlin. Then, she adjusted her blue dress and went to talk the Fairy Godmother.

..:-X-:..

Merlin looked at Leon, flustered. "I have no idea what you mean."

"I'm just saying," Leon awkwardly said, sitting with the old wizard at the bar. "You seem like you're…close."

"Two old magicians, swopping stories of the glory days, while a city of young people make their own memories," Merlin chuckled, nursing his tea. "I would hope so."

"So…You were one of the people who kept saying that Tifa and I would be good together, because we were so close." Leon prompted.

"Everyone was saying that, son." Merlin quipped.

Leon shifted. He still wasn't entirely sure why he had agreed to do this. It felt ridiculous. Then again…Tifa always kept her promises. He loosened his collar and gestured to the bartender, who glanced over from her other customers.

"McCallister?" Leon blinked.

The soldier had refused to wear a dress for the ball, and she had instead accepted the position as a barkeep for the night, donning a plain green collared shirt and black pants.

"Sir." She greeted with her same flat tone.

"Drink. Strong." He said.

She nodded and started to pour a mystery drink of her choosing for him.

Merlin sighed, "Even if you're right. Who's to say that she would return my feelings? She's the closest friend I have. To change that dynamic could ruin everything."

"Tifa is talking to her now." Leon said, as McCallister set the drink in front of him. "And you know Tifa can be quite persuasive."

Merlin shifted nervously. "If you say so."

Suddenly, Yuffie and Jake waltzed by, Yuffie's yellow skirt swishing.

"You should go for it!" Yuffie beamed as Jake spun her.

"We're rooting for ya!" Jake agreed as they tango-ed away.

Leon looked from them to Merlin, lifting his glass. "It's worth a shot." He took a drink from the glass, nearly choking. "McCallister, I said strong, not deadly."

One corner of the soldier's mouth quirked. "My apologies, sir."

But she didn't look sorry.

..:-X-:..

The Fairy Godmother chuckled. "Oh, dear, you must be mistaken. We're just good friends."

"How many happy endings have you helped to happen?" Tifa prompted, sitting with her at a table away from the dance floor. "It's time you got one of your own."

"That's the trick of being a fairy godmother," The fairy remarked. "My magic can only facilitate the happiness of others."

"Then don't use magic." Tifa grinned. "I can tell that Merlin likes you."

The older woman giggled. "Now, I don't know about that—"

"He does!" Rinoa Heartilly waltzed by in a red dress with Jake. "We can all see it."

Tifa and the Fairy Godmother blinked.

Jake dipped Rinoa low. "Leon is convincing Merlin to ask you out as we speak."

Then the duo continued on their way, dancing.

Tifa looked back to the Fairy Godmother. "See?"

"Ooh, you kids are playing matchmaker." She chortled.

"It's a ball," Tifa shrugged. "Isn't that part of the point?"

The Fairy Godmother fidgeted with straightening her dress. "Well, yes, so I've heard."

"So…?" Tifa pressed.

The magician looked at the younger woman. "I guess it's worth a shot." She blushed.

..:-X-:..

"So…I don't think this is fair." Leon remarked, finishing off the third of…whatever drink it was that McCallister had created for him.

"What isn't fair, sir?" The soldier asked, keeping an eye on him at the bar.

"Ev'r'body was invited to this thing." Leon gestured to the ballroom. "Including you. I was forced t'wear this." He tugged at his collar, having disposed of his jacket two drinks back. "Y'shoulda been forced t'wear a dress."

The soldier looked imploringly to Cid, who had been downing beer like it was water.

The other man just snorted. "You gave him the strong drinks, sister."

Just then, Tifa trotted by, dancing with Jake.

"Are you drunk?" She asked as they spun past.

"S'what if I am?" Leon hiccupped. "S'her fault." He pointed to McCallister. "All three a'her."

Tifa looked disapprovingly to McCallister, who lifted her shoulders. Cid just guffawed and clapped a hand on Leon's shoulder.

"Another round, soldier." He ordered McCallister.

"Why are you weird?" Leon suddenly asked McCallister. "We've worked together for over five years now and I still can't figure it out."

Tifa and Jake danced away at that, spinning instead toward the balcony, where Tifa could see Merlin and the Fairy Godmother talking.

..:-X-:..

"Really? Really. Uh huh." Tifa crooned the next morning, twiddling with the telephone's cord as she talked to Aerith on the phone. "Did they kiss or anything?"

"They're just talking right now." Aerith replied, on her cell phone and trying to be discreet where she was sitting on the perimeter wall of the Marketplace, having spotted the two magicians talking at an outdoor café.

"I mean last night." Tifa asked.

She had had to leave early after Leon lost the ability to walk straight. She had no idea what McCallister had put in those drinks…but she needed to get that recipe written down. He had been so amusing and entertaining before he passed out, that she hadn't even gotten a chance to fulfill her promise to him for helping her hook up Merlin and the Fairy Godmother.

"No, at least I didn't see them." Aerith remarked. "Although, Jake turned up this morning with that earring that I lost."

"Where did he find it?" Tifa perked up.

"I was too afraid of the answer to ask."

"Smart girl." Tifa snickered, hearing a body stirring in the living room.

Leon abruptly sat up, half of his hair sticking up in ungodly directions from lying on his side all night on the couch. The upholstery had left indentations on his face, and there was a spectacular bruise coming in over his eyebrow from where he'd taken a header into the front door on the way inside the house.

"Ah, I gotta go." Tifa told Aerith. "Sleeping Beauty just woke up. Keep me posted if anything develops."

"Right-o."

Tifa hung up and sauntered into the living room, planted her hands on her hips, and looked at her husband. "Sleep well?"

He grimaced, squinting his eyes. "Stop yelling."

She snorted and folded her arms. "You got plastered last night."

"No I didn't." He grumbled, trying to flatten his hair.

"You went swimming in the fountain with Private McCallister, and then you dared any man there to a competition of who could eat the most crab legs." She said flatly.

Leon looked up at her, "With McCallister?"

"…not by her choice. You sort of…dragged her." Tifa said.

"Great." He rubbed his face and then looked down. "Where are my pants?"

"I have no idea." She answered honestly.

He climbed off the couch and staggered slightly. "I need to take a shower…or throw up…maybe both."

"Well, shoo, then." She waved him toward the stairs.

..:-X-:..

"Sounds like I really missed a party." Cloud said later that afternoon.

"Yeah," Aerith remarked. "Where were you, anyway?"

"I'm not much into dancing." He said flatly.

"There were nearly three girls per one guy. Jake Alms had to dance with every single one of us." She pushed.

Cloud snickered, "Yeah, I heard about your earring."

"Hey, at least he tried." Aerith folded her arms hotly, sitting beside him on the couch at Merlin's house.

The front door opened before he could retort, and the Fairy Godmother entered the house. She walked in, almost sneakily, and started when she saw Cloud and Aerith on the couch. The three of them just stared at each other for a beat.

"Oh, um, hello there, dears." The older woman giggled, "I didn't realize you were here. Is…Merlin…around?"

Aerith and Cloud, bug eyed, both wordlessly pointed toward the stairs, where Merlin had been in the second floor study. The Fairy Godmother sauntered toward the stairs.

"Thank you." She said sweetly, adjusting her blue robes as she headed upstairs.

As she disappeared to the second floor, Aerith and Cloud paused and then slowly looked at each other. Why had the Fairy Godmother looked so…giddy? What had that little adjustment been for? Had Tifa and Leon actually managed to pair the two up? And…more importantly…what were they doing upstairs?

"Do you wanna—" Cloud gestured to the front door.

"Yep." Aerith shot off the couch.

They crossed the living room and were quickly out of the house. They nearly bowled over Cid, who had been about to go inside.

"Hey, Cid, where ya going?" Aerith prompted.

Cid lifted an eyebrow, putting out the butt of his cigarette. "Inside. Where you two runnin' off in such a hurry?"

"Oh…nowhere." Cloud shifted awkwardly.

"I wouldn't…go in there…" Aerith said delicately. "There are…old people and…feelings…going on." She gestured vaguely.

Cid lifted his other eyebrow and glanced toward the house. The pieces seemed to click into place and he cursed, tapping a fresh cigarette out of his pack.

"Well, maybe that explains why there's a pair of pants in the fountain at the square…"

..:-X—:..

A/N: Next chapter is the last one, filling the final prompt!