Scene One: A Matter of Security
((Author's Notes: Welcome to my new series, Behind the Scenes! This is a collection of one shots that occur during various points in time during my Irony of Fate Alternate Universe, so you can read them in any order. They are bonus scenes, moments that happened during or between fics but did not make it 'on stage.' Everything here is 100% canon for my AU, and there will be scenes from all different points in my continuity as I remember ideas I've had and come up with new ones. If you have any requests for characters or situations you'd like to see featured, feel free to let me know and I'll see what I can do. Watch this space!
- This debut bonus scene occurs about two weeks after Life After Death, in Avalanche-controlled Junon Harbor. The players are Yuffie, Lucrecia, and Vincent. I would love to hear what you think, so please take a moment to leave a review if you'd be so kind! And if you'd favorite and follow this series as well, you'd really make my day. Thanks so much! ~ JenesisX ))
Yuffie was a bundle of nerves as she made her way across Junon Harbor, a folder of reports clutched tightly against her chest. As she headed in the opposite direction from her apartment, her stomach was alive with butterflies. She began to question the sanity of what she was doing for the hundredth time, glancing over her shoulder and briefly considering turning around and going back the way she came. Then she stubbornly set her jaw and continued onward, refusing to back down when a friend was in need. Yuffie Kisaragi was many things, but she was no coward!
The very idea that Vincent might need her help was almost funny, but she'd been very concerned about him the last two weeks… ever since that woman had shown up on the base. She was supposed to be dead, but she'd somehow been cloned by Hojo along with all of her memories, miraculously escaping the laboratory and returning to Vincent after over thirty years. It all sounded incredibly romantic until you remembered exactly what she'd done to him in the past…
Yuffie frowned and kicked a rock, recalling the disbelief she felt when Vincent first told Avalanche his story in Nibelheim. Hell, she still couldn't get over the way they'd found him napping in a coffin, and the fact that he'd been there for three decades while the world went on without him. It was only about a year ago, but Yuffie felt like she'd been so much younger then, so naïve and clueless. But despite everything she'd learned since then, she could not begin to understand how anyone could do the things this woman had. She had let herself be used as a human guinea pig, broken Vincent's heart over Hojo of all people, and allowed her unborn child to be used in a horrible experiment. Yet despite all of it, Vincent remained hopelessly in love with her, and it had gotten him… killed? She wasn't quite sure of that detail, but she knew horrible things had been done to him, and that he suffered every day both physically and emotionally.
She felt her face grow hot with anger just thinking about it, furious that someone as cool as Vincent had been hurt so badly. Sure, he was quiet and said some pretty weird things sometimes, but he had also saved her life countless times during their journey without even thinking about it. She remembered the way he had thrown her to safety and taken a hit from Ultimate WEAPON in Mideel, a powerful jolt meant to kill her. He barely acknowledged her thanks once he recovered, as if he didn't think he deserved it, and it made her want to smack him upside the head. There were so many times she wanted to yank down the high collar of his cloak and ring his neck, or throttle him until he finally cracked and showed some kind of emotion. There had to be a spark left in there, something other than the defeat and guilt, and dammit, she wanted to find it. Everyone might have thought she was just an annoying kid hell-bent on teasing him, or a hormonal teenager with a crush, and maybe those things were a bit true at first. But once she got past her initial fear and fascination, Yuffie grew to like Vincent for who he was beneath his cold shell. She considered him her friend, one of few she had, and thief or not she took that role seriously.
Suddenly, this woman… Lucrecia… was back in his life. Maybe she should have been thrilled for him. Lucrecia was all he'd wanted, after all. Nothing else seemed to matter to Vincent from the moment he'd awakened. When he'd stare off into the distance for hours on end, Yuffie knew he was thinking of her, and had a feeling he'd be doing so for the rest of his life. And now she was alive again, where he could see her, touch her… His dream had actually come true. Shouldn't she be deliriously happy for him and wish him well? She wanted to be, because more than anything she had always wanted to see Vincent smile. But while everyone else thought Lucrecia's return was going to be wonderful for him, Yuffie was not so sure. The others might have continued to write her off as a kid, but she wasn't stupid. Her mind hadn't stopped racing since Tifa first passed on the story, originally told by Aeris, of Lucrecia's arrival. She'd just walked right into town one afternoon and showed up at Vincent's home, fleeing from Shin-ra and desperate to see he and Sephiroth. The woman had some nerve when you really thought about it…
Vincent was more vulnerable than ever in his depressed state after everything he'd been through at Hojo's hands. He had spent thirty years punishing himself in a coffin, and he was forced to battle a demon who tried to take over his body every waking moment. Lucrecia was a brilliant scientist who had done terrible things, and she had to realize how powerful an effect her arrival would have on him. He had pined for her all those years, and her hold over his heart was all consuming. Yuffie was extremely concerned that she was up to no good, or simply using him because it was convenient. What if she broke his heart a second time? Though Vincent had never allowed the young ninja to get very close to him, she had observed him enough to know that he would not be able to survive with his sanity intact.
She wished she had thought to talk to Aeris about her concerns before deciding to act on her own, because she had always made the most sincere effort to get to know the quiet gunman. Yuffie knew she cared about him, and the former flower girl was always trying to include him in things against his will. But she also had to keep in mind that Vincent and Lucrecia were Sephiroth's parents. How could she possibly expect Aeris to think about the situation without bias, or worrying about how it would affect her husband? No, she was an adult now, seventeen by the end of their journey, and she was Vincent's friend, too. She was more than capable of dropping by to make sure he was all right by herself. It was just that she had never actually been to his home before, and was quite sure he wasn't going to be thrilled to see her…
After leaving Main Street and turning onto a smaller road that snaked away from the busier areas of the base, a lone building came into view a short distance ahead. Its dark bricks were crumbling and many of the windows were cracked or shattered. It was set far back from the main road and its countless rows of interconnected buildings, long abandoned and likely marked for demolition before Avalanche took over. It reminded Yuffie of a haunted house, and even though it was a warm evening and still light outside, she couldn't quite suppress a shiver.
Gods, why the hell does he live here? Not helping the vampire image much, Vinny…
She shrugged and continued forward, telling herself she was being foolish for allowing the sight of the place to affect her. How bad could it be, she reasoned, if his snotty scientist girlfriend was willing to live there? It was probably perfectly fine on the inside, and he'd chosen it because it was quiet and isolated. She knew how much he was bothered by sound and crowds of people because of his unnaturally enhanced senses, finally learning to keep her voice down in his presence. She usually forgot within half a minute, but it was the thought that counted.
Yuffie climbed the steps onto a rotting front porch, the wood creaking loudly under even her light weight. She tripped over a loose floorboard just as she made it to the top, catching herself on the wall just beside the outer door. She was rewarded with a sharp stab of pain in her right hand as a splinter jammed its way into the soft flesh of her palm.
"Oww! Geez!"
She glared down at her hand and took a moment to pick out the thin shard of wood, wincing and flicking it aside as a pinpoint of blood appeared. "Vincent, your house is a dump," she muttered, opening the door and stepping into a vacant room. Thick cobwebs hung in the corners, and the windows were so dirty that almost no light managed to sneak inside. The floor was covered with nearly half an inch of a mysterious brown residue, a few broken bottles and dead leaves mixed in for flavor. She had always pegged Vincent as a neat freak, but boy, had that guess been wrong. Would it have killed him to buy a broom? She looked around and wrinkled her nose in disgust until she located the staircase leading downward, grumbling to herself about his strange fixation with creepy basements.
There better not be a coffin down there, Vinny! And I swear, if that crazy chick is trying to experiment on you, I'm gonna to kill her a second time whether you like it or not!
Yuffie was surprised by how strongly she meant that as she descended, blinking to adjust her vision to the dim lighting. She had already formed a strong opinion of Lucrecia, that of a cold hearted scientist who only cared about herself and her experiments. Why else would she have shown up out of nowhere after the choices she'd made in the past and so easily accepted Vincent the way he was now? Yuffie frowned, instantly ashamed of herself. Vincent was still a good looking guy, and beneath his detached exterior he was loyal, thoughtful, and passionate about what he believed in. He was just so hard to get to know, and it made it easy for people to let him fade from their minds and dismiss him as strange and unimportant. Yet it seemed Lucrecia had known him quite well once, and it was Vincent she had run to when she'd broken free from the laboratory. And if he loved her so deeply, then maybe she also…? If that was so, her past actions were even more confusing, and Yuffie felt the beginnings of a headache forming behind her eyes. She shook her head and took a deep breath, forcing herself to concentrate on what she was doing.
When she reached the bottom of the stairs, there was a short hallway that ended in a much newer door adorned with a small gold plate. It was engraved to read "V. Valentine," and Yuffie grinned. So she had finally found his hidden lair! She wondered if anyone else had ever ventured down there, and just how shocked he was going to be to find her on his doorstep. She'd watched him leave his office and waited half an hour before exiting the security building, giving him plenty of time to return home. Now there she was with some important arrest reports she had 'forgotten' to discuss with him before he left for the day, and she certainly didn't want to wait until morning in case he needed to deal with any of the prisoners before it got too late. Just being responsible, nothing wrong with that, right?… aside from the fact that she'd never done such a thing before, and they'd never had a problem letting criminals think things over until morning. Bah, details!
It was common knowledge where Vincent lived, and he'd never said anyone was forbidden to visit him at home, whether they actually did so or not. It was the perfect opportunity to see how he was doing away from work, and to hopefully get a look at the woman who had caused so much trouble and heartbreak. Yuffie was genuinely concerned for her friend, but she was also intensely curious by nature. The harder someone tried to avoid revealing information about themselves, the more she wanted to know… and no one tried harder than Vincent. It seemed as if he was trying to keep Lucrecia hidden away from everyone for some reason, secreted away inside his home. Almost no one in their group had gotten a good look at her since her arrival aside from Sephiroth and Aeris, though Cid claimed he had seen her in passing and Tifa spotted she and Vincent entering a clothing shop across from the Bulldog Tavern her first evening in town. It only increased Yuffie's reservations about the nature of their relationship and what might be happening behind closed doors.
Yuffie paused, shifting the folder to the crook of her left arm and biting her lip. She lifted her right arm and made a fist, but couldn't quite bring herself to knock. She'd been kidding herself when she thought Vincent would accept her reason for coming at face value. She knew he was going to realize she was up to something as soon as he opened the door. He was extremely intelligent and perceptive, and he would sense her nervousness a mile away. But it was hardly a crime to be concerned about a friend, was it? Not that she'd ever admit that was her reason for showing up at Vincent's door for the first time. She'd rather admit to being nosey and wanting to check out his girlfriend! That was also true, after all. She wanted to see what the big deal was, who exactly he'd been infatuated with for so long.
Vincent with a girlfriend… That is the weirdest thing EVER. Well, maybe after Sephiroth and Aeris getting married. And Cid being engaged. Oh gross…
"Here goes nothing," Yuffie muttered, finally forcing herself to knock swiftly three times before she completely lost her nerve. She grimaced and shook out her hand, the heavy wood painful against her boney knuckles. Why couldn't he have a doorbell like everyone else? On second thought, she supposed that would have really hurt his sensitive ears. She waited, but heard nothing from the other side of the door. What the hell…? She knew he had to be home by now, and obviously he would have heard her knocking. Maybe he was in the bathroom or something. She sighed impatiently, waiting a few minutes before she knocked again. She swore in Wutaiian, shifting the folder under her opposite arm so she could rub her red knuckles. Still, nothing.
"I know you live here, Vincent!" she shouted, half teasing and half in frustration. "Your name is on the damn door, so you might as well open up!"
Yuffie was about to begin kicking the door to spare her hands when she heard soft footsteps approaching from the other side, followed by the distinct sound of a deadbolt being turned. Another lock clicked a moment later, and after a long pause the door slowly opened just a crack. She frowned and leaned forward a bit, confused and trying to see inside. Delicate fingers with badly bitten nails curled around the edges of the doorframe a moment later, nervous green eyes framed by glasses peering out at her from the darkness. Yuffie just barely held back a gasp of surprise, her mouth silently dropping open.
"Can… I help you?" an unfamiliar female voice nearly whispered.
"Uh…"
Yuffie stood frozen in place, staring mutely with her mouth agape. This was definitely not in her plans.
"If you're looking for Vincent, he isn't home yet," the woman said when Yuffie failed to reply, opening the door a little more to reveal a portion of her face.
"Uh… uh, yeah!" Yuffie finally managed to reply, tripping over her words. "I… um. I wanted to… I mean, I forgot to give him…" She held up the folder of reports in way of explanation, her face flaming red.
Great! Really freaking smooth, Yuff. You dumbass!
A slight smile crossed the woman's face, and she finally opened the door about half way. She remained positioned as if blocking the way inside, however, and still appeared quite nervous. "Are… are you Yuffie?" she asked, her voice quiet and shy. She briefly made eye contact but quickly looked away, and the young ninja's own eyes widened in surprise.
"How did you know?!"
"Vincent talks about you sometimes… Oh, and I'm Lucrecia. I guess that was obvious, though." She shook her head and laughed, a brief, nervous sound. Her cheeks flushed crimson as she held out her hand, and Yuffie awkwardly shook it. It was a bit cold, about the same size as her own. "I'm sorry, my social skills are a little rusty…"
"It's okay, I totally understand," Yuffie found herself comforting, finally able to take a moment to really look at the woman standing before her.
This was the infamous Lucrecia, the Shin-ra scientist who had ripped out Vincent's heart and stomped on it, the woman who allowed Sephiroth to be experimented on and almost inadvertently helped destroy the Planet? She stood barely taller than Yuffie, petite and almost fragile in appearance. She was delicately attractive with a natural beauty, but she wouldn't have stood out in a crowd of gorgeous women. Her long brown hair was straight and silky, falling gracefully down her back with a few shorter strands trailing into her face. It was her eyes that were most noticeable behind her wire framed glasses, a beautiful emerald green that was exactly the same shade as Sephiroth's without the unnatural glow of Mako exposure. Yuffie blinked rapidly, fighting not to stare and keep her expression neutral. Lucrecia was absolutely nothing like she'd expected. She'd pictured someone taller and stronger in appearance, a woman who radiated confidence and power instead of appearing so shy and unsure of herself. This woman looked so harmless, so normal and nearly timid, that Yuffie could not picture her doing any of the things she knew she had. She tried and failed to imagine the nervous woman shifting uncomfortably before her at Vincent's side, unable to fit them together in her mind. There was just no way…
"Would you… like to come in and wait for him?" Lucrecia asked after an uncomfortable silence, her tone hesitant but not unkind. Yuffie quickly pretended to study the folder in her arms, hoping she had not been caught staring. Lucrecia turned and looked over her shoulder, and Yuffie realized a moment later that she was glancing at a clock on the wall. "He shouldn't be much longer. He's usually home within another half an hour or so."
Yuffie took a moment to consider the offer, still completely off balance. This was not how things were supposed to go! Vincent was supposed to be home, answer the door, and hopefully let her inside for a few minutes while he looked over the reports. It would give her an opportunity to check up on him and finally get a look at this woman for herself, then make her exit with the information. Lucrecia wasn't supposed to answer the door herself, and gods, she wasn't supposed to be home alone! This was beyond awkward. Yuffie had spent most of Avalanche's journey thinking she was a bitch and trying to get Vincent to forget about her so he would stop being so depressed all the time. Vincent could be pretty cold and did a lot of strange things, but he was too decent a guy to spend the rest of his life hung up over someone who had treated him so horribly. But any time she tried to point that out to him, he only grew angry and walked away. Now here was Lucrecia, back to life, and Vincent was right back in her arms as if she'd done nothing wrong… she supposed, anyway. Was he even capable of that kind of thing any more? Normally he didn't like anyone to come within more than a few feet of him. Yuffie realized she had no idea what the extent of their relationship actually was now that she thought about it. She'd assumed the fact he and Lucrecia were living together meant that…well… you know. But Vincent was so different than he must have been when they were last together, both mentally and physically, and Yuffie found she absolutely could not picture him being romantic with a woman. And even if he was interested, what if Lucrecia was disgusted by the changes made to his body, or so weirded out by the way he acted that she wanted no part of him? For all she knew their relationship was completely cold, or at least strictly platonic. Gods, why was she even thinking about that right now?!
"Are you sure you really don't mind?" Yuffie finally asked when she realized Lucrecia was watching her with concern in her eyes, trying to sound cheerful and confident while she fought nausea. She hated how her body responded that way the moment she was nervous. "I did sort of just drop in on you unannounced, heh."
Gods, this was such a stupid idea. The things I do for my friends!
"Oh, no, it's fine. Really," Lucrecia said, smiling more openly and stepping aside to allow Yuffie to enter. The smile lit up her face, and it made her seem a lot less on edge. "I was only reading while I waited for Vincent to get home."
"Well… okay then."
Once Yuffie had slipped past Lucrecia and entered Vincent's home for the first time, her earlier theory about the inside being much nicer was immediately disproved. As Lucrecia closed and began to lock the door behind them, she had a moment to look around and was shocked by what she saw. It was just as dark inside as it had been in the hallway, no obvious effort made to chase away the shadows that clung to every inch of the basement dwelling. To her left was what she assumed was supposed to be the living room. It contained a threadbare couch and lopsided coffee table, an end table and lamp, and a tall bookshelf crammed full to capacity. The floor was bare concrete aside from a few frayed throw rugs, and a layer of dust and cobwebs covered nearly everything. Her eyes were briefly drawn to a fat spider making his home near the ceiling, sending a shiver down her spine. A narrow window at the very top of the wall where it sat just above ground level helped to illuminate the room only slightly, and a musty, damp smell hung thick in the air. Yuffie had no idea how anyone could consider this to be their home... It was one of the most dreary and depressing places she had ever been.
"Holy crap…" she muttered as she looked about with wide eyes. She clamped a hand over her mouth a second later when she realized she'd actually spoken the words aloud. She closed her eyes, mortified, able to feel Lucrecia standing close behind. Now this crazy scientist had her all alone down there and was going to do gods only knew what to her for insulting her home… well, her boyfriend's home? Gods, she was so confused. Why had she agreed to come inside again?!
"It's safe here, at least," Lucrecia said softly, a faraway look in her eyes as she wrapped her arms protectively around herself. There was no hint of anger or sign that she was about to do something horrible, and after a moment she seemed to shake herself from her thoughts.
Yuffie had no idea what to say to her quiet statement so she simply nodded, her eyes scanning the other side of the room. There wasn't much to it aside from a small refrigerator that seemed fairly new shoved into one dark corner, a few cabinets hung crookedly above it. The paint was faded and peeling, so she knew Vincent hadn't been the one to perform such shoddy work. There was a modern microwave and toaster set atop a heavy wooden cart that was stocked with various food supplies, and Yuffie frowned when she realized what she was looking at.
Seriously, Vincent? This is your kitchen?! No wonder you're so damn skinny!
There was a door directly across from the 'kitchen,' and it was left open far enough that she could see a mirror mounted on the wall above a sink, assuming it must be the bathroom. At least he didn't have a bucket tucked into some other corner…
"I'm really sorry," she heard Lucrecia say behind her, cursing herself when she jumped in surprise. "I know it's…"
"No, no, it's fine!" Yuffie exclaimed nervously, whirling around and forcing a smile. "I've just never been here before..."
"When Sephiroth came over to see me the day I arrived, it was his first time, too…" Lucrecia said almost absently, shaking her head. Yuffie thought she looked sad as she examined a spider web growing along the wall, but she quickly turned away and managed a crooked grin. "I can kind of understand why."
Yuffie giggled despite herself. "I think Vincent needs to hire an interior decorator or something."
Lucrecia laughed at that and seemed to relax a bit, looking around the apartment with a thoughtful frown. "I'd like to try to do something to at least clean it up a bit, but I don't even know where to start…"
Yuffie raised an eyebrow, considering her words. It sounded as if she intended to remain there long term… perhaps permanently? That was interesting. Vincent had said nothing about Lucrecia or their situation at work, even when she'd attempted to pry for information… though he had seemed a lot less gloomy. Once, she even thought she'd seen him smiling behind the collar of his cloak when she walked past his office. Yuffie suddenly realized that her original plan may have gotten derailed, but she may have just been given an incredible opportunity instead. Vincent might not have been willing to talk about his personal life, but perhaps Lucrecia would. Half an hour, did she say? Yuffie's mind began to race with questions she wanted to ask and she began to fidget, fighting to remain calm and appear casual as they stood together in the middle of the room.
"Would you like something to drink?" Lucrecia asked to break the silence, a slight tremble in her voice. She seemed so painfully shy and unsure of herself that Yuffie almost felt sorry for her. It was suddenly a lot easier to picture her as a scientist. She had likely been the shy, nerdy girl in school who always had trouble talking to people and kept to her studies. In other words, Yuffie's complete opposite. Ha, and she'd even said she was in the middle of reading a book when she'd knocked at the door. How stereotypical! But how did the timid little woman in front of her end up marrying Hojo and thinking that weird Jenova experiment was a good idea? She'd been expecting a female version of the old professor, creepy and radiating evil, yet so far Lucrecia seemed anything but. Yuffie realized she was staring again, remembering that she'd been asked a question and settling on the easiest response.
"Uh, sure. Do you have water?"
"Of course. That's all Vincent will drink," Lucrecia said with obvious fondness in her voice, heading for the small refrigerator. Yuffie trailed after her, her eyes still scanning her surroundings. As Lucrecia bent down and removed a bottle of water from a shelf that was stocked with nothing but, Yuffie's eyes wandered to a final door that lay open at the rear of the 'apartment.' When she leaned forward slightly to peer inside, all she could see was a large mattress lying directly on the floor and pushed up against the wall, all of the usual bedding neatly spread out on top of it. Her eyes widened in horror when she realized she was looking into his… their?… bedroom, and the mattress was what passed for his bed. Vincent sure knew how to impress a lady…
At least it isn't a coffin. He's improving!
"Here you go."
Yuffie jumped again and blushed, quickly looking away and accepting the cold bottle. "Thanks," she said with a smile, hoping she hadn't been caught peeking into the bedroom.
"Um, well… I know it looks awful, but the couch is actually comfortable if you'd like to sit down," Lucrecia said with a gesture toward the living room, briefly making eye contact before looking down at her house slippers. Yuffie noticed that she did that a lot, as if she was extremely self-conscious. It made her want to make Lucrecia feel better, something that confused her a great deal. Just five minutes ago she was convinced she needed to protect her friend from this woman.
"Sure, may as well," Yuffie said with a shrug, reminding herself of her new plan to try to get Lucrecia to talk as much as possible before Vincent arrived home. The more she could find out about the situation, the better. Vincent was blinded by love and obsession, so someone had to watch out for him whether he wanted them to or not. There was no way he was ever going to talk about any of this, but so far Lucrecia seemed friendly enough, if not a bit shy and nervous. She was new in town, so maybe she wouldn't care about their age difference or the fact that they'd just met, and just be happy to have a new girlfriend to chat with for a while? It was worth a shot.
They made their way across the room and settled at opposite ends of the couch, and Yuffie was surprised to find that it actually was comfortable. It was clean, too, despite its aged appearance. A bit dusty, but otherwise perfectly fine. Lucrecia set her book on the coffee table and shifted sideways, and Yuffie did the same as she twisted the cap off her bottle of water and took a sip.
"So you… work for Vincent?" Lucrecia asked, her hands folded tightly in her lap. Her voice was so quiet she was difficult to hear, and it struck Yuffie as odd that Vincent spoke the same way most of the time. Maybe they had other things in common, too? She couldn't imagine what, but something must have made Vincent fall for her so hard.
"Yup!" she answered proudly, sitting up a bit taller. "I'm on his security team now, and he won't admit it but I'm pretty much his assistant. You know, next in charge and stuff! Um, not to brag or anything." That might not have been entirely true, but after working together for so long with Avalanche Vincent at least knew he could trust her when he needed something important done. Most of his security team was made up of strangers and new recruits, and they were still learning the job. She'd just leave out the part about how she'd had to beg and plead with him for weeks to let her join his team, and how he often gave her the most boring and pointless tasks just to keep her out of his way.
"Oh, wow," Lucrecia said, looking thoughtful for a moment. "Do… do you like… working with him? I mean, uh, working in security?" She blushed and began to wring her hands in her lap, staring down at them with her hair obscuring her face.
"Well, yeah! It's fun and exciting to go after the bad guys trying to mess up our town, but we do spend a lot of time just patrolling and doing nothing. That part's boring! And the paperwork sucks, too. But Vincent's pretty cool most of the time. I've always liked working with him and stuff, but sometimes it's hard because he's so quiet and mopey."
Lucrecia glanced up at her and nodded solemnly, and Yuffie suddenly realized she was letting the other woman lead the conversation and question her. It was almost as if she was fishing for information about Vincent, as if she didn't really know….
"I'm sorry, it's just…" Lucrecia began, and Yuffie could have sworn she saw the beginning of tears in her green eyes. She bit her bottom lip and began to wring her hands in earnest, and something about the gesture caught Yuffie's attention. It seemed so out of place, yet hauntingly familiar. She stared for a moment, unable to look away, when suddenly it hit her.
Sephiroth! Sephiroth wrings his hands during meetings just like that any time he's stressed out. Holy shit…
"Are you okay?" Yuffie finally asked, feeling awkward as she watched Lucrecia struggle to collect herself. Surely a woman capable of the things she'd done wasn't going to start crying, was she?
"Yes… I'm sorry, I just… it's… been a long couple of weeks," she said with a weak smile, her voice wavering ever so slightly. "I'm still adjusting to all of this."
"I'll bet!" Yuffie exclaimed, considering for a moment what Lucrecia had just been through. She'd been dead for thirty years, awakened as a clone in Hojo's laboratory, been informed she was about to be used to repeat the Jenova Project, escaped and made her way to Junon Harbor, and been reunited with a very different Vincent Valentine… not to mention her grown and emotionally damaged son. That was a lot for anyone to handle, regardless of their past. Ugh, was she really starting to sympathize with this woman?
"It's good to talk to someone who knows Vincent well," Lucrecia said quietly, and for just a fraction of a moment Yuffie thought she almost sounded jealous. "We have a lot of catching up to do…"
"How long will you be staying, Lucrecia?" Yuffie asked, finally seeing her opening. If she wanted to get any information out of this visit to make sure Vincent was not going to get hurt again, she had start now.
Lucrecia's head snapped up and her eyes went wide, her cheeks flushing bright red. "I… uh… I wasn't… I mean… I'm… not leaving."
Now Yuffie's eyes widened, too. "So you're really going to stay here permanently?"
"Of course I am," Lucrecia said more confidently, quickly recovering from her shock. "I'm staying with Vincent." Her cheeks were still flushed as a soft smile crossed her face, and her eyes sparkled with what was definitely affection when she spoke his name.
Oh wow. She's either a really good actress, or…
"Aww," Yuffie replied before she could help herself, finding herself genuinely moved by the obvious emotions she saw on Lucrecia's face. She'd seen the same look in Tifa's eyes when she spoke of Cloud, and written across Aeris' face when she gazed at Sephiroth across a crowded room. Was it really possible that Lucrecia felt the same way about Vincent? "So you guys are…?"
Lucrecia nodded, that sparkle still in her eyes. "Yeah," she said, looking away bashfully but still smiling. She looked for all the world like a teenager who was madly in love, not a newly resurrected woman who had once broken her lover's heart.
"I uh… I'm really glad," Yuffie said, surprised to realize she actually meant it. If this was for real, she knew it would make Vincent unspeakably happy, but the doubts lingered in her mind. She had to be sure, for his sake. "I'm just, uh…" She paused, taking a drink of water and staring down at the bottle for long moments. Gods, she really shouldn't say it. It wasn't her place, and if Vincent found out he would probably transform and kill her. But he was her friend, and she had come because she was worried about him. This was her chance, to tell Lucrecia her concerns, to let her know others cared for Vincent and didn't want to see him hurt. If she kept silent and something happened, Yuffie knew she'd never be able to forgive herself.
"Go ahead," Lucrecia said quietly, visibly tensing as if she already knew what she was about to say. Her expression had grown deathly serious, her emerald eyes now guarded. She almost seemed to cower backwards into the cushions as if expecting a blow.
"I'm just worried about him, because he's been through so much," Yuffie finally admitted, looking up and meeting Lucrecia's wary gaze. "He's my friend, and I don't want to see him get hurt." Again. She left the final word unspoken, but she knew it passed between them anyway.
A single tear trailed down Lucrecia's cheek and she let it fall, maintaining eye contact this time as a heavy silence filled the room. In her eyes, Yuffie was stunned to see a depth of intense emotion, so strong that her heart began to race. She had to remind herself to breathe, clutching the bottle of water so hard her knuckles turned white.
"Never again," Lucrecia finally spoke, and though her voice was nearly a whisper there was such conviction behind the words that somehow Yuffie believed her. "You don't have to worry about him any more… I'm here to take care of him now."
"I-I'm sorry, I know it's none of my business," Yuffie stammered, trying to keep her voice from cracking. "It's just… I really like Vincent, and he's saved my ass more than once." She forced a smirk, fighting as hard as she could not let her emotions show. No way in hell was she going to get weepy! "He's been so depressed since we found him, and I just don't want-"
She stopped mid-sentence as the sound of a key turning in the lock across the room interrupted her awkward statement. She wasn't sure whether to be relieved, or terrified.
Oh shit! Vincent's home, and I made Lucrecia cry. He's going to kill me!
Lucrecia, however, instantly relaxed, a wide smile spreading across her face as she hastily wiped away her tears on the sleeve of her shirt. Her entire posture changed as she got to her feet, her eyes focused expectantly on the door. Yuffie watched her for a moment, her heart nearly in her throat as the door began to open.
Vincent soundlessly stepped inside, closing and locking the door behind him. His back was turned to them as he agilely removed his heavy gold boots and set them neatly against the wall. Yuffie sat frozen on the couch, watching as he next undid the clasps of his long red cloak, removing it and hanging it on a hook beside the door. That done, he finally turned around and faced the living room.
His eyes immediately found Lucrecia, still hovering shyly several feet away as if she was unsure of whether or not to approach him. His blank expression instantly began to soften, and he took half a step toward her… then froze. His head jerked to the right and his eyes shifted until they focused in on Yuffie like a hawk spotting a mouse. She cringed and forced a sheepish grin, wishing she could sink into the cushions and disappear.
Vincent cocked his head to the side, his brows knitting together in confusion. "Yuffie?"
"Hi, Vincent!" she exclaimed too loudly, tightly clutching the bottle of water in place of her usual shuriken. "Welcome home!"
Oh gods… I am such an idiot.
Vincent continued to stand in place and stare at her intensely, his red eyes burning into her as she sunk farther and farther into the sagging couch. Thankfully, Lucrecia had worked up her nerve and reached his side, lifting one hand to gently touch his shoulder. Vincent blinked, his expression instantly changing again as he shifted his gaze back in her direction. He looked thoroughly confused and a bit flustered, torn between glaring at Yuffie and greeting his lover. Lucrecia stepped around in front of him, gazing upward to meet his eyes. There was suddenly no contest for his attention, and the way Vincent looked down at her was so intimate that Yuffie felt like a voyeur, swallowing nervously but unable to turn away. She could almost feel the energy between them as Lucrecia moved forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. To Yuffie's complete surprise, Vincent snaked his arms around her and leaned down to softly kiss her lips. A moment later his normal hand came up to caress her cheek, and as he gazed into her eyes it was as if the two of them had forgotten she was even in the room. Suddenly the idea of Vincent being romantic didn't seem quite so far-fetched…
"I missed you," she heard Lucrecia say against his chest. Vincent didn't reply, but it was quite obvious he felt the same. Lucrecia looked so small and fragile against him, the pale blue shirt she wore contrasting with his all-black attire. He held her a moment longer, his embrace somewhere between protective and possessive. He closed his eyes and appeared almost blissful with his chin resting atop her head, when he suddenly seemed to remember the intruder in the room. His eyes snapped opened as he hastily lifted his head, and Yuffie could have sworn his pale cheeks flushed as he carefully stepped away from Lucrecia.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, his deep voice as emotionless as usual as he focused in on Yuffie. He had gone from cold to passionate and right back again so quickly that it made her head spin. Lucrecia didn't seem to know how to react, remaining close to Vincent and nervously playing with her hands. Yuffie struggled to gain control of her expression, nervously clearing her throat and reaching for the folder she'd set down on the coffee table.
"I uh… forgot to go over these with you before you left your office!" she stammered, her face hot with embarrassment. She couldn't make herself look up at him again, staring instead at the file in her hands. It was strange to see him without his cloak, his entire face visible aside from what his wild hair and bandanna obscured, and she could not believe what she had just witnessed. "I thought some of them might be too important to wait until morning, so I… I thought you would be home already."
"I always make an additional patrol round before coming home," he said flatly, allowing Lucrecia to take his arm and lead him toward the couch. "The shopkeepers appreciate it."
"Ooh, okay. I'm sorry… I didn't mean to-"
"It's okay," Lucrecia interrupted, sitting at the other end of the couch so that Vincent would be positioned between them and able to look over the papers Yuffie had brought. He reluctantly lowered himself into the cushions, and Yuffie pressed herself into the arm to give him as much space as possible. "He doesn't mind. Right, Vincent?"
Vincent grunted, holding out his claw for the folder. Yuffie handed it over, noting that Lucrecia was leaning heavily against him on the other side with her head against his shoulder. Her eyes were closed and she looked thoroughly content, and while Vincent seemed to be ignoring her he also didn't do a thing to move away.
Yuffie fidgeted as Vincent paged through the first few arrest reports with barely a glance, quickly judging them to be insignificant. Her stomach churned nervously, taking it as a very bad sign. She'd hoped at least one of the reports would catch his eye, or her excuse for being there would be even more transparent than it already was. Toward the end of the short pile he finally paused and actually read through one at a speed that always impressed her, reminding her that he was far more intelligent than most people bothered to notice or gave him credit for. He had learned Universal at a much later age than she had, yet his vocabulary was far larger and she had seen him read whole stacks of reports in a fraction of the time it took most native speakers.
"This one is suspicious…" he said absently, almost as if talking to himself. "It almost sounds as if he could be working for Shin-ra and is in town fishing for information. Put a hold on him and don't allow anyone else to speak with him. I will interrogate him myself."
At the mention of Shin-ra, Lucrecia immediately lifted her head and opened her eyes, a look of near panic crossing her face. Vincent moved his free hand to briefly rest upon her knee as he continued to read, quietly reassuring her before removing it.
"Okay!" Yuffie said, relieved there had actually been something in there that caught his attention. "I was pretty sure that one was serious," she added, nodding rapidly when he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. He was making her extremely nervous, and she knew it was a combination of his close proximity and the fact that she was in his home. She could sense he was less than pleased with that fact, the tension nearly radiating from him. Was he embarrassed by how awful the place was? She knew she certainly would have been. Then again, this was the guy they found sleeping in a coffin in a musty old basement, who had acted as if there wasn't anything particularly strange about that fact.
"This one, too," Vincent said when he reached the final report, stabbing at it with the index finger of his claw and poking a small hole in the paper. She was used to receiving memos and assignments marked in such a way, and now she had a clear visual to go along with it. "He sounds like someone who may escalate into a violent predator. I am not comfortable banishing him from town to be someone else's problem…"
"All right. I'll make sure those two are moved into isolation and left there til your next shift," Yuffie said with a nod, trying to swallow her nerves and act as professional as possible. She claimed to be there strictly on business, after all. Vincent simply closed the folder and handed it back to her, however, giving no indication of whether or not he believed her or approved of her actions. Instead, as she awkwardly cradled the documents against her body and wondered how she had gotten herself into this mess, he turned his body to the right to face Lucrecia.
"Was everything all right while I was gone?" he asked, his deep voice its usual ghostly near-whisper. There was an edge of tension in his tone that Yuffie did not miss, however. He was trying to find out if she'd been bothering Lucrecia, she quickly realized, frowning in annoyance. She almost said something in protest until she realized that she had come unannounced, and that her reasons were rather suspicious. She quietly bit her lip, peering out at Lucrecia from behind him and hoping for the best. She briefly wondered if she could make it to the door faster than Vincent could shoot her.
"Yeah, just the usual," Lucrecia said with a soft smile, her eyes lighting up the instant he looked her way. "I was glad when Yuffie dropped by a little while ago. It's been nice to have someone to talk to while I waited for you."
Oh, thank the gods! Thank you so much, Lucrecia! I totally owe you one! Maybe I was too quick to judge…
"I better get going!" Yuffie exclaimed, hopping to her feet with the folder in hand. She wasn't about to press her luck, and she was certain Vincent wanted her out of his home so he could spend time alone with Lucrecia. They were still gazing at each other as if they couldn't bear to look away, and she definitely felt like an intruder into a private moment. "There's something on television I am dying to watch tonight, and I still need to grab dinner on my way home."
I totally sound single and lonely… Oh well, if it gets me out of here in one piece, I don't care! Lucrecia actually seems pretty nice, and it looks like she and Vinny are crazy about each other. Mission accomplished, I am out of here!
"Wow, I bet television is so different now," Lucrecia said, finally tearing her eyes away from Vincent and getting to her feet. "Everything is different now…"
Yuffie thought she saw Vincent wince out of the corner of her eye but couldn't be sure, though from the look of wonder on Lucrecia's face she was certain the other woman hadn't meant him and simply didn't think about her words.
"Vinny, get the poor woman a TV!" Yuffie said as she headed for the door, turning toward him as he got to his feet and followed them across the room. "She has no idea what she's been missing. Hell, neither do you, so you guys can catch up together!"
"'Vinny'," Lucrecia repeated under her breath, smothering laughter behind one hand.
Vincent threw her a warning look. "Don't."
"I'm sorry, baby. Er…" Lucrecia coughed uncomfortably and turned bright red, looking down at her feet. "Vincent…"
Now Yuffie was trying hard not to laugh, though the harsh look on Vincent's face when he turned her way again was enough to silence her. At least she had a new piece of juicy gossip to share with Tifa!
"I'll walk you out, Yuffie," Vincent said flatly. "I realize the stairs are not well lit and it is getting dark." He slipped back into his boots and folded his arms across his chest, his eyes focusing in on her in a way that made her skin crawl.
"That's okay, I can manage!" Yuffie insisted, instantly filled with dread. Vincent was well aware that she was a ninja who had been thoroughly trained in stealth, balance, and most importantly, sneaking around under the cover of darkness. He knew full well that she did not need him to escort her up a single flight of darkened stairs. "Really, Vincent. You just got home from work. Go ahead and relax, spend some time with your… uh…? With her."
DAMMIT! I'm going to be tasting my foot for the next month…
"I insist."
Vincent reached past her to unlock and open the door, and when their eyes met she shivered involuntarily. He did not look pleased.
"It was nice to meet you, Yuffie!" Lucrecia said from behind them, a lot less uncomfortable than she had been before. She did not seem to realize that Vincent was being anything but polite to their guest. Yuffie managed to turn around and offer her a smile and wave despite how close to vomiting she felt.
"Same here!" she replied, surprised to find she actually meant it. Her mind had been put largely at ease now that she had spoken to Lucrecia for herself and seen that she wasn't the horrible monster she had pictured for so long. She still didn't trust her entirely and intended to keep a close eye on the situation, but she was a lot less worried about Vincent than she had been. Anyone with eyes could see that Lucrecia was just as infatuated with him as he was with her, and she hoped he would finally get to be happy. Now, she was worried about herself… and hoping what would currently make Vincent happy wasn't going to make her dead.
Yuffie jogged up the steps two at a time to make a point of the fact the she did not need any kind of assistance to safely make it to the top, pausing once she reached the vacant upper room to spin around with her hands on her hips. She looked down the stairs as Vincent made his way after her and stuck out her tongue, though a moment later she realized that taunting him was a fairly stupid thing to do. The moment he reached the top, she turned and bounded through the door and out onto the weathered front porch, desperate to escape the smothering building… and her unhappy friend.
"Seeya tomorrow, Vincent!" she called, about to make her escape to try to forget about the entire strange scenario for the night. Her solemn, morbid friend who could transform into a demon, his dead lover returned from the past, their grown son who had once lost his mind… How did she ever get mixed up in all of this, anyway?
"Not so fast, Yuffie."
She yelped as cool metal digits closed around her upper arm, firmly but not hard enough to cause pain. She hadn't even realized Vincent was behind her, his movements so quick and silent they continued to take her by surprise even after so long. How did a man his size move so quietly in those heavy boots?
"Hey, let go!" she demanded, spinning around to face him with a angry scowl on her face. She remembered not to yank away, aware that the claws of his prosthetic were sharp enough to tear her open. But she also trusted him not to hurt her… although when she looked up into his face his harsh expression sent a chill racing down her spine. He did, however, release his grip.
She slapped the folder of reports down on top of the banister and rubbed the arm he'd held with her other hand, even though it did not hurt in the slightest. It was easy to make Vincent feel guilty, and she had a feeling she was about to need every advantage she could get.
"How did you get inside my home, and why did you come?" Vincent asked, the ghostly quality of his deep voice even more chilling than usual as his eyes locked onto hers and held them captive.
"Lucrecia invited me in! Did you think I forced my way inside or something?!" Yuffie shouted, highly offended. "And I already told you why I came over!"
"I know what you told me, Yuffie. And now I would like you to tell me the truth."
Crap.
"Th-that is the truth!" she exclaimed, pointing indignantly at the discarded folder. "Go ahead and ask her! I knocked and she came to the door, and when I said I was looking for you she asked me in to wait til you got home. And you agreed that some of these arrest reports were really important!"
"I did so mostly because I did not wish to have this conversation in front of Lucrecia. She does not need any more stress," Vincent said, pulling himself to his full height so that he towered over her. She hated when he did that, as if he wasn't already intimidating enough. Even without his cloak obscuring most of his body and face, he easily managed to look frightening when he wanted to. For as much as he claimed to hate his appearance and called himself a monster and other derogatory terms at every turn, he often seemed to try to look as terrifying as possible. His untamed black hair fell into his face over top of his bandanna, his red eyes blazing beneath. He impatiently folded his arms across his chest with his claw on the outside, curling and uncurling the sharp metal digits to emphasize their danger.
"Oh please, Vinny, cut that shit out! I am not afraid of you," Yuffie said, rolling her eyes. She hoped he couldn't tell that her stomach was tying itself in knots, or see the way she was trembling ever so slightly.
"Why did you come here?" he demanded again, continuing to stare at her without moving a muscle. He didn't even blink.
"I- I told you! I…" Yuffie paused and swallowed hard, watching as Vincent's eyes narrowed to slits. She didn't like the way he was looking at her at all. It was threatening, nearly predatory, and images of a large angry demon flashed through her mind. "Uh…"
Yuffie stood frozen as Vincent continued to stare her down. She could see the rise and fall of his chest as his breathing rate increased, which was a very bad sign, and there was an accusation in his eyes that made her want to turn and run. But then he suddenly frowned and released a heavy sigh, his posture relaxing slightly. He closed his eyes for several tense seconds and seemed to be battling with himself… no, with Chaos… until he finally shook his head with disgust.
"I apologize. I am a bit… protective of her."
"It's safe here, at least."
Yuffie's eyes widened as Lucrecia's words replayed inside her mind, tilting her head as she studied her friend. Suddenly, his harsh reaction to her presence in his home made a lot more sense, and she felt like an idiot for not thinking about it sooner. Lucrecia had just managed to escape from Hojo's laboratory and was likely being hunted down as they spoke. She needed Vincent's protection no matter what her other motives for seeking him out, something he would have taken very seriously. He had only just gotten her back after over thirty years of separation, and had always blamed himself for her death. Of course he was on edge and bound to be overprotective of her! It also explained why Lucrecia had seemed so nervous, and why it appeared that Vincent was hiding her away from the rest of the base. He was, she realized, because he was terrified that something might happen to her again. Finding Yuffie inside his home so close to Lucrecia when he was not there to keep watch over her must have been extremely unsettling, and a wave of guilt washed over the young ninja.
"Hey, Vincent… I'm really sorry if I upset you," she began awkwardly, kicking at a loose section of flooring, the same one she'd tripped over on her way in. "I wasn't trying to hurt her or anything, I promise. We were just chatting, that's all. I'm sorry if I was bugging her, but she really didn't seem to mind. I just-"
"No, no… She likely enjoyed your company…"
Vincent looked down at his boots, his voice almost… sad. Yuffie watched him quietly, unsure of what to say. This was even more awkward than knocking at the door and being faced with Lucrecia. She wanted to bid him good night and turn and flee, but something made her stay. Dammit, it was her conscience. She wouldn't be able to face him every day if she didn't come clean and left him standing there like that. He knew she was still lying about why she had come, and the last thing she wanted was this incident hanging between them. It was hard enough to try to be his friend, and Vincent certainly had enough on his mind at the moment.
"Listen, I…" she paused and swallowed hard, watching as he lifted his head and focused his gaze upon her. His expression was unreadable again, his bangs trailing into his face. "Okay, fine, I didn't come here because of the damn reports, okay?" she snapped, frowning at him as if the entire thing was his fault and balling her hands into fists at her sides. "But you already knew that, because you're so freaking paranoid."
"It helped that you've never come here before…"
"Whatever! Do you want to hear this or not?!" Yuffie exclaimed in frustration, feeling her face grow hot with embarrassment.
Vincent nodded once, unfolding his arms and instead clasping his hand and claw together behind his back. The change from his defensive stance seemed meant to show his willingness to listen. Yuffie took a deep breath, shuffling her feet and looking everywhere but at him as she gathered her courage.
"Okay, look. Whether you like it or not, you're my friend, and I… care what happens to you," she began. Her voice was quiet but she knew he could hear her. "I know what happened to you in the past, and what… she did to you."
"Yuffie…"
His deep voice came out as a low warning, expressing his immediate aversion to a single negative word being spoken about the woman he loved. Yuffie lifted her head and raised one small hand in the air, however, meeting his dark look with one of her own.
"No, wait! Listen to me this time, will you?!" she heard herself exclaim, shocked by her own boldness. Vincent blinked as if stunned by her outburst, and though he looked pained he allowed her to continue. "I came here because I was worried about you!"
"Worried about me…?" he repeated, lifting an eyebrow.
"Yeah, you dummy!" she said with a crooked grin, trying to hide her embarrassment. "I don't… you know… I don't want to see you get your heart broken again, okay?! 'Cause… that would really suck… and stuff."
Now she really wanted to run, but her feet remained hopelessly rooted in place as she stared at them and blushed fiercely. The silence that greeted her statement was deafening, and for a moment she wondered if Vincent had retreated back into the basement. But then she heard a quiet sigh, cautiously lifting her head to find him staring out into the night.
"While I appreciate your concern… there is no need," he said quietly. "We have worked things out." A ghost of a smile crossed his lips, and for just a moment, Yuffie swore he looked at peace.
"Now that I've actually met Lucrecia and seen you two together… I'm a lot less worried," she admitted when he said nothing more. "She's… nothing like I expected. And I think you guys are really cute together!"
She giggled when Vincent looked her way with an expression of genuine surprise, and she could have sworn his pale cheeks colored ever so slightly. She felt the tension in the air between them finally melt away, relieved to be able to breathe easy again. When she saw the rare contentment in Vincent's eyes, she couldn't hold back the sudden impulse that washed over her. She rushed forward and threw her thin arms around him, catching him off guard in a fierce embrace.
"I'm really happy for you, Vinny," she said, meaning every word. He grunted and remained tense, but finally raised one arm and briefly returned the embrace before she released him, playfully hopping away as if she expected him to retaliate. For once, he didn't bother to correct her about his name.
"Thank you…" he said softly, watching her with eyes that seemed focused inward.
"Now get back in there and enjoy it!" Yuffie ordered with a grin, picking up the folder and pointing toward the door with her free hand.
Vincent nodded seriously, but after a pause one corner of his mouth twitched upward in a partial attempt at a smile. Yuffie's mouth dropped open, amazed. It wasn't quite a real smile, but it was a start. She grinned back, jumped down the six porch steps all at once, and started to jog toward home. But after a moment she skid to a stopped and turned around, calling back to Vincent just before he closed the door.
"And Vinny! Clean your filthy house!"
((Author's Notes: This thing ended up way longer than intended! Funny how a short little scene idea became enormous, haha. Anyway, I hope it contained the proper mix of serious and… well, Yuffie. I got this idea because it occurred to me that when Lucrecia first arrived in town in Life After Death, I never really wrote anything about the reactions of the others aside from Aeris and Sephiroth. They all knew about the Jenova Project and what Lucrecia did (at least in general) to Vincent from his summary of events in Irony of Fate Chapter 2, so when she shows up again and is suddenly involved with him, I figured anyone who cared about him might be a touch concerned. No one else really has much of a relationship with him because of how distant he is, but all through Irony of Fate Yuffie had been developing a kind of friendship with him, and looked up to him as a father figure in a way (Never gonna buy the romance thing there! No way, no how). So it made sense to me that she might have been a bit alarmed, and of course damn curious, about Lucrecia when she reappears. And since the scene also had potential for awkwardness and comedy, I had to write it. I hope you all enjoyed it and will take a moment to let me know what you thought. I spent a ton of time on it trying to make it as close to perfect and as good a read as I could, so I'd love to know how I did. Thanks so much! You can expect more to be posted here soon for sure, because going back in time is fun! ~ JenesisX ))
