a/n This is my first Yuffentine. I wrote it for Shadowbeaw originally, and then I decided I wanted to post it up on here. Any comments will be greatly appreciated!

disclaimer I don't own anything in this short story. The song is "Anytime" by Kelly Clarkson.

I followed him stubbornly into the old mansion. It was cold and wet and awful. But my mind was less on the home of my dear friend than on my dear friend himself. I was on his tail as he wound around that place, trying to reach the man inside. His heart was locked up, and he was no better than when Cloud, Tifa and I had originally found him inside that creepy coffin. But still I tried, attempting to halt his progress, calling his name, anything. He was unresponsive.

Vincent Valentine. The dark, brooding man I affectionately called "Vinnie". Strangely enough, we had bonded after the whole world-saving incident. Sure, he found me annoying, childish, immature, but I was still his best friend. He told me in his good moments that for every flaw in me there were hundreds of good qualities. I loved it when he was in good moods.

I think that with the death of Sephiroth, when all our stress and strife was over with, something holding back the real Vincent came lose. Yes, he was reserved and quiet and sometimes icier than the harshest winter. But you had to have some degree of patience when working with Vincent. And I prided myself on having done such a great job in getting him to open up.

There was a problem though. A big one, and I'd think about it a lot when I was thinking about Vincent. Maybe it was part of growing up for me. Maybe my innocent, naïve person was falling away, leaving me exposed. Any way I think about it, it was probably inevitable. I'm keeping the suspense going here, keeping you interested. What was the problem, you ask?

I loved Vincent Valentine. Not cutesy, flirty, "I might like you for a while and crush on you then run away", but all out love. It was a horrible disease I couldn't get rid of. He was always there, and I don't think that man had any inkling of what he did to me on a daily basis. It was better that he didn't, I'm thinking.

No, the attraction wasn't instant and didn't come overnight like you might think. While I was being the sneaky, immature kid with Avalanche, I was slowly developing a crush on Vincent. Not that anyone knew that – or maybe Tifa guessed at it, but she never said anything about it. Vincent hardly considered me worth a moment of his time. Not like the beautiful Miss Lockhart.

I think Vinnie might have liked her from the beginning. He was only kind to her, mildly civil to the rest of us. Except me of course. But she caught his eye for whatever reason. Perhaps she reminded him of his dead lover Lucrecia. Or maybe, to him, she was fascinating, lovely woman who was accepted into his cold heart.

Nothing was ever fair about this sort of thing. Tifa was stunning in both her fighting and her looks. She was a bombshell beauty with long, thick chocolate hair and gorgeous claret eyes. Myself? I loved being a ninja, but my looks were boyish at best. My hair was clipped short to my chin and my eyes were a dusty lilac color. I hadn't "developed" in other areas (much), but it was damn well time. Needless to say, guys wouldn't be ogling at me anytime soon.

Just my luck that her best attribute was her stellar personality. Humble, sweet, compassionate, empathetic… perfect. And I was a brat, pure and simple. Which would you choose? So did Vincent.

Avalanche stayed together for a while after everything happened. Cloud was changed though… well, we all were. Tifa took Cloud to Kalm with her, and she had been taking care of him. Her heart belonged to him. Vincent seemed to allow me to leech on to him.

I moved into the old mansion, and the friendship blossomed from there. We were dependent upon each other, and I guess that made him think differently about me. Soon he warmly treated me like a sister. I was harboring feelings for him that would not be appropriate for siblings.

But I wasn't the one for him, I guess.

"Vincent! Vinnie, stop! Listen to me, damnit, Vincent Valentine!" I screamed at him, tugging his organic arm. We were in the basement. His room was here, where the coffin had been. But after I informed him that normal people found coffins creepy, he replaced it with a normal bed. The room still sort of freaked me out though.

Vincent whirled to face me. His face was a mask of deadness. I wanted to wrap my arms around him, but I was unsure of how he would react. He wasn't entirely… safe to be around, sometimes. He was obviously hurt though, and it killed me to see him like this.

Vincent had met up with Tifa tonight. I had known his feelings were unreciprocated even before they started having these one-on-one get-togethers. Tifa loved Cloud, and that was the truth. Vincent, well… he really admired Tifa, but I don't think he loved her. But it was enough for him to be heartbroken. I could guess what happened, but I wanted to hear it from him.

"Vincent," I began gently, "what's wrong? What happened tonight with Tif?"

"…"

Oh, so we were back at the silence game again, eh? I wasn't going to take that from him, though. I couldn't settle for that. Call me stubborn; I don't care. I loved him and I had to get to the bottom of the sadness that was so present. Or… that was my original intention.

Hesitantly, I sat down on his bed. He watched me with dead eyes, but I stared back into those fathomless depths. I patted the spot next to me, and surprisingly he actually sat. Without further warning, my arms went around his fragile body. He was stiff at first, then he returned the hug tightly, burying his head in my shoulder.

Anytime you feel
Like you just can't hold on
Just hold on to my love
I'll help you be strong

"She told you she loves Cloud, didn't she?" I asked quietly, stroking his silky black hair. He nodded into my shoulder. I held him for a long time, which was exactly what Vincent needed. It was what I needed too – to just have him in my arms. It awoke in me an insatiable hunger.

When he pulled away, Vincent had a completely vulnerable look to him. I don't know why I did what I did next. I was no longer myself, but some other person. No longer a boyish girl, but a powerful woman. I felt the change in the very depths of my soul.

And I kissed that vulnerable man.

But you're so afraid to lose
And baby I can't reach your heart
I can't face this world it's keeping us apart
And I could be the one to show you
Everything you missed before
Just hold on now
'Cause I could be the one to give you more

Vincent's lips were warm, soft and utterly unlike anything I'd ever tasted before. I wanted more, desperately. My lips moved against his hungrily, and he began to respond. Eagerly at that. I pulled back, breathless, found his arms around my tiny waist.

In his eyes I could see a caged beast, ready to emerge. Not a demon of his, but a hunger for me, a lust for me. The expression was mirrored in my own eyes. And I was a woman. I could make my own decisions.

I wanted Vincent Valentine.

My first time was glorious. The pleasure coursing through every fiber of my being was absolutely amazing, mind-blowing. Love for Vincent rose anew from my heart. I wanted him to love me in return. I wanted his arms always to be around me like this, to always have the taste of him on my lips.

I don't know if Vincent knew what he was doing that night. If he realized that I was Yuffie Kisaragi, the same girl who had once stolen his materia. The woman who had whispered her desperate love for him as the pleasure built up in her body.

I wondered if he loved me.

Anytime you need a love baby I'm on your side
Just let me be the one that can make it all right
Anytime you need a love baby you're in my heart
I could make it all right

The soft glow of candles illuminated Vincent's room when I woke in the morning. My back was chill outside the covers. That was supposed to be where Vincent was. But I was the only one in that bed. I knew he was sitting there watching me. I pulled the covers around my nude form and sat up. He was sitting in a chair next to the bed, fully dressed.

He looked confused.

"Yuffie…" he whispered, his beautiful crimson orbs terribly piercing, "…what happened?"

I laughed softly, mirthlessly and averted my gaze. "What do you think happened? You were naked when you woke up. There's nothing but me under these covers. Take a good guess."

"I'm so sorry, Yuffie," he told me. My eyes flickered up to his in annoyance.

"I had a free choice, Vincent. I chose to participate. I'm just as much – if not more so – to blame."

He looked at the floor mournfully. "You're so young, though. You didn't know what you were doing."

"I am not a child," I replied quickly, slight anger showing in my voice, rising in my chest. Damnit, why couldn't he just take it for what it was and not regret it? Why did everything have to be life or death around here? I knew I regretted nothing.

Vincent looked at me for a long moment. My heart beat rapidly, out of control. Finally, he glanced away and conceded, "No, you are not a child."

I blushed red to my roots. How had I managed to turn the mood of the room from regret and remorse to that of sheer awkwardness? Well… I guess looking at the situation, it wasn't that difficult to see. Still… I wrapped the blankets tighter around me so that only my shoulders were showing – and only slightly at that – and the rest of me was tucked underneath his covers.

I stared at the floor. I felt the tears coming to my eyes, but I held them back with that same stubbornness that I exhibited in everything else. "I'd better be going, then," I mumbled. Vincent nodded slowly, standing and picking up my discarded clothing from around the room. I took it from his hands and dashed out of the room, his comforter still clutched tightly around me.

Once I got back into my room, I fell onto my own bed and sobbed. I was back to being plain old Yuffie, the ugly once, the mulish one, the one that gave everyone a headache. Whoever I had been before had run as soon as she was done messing up both Vincent's life and mine. I decided then that there was only one thing that I could do to restore a semblance of rightness in our lives.

After dressing, I packed all my clothes up and toted the bag downstairs.

But I could be the one togive you
All that you've been searching for
Just hold on to my love
And baby let me give you more

Vincent was waiting for me down there, and the blush that had faded fired up immediately. My eyes were puffy from crying, but I tried to hide that from Vincent, letting my hair hang in my face. He didn't say anything about it, didn't even look me in the eyes. It was both relieving and saddening at the same time.

"Bye Vincent," I mumbled. His name from my lips seemed to catch his attention, and he brought his gaze up to meet mine. We held it there for a moment.

"Did you really mean it, when you told me that you loved me?" He asked suddenly. That caught me off guard. The truth burbled from my mouth before I could halt it.

"Yes. Yes, I love you."

"…"

I bit my lower lip and glanced to one side, then the other. Then back to Vincent.

"Do you love me?"

Now there's no way out
And I can't help the way I feel
'Cause baby I'm on fire
And I'll be waiting right here
You know our love isn't real

It was a question I knew wouldn't be popular. I don't know why I asked it. I don't know how I could have been that stupid. I just don't know. But it came out, and I couldn't take it back. I would never be able to take it back. It would lie between us like a great rift, slowly sending us farther and farther apart. I was sure that that would be our fate.

Vincent turned his head and looked at the ground, and that was all the answer I needed. I picked up my bag and trotted outside, towards the small stable where my chocobo slept peacefully. I woke her from her sleep and prepared her to go quickly. She wasn't happy with me, but I got onto her feathered back and was out of there faster than a bat out of hell.

I wandered anywhere… didn't really pay attention to where my chocobo led me. She roamed around, and I just sat on her. Now my heart was broken… I felt defeated. I felt the first twinges of regret in me, and tears streamed down my face for a while. But I was strong, I was a ninja, and so I composed myself.

My chocobo took me to very familiar territory. I stayed the night in a hotel close to Wutai. But I couldn't go back just yet. It had been a couple years… since I'd joined up with Avalanche. They might even think me dead back at my old home. So I couldn't just waltz right in. I had to mend still.

I lay in my bed, staring up at the ceiling during supper. I wasn't hungry. I refused any sort of attention from the owner of the establishment… just laid there. Tears wouldn't come anymore, as the wells of my eyes were dry.

There was a knock at the door to my room. I frowned but stood up. "What is it?" I groaned, opening the door.

Vincent Valentine was on the other side.

"Yuffie…" he said simply. He said it gently, tenderly, and my heart swelled up in my chest. With one word, my hope was restored. One word…

I needed three more.

I stepped back to allow him entrance into my room, and he stepped inside. I closed the door behind us for privacy, and then turned to Vincent.

"Why did you chase me down, Vincent? What do you want from me?" I asked him, for some reason bordering on tears once more. I didn't want my heart broken once again by the same man. I knew there was probably a fairly positive reason why he came to talk to me. He wouldn't track me this far for nothing.

"You asked me if I loved you. Yuffie… I couldn't answer you because I've never thought of it that way." Vincent shook his head. "I've never considered love… I know I need you. I know my heart beats just a bit faster every time I see you. I know that I would miss you sorely if you left me, so that I couldn't see your beautiful face again. And I thought about it… and I know I love you."

My eyes were wide, my mouth agape. Yep – count 'em up – those were three words I wanted to hear. The exact ones. "A-are you s-sure?" I stuttered. He stepped towards me, wrapped his metal arm around me, drawing me to him. My breath came in quick, spasmodic gasps. A shudder ran through my body, even though this wasn't the first time I had felt his lips.

But it was the first time he kissed me.

He was warm and tender, his human hand caressing my cheek as he deepened his kiss. My arms wrapped around his neck, keeping his lips close to mine. I smiled and laughed when he pulled back.

"Say it again," I told him eagerly. I heard his laugh. So wonderful to my ears.

"I love you, Yuffie Kisaragi," he murmured before stealing another kiss.