Curse and Comfort
AN: I own nothing in this story. This is for always-kh so enjoy! Please R&R.
Leon was sharpening his gunblade, some sparks flying into the air as he slid the whetstone across it's edge, when he heard a pair of feet running up to him from behind.
"Hey Squall!" Luckily the gunblade specialist had gotten used to Yuffie's sudden surprise greetings/yelling in his ears.
"That's- but Yuffie finished for him.
"Leon, I know." And when he narrowed his eyes at the ninja she just laughed it away.
She was always doing that but whereas Leon would normally get annoyed with any other person who did so, when Yuffie did it, he didn't mind.
He chalked it up to being around the ninja way too much.
"So anyway Mr. Leonhart, what are you doing tonight?" Leon stood up then and placed his gunblade against his shoulder.
"Patrolling," Leon answered shortly, starting to walk off.
"Sounds fun! The Great Ninja Yuffie will go with you and all our enemies will run away at the sound of my mighty laugh!" She then let loose a booming laugh and Leon was certain Sora could hear it on whatever world he was now on. "How was that?" Yuffie asked, turning to Leon. But he was already walking ahead, causing the ninja to clench her fists. "Pay attention to me, darn it!"
But eventually Yuffie followed after him, Conformer at the ready to slice into any Nobodies or Heartless they met.
Half an hour later they had only dispatched some Dusks and Shadows, Yuffie yawning.
"Well this is boring," she stated. Leon ignored her and tried to take in all of his surroundings, never letting his guard down for an instant. As if in response to his tension, a Nobody popped into being.
It was unlike anything they had ever seen, dressed as it was in long white robes, giant sneakers, and wielding a massive wand.
"I'll take care of this guy!" Yuffie boasted, throwing her over sized throwing star. But the smirk on her face was cut off as the Nobody dodged it gracefully and rushed towards the pair. Yuffie bounded out of the way and Leon aimed a slash at the creature but it blocked it with it's wand.
Yuffie's weapon had returned to her hand by then and she sliced down with it, taking an arm off. Yuffie moved for another strike when she felt the severed arm grab her around the throat. Leon parried and sent several ripostes back at the monster before seeing an opening. Dashing forward, he closed his eyes and swung his Gunblade around in a circle, fiery explosions following the circular path of his blade before striking the Nobody and ending it's existence.
Leno rushed over to Yuffie then and saw the hand burst in a cloud of darkness, covering the ninja. When it dissipated, Leon's eyes widened.
Because where Yuffie had been there was now only a tiny black puppy with big brown eyes whimpering up at the scarred warrior.
"Yuffie..." Leon murmured, eliciting a bark and tiny nod from the puppy.
Merlin opened his door to the frantic knocks on the other side, Leon nearly barging in, a tiny puppy in his arms.
Aerith instantly beamed at the sight.
"How cute!" she exclaimed.
Merlin, however, frowned a little at the canine. He could sense the evil magic that had been cast.
"That's Yuffie, is it not?" Merlin asked. Leon nodded and quickly explained the fight, Aerith now frowning as well.
"Can you change her back?" Leon asked. Merlin motioned for Leon to place Yuffie on the ground and the wizard took out his wand, trying spell after spell. For all his efforts though, the only result was a tiny sneeze.
"It's a powerful magic but not incurable. Let me look into the future for a moment." His eyes lost focus and the normally black pupils started to change colors until Merlin shook his head several minutes later. "I see!" he exclaimed, smiling widely. "My boy, she'll be fine but you'll need to take care of her, understand?"
Leon nodded and looked down at Yuffie.
How exactly was he supposed to take care of her like this?
Climbing up the stairs to his room, Leon put his gunblade in it's case and placed Yuffie on his beanbag chair.
"Here's your bed." And with that terse instruction, he quickly undressed and slid into bed, eyes closing a moment later.
Yuffie was fuming. First she got turned into a dog and now Squall was treating her like this?! Not to mention that the bean bag chair that was her bed was impossible to get comfortable on. So the puppy got off after several minutes and started whining, making sure to use the highest pitch she could.
Leon groaned a little at the high pitched noise that assaulted his ears and opened his eyes, moving them quickly to the source. Seeing Yuffie, he gave an exasperated sigh. Picking her up, he placed her on his bed.
"Good night Yuffie," he said. Yuffie could only bark in reply but she snuggled her furry body close to his and soon drifted off to sleep, Squall's heartbeat comforting her.
The next day, Leon carried Yuffie down the stairs and placed her in the kitchen where Aerith was making breakfast.
"Good morning Sq-Leon and Yuffie! I've got some bacon and waffles almost done." Leon nodded while Yuffie started panting at the incredible odor of the food tickling her heightened sense of smell. And soon enough, the flower girl placed a tiny plate of bacon and half a cut up waffle in front of Yuffie and a larger plate in front of Squall. "Hope you like it!"
Yuffie attacked her meal like a madwoman, licking up the syrup from the plate and within twenty seconds had it all finished. A tiny burp escaped her lips and Aerith went wide eyed.
"Yuffie...was it good?" Barking, Yuffie nodded and Aerith beamed.
"Great, unfortunately I can't feed you anymore or else you'll get sick with your tiny body, sorry." Aerith then sat down and began to eat her own breakfast. Yuffie started to whine before an idea came to her. Walking up to Squall's leg, she nudged it as hard as she could. This soon got his attention and she gave her best puppy dog eyes, literally in this case.
Squall looked up at Aerith before returning his gaze to Yuffie. Adding a tiny whimper to her tone, Yuffie tried again. Squall discreetly slipped a rather large chunk of bacon onto the floor by Yuffie and she dug in. However another belch escaped her mouth, this one louder than before.
"Excuse me," Squall said to Aerith's scandalized eyes.
"You're excused," she replied before returning to her meal. "And make sure you take Yuffie for a walk when you're done."
"Whatever..." Squall answered.
Twenty minutes later with a leashed Yuffie bounding ahead, Leon stepped out of the house and began his walk.
His thoughts started to drift to the first time he met Yuffie, the ninja having tried to steal his gunblade. A small smile appeared on his face as he recalled her upset expression. But it quickly faded as he recalled that it was his negligence that had turned Yuffie into what she was now.
The two had arrived at a more populated area of Hollow Bastion by this point and a young woman approached Leon, her bright blue eyes locking with his.
"You're Squall, right?!" she asked.
"That's Leon," he replied.
"Oh well whatever, you're just the hottest member of the Restoration Committee!" the blonde gushed. She then felt something wet on her leg and looked down to see a black puppy urinating on her. Giving a shriek, the woman ran off, cursing Leon and the dumb animal he had with him.
Leon patted Yuffie on the head but she darted away, starting to walk ahead with a slight growl escaping her lips.
"What's wrong with her?" Leon asked himself.
The rest of the day passed quickly and before Leon knew it, he was heading off to bed, Yuffie in his arms.
Placing her on the bed, he lay down and sighed.
"Yuffie...I'm sorry."
Yuffie padded over to him and nuzzled his side with her wet nose. She had gotten over her jealously from earlier today and snuggled a bit closer. Leon saw this and picked her up, holding her gently.
"It's all my fault...I should have protected you," he murmured. Yuffie barked then and glared at him, shaking her head from side to side as best she could. And before Leon could speak again, Yuffie licked his cheek.
"Yuffie..." he said softly, realization in his eyes. He placed a quick kiss against her furry forehead and petted her gently, eliciting a bark of joy from the ninja. Smiling a little, Leon fell asleep.
"Wake up you lazy bum," a familiar voice whispered in his ear. Opening his eyes, he saw Yuffie staring at him, a smile on her human face. Before Leon could talk, Yuffie hugged him tightly. The scarred man found himself returning the hug.
"I'm glad you're back," he said, a true smile on his face for the first time in Yuffie's memory.
"Me too, but could we not tell anyone about what I did to that blonde bimbo?" Yuffie asked, cheeks reddening a little.
Leon looked pensive for a moment before shaking his head.
"Leon..." Yuffie whined. "I'll do anything!"
"Dinner..." Leon responded quickly. Yuffie blinked at that and for the first time was rendered speechless.
"Wh-What did you just say?" she managed to stammer out a moment later.
"I want to take you to dinner tonight, just the two of us, okay?" Yuffie gave a nod before hugging Leon tightly once more.
"Leon, I- but Leon cut her off with a finger to his lips.
"Call me Squall."
"Alright...Squall," Yuffie said softly before leaning in for a kiss.
Merlin grinned widely at the sight of the restored Yuffie and a smiling Squall.
"Looks like I'm right again," the wizard said to himself.
The Fairy Godmother owed him twenty munny now.