Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, its characters or storyline. This collection is mine, as are McCallister and Jake Alms. Enjoy!

..:-X-:..

206 – Haircut

For Mr. Omelette

Tifa shook her head, one leg folded over the other, turning the pages of the outdated newspaper. "Wow, it says here that they decided to begin construction on the new residential district soon."

Leon exhaled, looking at her. "That was six months ago."

The barber paused. "Look straight ahead, please."

Tifa snickered as Leon looked forward again. He looked ridiculous. Heartless had apparently developed a new species in Crystal Fissure that spat tar and acid at enemies. Leon had taken a glob of tar to the side of the head, and by the time the skirmish was over, it had partially dried, virtually welding his hair together.

Four showers and one really close call with a pair of scissors later, a good chunk of the stuff remained. By then, Leon was at his wits' end and Tifa had taken all of the blackmail pictures she could manage as he tried to snatch away the camera.

Considering half of his scalp was stiff with the black glue, it had still taken an hour and Tifa's not inconsiderable bargaining skills to convince him to just give up and go to the barber to cut it off. He looked like he was strapped to an electric chair.

"You could have done this at the apartment." He grumbled.

"But then I would never know how red your face could get." Tifa tutted.

He glared at her, "I didn't mock you when you were blond."

"Yes you did." She laughed. "Until Merlin fixed it, you called me Barbie."

"That was Aerith."

"Please don't move your head so much, sir." The barber repeated, sounding slightly irritated.

Leon begrudgingly looked forward again.

"You should buzz cut it." Tifa suggested.

"No, I shouldn't." He snapped, looking back at the barber, "She's kidding."

The man poked the side of his head. "All right, now if you'll—"

"Face forward." Leon finished irritably, turning back around.

The barber looked to Tifa, rolled his eyes, and resumed cutting Leon's hair. She snickered and set the newspaper aside.

"It's going to be really short on that side anyway." She noted.

"I've never had my hair that short."

"Well, right now, you're looking at a mullet unless you even it out." Tifa said, crossing her other leg.

"I won't give him a mullet." The man quipped. "But he's going to end up bald if he doesn't sit still."

Leon glowered and Tifa laughed. He glared at her and she lifted her shoulders.

"What? The mental image of you bald is funny." She settled down.

Honestly, she knew he was going to grow it back out as soon as the tar was cut out, but she was already missing it. She liked running her fingers through his hair. If she told him that, though, he never would have agreed to come here.

"Just be glad it was tar instead of acid." She remarked. "Better tar than acid melting through your brain."

"Could have had Aerith cut it." He mumbled.

"But then you'd have Yuffie to deal with." She pointed out. "And she would have found a way to dye your hair purple or something."

Leon looked at her, "At this rate, there won't be anything left to dye."

Tifa sighed and decided to take pity on him. "Hey, it'll grow back, and in the meantime, I'll buy you a funny hat to cover it up."

He didn't look amused. "Well, maybe this—"

This time, the barber put his hands on either side of Leon's head and physically turned him back forward.

..:-X-:..

207 – Wardrobe

For Mr. Omelette

"That's what you're wearing?" Tifa asked.

Leon felt like he'd been beaten with a stick and trapped in a wind tunnel for three hours. "Yes."

"It's a court hearing." She pointed out. "You need to dress up a little."

He looked at her flatly. "I just got back from The World That Never Was after a three day conference. She's lucky I'm going at all."

"McCallister has been called before the Council because of you. You're required to go. Attempting to look respectable would help her case."

She was right, but the idea of putting his bruised back muscles through the changing into a suit was less than appealing. This whole situation was ridiculous, but the sooner this case was over with, the sooner he could get back to doing something useful.

"She wouldn't have a case to need help with if Nestor knew how anything worked around here." He growled, going back into his room to fish out something courtroom-worthy to wear.

"Does he just have it out for her or something?" Tifa asked, leaning against the doorframe and folding her arms. "First he transfers her out of your department to Cid's, now he's accusing her of insubordination and disrespecting the chain of command."

He shook his head. "He wants to feel powerful and going over department heads makes him feel important."

"Or he just doesn't like you." She smirked.

"Then he's stupid."

"He's stupid for not liking you?"

"He's stupid for tarnishing a private's record just to irritate me."

"You think that's what this is about?" She lifted an eyebrow, "Because, technically she did yell at her superior officer and put the squad in danger with her reckless behavior."

"Certain situations—"

"Nestor sees in black and white." Tifa remarked. "He's only going by what Cid's interns said."

He sighed. "All I know is she did what she had to. That's what I trained her to do. I was a little preoccupied trying not to bleed to death to reprimand her about protocol."

She tilted her head, her expression softening. "Then tell the court that."

Before he could respond to that, she abruptly walked past him and dug something out of his closet. He inwardly sighed as she brandished the military uniform at him.

"And if you tell them that while wearing this, they'll be so intimidated that they might just acquit her." She handed him the uniform.

He took it and looked at her flatly. "She owes me for this."

"She saved your life. Do this and you're even." She replied, going into the living room.

He changed into the uniform begrudgingly. Private McCallister had really stepped in it now. No matter how this hearing went, the Council would have her listed as a risky soldier from now on. Maybe that would make it easier to get her transferred back to his department. He'd take her over any of the cookie-cutter recruits that Nestor did approve of. Cid hadn't taken offense or disrespect at her actions. So in Leon's opinion, Nestor needed to buzz off.

"There, I'm officially uncomfortable. Happy?" He said as he walked out of his room and took his phone off the charging station.

Tifa looked over and smiled. "Yes, very."

He let her have her giggles as he pocketed his phone and keys.

"So, I've got patrol this afternoon. If you get back before I get back, keep the uniform on." She said, looking mischievous.

He looked down at himself and then to her. "It's uncomfortable."

"You won't be in it long." She winked. "Consider it a reward for helping McCallister."

..:-X-:..

208 – Somewhere Along In the Bitterness

For kikofreako

"She did this on purpose."

Tifa didn't acknowledge Cloud's statement, keeping her eyes on the Marketplace, which for the night had become a dance floor. Aerith and Yuffie had gone through a lot of trouble to make this party happen, and it had paid off. Radiant Garden deserved a party.

Maybe the massive chocolate fountain was a bit much, but the people who had fallen or been pushed into it didn't seem to mind. Now the dancing was in full swing and Aerith had pulled Leon out there, to save him from Yuffie, who had been one of the first pushed into the fountain.

Beside Tifa, Cloud exhaled. "You're going to have to talk to me eventually."

"I have talked to you." She said, not looking at him still.

"Well, then you'll need to forgive me eventually."

Tifa narrowed one eye and finally looked at him. "I have forgiven you."

Cloud looked at her, confused. "Then why the silent treatment?"

She sighed and sipped at her champagne. "I'm tired of being mad at you, Cloud. Holding a grudge is exhausting, and if you're going to keep lying to me and refusing to tell me what's going on…then I'll stop chasing."

He was quiet for a beat as the dancers danced.

"So you've given up on me after all." He said.

He sounded defeated and it took considerable willpower to keep herself from saying that she hadn't given up on him.

"I'm not a quitter, Cloud." She said. "I stick to my guns…but you lied and ran and refused to trust me with anything…What do you want me to do? Pretend like it didn't bother me when you chose to be with Aerith?" She looked at him. "I can't do that."

He swallowed and averted his eyes. "I can only apologize so many times, Tifa, but I won't apologize for falling for Aerith."

"I don't want you to." She shook her head. "I'm not upset anymore. It took a long time, but I've moved on. I'm happy."

"With Leon." It was a statement, not a question.

Tifa paused. "Yes." When he made no response, she looked at him. "That day that you and Yuffie came to our apartment and saw…what you saw…That was a misunderstanding. The water was out and…nothing happened."

"It's none of my business."

"That's right, but I know you…I don't want you inventing things that never happened so that you can angst about it." She offered with a small grin.

He gave her a flat look at that and a more comfortable silence settled between them. Tifa spotted Yuffie and Jake Alms dancing like lunatics in the middle of the fray. Aerith was loitering by the fountain talking to McCallister, who looked unrecognizable in a dress outside her normal uniform and fatigues. Leon had vanished, probably grabbed the first escape route he could find and ran for the hills.

The fact that she wasn't worried about him disappearing on her made her feel light.

"Aerith won't stop until we make up." Cloud said.

"Then we make up." Tifa said airily. "But we aren't friends anymore."

He looked sharply at her, "You said—"

"I said I'm over it and I forgive you, but we are not friends." She said as gently as she could while still staying firm. "Maybe someday we will be, but for now…please…just leave me alone."

Cloud looked devastatedly at her, but what had he expected? She didn't hate him, had never really hated him, but he had chosen Aerith and Tifa had chosen Leon. And she didn't regret that for a second.

"Maybe Aerith is stronger than me." She hoped so at least. "Or maybe you'll trust her more than you trusted me."

He didn't respond to that and Tifa nodded goodbye, walking away.

Leon had found solace on the balcony overlooking the Great Maw from above the Marketplace. She wordlessly walked up beside him. Something on her face must have given her away, because he quietly shifted closer.

"What's wrong?"

She swallowed and realized that tears had come to her eyes. "I just lost a friend."

..:-X-:..

A/N 207: McCallister's case is regarding what she did in Ditty 197: Sleeping Dogs.

A/N 208: Title taken from the lyrics of "How to Save a Life" by the Fray.

One more chapter and then the big finale!