Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts is the property of Square-Enix and Disney.

Don't hurt me!

..:Twenty One:..

Get It Together

A noise up ahead made Tifa stop, and she peered into the darkness ahead of her in slight alarm. It was past midnight, but she couldn't bring herself to go back to the house. Leon would be sitting there waiting for her…

She had stopped at a café in town and gotten dinner before continuing her walk, and now she stood silently in the doorway of the bailey. She could have sworn she heard voices ahead of her. After a few moments there was the distinctive sound of someone moving against the stone, then she heard a voice she knew all too well. Letting out a sigh, she stepped forward and walked a few steps into the bailey.

Moonlight filtered down through the window, and she could barely make out Cloud's hunched form in the darkness. She paused momentarily when she realized someone was with him.

"Tifa?"

She felt a small smile tug at her lips as she moved forward. The moonlight glinted off something silver, and she realized Riku was slumped against the wall beside Cloud.

"Hey guys…" She said softly. They watched her curiously as she sat beside Riku in the dark. An odd scent caught her attention, and she leaned over to narrow her eyes at Cloud.

"I thought you were gonna stop smoking that crap." She said gently. Riku shot Cloud a glance, and he shrugged guiltily. "Please don't tell me you got him started on it, too." She tilted her head in Riku's direction.

"Nah, I was doin' it before I met Cloud." Riku said softly. "Don't tell Sora." He added as an afterthought.

"Does Aerith know?" Tifa asked in a teasing voice. Even in the darkness she could see Cloud's eyes widen slightly in alarm as he shook his head.

"So what are you doing out here? It's gotta be past midnight." Riku asked quickly, flashing her a charming smile. A sigh escaped her lips before she could stop it, and she hugged her knees to her chest defensively.

"What did Leon do?" Cloud asked flatly. Tifa's gaze shot over to him in surprise.

"Need us to kick his ass?" Riku asked seriously. Tifa let out a laugh and quickly shook her head.

"No, I'm just an idiot…" She said quietly.

Cloud and Riku exchanged confused glances for a moment before turning their eyes back on Tifa. She sighed heavily and rested her cheek on her knee.

"What happened?" Cloud asked with concern.

Tifa wasn't sure she really wanted to tell them, and she lifted her head to stare up at the ceiling.

"Tifa…" Cloud was starting to sound worried, and she looked over at him with a sad smile.

Riku watched her silently, and as she glanced between them she felt herself blush in embarrassment.

"I tried to kiss him." She said quietly before leaning her forehead on her knees and closing her eyes.

"No way! What happened?" Riku blurted out curiously.

"What did he do?" Cloud sounded more alarmed than curious, and Tifa smiled to herself in amusement.

"What do you think he did? He ran for his life!" She let out another deep sigh and groaned in frustration.

"Why?" Cloud looked at him like he was an idiot, but Riku couldn't understand why any man would run from Tifa.

"Leon has problems letting people get close. He had a rough childhood." Cloud eyed the boy for a moment as he tried to explain it to both of them. "It's complicated…"

"I fucked up. I don't even know why I did that!" Tifa groaned as she wound her fingers into her hair.

They were silent for several long minutes as the two men exchanged worried glances. Cloud shifted awkwardly, then pushed himself up to his feet.

"Want us to walk you home?" He asked quietly. Tifa shook her head and looked up at him.

"I don't want to go back yet. Mind if I stay in my old room tonight?" Her voice was low and stressed.

"Won't Yuffie worry when you don't come home?" Riku asked as he got to his feet. Tifa shrugged absently.

"She probably won't even notice." She said with a small smile.