Alright, this fan fiction idea popped up, so I decided to write it. Warning: if I make a few grammar mistakes, keep in mind I am running on 5 hours of sleep here. Please review and enjoy!
Yuffie brushed her hair out of her face as she grabbed three candles and a few matches and stuffed them in her pack before setting out in the cold morning air, ribbons and celebration flags passing as she exited the town square. Today was her least favorite day. February 14th – the day He left to get rid of his demon alone. She wanted to go with him; she wanted to stay by his side always, but no. He didn't want to endanger her. He wanted her to stay safe, he knew she loved him. And he had never come to admit that he loved her back.
And to all that are just reading this and have no idea who 'he' is, dear Yuffie is talking about Vincent Valentine.
Flashback:
"Hey Vincent," Yuffie said casually after following him leave the house that AVALANCHE. He had never been one to leave and not tell anyone, especially Yuffie. The trees surrounding them in this forest swayed in the cool breeze, the crash of the waterfall hitting the pool nearby echoing around them as an uncomfortable silence settled in before Vincent asked, "Why did you follow me?"
"Because it's not like you to just slip away in the dead of night without saying a word to anyone," Yuffie answered, worry etched in her voice on why he would do this.
Vincent sighed. "Go back home Yuffie. Please." Yuffie realized he was planning on leaving for a long time, possibly not coming back so she retaliated, "No Vincent! Not when I don't know what the hell is going on and not when I might just lose my greatest friend! Just tell me what is going on already!"
She edged closer to him and grabbed his organic hand to prevent him from beginning his solemn march to who the hell knows where. She wanted answers.
"With each passing day, I have less and less control of Chaos. If I stay here, I could hurt, or even kill someone. Yuffie, I have to get rid of Chaos, something I must do alone; if you or someone else comes, I might hurt them," Vincent explained, trying to pull his hand from hers. The reason he slipped away without being noticed was so he wouldn't have to deal with the goodbyes. Especially from Yuffie, because seeing her sad always made his heart pang. He wished he could pull her into his arms, comfort her and banish the tears welling in her eyes. But he only rarely did, his Turk training keeping him in check.
"Vincent!" Yuffie cried, not wanting to believe what she just heard. "Don't do this! Your plenty safe here to all, I swear, just don't walk out on me!!"
"Yuffie do you have any idea how much strain I have to put on my body to keep from lashing out at you right now, or at any other time your around me? If this keeps up, there may be a time that I won't be able to restrain myself!"
"But you shouldn't do this alone! You need help along the way!" Yuffie protested, small tears rolling down her cheeks.
"If I take anyone, their lives will be in danger. I refuse to let that happen to you Yuffie. I refuse to give you the pain and suffering you would get if you came with me."
Yuffie couldn't take this anymore. Just standing there while Vincent fought to keep going was too much. She flung her arms around him and clung as tight as she could, softly crying into his cloak. Vincent understood now. She knew this was something he had to do alone, but she didn't want to lose him, just like how he refuses to let her come with him because she would be in danger. He returned the embrace, Yuffie's head gently resting against his chest.
"Vincent, you better damn well come home, you hear?" Yuffie said as she regretfully pulled away. "If you die out there…I don't know what I'd do. So just listen to me. Every year at this exact same day and time, I will return to this place. If you have returned, then meet me here. Just come home, okay?"
Vincent nodded and began to walk away before saying, "Understand Yuffie, I would rather have you here where you're safe then where you will be in danger." And Yuffie stood there teary-eyed just watching him disappear through the trees as the sun began to rise.
End of Flashback
Now you must understand that Yuffie and Vincent had grown very close together over the times they had traveled. Many look at the two and have been oblivious how close they are, but they share one thing in the group that the other AVALANCHE members do not have; loss. Sure, they have all lost someone in this rebellion, but Vincent and Yuffie both lost someone they cared about because they believed they weren't strong enough to save them ;Vincent with Lucrecia and Yuffie with her mother.
After Vincent left, everyone saw Yuffie's lack of energy. For the first few weeks, she wouldn't even come out of her room. After a very agitated Tifa finally forced her out of her room, Yuffie just started up a materia business to keep her thoughts off of Vincent. But what killed the AVALANCHE crew the most was to see that one team mate could be effected so horribly because of the disappearance of the one they thought Yuffie liked least of all
Back to the story…
Yuffie exited the long street and gazed at the stars as she headed to the forest, tiny glimmers of light lost in the dark cloak of night. Holding the candles gingerly, she picked up her pace a little bit and went into the forest, the trail stripped of grass, the ground hard and dry from being so used. She nearly tripped in her knee high black boots, but she caught herself last minute before she could hit the ground.
"Least my jacket is still clean," Yuffie muttered to herself, zipping up the dark green jacket from the cold, brushing off her dark blue pair of jeans. After checking that the candles were okay, she continued along her path, the faint sound of running water being heard.
At last Yuffie came to a clearing in the trees with a small waterfall crashing down from ten yards above her head. A small array of boulders was surrounding the waterfall and the center one had a shred of torn crimson fabric laying on it, three candle holders sitting proudly atop their perch.
Yuffie gave a half smile and gingerly placed the candles in their holders, striking a match to light all of them. The glow the candles gave off bounced across the water as she knelt by the boulder, holding the fabric to her face, inhaling the rose-like scent of the one who once wore this.
"Happy birthday Vincent," Yuffie whispered, setting down the fabric. She was the only living soul that knew today was his birthday. She always had tried to do something extra special for him in the past, but most times he would say nothing or just mutter thanks. But Yuffie didn't care. She just wished he would be here now.
"You promised me Vincent," Yuffie whispered, her spirits starting to lower as the hours passed by. "You promised me you'd come home alive."
"And alive is how I return, just as promised," an all too familiar voice said behind her. Yuffie spun around to see a man dressed completely in black, save for his torn, crimson cloak and headband. A claw replaced his left arm, piercing red eyes softening as they clashed with storm eyes. Vincent had returned.
"Vincent!!" Yuffie cried. She ran and threw herself on him, causing them both to fall over. After Vincent sat up, Yuffie was on him again, clinging to him as if he would disappear the next second, one of her hands balled into a fist, beating on his chest.
"I hate you, you big jerk!" she yelled, shivering and crying all the way. "You left three years ago, promising a return and you make me go through all those agonizing years!? I didn't even leave my room for the first few weeks! Why the hell did you have to leave!? I hate you; I hate you, I HATE YOU!"
Vincent remained silent, holding the shuddering woman to him as she calmed herself, tears still spilling from her eyes as they squeezed shut.
"Hush now; I came back did I not?" Vincent cooed, stroking Yuffie's back fondly. How he had missed Yuffie.
"How do I know this isn't just a dream? That I'm not going to wake up as soon as I reach out to you? That you won't fade like sand like you always have, leaving me to wake up only to fall back into the same nightmare?"
Vincent looked down at her in concern. How could he have caused her so much grief? He gently tilted her head up, storm pools interlocked with red ones.
"Because this is not a dream," Vincent whispered before leaning down and kissing Yuffie passionately, pulling her to him. Yuffie did not resist at all. When they finally broke apart, Yuffie gazed at him and smiled a pure hearted, genuine smile that nobody has seen since Vincent left.
"I love you," Yuffie said, her arms sliding around Vincent's neck as he gazed down on her lovingly.
"And I you, dear Yuffie," He whispered back heatedly before they kissed again.
From that day on, nobody has ever seen Yuffie plummet in her depressive stage again.
Please review and a happy holidays!
Ichi