Alright, longest one out of two, so far.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own FFVII or any of its characters, plot etc.


2. Don't Look Back Into the Sun ~ The Libertines

"They'll never forgive you but they wont let you go, (oh no)
She'll never forgive you but she won't let you go, (oh no)."

It had been a month since Vincent's 'disappearing act' (as Cid had dubbed it) after the final battle with Omega, and he was still nowhere to be found. Cid had taken the Shera and was out looking, along with Cloud, Reeve, Barrett and Nanaki. Tifa had insisted that Yuffie should stay with her back at 7th Heaven (much to the ninja's disappointment), as she would need help caring for Marlene and Denzel. Yuffie also supposed that she would serve as a social substitute for Tifa, merely as a convenient solution to Cloud's absency. All of AVALANCHE knew of and had experienced first-hand Yuffie's infamous capabilities of generating chit-chat out of thin air; it was her own special-branded method of lightening the mood of any conversation that she judged too dark, too depressing.

Unfortunately for Tifa, Yuffie was not in the mood for lighthearted chit-chat.

She sat on the wide window ledge of her room, staring blankly at nothing in particular other than the grey, dreary expanse of cloud that had quilted Edge so very frequently for the past month. It had been a month since that moment when she was unsure whether to feel immense joy or immense pain.

Sure. We survived...

Four weeks since she had had to face the dreadful truth of reality -- well, that's what it had felt like then. They had travelled back to Edge in silence, as everyone on that airship had the same thought on their minds.

... but what about Vincent?

A soft rapping noise sounded on the hardwood door a few metres behind her, and a cheerful voice brought her back to the present.

"... Yuffie?"

And again.

"Yuffie? Are you up yet?"

The nineteen-year old sat pensive for a moment, pondering half-heartedly whether to drag Tifa down into her spiral of depression along with her. She didn't have time to decide, however, as the handle of the door creaked and clicked as it swung open.

"Yuffie, you should eat something. Look, I made you breakfast, hot from the oven."

Tifa flashed a bright smile at the younger woman, who looked up. Her eyes, weary from lack of sleep and rimmed with red, widened as she registered that the bartender was not wearing one of the sad, sympathetic smiles that so many people had given her recently, but an exuberant, if not bordering ecstatic grin. Yuffie's face morphed into confusion.

"What...? Teef... what's going on?"

A barely stifled giggle, hand held daintily over her mouth. "Cloud called."

A gasp, as Yuffie swivelled round on her knees so she completely faced Tifa. Youthful hope graced her features entirely. "And?!"

The giggle was finally let loose, and the anticipation of Yuffie's reaction was all that was on Tifa's mind. She knew Yuffie needed a break - any good news she could get - having been so heartbroken lately. Though she had tried to contain herself, the excitement showed clearly through her next words.

"They found him."

-

-

Three hours later, Vincent found himself standing on the porch of 7th Heaven with a small ninja's arms wrapped snugly around his middle, her face in his chest. He had, much to Yuffie's delight, returned the embrace (albeit slightly awkwardly), and had his hands resting on the small of her back.

Cloud stood in the doorway, his left arm wrapped around Tifa's waist, as Marlene and Denzel sat cross-legged in front of them. In front of the porch were Cid, Barrett and Nanaki, watching the heartfelt display between the two most unlikely people with their own eyes.

As they were nearing the five-minute mark for their hug, Vincent felt the woman underneath him begin to shake. He leaned back from the embrace, and used his gloved hand to tilt her head upwards to look at him.

Silvery streaks of water dripped from the corners of her eyes; she was crying. She still had her eyes closed, refusing to look at him.

The remaining members of AVALANCHE stood silently until Tifa, knowing that Vincent and Yuffie would want some alone time, offered them tea and biscuits, reasoning that they must be hungry after such a travel. Everyone was eager to remove themselves from the potentially embarrassing situation (for them) outside and hurriedly entered the building.

Yuffie was ashamed. She was embarrassed, and the gunslinger tried to remember the last time he had seen her cry. She was not one to get easily upset, even though she regularly showed mock displays of it (again, just her way to lighten a mood), but that was just her personality, how she behaved.

Now this, this was real. Her tears were real, and (gods) were they painful to watch. He had caused this. All his fault. Always is, anyway.

She cracked open one eyelid, and with the small slit of vision still blurred by her tears, she looked him straight in his own eyes. With a small smile, she spoke.

"You.... You..."

She laughed frustratedly, as she struggled to get the right words out - her voice was cracking, but then a shimmer of her old self shone through.

"You better not do that ever again, Valentine, or I will hunt you DOWN."

"... I-"

"Not ever."

"I won't."

Yuffie looked mistrustfully at him, searching his eyes for the truth.

"Promise me."

He smiled at her a small smile of his own. "... I promise."

Her small smile turned into a brilliant full-blown grin. Tifa would be very happy to see that Yuffie was back to her usual, energetic self (Vincent knew he was) - she would be pulling pranks and stealing materia in no time.

"You're staying, then?"

As he nodded, he mused that, for once, having the old, annoying Yuffie back would not be such a bad thing.

He hoped.


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