This chapter features a fair bit on Cloud and Aerith (ooooooooohhh)! Yay! A Squaffie AND a Clourith! I'm so happy even though I wrote it!

Disclaimer: everyone knows it, so I'm not going to state the obvious

Rebuilding New Lives

Chapter 2: Dinner

"Oh man, I can't eat any more!" Yuffie groaned, locking her fingers together over her stomach.

Aerith and Leon stared at her discreetly. Neither of them had ever seen someone clear so much food away in so little time. The petite ninja had eaten four slabs of steak, three bowls of chips, a double-cheese egg-and-bacon burger, two 2L bottle of cola, four helpings of spaghetti bolognaise and six bowls of ice-cream and French vanilla cheesecake, and she'd finished it all before they'd had their second helping of salad.

Oblivious to the stunned expressions of their two amazed dinner partners, Cloud, sitting next to her, glanced at her with an impassive face. "Liar. You have a bottomless pit for a stomach." He pointed out, then returned to his own bowl of spaghetti bolognaise.

"I probably could fit in a bit of that chocolate cherry truffle you ordered, Aerith," the black-haired ninja admitted, fingers stretching almost involuntarily for the delectable-looking dish.

Aerith gave her an unbelieving look and nudged the plate of chocolate into Yuffie's reach. The girl grinned triumphantly and started on the chocolate dessert.

"Does she always eat this much?" a cold impersonal voice asked. Leon, Yuffie thought, and answered him herself in the sweetest voice she could muster.

"Of course, Squallie," she announced brightly, watching his face carefully for the flicker of anger she knew she had sparked. There it is. "I need to keep my strength up, after all, and growing girls need a lot of food for energy."

"It'll go to your hips," Cloud joked, inwardly wincing at the obvious barb directed at the Gunblade fighter.

Yuffie stuck her tongue out at her best friend. "It hasn't yet," she retorted, standing up and turning to show her small body. "See? It never goes to my figure."

Aerith joined in the banter, trying to prevent the eruption she knew was likely to come from Leon. "Wouldn't she cost a lot to keep?" she asked Cloud, keeping her tone light and friendly.

"I could sell her to you, if you like." Cloud offered. "Then you could find out for yourself."

Yuffie snorted. "I always pay for my own meals, whether it means I have to work it off or pay on the spot. I can earn my own way, too, if I'm out of munny."

"Or steal it," Cloud added, laughing at her.

"Just what we need. A thief in the town." Leon injected, cold blue eyes fixed on Yuffie.

Right. That did it. "It's gotta be better than having someone so bitter around all the time, Squall." Yuffie shot back, stung. "And I'm a ninja, not a thief. I almost always return what I borrow, one way or another. We do have some honour, you know," she added, almost shouting.

"It's Le-"

"I know, it's Leon. But I am going to call you by your name, Squall Leonhart, whether you like it or not! So get off your pedestal and get used to it, because that's the way it's going to be from now on!" Yuffie shouted at the angry man, then tried to calm down. He's such a bastard, she thought, irritated, looking at him. His cheeks were flaming red, probably with anger. Shock, too. I bet no one's ever tried to talk to him like that. I wonder what he went through, though, to make him like this? The fiery little ninja added to herself, softening fractionally towards the hard man in spite of his harsh words when she thought of what he must have been through. She pushed her chair in. "I just remembered, Cloud, some of our luggage is still on the ship. I'll meet you back at the Hotel?" she kissed him quickly on the cheek (a sign to Cloud that she had her temper back under control) and ran out the door.

Out in the street, she walked quickly towards the gummi ship, remembering the fight she and Leon had just had. I guess he won't want to be friends, then, she thought sadly- Yuffie always preferred friends to enemies. A pity- he was really cute, too.

At the restaurant, a few moments passed without anyone saying anything, then Leon stood up. "See you later. I'm going to train some more." He said, slinging his Gunblade over his shoulder. Cloud, wary of the weapon and the fact that he looked ready for revenge, made as if to stop him, but Aerith kicked him under the table. Leon stalked towards the door (the second time today, Aerith thought, what is up with him?) and disappeared through it without a backwards glance, leaving Cloud and Aerith sitting at the table by themselves.

Cloud, who had been holding his breath since Yuffie had left, exhaled loudly.

Aerith glanced at him silently with her troubled green gaze. At last she spoke. "She kisses you, huh?" she said quietly.

Cloud spoke quickly, relieved not to be talking of the scene they had just witnessed. "Yeah, we're best friends. In Hollow Bastion, there was no one else- but you know that already, you used to live there. We've become really close since the Heartless first overran the place. Even at the dances we sometimes went to in the villages, just to be sociable, she'd still stay with me although she could have gone with any other boy (2). Hell, I could be dying of a deadly contagious disease and she still give me a hug every morning." He added fondly, not noticing the flash of pain that raced across Aerith's beautiful face (3).

"Oh," Aerith murmured softly. "Well, we'd better go pay for all this-" she indicated the spread on the table, "-and get back to the Hotel before Leon does. We don't want Leon and Yuffie alone right now, do we?"

"Definitely not." Cloud agreed fervently (and hastily, Aerith noted sadly). He called a waiter over and tossed a small pouch of munny to the man, then looked at Aerith. "This one's on me," he said, linking his arm through hers and smiling that perfect smile that made Aerith's heart melt, and had done so since the first time she had met him.

I shouldn't feel like this, he obviously loves Yuffie, Aerith thought miserably, mask bravely in place. She's so lucky, having someone like Cloud. They walked out the door of the restaurant and headed towards the Hotel in the Second District.

It was very dark by the time Cloud and Aerith got back to the Hotel. Leon wasn't in yet, and Yuffie was sprawled across Aerith's bed. She raised an eyebrow sleepily as Aerith opened the door. "I brought our bags in here. The manager wouldn't let me into the room you booked for us- she said she didn't trust me- so I just picked your lock and let myself in."

Behind Aerith, Cloud smirked, imaging the manager's face when she learnt Yuffie had still got in.

Aerith looked slightly troubled beneath her small smile. "Leon and I both have rooms of our own, but we only had enough munny to rent one room for you, so you'll be sharing unless Yuffie wants to stay in here."

Yuffie grinned tiredly. "That's all right, Aerith, Cloud and I are fine with sharing a room, aren't we, Cloudy?" the blonde warrior nodded. "Just don't expect to get the room back in prime condition- in hotels, I usually get Cloudy up with a pillow fight. Besides," Yuffie continued, "Cloud snores and I'm the only one who knows how to stop it."

Aerith looked at Cloud. "The first time I did it, she yelled 'the Heartless are invading!' in my ear." The Buster Blade wielder explained. "She's learnt how to be more gentle, now. After six years of sleeping in the same room, she had to learn, or she'd be nearly murdered every morning before breakfast."

Aerith raised an eyebrow, but decided not to comment on the subject. "I'll show you to your room, then," she said, and lead them out into the hall.

Once Aerith had the two newcomers settled in, she retired to her own room, the Red Room. She had rented the Green Room for the pair, with Leon using the room on the other side of the Green Room. She didn't have much hope for her and Cloud after the two had so readily opted to share a room together. Sighing sadly, she dragged the covers over her brunette head and closed her eyes.

Cloud reclining easily on the double bed in the Green Room, smirked as he watched his best friend tossing and turning on the couch. They had tossed a coin to see who would get the bed, and Cloud had won. "G'night, Yuffs." He taunted. "Enjoy your sleep!"

His laughter was cut short when a small stuffed bear hit him squarely in the mouth. "Take that!" Yuffie yelled fiercely across the room. Her words were followed by laughter, muffled so the other Hotel guests wouldn't be woken up.

Cloud took the hint and went to sleep quickly. Yuffie settled down, her eyelids drooping lower and lower…

She sat up with a start, drenched in perspiration, tears running down her face. Not the dream again, she thought fearfully. I thought that had finished when most of the Heartless had disappeared from Hollow Bastion!

She swung her legs off the couch and stood, shaking. God, she hadn't felt so scared since Sora had gone to the End of the World! She knew Sora well, although none of the others knew it, not even Cloud. They were good friends, and had been ever since Sora had locked the Keyhole of Hollow Bastion. When Leon and Aerith had apparently gone to Hollow Bastion, Yuffie had been hiding in the Waterways. Cloud had found her and stayed down there with her until the intruders had left, not knowing that this time it wasn't Heartless. When the pair had emerged, they had started fixing up the Castle. Yuffie and Sora had become firm friends while Sora was trying to find Riku and claim back the Keyblade. After he had left, Yuffie found a note written by Sora for her in the Library. It read;

Dear Yuffie,

Hope you're okay. Two of my friends were here, Aerith and Leon, but I never saw you anywhere. I haven't seen you since I defeated Maleficent. I told Aerith to watch out for any survivors in the Castle, but I don't think she'll find you. You sure know how to stay hidden!

Sorry, I have to go, Donald and Goofy are calling me. I might not see you again for a long time. We're going to End of the World to face Ansem, and defeat him once and for all.

Your friend,

Sora.

When Yuffie had read the part about Ansem, she had crumpled like a doll and sobbed. Cloud found her like that, but Yuffie had just made up some stupid story about finding a mention of Ansem's experiments. She had said nothing about her fears for her friend.

Cloud had received word from Aerith later, saying Sora had gone to fight Ansem, and he had told Yuffie, not expecting her to understand. She had, but tried not to show it.

Just thinking about her friend brought tears to her eyes. I hope they're okay, she wished silently, walking quietly out onto the balcony.

Wrapped in her own thoughts, she didn't notice the darkly-clothed figure climb onto the balcony beside her until it tried to open the door. "Leon!" she exclaimed, startling the man into an oath. She was in a forgiving mood after thinking about Sora, and just hoped he wouldn't ask questions about her tears. He won't, she reminded herself. He's a cold-hearted lump of stone, remember?

Leon cursed again. "Um, hi. I usually come in this back way, but I got here a bit later than usual and the Hotel manager must have already locked the doors." He didn't mention that he was here later than usual for only one reason- he'd needed all that time to get over the earlier argument with Yuffie. She'd been right- no one had ever spoken to him in that way before. Then he realized something. "You… you actually called me Leon."

Yuffie flushed. "Must have been a slip of the tongue," she remarked cheekily. "Hey, it was a joke!" she protested when she saw the muscles in his jaw tighten. "Seriously, you need to lighten up. I'll bet you would hit a kid if he called you Squall- that probably sounded pretty harsh, but I think it's true."

Leon stared at her, his grip on the Gunblade tightening and relaxing sporadically. He didn't know what to make of the small ninja, still fierce even when it was obvious she had been crying (he hoped that wasn't concern he was feeling, seeing her puffy red eyes; he thought he'd got rid of those soft feelings long ago). She seemed like a child sometimes, but she could be pretty insightful, and when she was wearing a long silk nightie with mini silk boxers underneath, it was pretty clear she wasn't. She was also quite pretty, with her big dark eyes and messy short black hair…

"Alright, I'll make you a deal." Yuffie said, watching a variety of emotions chase each other across his face. It's like watching a movie- there's so much to see, she thought, fascinated by the play of emotions and the faint blush that appeared once the man got his emotions under his skin again. She wondered what that last thought had been, to make him blush. "I'll unlock your door if you forgive me, spar me tomorrow, and let me have a go at your Gunblade. It's so cool!" she added.

Leon was surprised. She wants to use the Gunblade? She wants to spar me? She wants to be FORGIVENMan, this was one complex creature he was dealing with here. "Um, okay…" he said uncertainly.

"Great!" yelped Yuffie, excited. She hopped over to his balcony and deftly picked the lock. "See you tomorrow! I can't wait!" she did a backwards flip and landed in front of her open balcony door. "G'night, Squall!" All thoughts of the dream had vanished- if she had remembered, she knew she wouldn't be bothered by them again that night.

It's Leon, he thought, but his heart wasn't in it as he watched the short ninja disappear into her room. He stood and watched the balcony for along time, then entered his own room and lay down on his bed, fully clothed. To actually ask for his forgiveness, then ask for a fight, and make it sound like she was getting the better part of the deal? "She's got guts," he murmured to himself as he finally drifted off to sleep.

(2) Guys, obviously Yuff wouldn't go to a dance, wearing a dress and everything, it's more like a party or disco they went to, but Aerith doesn't need to know that yet

(3) We all know what this means- it's gonna be a Clourith too! Yay!

Hope you guys like it! Thanks Mortal Fury for the review, I only got one but I axtually woke up this morning thinking "I need to write more of this!" By the way, Tiffy, you've got great taste- I looked at your fave stories & you have Tamora Pierce, HP, KH and Beyblades! Yay TP! She rocks!

Anyways, plz R&R, suggestions welcome, read my other KH fanfic 'Wounds Too Deep To Heal" and enjoy your life!

Cheers,

AngelKairi ;-)

"Australian Made And Owned"