A/N: Written to commemorate my joining my new KH community! (Yay!) I've always been obsessed with White Mushrooms, so it's about time I wrote a story for one.
"Yuffie! Stop the humming NOW!" At the sound of Leon's yelling, Yuffie giggled.
"Aww, Squaaaallll…" she whined, tugging on the sleeve of his jacket. Winter had fallen on Radiant Garden, and even the normally skimpily dressed ninja was wearing jeans and a coat. Leon glared at her through his long chestnut bangs.
"One of these days, I swear I will throw you off the Bailey and not feel the slightest bit sorry about it…" he growled, stalking back to the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee Headquarters. Aerith had insisted on throwing a Winter Solstice party, and much to the dismay of Cid, Cloud, and Leon, Yuffie and Tifa immediately jumped onto the act. Knowing those three, the party was going to be loud and annoying, and most likely it would give them headaches.
While Leon was silently fuming, Yuffie was staring in wonder at the snow drifting from the grey sky. His blue eyes locked on a snowflake, followed its erratic fall until it landed onto something black. Without thinking, Leon stretched out a hand, his hand brushing over the spot where the snowflake had melted.
"Uhmm…Leon?" he looked down from where his hand was to see that the snowflake had landed in Yuffie's hair. Jerking his hand back, Leon turned and continued walking. He blamed the warmth on his face on a stray wisp of warm wind.
Her hair is really soft… Leon halted his movement and facepalmed. "You must really hate me," he told the sky. A hand tapped him on the shoulder and he reluctantly pivoted to see Yuffie standing in front of him, an exasperated look on her face.
"No, I don't hate you. Just…next time you feel like petting me, can you warn me first?" Leon facepalmed again.
"Uhm…Leon?...Leon? LEON!?"
"What?" Startled by Yuffiie's tone, he looked up to see her face frozen into a by-God-don't –look-behind you face.
Leon looked behind him.
A Heartless was creeping up behind him, its stubby arms wrapped around itself. His first instinct was to run, and his brain was attempting to tell his legs, but for some reason his legs had decided to go to sleep. Leon's knees weakened and he collapsed, but the Heartless made no move to attack. Instead, it only inched forward, shivering and looking at him piteously with its large glowing yellow eyes.
"Wait…" Yuffie called, moving forward to where Leon sat dazed. "Isn't that one of those Heartless that like to play charades?" Leon looked up and it was, in fact, one of 'those Heartless who like to play charades'. Yuffie squealed and ran forward, poking the creature in its stomach. Or whatever its midsection is supposed to be called. "Are ya cold, little guy? That seems kinda weird when you're wearing that big sweater." Yuffie said in a perky voice. Leon's legs woke up with a start and he immediately jumped up, grabbing Yuffie by the collar and dragging her away from the thing.
"No, Yuffie. That thing is dangerous and will eat your heart. Stay away." He glared Gunblades down at her as she squirmed. "Yuffie, let's go before its gets too dark out and you fall off the battlements." His glance returned to his path before him, only to find the pathetic thing shivering two feet away from him. Yuffie took this as an excellent chance to break from Leon's grip and run back to the Heartless, grining ear-to-ear.
"Don't worry, wittle guy," Yuffie said in a baby voice, pulling the creature into her lap and smiling up at Leon. "He may try to look gruff and all that jazz, but on the inside he's a big softie." Leon was about to contest that statement when suddenly both the Heartless and Yuffie were giving him the big puppy-dog eyes.
You're not really gonna fall for this, are you?
Yuffie started to whine.
"All right! FINE!" Leon yelled, throwing himself onto the ground with an indignant 'huff'. "What're we gonna do to warm this thing up?" Yuffie shot him a confused look.
"I dunno. I can't cast magic." At this, Leon laughed. He remembered quite vividly the day Merlin tried to teach Yuffie magic. She got so frustrated she almost stuck Merlin in the head with her shruiken. After a talk with Aerith, she settled for following Cid around and poking him for the rest of the day.
"Well, I can't cast magic either and I left my Gunblade at Headquarters, so…?" Leon trailed off, waiting for Yuffie to finish the sentence for him. She wasn't even paying attention, finding great joy in poking the little creature in its midsection.
"Look, Leon, he giggles!" she said happily, tickling the Heartless. In response, the creature shuddered and made a noise somewhat similar to Aerith's insane giggle when she had drank a little too much caffeine. "His name is Mogu!"
Alright then. While you were dawdling away in Memory Lane, Yuffie has found a new pet. What is it with her and dangerous things?
"Yuffie, we can't keep him," Leon sighed, taking the thing from her arms, standing up and internally cursing the cold stones of the castle Bailey. The puppy eyes were back.
"But-he'll get cold!"
"He'll live."
"But he's so cute!"
"That doesn't mean that he's not a ruthless killer."
Now there was some sniffling accompanying the eyes.
"No."
Tears.
"Okay, fine!"
Yuffie squealed with happiness and leapt on him with the master of all hugs.
Man, what is it with the warm wind today?
