There could have been nothing else that hurt as much. Even being struck would have hurt less. It wasn't so much what the pilot said that was painful, but how it made her feel. The memories and feelings it brought up.

Yuffie was up to her usual mischief on board the Sierra when she heard something that made her heart drop to her stomach. Cid, enraged that she had tampered with his ship (nothing permanent of course, she didn't want to die while she was on it) threw a comment at her that was the one thing that cut the deepest. He could've called her a brat, insulted her figure, anything. Anything but that.

"Ahhh you're such a pain, brat! No wonder no guy wants you!"

She stopped arranging some of the electrical wires into the form of a happy face. It felt as if she had been physically hit. It may as well have been a strike to the face, as she struggled to hold her tears in check. Yuffie was by no means an insecure girl, after years of being a thief, she was used to insults being thrown her way. The ninja was quite happy with herself and her body, even if she wasn't as well-endowed as Tifa. But the one aspect of her life that she never really felt secure with, was her love life. Sure, she'd been on a few dates and there were guys that were interested in her. But really, those "dates" her dad set her up on did not count. The guys were nice enough, but all they wanted was the throne. Though, they'd lie through their teeth that they loved her, if that was what it took to get to the crown. Then, when she went to work for the WRO, she dated a few guys on the side after missions. But it was all the same. Just fame-seekers out for their ten seconds of fame. She was always being lied to or used by guys. Even ones who seemed nice, like Reno of the Turks. Contrary to what the media always portrayed of him, he was not a player. Sure he was a flirt and did have some one-night stands, but he made it abundantly clear that those were all he was after. Until he met her. He was a wonderful boyfriend, he was kind, funny and always picked up the tab. Best of all, he was just as famous, or infamous as her, so she knew he wasn't just looking for a bit of the spotlight. She really thought they had something special. Then, one day in a heated make-out session, the truth came out. He had called out Elena's name while kissing her. Instantly she felt a flood of emotions threaten to overwhelm her. Of course, she pushed these aside, as well as her now ex-boyfriend and stormed out of his apartment, but not before landing a kick to his face and lodging a shuriken in his shoulder. The ensuring weeks were filled with the torture of the Turk, by various AVALANCE members. But even that, did not make her feel any better. Because once again, she saw that even guys who seem nice, are just out to use or lie to you. Yeah, Reno did like her to some degree and was physically attracted to her. But it was ELENA, that he wanted and it was the blond he saw while kissing her. She was nothing more than a rebound, or maybe even just a cheap substitute, since the blond Turk and Tseng were obviously involved, even if they refused to admit it.

So, even if Cid's comment in itself wasn't terribly malicious, it was the memories of her failed love life and relationships as well as the feelings of being unwanted, used, or lied to that hurt.

It has been a week since the incident with Cid on the airship and the pilot has all but forgotten it. But now, everyone is worried about the young woman. Her twentieth birthday is coming up and she is anything but excited. In fact, lately her eyes have contained a far-away glassy look to them. She is not her usual cheerful self, she's actually quite the opposite. All her team-mates are disturbed in the change in her; no one had ever seen the ninja so morose. One day, they decide to confront her about it together, as even Tifa's best attempts to talk it out of her fell on deaf ears.

"Alright Yuffie," said Cloud, "What's wrong?"

The woman in question lifted her brown eyes to meet his,

"What do you mean?"

Tifa sighed sadly,

"Yuffie, we know something's wrong! You've been upset all week and we've never seen you this sad! You're our spot of sunshine in AVALANCE, even if you do annoy us sometimes. We miss that and we miss you."

She just looked and Tifa and blinked, before she replied,

"There's nothing wrong with anything, except maybe me,"

and without another word, she swept out of the bar, to the bafflement of her party.

"The hell! What happened to her?" said Barrett angrily,

"No jerk better have hurt the girl!"

Nananki shook his head,

"I do not think it was that, remember what she did to Reno?"

The group shared a collective smile at the memory,

"Yeahh, the lot of you nearly beat 'im within an inch of his life!" chimed Cait cheerily.

Tifa grinned,

"Don't forget the kick to the face she gave him and the shuriken to the shoulder as her parting gift."

Cid laughed,

"The girl's got spunk, I'll give her that."

Finally Vincent spoke,

"But, if it wasn't that, then what could it be?"

Everyone frowned, they didn't have a clue. What did her cryptic answer mean? They gave a collective sigh and most went about business as usual since they were staying for her birthday. Though, it was going to be a considerably more somber affair than what they were used to. But one member, snuck out of the bar and into the streets of the city in search of the ninja. Just a glimpse of red was all anyone who happened to look in the direction of the door would see.

Yuffie sat atop of the roof to the WRO, letting the tears fall unchecked. Even after her team-mates' attempts at questioning her and trying to make her feel better had failed. Because there was nothing they could do; Cid was right, no man did want her. Oh sure, they might want her for her title, maybe for her body. But no one, not a single guy, wanted her for who she was. Not who they imagined her to be, not who they pretended was in her place, but her, and her alone. There was nothing that made her feel more unwanted, used or lied to, than when she thought of her love life. Pfff, she thought to herself, love life? That implies that I actually have something going on. More like, she reflected, my non-existent love life. She buried her face in her arms; she hated feeling this way. It was her only weakness really, besides motion sickness, but even that had a cure. For this, there was nothing and no one she could turn to. Because, apparently, the problem lay with her. What else could it have been? Was she not pretty enough? Too honest? Too loud? Each thought hurt worst than the last, but she could find no other explanation.

She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't hear the approach of the usually silent gunslinger. In fact, she did not notice him at all until he sat beside her and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Yuffie,"

he began, but stopped when he saw the tears streaking her face,

"What-"

but he wasn't able to finish that sentence, as the ninja burst into tears, unable to hold it in any longer.

"What is it Vincent? What is it about me that's so repulsive? Why does every guy I ever get involved with just use me or lie to me?"

She held her head, tears running freely down her face,

"It's so hard. Hard to see everyone around me find who they belong with and for me to just smile and be happy for them on the side-lines."

She glanced at the gunman who had remained silent so far,

"Don't get me wrong, I am happy for them, but just seeing them together reminds me that I don't have anyone. That I may not ever find anyone."

Gazing up at the stars in the night sky she sighed,

"Even when I think a guy might be different, that he'd be good to me, I find out I was wrong."

Vincent shifted angrily,

"This is about Reno?"

he asked tersely, hot waves of anger and surprisingly jealousy ripping through him.

She laughed,

"No, I don't regret leaving him. He was too stupid to realize what he had. Using me as a rebound!"

Vincent twitched in barely suppressed rage, the Turk had the nerve to use her? He and the rest of AVALANCE had known that they had broken up and that she was upset, but no one knew why.

"It's actually what Cid said to me,"

she continued,

"But even that wasn't so bad...it was just how it made me feel and what it made me think of. Besides,"

she said laying her hands in her lap,

"What he said was true."

He grasped her hands in both of his; nowadays after the fall of Deepground, he only wore his claw for missions.

"And he said?"

She looked down at their hands and smiled sadly, in a voice remarkably similar to the pilot,

"Ahhh you're such a pain, brat! No wonder no guy wants you!"

She stood up, with Vincent joining her, fresh tears glistening in her eyes.

"But I guess," she continued trying to put on a brave face,

"It's not so bad! At least when I take over the throne of Wutai, I'll be the only ruler. I can be like The Virgin Queen Elizabeth!"

She glanced at Vincent's impassive eyes,

"I am a virgin you know," she tried to say conversationally, but failed due to the quiver in her voice,

"I just didn't want to settle, I wanted my first time to be special, but,"

her shoulders sagged,

"I don't think that'll ever happen."

She made to walk back down into WRO headquarter,

"Anyway, thanks for listening Vince, sorry I had to unload all of that on you."

But before she could, two strong arms pulled her into an embrace and planted a kiss on her lips. And for the first time in a long time, she began to believe in fairy tales again.

Really angsty for me huh? Ugh this actually happened to me yesterday and I was really upset about it. So from it springs some pretty good writing! At least I think so. Personal experience does give the best inspiration I think. Sorry for the emo-ness of some parts. Hope Yuffie was still in character, even if I did put some of my own feelings and thoughts in there. I think most girls can understand where I'm coming from with this though. I mean, haven't we all felt like this at one point? And guys, I guess this is a glimpse into how much you hurt us when you say or do stupid things like this. Peace.