AN: wow sorry about taking so incredible long. For awhile there I just didn't feel like writing then I had production, and I've been sick for over a week, plus I've been feeling kinda down lately but I feel I should at least write something.

Disclaimer: Sadly enough I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any other Final Fantasy characters that may appear in this story. Places too.

Postponing the Inevitable

Chapter 7: The Mind is a Frightening Place

His warm hand ran smoothly down her face stroking her cheek. Silently running his thumb across her bottom lip, an enticing moan escaped her mouth. He rounded his hand to the back of her neck and lifted her head towards his. She looked so peaceful, her eyes half lidded, tender lips parted in anticipation, her warm breath caressed his face. He leaned in carefully, his body yearning for her sweet touch. Mere millimeters apart a whisper escaped her throat. "Leon" she called. His lips brushed over hers as again she called out his name, only louder than before. The sweet sound of her voice had changed from the delicate whisper to a harsh yell. A yell which encircled his head. She was gone from his arms, faded into the black abyss surrounding him. "Leon! Leon!" The voice called. "Leon, wake up!"

His eyes shot open. He was back in the green room. The young ninja looming over him. "Jeez! About time. Your hogging the sheets get off man I'm freezing!" He suddenly felt very warm. He quickly scrambled out of bed, putting a hand on his forehead. What had just happened? He hadn't dreamed that, had he? 'No, it was a mistake, it's only cause she's sleeping in the same bed as me that's it. I just haven't been in the same bed as a women in awhile. I mean girl! I mean I'm used to sleeping alone, that's it! Ugg.' Leon slumped into a chair, resting his head on the table.

"I didn't mean you had to get out. You can come back you know." The man let out a low groan. "What? Are you okay?"

"I'm...fine" Leon lifted his head off the table.

"You sure? You look kinda pale."

"I'm fine! Lay off!" Yuffie was taken aback.

"Well sorry Mr. High and Mighty, didn't mean to actually care."

"...whatever."

"Yeah, yeah."

Leon pulled himself from the chair and headed towards the bathroom, grabbing his clothes along the way. "Your not getting ready now are you? It's only 5!"

"Then I guess I'm behind schedule."

Yuffie mumbled something about 'insane', rolled over and went back to sleep.

Leon stepped out of the shower, determined to forget his earlier escapades. He didn't know what had come over him, but he was sure it was nothing a full days worth of training couldn't beat from his system.

He quickly dried and dressed himself. He grabbed his gloves and his gunblade and headed out of the room, careful not to look at the sleeping ninja.

Leon made his way through the silent streets of Traverse Town, stopping to chop down a few measly heartless. He usually enjoyed being alone. It gave him time to ponder his thoughts. But today all of his thoughts seemed to circulate around one thing, a certain black haired, annoying, energetic, enticing, ninja. Wait? Enticing? Crap.

He felt helpless. Feelings weren't something he generally enjoyed, they pestered him. He prided himself on his stoic demeanor. Feelings were for the weak, and he certainly wasn't weak. Feelings ruined peoples lives, just like they had ruined his. He had given up hope on all feelings, especially love.

All his life he had watched while the people he loved were taken away from him. His parents, his sister, they had all been taken from him at a young age, it was then that his walls started. It wasn't until he had met Rinoa that he'd even dared to try again. He'd been happy with her, he had felt something different, something special when he was with her, maybe it hadn't been love, but it was close. When Hollow Bastion was attacked, she was killed. And his barriers went up again. He swore he'd never let anyone get close to him again. But Yuffie was fighting her way through, he couldn't let that happen, he couldn't let her get hurt too.

As he slashed through another heartless, he could tell it was going to be a long day. He would need more of a distraction then this.

The clock tower told him it was 6:30. He needed something to eat. He made his way through the districts till he came to the café. He was surprised to see someone already there.

Leon sat down at the same table as the blonde swordsman.

"Morning." Cloud looked up. Just noticing the new arrival.

"Morning." A waitress came over and took Leon's order.

"Your up early." Cloud put down his coffee and stared at the older man. Was he actually trying to have a conversation? He'd heard how rare this was and figured it was the perfect opportunity to final get on the mans good side.

"Um..I couldn't sleep. Aerith snores." Leon let out a slight chuckle. Cloud was startled. 'I guess he's full of surprises this morning.'

"She's actually gotten quieter, I used to be able to hear her through the wall." Both men laughed. 'I guess he's really not that bad.' They both thought.

"How's sleeping with Yuffie?" Leon choked on his coffee that the waitress had just brought. "To my recollection she kicks." Leon calmed down, 'Of course that's what he meant.'

"Yeah, but she's getting better. Or at least I have less bruises." They laughed again.

"Listen I'm sorry about being such an ass towards you."

"It's okay, I actually get that a lot. When I won't go out with a girl they automatically think I'm gay." Leon smirked.

"Oh, and I hope Yuffies not bothering you with anymore pranks." Leon looked up from his toast.

"You knew it was her?"

"Leon, I lived with her, they're nothing new. Although she did seem to go all out for you. They were some of her worst ones." Leon raised an eyebrow.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, I got the permanent marker one cause I ratted her out for demolishing the garden hedges, and making them all look like hands, giving a few not so pleasant gestures. So unless you did something to really piss her off, I'd say she likes you."

"Well she has an odd way of showing it."

"True, but she isn't like most girls."

'No she isn't.' Leon thought.

After both men had finished their breakfast, their conversation died down. For once in his life the silence was actually starting to bother Leon. Which was probably what prompted him to do something he had never done.

"Listen, I'm gonna go train, would you like to join me?" Invite someone to the waterway.

Yuffie had a knack of being able to make any boring situation fun and exciting. She would usually pull a prank or tell a joke, even play a game. Then why was she so bored? Most likely because there was no one to pull a prank on, or to tell a joke to, even play a game with. Aerith was off at work, helping other people. Leon was nowhere to be seen and even Cloud was absent. 'How am I supposed to have fun when there's no one around?'

She had scavenged both rooms for anything interesting. There was nothing to watch on Aerith's black and white TV. All of Leon's books were about gunblades, or military tactics. She had grown weary from playing solitaire. She'd resorted to throwing her shuriken at the ceiling, but after getting all of them stuck up there, and having to scale a teetering tower of table, chairs and books she figured it wasn't worth it.

Currently she was laying sprawled on the floor. There was nothing to do! The thought of designing an elaborate prank for Leon crossed her tired mind. But she quickly dismissed it, she couldn't count on Leon to take the heat again. And feeling Aerith's wrath wasn't something she particularly wanted to do.

She crawled off the floor and made her way towards the balcony. Flopping herself into a plastic chair she curled her feet underneath of her and sat watching the stars.

Cloud had once explained to her that every star is a world. It was comforting to know there was so much life out there. She wondered how her home was coping. If Sephiroth had massacred everyone, or if they were living in slavery. Silent tears rolled down her cheek. She desperately wanted to return, to help them all. 'But I'm not strong enough. And I'm not going to get stronger if I just sit here sulking! I need to get out there and train!' The spry teenager leaped from her chair knocking it over. "Sephiroth will rue the day he messed with Yuffie Kisaragi! Greatest Ninja of them all!" With that she leaped off the balcony, into the moonlit evening. Ready to kick some heartless butt.

The hours had passed and the two men stood facing each other, swords drawn. Sweat beaded on their brows. Coat and cape discarded to the side, they were charging into what seemed like the billionth match that day.

The weapons clashed, holding against each other, neither ready to fall. They released from their metallic hold. Cloud taking the opportunity to swipe at Leon. Leon ducked and rolled across the cool stone. Finding his balance behind the other man he swiped out his foot prepared to bring him down. Cloud jumped over his leg, landing to the side. Throughout their many battles, the two men had grown accustomed to the others fighting style. Able to predict moves, or work together as one. Resulting in another match ending in a draw.

Leon and Cloud stood apart from each other, resting against the wall. A non-spoken agreement was made to stop their training for the night. They gathered their belongings end headed out of the waterway.

"You're a very good fighter." Leon said glancing at Cloud.

"Thanks, but your better. I could tell you weren't putting out everything those last few ones."

"I have to be good, my entire life is revolved around fighting, to protect others."

"But you still weren't giving it your best, I don't want you to slack off for me."

"I wasn't, I need to conserve a little energy unless something happens. I wouldn't want to lose to a few heartless because I wore myself out during training."

"I see." Cloud could see Leon stiffen when he spoke, 'He really does take his fighting seriously.'

"Hey guys!" Leon and Cloud looked up to see Aerith coming towards them. "Where have you two been?"

"At the waterway." Aerith stopped walking.

"Leon took you to the waterway?"

"Yeah, what?"

"Nothing. Oh you two are going to be such good friends!" She quickly enveloped the two men in a hug.

"Thanks." Cloud said patting her back, while Leon tried to pry her off of him.

"Well come on you two I'm about to start supper."

"You two go ahead I'm going to patrol before I head back."

"Okay, don't wear yourself out!" Cloud and Aerith headed back to the hotel while Leon started his patrol of the third district.

He had to admit training had been good today, he hadn't trained with a real opponent in ages. Cloud had really tested him, and he really was a pretty cool guy, despite a few flaws.

He let his mind wander a bit more as he came upon his first but not his last opponent for the night.

When Aerith and Cloud got home, they found an exhausted Yuffie asleep in a chair, one of Leon's books laying across her lap.
Later that night, a Gummi ship found its way to Traverse Town aboard it was a fanatical Duck and a spasmodic Dog.
Another new arrival found himself in town that night. A boy which would turn out to be Leons hardest challenge yet.
AN: Well I wonder who that is? And the challenge won't be physical just so you know. The next chapter should be pretty fun. Although I've never thought about writing him, I'll have to call in an expert to give me the incite on his inner workings. Hoped you enjoyed! And again sorry about the delay. Please Review!