Monsters don't feel anything
"Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward."
-Unknown
Yuffie Kisaragi, the Single White Rose of Wutai, is having a bad week, and she blames only one person, and that person is Vincent Valentine.
On Monday, Reeve had asked Yuffie and Vincent to go on a mission, and of course they had agreed, but Yuffie didn't know that they had to take a boat on their way to their destination, and the result of that boat ride was her breakfast shooting out of her mouth and onto Vincent's metal boots. Vincent didn't talk to her for the rest of the day. It would be better if he had at least yelled at me, she had thought to herself.
On Tuesday Yuffie dragged Vincent to a Chocobo farm, which was a huge mistake on Yuffie's part. All the Chocobos went mad upon seeing him, Yuffie frowned and turned to see Vincent's reaction, but Vincent shook his head at her, almost like he was scolding her, and walked away from the farm.
On Wednesday Yuffie was helping Tifa with the bar, giving the customers their beers, drinks, food, and cleaning after them. Yuffie didn't like this, after all she is the greatest ninja that has ever lived, but she would help her best friend with these small tasks.
Everything seemed all good and dandy, that is, until Vincent showed up, so being the silly girl who has a crush on the broody hot man, she became flustered, and she felt like her legs were about to give in on her.
But to her dismay, they did, and it didn't help that she was holding a glass of red wine. So when she tripped on her own foot, she expected to crashed into the red eyed man, but she didn't expect the drink in her hand to spill all over Vincent's cloak. Yuffie flushed and tried to wipe off the wine, but Vincent caught her hands, and said in his deep and rough voice, "Yuffie, it is okay," and walked away.
"You big jerk," she mumbled to herself. "It's your fault your vampy cloak got wet. It's your fault you make me clumsy." She huffed and stomped her way behind the bar table. "I'm going to bed." She said to Tifa. Tifa simply nodded and gave her an understanding smile.
On Thursday, Yuffie woke up feeling rather sore, she blamed Tifa for the hours she worked as a waitress. Who knew serving a couple of damn drinks would cause me more body sores then saving the world, she mused. She got up from her bed and began removing her large shirt, and started changing into her normal short shorts, black tank top, and boots. Yuffie never forgets her shuriken, what kind of ninja would she be then? She hides three shuriken into her left boot. Memories of last night flashes through her mind, and she flushed once again.
"Damn you, Vinnie and your sexiness." Yuffie mumbled angrily, but she knows that she would have to apologize. She sighed and walked out of her room, lightly closing the door behind her. It's pretty early in the morning, maybe around 6:10 am. Yuffie in no way is a morning person, she just likes waking up earlier than others; it's like a competition to her, though the others don't know it. So when she walked to the door next to her, she had a scowl on her face.
She sighed and barged into the room, not bothering on knocking, though she immediately regrets it when she sees the all mighty God who is Vincent Valentine, standing in the middle of his room with no shirt on. She flushed so hard that her cheeks were the same color of Vincent's eyes, her cheeks felt like they were being warmed by fire.
Though Yuffie wanted to look away, she just couldn't. Her eyes were drawn to his perfect sculptured body; his perfect abs made Yuffie's feet feel like jello. His chest made Yuffie sweaty, even his scar didn't seem all too terrifying, and his strong looking arms made her stomach flutter. His golden gauntlet looked rather cool and it enhanced Vincent's "sexiness". It wasn't until Yuffie's eyes reached Vincent's glare did she make any progress to move her lips. "I-I'm sorry, Vincent." Yuffie scratched the back of her head. "Please, Vinnie forgive me. Um, I-I-I'll just go." Yuffie stepped out of the room and shut the door closed.
She cursed under her breath, and began scratching the back of her head again. "Stupid Vincent and his hard rock abs and stupid pretty crimson eyes. I hate you, Vincent — I hate how you make me feel."
The truth is that Yuffie doesn't hate him, in fact, she loves him. She loves him more then she should. And Yuffie doesn't hate the way he makes her feel, just the opposite, she craves for it, and his touches, but not while using her awesome ninja skills, then she'll make a complete fool out of herself. "You're so stupid, Yuffie," she spoke to herself as she made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee. "How can you let one man affect your awesomeness?"
She couldn't bring herself to answer that, instead she sipped her hot cup of coffee and avoided Vincent for the rest of the day.
On Friday, Yuffie was hanging around the bar, minding her own business, you know, doing the usual things she does on a Friday night; steal materia from drunken people, though Tifa still scolds the young ninja whenever she finds new materia lying around in her room. But as usual, Yuffie didn't listen, she just wants her materia.
So, Yuffie started her search around the bar, since it's a Friday night, a lot of people are crowed in Seventh Heaven, and because there are a lot of people at the bar, there are a lot of drunks. Yuffie, the Single White Rose of Wutai, Kisaragi, can steal anything from anyone, at any time, at any place. But Yuffie had gotten a lecture from Cloud of how it's wrong stealing from the innocent a week before.
"Yuffie, some people are helpless, they don't have what you have; money, power—"
"And my awesome ninja skills?" Yuffie interrupted Cloud's speech.
Cloud sighed and ruffled his spiky hair. "Yeah, sure," Cloud sighed one last time before continuing. "It's wrong stealing from people who don't have a lot, do you understand?"
Yuffie nodded. "You mean, poor people, right?" Cloud nodded. "And the defenseless?" Cloud nodded again. "Yeah, okay, I won't steal from the defenseless anymore," Yuffie held her right hand in the air. "I promise."
And she did follow that promise. She hasn't stolen anything from the poor or defenseless. Yuffie only steals from people who come into Tifa's bar and end up drunk.
"I thought Cloud told you not to steal anymore." Tifa scolded her the next day, giving Yuffie a frown.
Yuffie placed her hands on her hips and shook her head at the martial artist. "He never said to steal anymore, Teefs, he said not to steal from the defenseless or poor people, and I haven't."
"But you're still stealing." Tifa pointed out.
"Tifa, my poor naïve friend, don't you know that your customers have the money to buy alcohol and get drunk, and others don't, so that means that they're not poor, and some guys try to rub themselves against you and me and they like to start bar fights, so they're not defenseless, so I have the right to steal from them."
"Okay, but just don't steal too much." Tifa mumbled, knowing that arguing isn't going to take her anywhere with Yuffie. Yuffie is more stubborn then Cloud, Vincent, Tifa, Cid, and Barret combined.
So, Yuffie continued her search for materia, though she didn't have to look further. A drunken man, who looked like he's in his late twenty, came and sat next to Yuffie on a bar stool. The man is clearly drunk, Yuffie thought to herself as she watched the man's head droop down onto the table. Easy-peasy, Yuffie giggled.
She was about to reach into his pockets and get whatever he had in them, but Vincent's body walking her way made her stop in her tracks. Yuffie still hadn't got the image of Vincent's bare body out of her mind, nor has she talked to him or even looked at him since that happened. So seeing Vincent right in front of her made her breathing hitch, her cheeks turned red, and she had butterflies in her stomach. No, no, go away, Vinnie, go. No, don't you look at me, aw, he looked at me. Yuffie couldn't do anything but get up from the stool and run away from the broody man she loves.
Yuffie jumps over the counter, which made Tifa, give her a questioning glance.
"I'll tell you later." Yuffie whispered to her before entering the kitchen.
Yuffie never saw Vincent come in here, not once, so she hopes the kitchen can be a good hiding place. But her hopes were ruined when Vincent comes in seconds later. Yuffie cursed under her breath and kept her gaze away from Vincent.
"Yuffie."
Damnit, Vincent, she yells in her mind. Why does your voice make my body react in such strange ways?
She scowls at the floor, still not meeting Vincent's eyes. "Yes?"
She heard Vincent's metal boots clanking across the platinum floor to stand closer to her. "Yuffie," he repeats.
"What do you want?"
Vincent sighs, and cups Yuffie's chin so he can look at her face—her eyes.
Yuffie suppressed a shiver when she felt Vincent's hand touching her face. She notices how he isn't wearing his gloves. I wonder why? "What do you want, Vinnie?"
"You've been avoiding me." It wasn't a question. "Why?"
"Why?" Yuffie repeats the question, debating on telling him why she has been avoiding him. It's because I love you, Vinnie! Yuffie wanted to scream, but her pride overruled her feelings. She couldn't take rejection, not from him, which she knows she'll get if Yuffie confesses her feelings to him. So instead she says, "Go figure it out yourself," and walks away from him, leaving Vincent in the kitchen having a bewildered expression on his face.
So that's how horrible Yuffie's week has been so far, all because of that one man.
Yuffie's sighs after reflecting her week, and slams her fist on the table. "Hit me."
Tifa gives Yuffie a look, but obeys. The martial artist pours her ninja friend some more tequila.
It wasn't until Yuffie drunk her drink in one gulp and slammed it back down on the table did Tifa started questioning her. "Yuffie, what's wrong?"
Yuffie shook her head. " Nothing."
"You know that's a bunch of bull, Yuffie."
The ninja just shrugged. "I don't want to talk about it."
Tifa became worried. Usually she would have to hold her young friend down from hurting herself and others, but seeing her like this; sad, calm, thoughtful, scared Tifa to no end. She wants to help Yuffie, but she also knows that that would be almost impossible. Tifa knows that Yuffie would never talk about her feelings. She's too…prideful of them. So, Tifa shook her head and began cleaning up the bar.
Yuffie sighed and slammed her cup on the counter. "Hit me again, Boobs."
Tifa glared at the name. "Why do you call me that?"
"What, Boobs?" Tifa nodded still glaring. Yuffie smirked at her friend. "Well, if you haven't noticed, Lockhart, your breasts are the first thing people see when they come near you, and thus, that created your nickname, Boobs."
"I guess making fun of me is making you feel better?" Tifa asked, shaking her head.
Yuffie simple smiled and shrugged, not bothering to answer Tifa, because she already knows the answer. Yuffie doesn't really mean to hurt other's feelings, so she chooses her words carefully. It's only to make her, and the others smile, and Yuffie knows she accomplished it when she saw Tifa's lips tug up a bit.
Yuffie hasn't seen her friend smile in weeks, though she smiles at Denzel and Marlene, but Yuffie knows those smiles are just for show. She blames the chocobo-headed idiot. About two or three weeks ago, Yuffie found herself hiding behind a wall, listening to Cloud and Tifa argue.
"Why are you acting like this, Cloud?" Tifa wailed.
"What do you mean?"
Yuffie heard her friend scoff. "You've been avoiding me, like I don't even exist, every time I come near you, you always walk away from me. What did I do to you, hm? Please tell me so I can make it better, I just can't take your silence anymore, Cloud? Not anymore."
Come on, Spiky, tell her how you feel. Don't be an idiot.
But all Cloud did is sigh and say in a grief voice, "I'm sorry," and walked away from Tifa. Yuffie heard the stomping of his boots as he went up the stairs and went to hide in his room.
Yuffie cursed Cloud when she heard Tifa sobbing.
Yuffie frowned at the memory, and decided then that she would have to deal with Cloud in a very violent matter.
She got up from her seat and turned around to inspect the bar. It's a Saturday night, which meant that AVALANCE, come here and get drunk, even Shelke is drinking a glass of lemonade at her usual seat in the bar; next to a window. And, she's alone…again.
Yuffie never really liked the young girl, she even gave her a good slap in the face a while back, but seeing her all alone made Yuffie feel bad for the girl. Her usual companion is Vincent, and he's not even here, Yuffie noticed. Yuffie frowned and wondered where he could be, but quickly shook those thoughts out of her head. If she wonders too much, she'll start looking for him, and probably end up embarrassing herself some more.
Yuffie decided to keep Shelke some company. She sighed and began walking toward the front of the bar, but a cloud of smoke caught Yuffie in fits of coughs. She glared at the blond man sitting down on a chair, drinking beer, and purposely blowing the smoke into her face.
Yuffie stole a glance at Shera, only to see her shaking her head at her husband.
Yuffie tore her eyes away from the innocent woman and glared at the arrogant pilot, scowling at him. Cid only smirked in response.
"Watch where you blow that out, chain-smoker." Yuffie flipped Cid off, and stuck her tongue at him.
Cid glared at her, and made her sure to blow more smoke at her. "The fuck are you goin do 'bout it?"
Yuffie crossed her arms, and smirked at the chain smoker. "I'm sorry, Shera," Yuffie said to the Cid's wife without glancing her way, "but your damn husband needs to learn to treat Yuffie Kisaragi like the way she needs to be treated; a princess."
And with that, Yuffie used her fast reflexes to snatch the cigarette out of Cid's mouth and ripped in half, and made an immature gesture by dropping the cancer stick on the floor and stopping it, all the while smirking at Cid in a very smug way.
Cid shrugged, and reached into his many pockets, and took out a packet of cigarette. Yuffie rolled her eyes and snatched the pack out of his hands and stomped it, making sure that every cigarette were nothing but white and brown of ashes.
"You should know by now, old man, that me, the Single White Rose of Wutai, is the master speed."
Cid shot up from his seat, trying to intimidate her, but Shera stood up and grabbed his arm, smiling at Yuffie, and pulled him down back in his seat.
"Fuckin brat," Cid mumbled under his breath.
Even though Cid uses these fowl words at Yuffie, she knows that's his way of saying that he cares. He's not good at showing his feelings, in fact, he sucks, much like the spiky-headed idiot over there, sitting on a couch watching the exchange between the two with an amused glint in his eye
"Love you too, old man," Yuffie's acts are making her forget about her week and making her the usual hyper and loud Yuffie that— though no one wants to admit— everybody misses. Even Barrett gave her a wide grin, though his attention immediately went back to his adoptive daughter, and her companion.
Yuffie skipped her way to Shelke and sat in front of her, resting her chin on the heel of her right palm, grinning at Shelke like a mad-man. But Shelke gave no response to her smile; she's used her to wild ways, and is fond of Yuffie because of them, though she would never admit it.
Shelke nodded at Yuffie. "Hello, Yuffie Kisaragi."
Yuffie scrunched her nose. "Why do you talk like that?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you talk all formal and fancy, like Vincent, only your worse. Talk like a normal person, like me, 'kay?"
Shelke gave her a confused look, but nodded anyway.
"Okay," Yuffie's face turned from happy, to serious in seconds, "repeat after me. Say, 'Yo, what's up'."
Shelke shook her head, but repeated that silly sentence. "Yo, what is up?"
Yuffie's lips cracked into a smile, and she forced her laughs from escaping her mouth. "No, you don't say the 'is' in that sentence, Shelke, say 'what's'."
"What's?" She asked, and Yuffie nodded. Shelke sighed and repeated the sentence. "Yo, what's up?"
Yuffie couldn't help herself, she laughed. No one paid her any attention, because they knew that this girl would laugh at anything. Red, however, was the only who laughed with her, since he heard the whole conversation they had, and he found it amusing that the young, but very mature, Shelke, would be saying those ridiculous sentences.
"If I may ask, what is so amusing?" Shelke asked with a calm expression on her face.
Shelke studied the young woman with her head cocked to the side. At times she wishes that she can be like Yuffie, care-free, loud, loving, funny, cocky, sarcastic, and loved by others. Shelke knows, though, that the AVALANCHE group do care about her, but not enough to actually love her, like the way they love Yuffie. She's jealous, a feeling that is alien to her.
When Yuffie's laughter finally died out, she began wiping tears off of her cheeks and eyes.
"Oh, Shelke, my tiny orange-headed friend," Yuffie's term of 'friend' toward Shelke surprised her, but she quickly composed herself before Yuffie opened her eyes again. "What I found so amusing was the way you said the sentence…you sounded funny." Yuffie cocked her head to the side, a wide grin still placed on her lips. "Maybe you should continue talking formal. You don't sound right talking all slang like."
Yuffie chuckled once more before leaning back against her chair and resting her hand behind her head. The Wutai princess began whistling a catchy tune, happy at being in peace for the first time this week.
"I want wish to discuss about Vincent Valentine with you." Yuffie's short, blissful, peace is officially ruined.
Yuffie stopped her whistling and leaned against the table, with her cheek resting on her fist. She has a frowned plastered on her face, which Shelke wasn't familiar with. Shelke cocked her head to the side, her mako eyes gleaming with concern.
"Is everything well?"
"Just peachy," Yuffie made sure the sarcasm is palpable.
Shelke shook her head and took a sip of her drink. She placed the cup on the table and cupped her hands together. "Yuffie Kisaragi, you are lying."
Yuffie scoffed. "No shit, Sherlock."
"May I ask what is bothering you?"
Yuffie didn't want to tell Shelke these kinds of things. After all, the young girl does hold some of Lucrecia's personality, and therefore, must care—if not—love Vincent the way Lucrecia did.
Or the way she never did, Yuffie thought bitterly. She feels horrible for hating Lucrecia the way she does, but she can't help it, Lucrecia, after all, did nothing to stop Hojo from experimenting on Vincent, nor did she gave a second thought before baring Hojo's kid (who later turned into a complete psycho path named Sephiroth), and breaking Vincent's heart in the process.
Maybe it's wrong to hate her, but those reasons are good enough to make Yuffie not care.
"I do mind, Shelke, so please, don't bug me." Her voice was a sharp tone that surprise Shelke.
She isn't afraid of the ninja though.
"You are in love with Vincent Valentine, am I correct?"
Though Shelke's questioned seemed innocent and curious, Yuffie couldn't help but send her an icy glare. Shelke dodge her eyes.
Never in her few months of knowing Yuffie, had she seen such hostility towards anyone, not even when Yuffie slapped Shelke across her face for calling her own sister, Shalua, a fool for sacrificing her life to save Shelke's and Vincent's.
"What's it to, ya?"
"Yuffie Kisaragi, you do not need to hide your feelings from me." Shelke nodded. "I know how you feel."
"I knew it." Yuffie's voice was thick with surprise, and she propped herself up and crossed her arms on the table. Her face didn't hold that icy glare anymore, instead she's smirking at Shelke, making her look very smug, but Shelke saw through it. Instead, she saw the pain behind her smug façade.
Shelke shook her head. "You do not understand, Yuffie Kisaragi. I do not love Vincent Valentine."
Yuffie scratched the back of her head. "What cha talking 'bout, Orange."
"Lucrecia Crescent did not love Vincent Valentine— she cared for him, but did not love him. She loved Professor Hojo."
Yuffie held up her hands. "Are you telling me that you love Hojo?" She made a face. "Eww, that's disgusting."
Shelke softly glared at Yuffie. "I am not. Lucrecia Crescent did in fact love Professor Hojo, but it wasn't as strong as her feeling towards Vincent Valentine."
"But I thought you said that she didn't like Vinnie?"
"That is true, but she only loved Vincent Valentine for awhile, she blamed herself for the death of his father, Grimoire Valentine, and rejected him. So she went to Professer Hojo and she fell in love with him, though she still loved Vincent Valentine, but not as much."
Yuffie nodded but still is confused by her earlier statement. "Okay, I understand that, but you said that you know how I feel."
"I did have feelings for Vincent Valentine, but now, I only care for him."
"Why don't I believe you?" Yuffie watched the young girl get up from her seat, taking her ice cold drink with her.
"Believe what you want, Yuffie Kisaragi, but I am telling you the truth. The love I have for him is not romantic, it's friendship." Shelke smiled for the first time since she met AVALACHE, though it was small. "As well as all of AVALANCHE, and I love my sister. I care for you as well, Yuffie Kisaragi, believe me."
The young girl took a few steps behind Yuffie before stopping in her tracks. "If you wish to find, Vincent Valentine, he is at the Crystal Cave…visiting Lucrecia Crescent." Shelke began walking again, away from Yuffie, and away from her friends, only to walk out of the bar and disappear into the night.
Yuffie knows this could possible end in a tragic, maybe death for her, but she's willing to risk it. She's just tired of hiding her feelings from Vincent— it's exhausting, and no matter how embarrassing it might be, or how it might ruin her week even further, she knows she has to tell him.
But maybe entering the cave that holds Vincent's love is a little too much, she could wait for him to come out.
Yuffie scowled at herself, and forced her legs to move into the cave. I might love him, but Yuffie Kisaragi, waits for no one.
At first, the cave was an abyss, seeing nothing but dark, Yuffie became worried. Her fear was getting lost in the dark, she never admitted to anybody. So Yuffie, in her act of panic, started breathing heavily, her sweat glands made sure that every single drop of water in her dripped out, and her fist started shaking.
But soon, her body went back to normal when she saw, blue and green like lights a few feet away from her. Yuffie sighed in relief and wiped the sweat off of her face, and dried her hands on her shorts.
She couldn't wait any longer, so she ran her way to the light. A sudden line popped into her head, "Don't follow the light."
She snorted. My ass, she thought to herself.
It's strange, now that she thinks about it, that line. She only hears it in movies though, when someone is dying, and one of the characters say, "Don't follow the light," she found it so confusing.
Why wouldn't the character want his/her friend to follow the light, sure the person might be dying, but he/she might be in extreme pain, so it's really selfish if said person doesn't want said person's friend to die. They'll be in a better place, where there's no pain, no violence, no hatred or anger, and freedom.
Speaking of freedom, that's what Yuffie, felt when she entered the light filled place, just simple and happy freedom.
She smiled to herself, and closed her as she stepped into the light. Never in her life did she feel so much relief, well, besides the times when she helped save the world.
She breathed in the cool air.
Much better.
Yuffie opens her gray eyes again, only to have them open wide in surprise. There in front of her, frozen in a large blue crystal was the most beautiful women she has ever seen.
The woman has a long flowing white dress on, her hair, a chestnut color tied into a high ponytail, flowed down her back, with her bangs hanging in front of her forehead. Her eyes were closed, she had on multiple white pearls on her neck, and her hands are clasped together on her chest. Yes, she's very beautiful.
Yuffie couldn't look away, though she wanted to, she just couldn't. She was memorized by the woman in the crystal.
Yuffie…
Yuffie blinked when she heard her name.
Yuffie…please…
It was like a soft whisper flowing into her head, and Yuffie tried her hardest to comprehend the words that whispered into her mind.
Yuffie….
It sounds feminine, very sweet, and very sad. Yuffie wonders why.
Yuffie…
Yuffie…
"Yuffie."
The ninja blinks once again when she heard a rough voice beckoning her. The voice she heard in her head is gone now, and is replaced by a very familiar male voice.
Yuffie looks around the cave, and sees nothing but smaller crystals, and water, until she finds Vincent, standing a few feet away from the small water that separates him from the woman in the crystal. Then everything clicks in her mind.
"That's her isn't it," Yuffie pointed at the woman, while giving Vincent a blank look. "That's Lucrecia Crescent, right?"
Vincent nodded, eyeing Yuffie like she was a danger. Yuffie frowned at his gaze, and looked at Lucrecia again.
Yuffie knew that Lucrecia was pretty, but she didn't expect her to be…beautiful? That word doesn't fit Lucrecia, nor does pretty, but she'll just go with beautiful since her vocabulary isn't all that great.
She couldn't help but feel a bit jealous of her. No wonder he's obsessed with her, Yuffie mused.
"What are you doing here?"
Vincent's voice snapped Yuffie out of her thoughts and turned to look at him, though she avoided his eyes since Vincent is glaring at her that will make even the sun cower in fear. Instead she looked at his shoulder and walked a little closer to him.
"Shelke told me you'd be here."
Vincent slightly raised an eyebrow. "Shelke?" Yuffie nodded. "How does she know I am here?"
"You mean…" Yuffie frowned again. She swung her arms back and forth, an action she does when she's frustrated or confused. Right now, she's confused. How did Shelke know Vincent's here, is she…stalking him?
Yuffie shook her head. Shelke might love him, but she doesn't think Shelke is that kind of person. But it still doesn't explain how she knew. Maybe everybody knew, all of her friends know about Vincent's cave, maybe it was obvious that he's here. Though, Vincent always comes to Tifa's bar for the AVALANCHE weekly reunion, never missed one day…until now.
"I…don't know." She whispered back to him.
"What are you doing here?" He repeated his gaze softer this time.
Yuffie took this as her chance and took a few more steps closer, so they were two feet apart. "I want to talk to you…to tell you some stuff that have been on my mind lately," Yuffie let out a low chuckle. "Well, not lately."
Vincent studied Yuffie with intent, he wanted to read her, try to see what's going on in her mind, but she's good at hiding her emotion, always has been good. Even in time of panic, she always had her game face on, a blank look, but her eyes always held some determination in them, much like right now.
Vincent sat back down, propping his knee up and dangling his arm over his knee.
He gave a firm nod. "Go on."
Yuffie sighed and sat besides Vincent, bringing her knees up and putting her arms around them and resting her chin on her knees.
She wants to tell him right then and there, but couldn't bring her mouth to form the words that she wants to say. This is going to be harder than I thought. Yuffie scratched the back of her head and blew out of her mouth.
But she still couldn't say want she wanted to say.
So instead, she said, "Vinnie, tell me about your sins."
The gunslinger gave her an odd look. "My sins?" Yuffie nodded, still not looking his way.
Vincent found it odd that the young ninja would travel all the way to Lucrecia's cave just to ask him that question. He wanted to tell her no…but he never could have resisted Yuffie if he wanted to, whether he likes it or not, he loves her.
Vincent shook his head, shaking himself off of those thoughts.
"My sins…" he repeats. "I have many sins, Yuffie."
"The ones before you met Lucrecia and so on." She mumbled.
Vincent winced slightly, so the Wutain Princess didn't notice. "About thirty years ago, I worked for Shinra as their Turk— their assassinator. I killed people for them, people who could have been, or were threats, for Shinra."
He remembered his first victim, though his features were fuzzy, Vincent knew his victim was male. He remembered his gun piercing the man's heart, he remembered the blood that splattered on his face, and he felt the pleasure of taking the man's life, he felt it in him, growing in his stomach. He remembered his old self smirking.
Vincent shook his head, and began his list of sins. "I murdered people for Shinra. I wanted to please him, and the company. So the murders continued, and I never once felt any regret killing them….until recently." Out of the corner of his eye, Vincent watched Yuffie's reaction, though her face isn't turned toward him, he could see that she didn't reacted to his words, so he continued.
"My victims had one thing in common, have no witness around. I did not need innocent lives risked, because then I would have to kill them too. Though, I couldn't care less, those were orders from Shinra."
Vincent sighed silently, so silently in fact, that the cave didn't echo. "Then I met Lucrecia Crescent," both Yuffie and Vincent stole a glance at her. "I was her protector. Shinra needed her knowledge and made sure she didn't die. With weeks of knowing her, I began to fall in love with her. I never blamed her for the death of my father… but she did, and for that, she went to Hojo instead of me."
Yuffie glared at Lucrecia, she hates that woman, she hates how she still has Vincent wrapped around her thin fingers. She hates her!
Sorry…
And there it goes again, that soft whisper in her head, just echoing in there, the anger that Yuffie had vanished. For some reason, she glanced at the woman, still having no idea where that soft voice is coming from, but she has a pretty good idea.
I'm so…sorry
"I did not stop her from baring her child with Hojo," Vincent's voice made her jump slightly, and she tore her eyes away from Lucrecia. "I was not strong enough to stop him from experimenting on her child, Shinra gave me orders to let him experiment on her, and I did not like it. But I did do something about it that would untimely, change my life forever."
Yuffie nodded. "You don't have to tell me the rest, I already know."
Vincent's shoulders feel…lighter, almost weightless, though there's still some tension in them, but he didn't mind.
"Do you blame yourself, for all those things you did?" Yuffie whispered.
Vincent answered her without missing a heartbeat. "Yes."
"What about Lucrecia, do you blame yourself for what she's done?"
Vincent found it strange, that the usual Yuffie isn't loud, or being obnoxious, and he found her quiet, and blank attitude infuriating, he hates seeing her likes this, he wants to see the loud and care-free Yuffie, the one that he loves, the one that gets on his nerves—only slightly though.
"Yes—"
"You're so stupid, Vincent," Yuffie slammed her fist on the hard ground and got stood up and began pacing. "Don't you understand that that all of those things she did were her choice? Not once did you ever forced her to bang Hojo and bare a child that would later on turn into a fucking psychopath, caused by all those experiments that Hojo did, and even then, Lucrecia didn't stop that crazy man, she wanted it as much as he did, Vincent, none of it is your fault, you stupid fucking vampire!"
Yuffie became exhausted, her pent up anger is finally loose. She's gasping, and clenching and unclenching her fists, and swinging them back and forth. She avoided Vincent's gaze, Yuffie didn't want to see the anger or the hatred— she can't handle it.
"Yuffie, I am not a vampire."
The words that came out of his mouth were so unexpected that she let out a crazed laugh.
Vincent is not sure why seeing her like this scares him so much. The girl is laughing like a crazed person, she almost sounded like Hojo for a second.
"Yuffie," he called her but the Princess wouldn't stop laughing. "Yuffie," he said more firmly.
Yuffie stopped laughing but only let out a few more chuckles before turning back to Vincent. Her big grin is gone— much to Vincent's dismay— and is replaced by a frown.
"I know you're not a vamp, you're just a brooding man, who is very dense, very, very, very, very dense." Yuffie tapped her chest. "Your heart must be made out of steel if you can't see all the great things you have in your life…and in front of you."
Vincent shook his head, confused by her words. "I do not know what you mean."
Yuffie scoffed and crossed her arms across her chest. "Of course you don't."
Vincent got up from the ground and made his way towards Yuffie, but stopped when Yuffie took a step away from him.
"Yuffie, I'm sorry."
The ninja's head snapped up so quickly that she almost got a whiplash, and met Vincent's scarlet eyes. "What for?"
Vincent did not answer, for he did not know what he was apologizing for. Instead his eyes found its way towards Lucrecia's face.
He loved her…once, that was a long time ago. He was young, naïve, and would have done anything to get this empty feeling out of him, and Lucrecia did just that, but she also caused him pain, something he never experienced before, not even when his father died. He was still being ignorant when Lucrecia told him that she was pregnant.
It tore his heart into two when he found out that the child belonged to Hojo, and yet, he was never angry at Lucrecia, actually, he was angrier at himself. He thought that he didn't fight hard enough for her love, and blamed himself for all those things Hojo did to her.
Now, he knows better. Now he knows those things weren't his fault. But it took him thirty-two years figure out that all he needed was someone like Yuffie. He knows he can't have another Lucrecia.
The first two years that he met Yuffie and he knew all those "sin" involving Lucrecia weren't his fault. Though he loves Yuffie, he can't help but believe that that is a sin.
"I love you, Vinnie."
Vincent's eyes widen in surprise. Just what he needed, the woman he loves is in love with a monster.
Yuffie watched as Vincent took a few steps away from her—she felt like her heart had split in two. Her eyes started to water but she blinks furiously, and looked down at the ground.
"I know you don't love me, Vincent, you still love Lucrecia," Yuffie scowled. "But that's the reason I came looking for you, I couldn't hold in my feelings anymore, I just had to tell you." She cleared her throat. "And now that I did, I'll just go."
Before she could even take a step, Vincent's voice stopped her from moving.
"Yuffie, I'm a monster."
Yuffie's eyes flashed angrily. She growled under breath and ran toward Vincent. She stared up at him, and he down at her, confused by her actions.
Yuffie clenched her fist and punched Vincent square on the jaw. "I hope that hurt too, you big idiot!"
Vincent messaged his jaw, surprised at Yuffie's strength. Yes, she did hurt him, and her speed caught him off guard. But he didn't say anything at her; he just kept his gaze away from her.
"How can you think you're monster, Valentine? You're not evil, you're not crazy, you're not a killer, you're not sadistic, or trying to take over the world. Are you? I THINK NOT!"
"I'm not human, Yuffie, I am a monster."
Yuffie wanted to punch Vincent once again, but forced herself from doing so. But she did grab him by his cloak and shook him.
"Monsters don't feel anything, Vincent! They have no sympathy, or feel any kind of the emotions that you feel! For the love of Gaia, why can't you understand that you're not evil? Sure, you still have some demons in you, but at least you don't let them get the best of you. You control them, Vincent, not the other way around. And ever since Chaos has been gone you seem to get less angry." Yuffie's voice quieted down, but her vice-like grip on Vincent's cloak did not loosen up. "It sounds like you were more of a monster when you were fully human, then you are now," Yuffie shook her head and dropped her head. "You're no monster, Vinnie. You just like to think you are."
Yuffie sniffed, and let a tear slip out of her eye. "I think I know why Lucrecia loved you." She didn't wait for Vincent to answer. "She loved you because you were a monster. She loves monsters doesn't she? I mean, she did love Hojo too, another monster. And now, I'm not sure if she still loves you or not."
"Ironic, huh?" Yuffie let out a low chuckle. "When you're human you're a monster, but when you're not fully human you're…human."
Those words that rushed out of her mouth impacted Vincent in such a way that he felt his eyes water, never, in more than thirty years had Vincent came close to tears. Not even when he saw Sephiroth kill Aerith in front of his own eyes. Or when Aerith opened her eyes and sent the group a small, happy smile before dying. He never let one sign of tears show when he saw Shalua telling her younger sister goodbye, and died protecting Shelke and Vincent. Not even Yuffie got sucked into darkness by Nero the Sable.
But now, hearing Yuffie say these words, made the tension in his body disappear completely, leaving him weightless and feeling high. It's a nice thing, feeling this.
"Thank you." The gunslinger grabbed Yuffie's hands gently pried her hands off his cloak, but he still held her hand.
He likes the feeling of her skin on his, it makes him feel…alive again. He feels a tingling sensation every time he touches her. His feeling towards her is so much stronger then towards Lucrecia that it almost leaves him breathless. But he's good at hiding his emotions, so he's not willing to show Yuffie how gooey and sappy he is around her. She'll never let him live it down.
"I love you too, Yuffie."
His words, quiet and rough, made Yuffie lift her head up and smile with hope. "Really, Vinnie, do you mean it. 'Cause if you're just saying that to make me happy, then I will shove my shruiken so far up your ass."
Vincent smiled softly, amused. "No Yuffie, I mean it, I am in love with you."
Yuffie grinned, the same one that Vincent has grown use to, but it's different somehow, it's as big as the other happy grins she always wears, it's smaller but enough to show teeth, and seems less tense around the edges of her mouth. Vincent doesn't know why, but he felt his heart stop for a moment.
Yuffie hugged him around the waist and started mumbling into his cloak.
"Oh, Vin-Vin, I was so worried you would hate me, I thought you only love Lucrecia and I was afraid. I know, shocking right? Me, Yuffie Kisaragi, the Single White Rose of Wutai, afraid? Impossible, but it's true, and I can't believe you just said you love me, I mean, I thought that would never happen, but it did, and I am so happy."
"So am I."
Yuffie smiled at him once again, that same smile that made Vincent's heart skip a beat. She grabbed his cloak once again and pulled him towards her, so that they're lips were touching.
She waited, to see if Vincent will pull away, but he didn't. But still, she didn't move her lips. Just touching his lips is sending shock waves throughout her body, and truth be told, she's nervous. She never kissed anybody before—she wouldn't. But now Yuffie regrets it when her lips are still on Vincent's. Yuffie blushed and began moving away.
But a hand cupped her cheek and pulled her towards Vincent's lips once again, and this time, she didn't hesitate. She kissed him, softly, and loving, resting her hands on his chest.
Her body felt tingling and weightless that she fits of giggles escaped her mouth.
Vincent smiled and stopped kissing her, wanting to watch her expression.
"What is amusing you so, Yuffie?"
Yuffie stopped giggling but that silly smile is still on her face. "Nothing, nothing, let's just go home, 'kay?"
Vincent gave a firm nod. "Yes, let's go."
Walking side by side, holding each other hands, they walked out of the bright room and entered the dark one. Yuffie did not react to the dark this time, for she has the man she loves with her, and the fact that he can see in the dark makes it all the better.
Once they step out of the cave and into the moonlight, Yuffie made sure to stop Vincent's in his tracks.
The gunslinger raised an eyebrow at Yuffie.
"Are you still in love with her?" Yuffie knew Vincent who 'her' is.
He paused for a moment. "No."
Yuffie's eyes brighten and a wide grin took place on her face. "Really?"
"Yes. I did love her, but…"
"But what?" Yuffie prompted.
"But when I met Shelke, she reminded me too much of the woman I loved. And since I have changed, I did not react the same way I did before…No, I do not love her."
Yuffie sighed, relief written across her face, but her dignity was at stake here, she wouldn't let Vincent know how much he affected her…he'll use it to his advantage.
"Good, 'cause if you did, I would have used my shuriken on you."
Vincent chuckled, an action he never remembered doing, not even with Lucrecia.
"Let's go home," Yuffie said, grabbing Vincent's hand and began walking away from the cave. "I have a score to settle with Cloud, and you're going to help me."
Vincent did not question her, in fact, he couldn't care less, he just wants to make her happy, anything to keep that smile on her face.
Yuffie….
Yuffie stopped walking when she heard her name and looked over her shoulder to watch the cave. She knows, now, that that voice in her head is Lucrecia, she just knows.
"Yuffie?"
Yuffie ignored the gunslinger and listened to the voice.
Thank…you
"You're welcome," Yuffie whispered low enough for Vincent not to hear. She smiled, a small one, but it's still genuine. "Your very welcome, Lucrecia." Yuffie couldn't be sure, but she thought she heard…a sigh? Yes that's what it was, a sigh of relief, Yuffie could not mistake that sound, and her smile grew a little more.
"Yuffie?"
The girl looked up at her knew lover, seeing him with an eyebrow raised. Yuffie simply shook her head, and stood on her tippy toes to plant a soft kiss on Vincent's lips— she shivered, and hugged him. "Nothing, let's just go home. I'm beat."
Without waiting for him to respond, she began running, dragging him with her, laughing when Vincent chuckled. She likes that noise, and it will be her life's mission to keep him making that sound for the rest of his life.
Running their way home, Yuffie Kisaragi, the Single White Rose of Wutai, the greatest ninja that has ever lived, is in love with a wannabe looking vampire…and she couldn't be happier.
Yuffie Kisaragi is finally having a good week and she only blames one person, and that person is Vincent Valentine.
AN: So, what you think?
Was it good, bad, eh? Just tell me by reviewing please.
This is a one shot. I think I might be making more one shots, though for Cloud and Tifa, Cid and Shera, and other characters as well.
What do you think?
Please review, pretty please?