Disclaimer:We still don't own Final Fantasy, so we don't own these boys, either. Which is still a shame. Neither do we own this song, Ozzy Osbourne's "I don't want to change the world".
Beta: Azrax (Thank you again! We could not live without you.)
A/N (Anae): Here we go, chapter number two. Waking up in the morning is never a piece of cake as everyone knows. (If Leon and Cloud didn't before, they surely do now.)
And hey, thanks for everyone who read this! And comments/reviews still are love, and we ain't giving up, so more is coming up! Hope you enjoy as much as we do when writing this!
A/N (QttQ): Here, have some frustrated Cloud and some stubborn Leon. Don't ask me how those two get along every now and then, I don't know.
Also, thankyou to those who read our first chapter! We're truly planning to keep writing and more is on the way, already. :
And great thankyous to my co-writer, of course. Girl, we will rock this fanfic. BD

Chapter II: Standing at the crossroads

Standing at the crossroads, world spinning round and round

Know which way I'm going, you can't bring me down

Don't you try and teach me no original sin

I don't need your pity for the shape I'm in

Morning arrived, as bright and unforgiving as always. The rising sun hit Leon's eyes, forcing him to abandon his dreams and face the reality. Memories of the previous night came flooding back to the brunette, rising regret, curiosity and right out confusion in his mind. A clenching knot formed in his chest as he slowly opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling.

How would things turn out from now on? Should he just lay here and wait for Cloud to wake up? Did he have the right to drape his arm around the blond and wake him? Did he want to? The previous night had been unplanned - how had they even ended up together? They'd both needed it on some level, but how come they'd sought comfort in each other's arms?

It was the mutual understanding, Leon decided. Cloud was as much of a fighter as he was, having experienced the harsh battles that occurred at the Coliseum. They knew what life was like around here, when you only had your own shadow as company. Leon had a feeling that the wing on Cloud's back had made the blond pull away from all kinds of social situations. How the man had ended up here, he didn't know, but he had a feeling it had nothing to do with having friends in the neighbourhood.

Sighing quietly, Leon decided to arouse Cloud from his sleep. He couldn't remain in bed, not when he had several fights scheduled for the day, not the least one with Cloud, himself. Finally focusing his eyes and abandoning the cracks on the stone ceiling, Leon turned his head, ready to face whatever thoughts the situation would awaken in Cloud's messy, blond head.

Cloud wasn't there.

A sweep of his palm over the wrinkled sheets told him that the bed was cold - Cloud had been gone for some time, now. His clothes were gone, as well; all of the articles on the floor were Leon's. Cloud had disappeared, left without a trace. All that remained of him were the bloodstained bandages Leon found in the bathroom, neatly folded and somewhat moist - as if Cloud would've tried to wash the blood out.

It didn't take a genius to figure out that Cloud hadn't wanted to be there when Leon woke up. In the end, that wasn't too surprising - the previous night had been a spur of the moment, an unplanned event. Who was Leon to assume that Cloud would've wanted it to be something more? The gunblader definitely didn't; he had enough to worry about, as it was. A relationship would just have added to his baggage.

He couldn't, however, forget about what had occurred, nor push it aside. Leon had a feeling Cloud wouldn't want to discuss the situation they were in, but the brunette wasn't sure he'd manage to act around the blond fighter like nothing happened. The memory of their shared night was too fresh in his mind, the love bites on his skin too tender, the taste of a pair of foreign lips too vivid. Even once Leon had showered and dressed himself for the day's battles, he was sure he could still detect Cloud's scent lingering on himself.

Before long, the gunblader was forced to push the thoughts of Cloud into the back of his mind. He had several fights to survive and his opponents weren't weak. And yet, no matter how much Leon tried to focus on the fierce men and women he faced in the ring, he seemed to go through every fight in a haze. His thoughts would wander, his eyes would slip towards the audience instead, looking for that pair of impossibly bright, blue eyes. Before he knew it, he'd gone through a handful of battles absent-mindedly, but with definite victory.

It all led up to the moment Leon both dreaded and anticipated. He'd climbed his way to the top of the list again - it was time to meet the day's other conqueror. When the gunblader stepped into the ring, dirt and sweat staining his clothes, a few scrapes stinging here and there, he was by no means surprised to see Cloud waiting, that enormous sword hoisted up onto his shoulder.

He looked terrible.

The bruises and wounds from the previous day had turned a nasty purple instead of blue, looking almost inflamed. There were some fresh ones among the cuts that marred Cloud's skin, there was blood smeared over his arms and the fabric of his clothes. It didn't match the stains on his blade, however - the monstrous sword had clearly bathed in blood, and Leon had a feeling some of the blond's opponents might not have made it out from the arena. For a moment, the icy stare he was met with awoke fear in Leon's chest.

The feeling quickly turned into something softer as the gunblader approached his opponent. Cloud stood straight and strong, unmoving, like a gorgeous, wounded statue, but the closer Leon got, the weaker the man seemed. His legs quivered, even if it was almost unnoticeable, his lips were parched and white, even if they were pressed into a firm line.

Cloud was exhausted.

"I'm not fighting you."

It was pure déjà vu. Leon was refusing to fight Cloud. Again.

Cloud was furious. Again.

"Yes, you are."

"You're more hurt than yesterday."

The real battle wasn't fought in words, but in their gazes. Neitherlooked away, but stood their ground, practically glaring at each other. They had both made up their minds, and neither was giving in, because giving in meant losing. They had their own game now, one that didn't have to involve blades or fists. It was a battle of wills and they were both determined to win.

Cloud was the first one to make a move. On some level, Leon had expected it, but the blow of the buster sword against his gunblade still left his arms quivering with exertion. The brunette took a stop back and threw Cloud off, managing to bring some space between him and the blond fighter. Within seconds, Cloud was back, this time with a series of furious, slicing movements. Leon dodged, countered and blocked each try, and merely kept drawing further and further away, dancing in a circle on the arena. Clouds of dirt rose from the ground as they moved, Cloud's blue eyes burning with an intense flame, a visible craving that Leon refused to fulfill.

"Coward." The blond finally spat, throwing his sword into a lethal swing Leon barely dodged. The gunblade hadn't been as much as pointed towards Cloud - the brunette had merely kept the fighter from hurting him. Cloud's voice was a venomous hiss between his labored breaths. "Fight like a man."

"I'm not fighting you." Leon was simply repeating his statement, not having anything else to say. He didn't need to explain himself. He didn't need to explain the confusion the previous night had left into his mind, the confusion that should've been crystal clear, simple and clean.

The snarl Cloud let out at Leon's words was nothing short of feral, and the way he attacked the brunette really made Leon work for his life. The gunblader could already feel the sharp blade digging into the soft flesh of his shoulder when he managed to push Cloud off. The strength in his movements sent Cloud sliding across the arena, but the blond never fell. He simply crouched down like any hunter, gaze trained on his prey, his eyes narrow and sharp - a caged wolf's eyes, ready to break free.

Leon was panting heavily, adrenaline pumping in his veins. His instincts told him to fight back, to defend himself with attacks, but he fought the burning demands. Lowering his weapon, he let his guard drop, presenting his figure to Cloud. He was vulnerable now - he had no urge to fight.

"I won't do it, Cloud." The brunette called. Cloud didn't move, but remained in his crouched position, fury painted into his look. "I'm not fighting you when you're in that condition." To Leon's surprise, the response was immediate.

Cloud straightened himself, the buster sword dragging in the dirt before he swung the enormous weapon onto his shoulder. In one, smooth turn, Cloud presented his back to Leon. The blond spat onto the ground, leaving a blood stain in the sand, and Leon didn't know whether it was meant for him or just a way for Cloud to be able to speak.

"Stop pitying me."

The blond's voice was quiet, but his voice was firm, nothing short of demanding. It took a while for Leon to make out the words, and even longer for the message to sink in, but it only managed to strengthen his confusion.

Pity?

"You're hurt." Not only was Cloud covered in both slowly healing and fresh wounds, there was a way to his movements that told Leon that he was aching in more ways than one. Had Cloud not been sore due to their shared night, Leon might not have been able to defend himself from the inhumanly strong blows as well as he had. "The match would be unfair."

"I told you to stop pitying me."

That silenced Leon. He had nothing to say, nothing to throw back at Cloud. He'd made up his mind about not fighting the blond while he was in his current condition. Once Cloud healed, he'd gladly meet the fighter in the ring, even if such a thought made Leon slightly nervous now that he'd witnessed the man's battle skills first hand. Now, however, that meeting would have to wait.

"So that was what last night was all about."

Leon's eyes focused back on Cloud's figure - a figure that was slowly disappearing into the shadows of the Coliseum walls. Suddenly, ice ran through the gunbladers veins as Cloud threw one last glance over his shoulder before vanishing into one of the stone hallways.

The blue eyes were blank.

"Pity."