Cut
A Final Fantasy 7 Yuffentine Fanfic
7/29/2012
Disclaimer: All hail the Square-Enix makers.
Author's Notes: Because Vincent needs a haircut. Enjoy!
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Yuffie was at Vincent's Manor. Again.
Her room was always in the state of cleaning up after her, lived in, or preparing for her next visit. Every time she caught a break from her duties in Wutai, she would run away from home and stay a few days at Vincent's.
Originally, she thought of using Rocket Town as her secret hide out, but Cid only irritated her like her own father. And he was married to Shera, busy being a father and restarting the space project. He was no fun to be around.
Vincent, in Nibelheim was the next obvious choice. Only a boat ride away. And Yuffie could travel by foot from the port into the city proper.
As a single man living in a house with too many bedrooms, Vincent had no excuse to turn away the penny pinching princess from staying at his house. Cid had forced her to stay at the inn when she tried to hide at his house.
It was the sixth time in two months that Yuffie was at Vincent's place. She had decided to stay for three nights that time. Vincent knew she was serious when she told him with a definitive tone. Usually, her trips were her weekend breaks. If she didn't have pressing matters scheduled, she would go away for a breather, but leave whenever a call came in.
This time was clearly different.
She came, turned off her phone, then went to the mountains with her shuriken. When she came back, she chugged a bottle of Turbo Ether before showering off several layers of what Vincent swore was dragon blood.
"It is good to see you, Yuffie."
The first time Yuffie was in Vincent's company was dinner time. He had cooked while she cleaned herself up.
"You too, Vince." She was surprised that Vincent, literally, had an open door policy with her. The front was unlocked when she arrived. A note on the entry table said for her to make herself at home as Vincent was out helping in the town. "Thanks for letting me come again."
"It is no trouble. You sounded upset on the phone." Vincent was being nice. Yuffie was flipping pissed when she called him, telling him to expect her on the afternoon ship to Nibelheim.
"Ah, yeah. Sorry about that. I didn't mean to take it out on you." She took a bite of food and chewed morosely. "I still have a lot of pent up… energy. So, I'm going out again tomorrow. You know how I don't do well stuck inside walls."
Oh, he knew.
Last time she had "pent up energy," she had broken his oak paneled hallway walls and shattered the hanging lights.
"If there is any kind of divine being presiding over the weather, please let it be sunny tomorrow." Vincent closed his eyes and prayed silently.
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The gods loved to laugh. At Vincent.
Rain poured, thunder crashed, lightning flashed and Yuffie paced.
And paced and paced.
Her restraint was admirable. But she was going to break sooner or later. Vincent would prefer to know how she was going to snap. That way he could protect whatever it was of his that would be damaged.
"Vinnie!" She whined like a dog tied up, just out of reach of its favorite toy. "You have all this land, can't we build a training hall? I'll pay for it!"
"I will think on it." Vincent was definitely going to consider it if she was going to keep coming over in the winter months as well. "But there is nothing I can do right now."
If Vincent didn't know better, he would have thought she was going through drug withdrawals. Fidgeting and twitching as she was. With a strangled groan, he heard her take off for the basement, the one place he allowed her to run around.
A headache was starting to build in the back of his head where his neck met his skull. Yuffie had been running around for over an hour and Vincent could hear every step. He was going to have to stop her or she would continue until she passed out or he got a migraine the size of a behemoth.
"Feeling better?" Vincent crouched at the foot of the twisting staircase to watch Yuffie going through different fighting forms.
"Ack!" Yuffie screeched and whirled around. There was something entirely satisfying in surprising the ninja. "Oh, Vinnie, it's just you."
As if anything else could slip past her.
"Perhaps physical activities is not what you really need."
"You're right. It's not nearly stress relieving enough… Can I borrow your guns?"
"No." Vincent's tone was much stronger than necessary. He did not voice his next thought, "Absolutely not."
Undeterred by his tone, Yuffie just sighed. His response was completely expected.
"You are no fun, Vincent Valentine." She huffed, hands on hips. "I guess I can find something else… to occupy my time."
She had an evil glint in her eye.
Vincent did not like it.
Bad things always happened. Like itching powder in Cid's pants, spark plugs taken from Cloud's bike or water in the vodka bottles at the Seventh Heaven. Dread was the only appropriate emotion for the situation.
Her pranks were meant for people. Cid, Cloud and Reno were her usual targets. Without them, Vincent was in the front line. In a rare moment of human actions, Vincent ran his hand through his hair in exasperation. His eyes closed for a moment too long.
"You're right, Vincent. I'll find something else to do."
"You will not break anything, will you?"
"Break? No. I won't break anything." She put both hands up in surrender. "Ninja's honor."
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The fire crackled cheerfully as the storm raged outside. Vincent tried valiantly to focus on his book. For the hour after dinner, Yuffie had holed up in her room. And everything was silent.
It was unnerving.
"Vincent?" She slunk into the room, hands behind her back. "I noticed something earlier."
"Oh?" Vincent looked regretfully at his empty wineglass. Maybe he should not have thought to relax. Even the slightest hindrance would give her another point of attack.
"Your hair is getting a little shaggy again." She was the last person to touch his hair with a blade and get away unscathed.
"I had not noticed."
"Liar." Yuffie sat on the arm of Vincent's chair and plucked at the strands as they stuck out everywhere. "This long hair does not fit with your new look."
She was referring, of course, to his change in wardrobe. After returning from Lucrecia's Cave and moving into the old Shinra Manor, Vincent changed from wearing his traveling clothes to dress shirts and slacks. His hair, however, stayed the same. Other than the very controlled trim Vincent allowed Yuffie to do before she left for Wutai after the Deepground incident, he hadn't cut his hair at all.
"I'll cut it for you." Scissors appeared in her hands, flashing dangerously in her hands.
He knew it. Nothing good came from The Glint.
"I would rather you not cut my hair."
"Too bad. I was going to let you choose how to cut it. Now you don't get a say."
Yuffie swiveled and used her legs to lock Vincent into the chair. She might be skinny, but she was all muscle. Unless he wanted to break her, he had little choice but to sit there.
"Good. It'll get messed up if you fight." Yuffie kicked him none too lightly onto the floor so she could sit in the chair behind him.
"It'll grow back." Vincent mentally chanted. "At least she isn't breaking the house."
Like the salons in Wutai were rumored to do, Yuffie started by giving him a massage. She worked his shoulders and neck hard. Either because he could take the pain or because she knew how stiff he was, Vincent wasn't sure, but he felt relaxed and somehow lulled by her strong fingers. Then she ran her fingers through his hair. It doubled as a massage and detangling his long hair.
Vincent didn't even notice when she removed his headband and start dividing his hair.
"You are not using magic in my house, are you, Yuffie?" Vincent had written up many house rules. Magic was not allowed inside.
"Of course not. It's against the rules." Obviously, Yuffie lied, but Vincent dozed off before he could do anything about it.
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He awoke cold.
The sun was up. The storm had blown over outside. But there was one brewing inside. Yuffie was going to pay. She had cast Sleep. He knew that. It was unforgivable.
Tentatively, Vincent reached up and felt the short strands. His neck was exposed, only protected by his shirt collar. And his ears were no longer covered. He fiddled with that the most.
"Yuffie!"
She bounded down the stairs. Completely unafraid.
"Morning, Vinnie!" She held up a bit of mirror. "Whaddya think?"
It was short!
She had cut everything off. As an evil trick into making him think that his hair was even remotely similar to the night before, Yuffie left his bangs longer. But he had to admit, it wasn't bad. It reminded him of his past, when he looked forward to the new day and the adventure it would bring.
"I thought I told you not to use magic."
"Eh-heh. You found out, huh?" She giggled. "You'll forgive me because I gave you a great haircut, right?"
He glowered.
"Or not?" She pulled something from behind her back. "If I give this to you, then will you forgive me?"
Vincent looked down and stared at the wig in her hand. The wig made of his own hair.
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The End.
Author's Notes: OOC? Yes. Obviously. Vincent would have slaughtered her the first time she stayed over. Hope you enjoyed!