A/N: Hah, bet you didn't know I like Final Fantasy, too. There's alot of things I like that I don't write for, but really should. Anyway, I have no idea where THIS arose from, but I spent all night writing it.... Yeah, one full night. I'm nocturnal now that school's out. And happy, 'cause I lived this long! :P Die, dumb lungs! Or don't... I need you.
Hey has anyone heard anything from MatsuMama lately? My younger sister said that she creeped my BFF while I was in the hospital, but I don't know whether to believe her or not.... Then again, she hasn't spoken to me in awile so.... Huge possibility. I need to stop leaving my passwords out where younger siblings can reach them. Sigh....

Disclaimer: The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Square Enix.

Missing You

Yuffie stood outside the Seventh Heaven, pouting in recognition of her friends' relationship. Her mind was set on the lip lock between Cloud and Tifa from only minutes earlier, and it was still upsetting her for some reason unknown and ungraspable to her. She only sighed, leaning against the red brick and shivering. As the night in Edge wore on, she found it got colder and eventually she began to walk only to keep her body temperature up. With no one in sight and most lights off, Yuffie was left in the cold wearing very little clothing and with a broken heart. She hated being alone of all things, and now she realized, her worst nightmare was the truth.

She had never had a boyfriend, and unlike Tifa, she was still a virgin. She wished that her special someone would just walk right up to her and ask her out, but she knew things didn't work that way in real life - that fantasy was a product of her over-active imagination and watching too many cartoons. But then... if life were a cartoon, everything would be so much simpler. Everyone would always be happy, and problems would never really hurt anyone. Not problems like this, anyway. Finally giving up, Yuffie sank down to the ground, her back against a wall and her arms wrapped around her quivering body. With hot tears spilling down her cheeks, the cold was no longer the only reason for her to be shaking.

"Hey... Yuffie?" A soft, low voice made her look up slowly. Hovering above her was her guardian angel.... No, it was just Reno with the street light positioned perfectly behind his head. Yuffie lowered her head to her knees again and continued to weep - what good did Reno ever do anyone in her state, anyway? Reno looked puzzled, then bent down to her level. "Yuffie... what's wrong?"

"Nothing, go away, Reno!" she spat without lifting her head. Reno looked taken aback, but he refused to move. Yuffie never called him by his real name, which meant that there was something very wrong with her. "Why are you still here?"

"I'm not leaving you. It's freezing out here, and I know something's really not right," Reno sighed and stood up, extending his hand to her. "C'mon Yuffie. Back to my place for the night?"

Yuffie glanced upwards for a moment, sniffing back all the tears and hurt. She examined him - from his firey tresses to his vibrant green eyes, his creme skintone, and the way his clothes fit loosely yet still flattered his body... and the outstretched hand. His soft smile tempted her - without that cheesy grin, he couldn't be faking anything - and she accepted the offer. He pulled the ninja-princess to her feet and gripped her tightly; she returned his smile, letting the redhead wipe away the last of her tears.

"Thanks alot." she murmured as he removed his black jacket and placed it gently around her shoulders. He nodded and handed her the extra helmet for his motorcycle before putting his own on, mounting, helping her up, then speeding away. Truthfully, the building Yuffie had been sitting at was a bar called the Secret Garden, a favourite place of Reno's to hang out on Saturday nights. He had just been leaving to return home when he spotted a tiny figurine near his bike and had to question it. Until she had lifted her head once to wipe her eyes, he hadn't even made the connection - this girl being Yuffie - after all, the princess was a tough individual.... He had never seen her cry. If he hadn't've seen it, he wouldn't believe that the hot, wet spots forming on his back were tears.

***

Home for Reno was far back in the woods - private and secluded. It was rather large and angular, yet still beautifully captivating with the moonlight shining on it. Yuffie breathed a short, "Wow." as she dismounted the bike and walked with her hand in Reno's up to the front door. He figetted with his keys for a moment, finding the right one before he unlocked the door and allowed her in first. Upon entering, she was faced with bright red walls and a white linoleum floor. To the left, there was a large, open nook where a white couch was pressed against a wall, its matching loveseat with its back to the window, which took up most of the wall and overlooked the driveway. Opposite the couch was a large flat-screen television mounted up on the wall; a glass coffee table sitting on a fluffy black rug lay between them. Directly ahead was a wide hallway; slightly to the right was a long black counter top jutting in an L-shape on one side. The cabniets there were red, matching the small drink-mixing station for Reno's alcoholic beverages. Each of the appliances there were stainless steel, and a wonder in Yuffie's eyes.

"Like it? Come on, I'll show you my room." Reno announced, slightly amused by Yuffie's bewilderment. She had no idea how much one made working so loyally for Rufus Shinra. Taking her hand, Reno lead Yuffie to his bedroom. The wall opposite the door was black, along with the one the door was on. To the right was a white wall, matching the tiling on the floor; to the left was a window much like in the den area though this one overlooked the forest, not the driveway.

"It's really amazing, Reno.... I wish my place was like this. It's like a castle in—"

Yuffie was cut short by Reno, who flung of his shoes and sat on the edge of his king-sized bed. Though he wasn't too heavy he left an imprint, ruining the once flat-as-glass jet covers. "What happened? Who made you cry?"

"It was nothing," Yuffie furrowed her brow, staring at Reno. His normally warm eyes had lost their sparkle - they were cold and hard now. "I saw Cloud and Tifa kissing and got a little jealous... that's all."

"Jealous?"

"Of their love - yes. I know, dumb right? You don't have to listen to me—"

Once again the girl was cut short by Reno, but this time it was his lips that did the interrupting. Yuffie had been so busy trying to divert Reno from killing something that she hadn't noticed when he rose from the bed to capture her lips in a soft kiss. He pulled away, watching a blush form across her ivory cheeks. Reno smiled, hovering just inches away from her before whispering, "Still jealous?"

She shook her head, at a loss for words, then grabbing two handfuls of his shirt to pull him into another kiss - this one more passionate that the last, and yet still not satisfying. This had been what she wanted right? She'd always wanted Reno, but there was something missing. Curious as to what it could be, she began to unbutton his shirt slowly and still unsure....

***

The next morning, Yuffie lay next to Reno, her head on his chest as she listened to his steady heartbeat. The redhead was still asleep from their rigorous activities during the night and it made her smile. But just as quickly as it formed, it disappeared. She still wasn't satisfied. There was something about Reno - an undeniable something - and she just couldn't place it. It was definitely beginning to get on her nerves and in expression of her frustration, she let out a loud sort of grunt, blowing a breath across Reno's neck. The sound alone was enough to wake him.

"Umm... mornin' Yuffie...." He looked down at her, smiling softly, just as he had the night before. She smiled back and this time it stayed. Reno brushed her bangs out of her face, then leaned down to kiss her forehead as best he could. "How was your night?"

"Excellent; thank you, Reno." Yuffie squrimed closer to him, pulling the covers farther up over both of them - she found it rather cold that morning and both of them had only been half-covered before. Really, she wanted to tell him that she had been saving her innocence for him alone, but she wondered how that would sound, especially if she added the part about them being married first.... "I - um.... I should go make us breakfast."

Yuffie attempted to rise and leave, but Reno grabbed her hand and pulled her back for another one of his infamously soft kisses. When he pulled away after a few seconds, Yuffie was a little dazed, having not expected it. Reno carressed her cheek gently, staring into her eyes with the returned warm look. "I love you, princess."

Her body temperature shot up and all at once she was on fire - which seemed to be resonating from the pit of her stomach. With a sheepish nod, she responded with, "Ditto." since in her frozen state of shock there wasn't much else she could say. She wanted to say she loved him, too.... And that made her remember - that was what had been missing all that time.