Title: Chinsagu No Hanaya
Summary: Some suffer the fates of death, others are forced to live without the comfort. She knows exactly what its like to suffer, to have all innocence ripped from the friendly embrace of childhood. But so does he.
Rating: R
Warnings: Rape, Character Death, Torture
Characters/Pairings: Reno/Yuffie -Vincent/Yuffie – Cloud/Tifa – Cid/Shera –
Chapter 2: Yuffie No Komoriuta
Things had been hard, there would be no denying that for the little ninja. Things had been hard and they weren't going to get any better. She'd been bed-ridden for three days and already she'd been planning to stay there, staring down at the quilt-woven blankets drawn over her legs. Sipping the comfort of pre-packaged Jasmine to the scent of cherry blossoms in an aerosol can, she felt like she couldn't ask for more.
She'd heard her friends talking downstairs about her, heard them saying about how they wanted to get revenge for her nightmare. She'd heard someone stop in the stairwell the other night, listening to her sing. She'd heard Tifa scolding someone in the hallway, too.
"How're you feeling?" Said barmaid picked up the styrofoam plate from Yuffie's bedside table, ebony-colored eyes searching the ninja's expression. "You've almost finished your tea. You want some more?"
"Mmhm," Yuffie nods, staring down at the mocha-colored stain at the bottom of her cup. She'd been spacing out an awful lot lately, her mind playing and replaying visions of perfect harmony in her mind. They weren't real of course, but her imagination just wouldn't quit. "I'm fine."
Tifa's eyes closed at those words, a soft, silent sigh escaping through her nostrils. She knew that was a lie. The two most passive words in the world and they'd come from the mouth of one of her best friends. "Yuffie..." She began.
"I'm hungry." Yuffie states suddenly, turning her head to gaze out of the window. "Do you think Cloud could run down the street to that little Wutaian restaurant? I like their terriyaki."
Tifa fell silent, watching the girl turn away from her hurt. She knew that the last thing she would want to do is talk to her about it. The last thing she'd want to do is talk to anyone about it. But she had to know. What if she could put together two and two and figure out who'd done this to her? What if she could help her?
I'm no different from the others, Tifa realized, closing her eyes in regret. Blindly waving a sword at every chance I get to find this guy without once thinking of Yuffie's feelings. What's wrong with me?
"You bet," Yuffie looked up with a smile at Tifa's response, placing a hand over her stomach to signal she would be happy for the food. "But, Yuffie."
"Yes, Tifa?" The Ninja's voice was light, fingers tapping against the sheets in hope she wouldn't begin to ask questions.
Tifa stared at her long and hard, the ticking of the clock the only noise to pass through the air. She could ask her, she could right then and there. Closing her eyes, Tifa lowered the paper plate to the waste bin not far off, giving another sigh from her nose. "That song you're always singing and humming..."
Yuffie interrupted her question with a strange statement, "The Flower of Balsam, one dyes on one's fingernails. The words of one's parents, one must dye in one's heart."
Confusion marred the barmaid's features, her mind attempting to scramble out of the riddle that was just thrown at her. "I don't understand. What has that got to do with anything?"
"It has to do with everything," The ninja smiled, hands clasping together to show her harmless intentions.
Yuffie leaned back against the iron of the tub, eyes staring up into the chandelier over-head. It was dimly lit, a plethora of different bath salts filling the steamy water. No matter how many times I take a bath, I still feel all dirty, Yuffie closed her eyes in thought, one leg closed tightly over the other. I shouldn't be this upset. The other's are all sad now and its because of me. Come on, Yuffie; you're a big girl. You can fake it!
But it wasn't over. It wasn't okay. For once, throughout her entire thieving career, Yuffie didn't want to be a big girl anymore. She wanted to disappear into the familiar flower fields of her homeland, gathering the colored buds to place at an equally familiar gravestone. She wanted to sing about the easy life of home, to hum the familiar tunes of a shamisen and erhu accompaniment. To feel the wind while standing on Da Chao...
I guess I'm just longing for old times.
There's really nothing wrong with that.
Yuffie jumped at the sound, swinging her head from left to right. Her arms wrapped up and around her bosom, eyes narrowing in disgust. "Whoever you are, come out and show yourself!" Her voice echoed out around the room, legs drawing together in the hot, steaming water.
Ever-alert. You're truly everything he said, and more.
There it was again! Yuffie twisted around to look for windows, grates- anything! Where was this sound, this voice coming from? She ground her teeth together, huddling herself into the back of the claw-foot tub. Where are you, you little fucker?
I'm right here; inside your head.
Yuffie paused. Inside her head? Was she losing her mind? This voice was a product of trauma, wasn't it? Bringing her soaked fingers up to her hair, she threaded them through the short strands, yanking at them in both fear and confusion. Inside my head? Who are you? What do you want from me?
Relax, young one. I'm no threat to a meager fleshy, like you. I am simply...checking up on you, if you will. For an old friend.
An old friend? Who are you? Yuffie's hands drag down her face, slowly coming to rest on her drawn-up knees. She's never experienced anything like this before. In her own terms, it was a bit of a mindfuck.
Red is he clothed, swathed in the blood-stained mural while powder he lights aflame.
How Poetic, Yuffie thought, almost rolling her eyes. He seemed to speak perfectly good English...well, she thought it was a he anyway. But she'd not exactly been having the best time differentiating the genders- no.
Wait. Red? You're friends with Vincent, aren't you?
Very good, child. Very good.
Yuffie relaxed a little, staring down at her palms as she listened and thought. One of Vincent's friends had sent a scary voice to check up on her? Or was it Vincent that had sent it? Either way, it was definitely the creepiest way of spying on her yet. So...What is your name?
I've many names, child. But I suppose for now, you may call me Chaos.
"Yuffie?" The door creaked open, the head of a triple-barreled gun entering the room first. "I heard you yelling. Are you alright?" Vincent's deep, guttural voice filled the room.
"I wasn't yelling," Yuffie assured him, sinking deeper into the water around her. She didn't want him seeing her- not like this. Not bruised and battered. Not as she was. "You must have heard something else."
Sad...
Vincent paused as he listened, withdrawing his gun. He was certain he'd heard her yelling; she'd sounded afraid, like someone was breaking into the washroom. Vincent cleared his throat, "Are you alright?"
The Ninja leaned back against the iron of the tub, the steam having long risen away. The skin of her fingers and toes had pruned, leaving them welted and gross looking. She gave an exhale, almost leaving that as her only response before closing her eyes to settle, "Yes, Vincent. I am fine. Thank you for asking."
Vincent turned, shaking his head from side to side. Leather-coated fingers twisted at the doorknob, aiming to shut it without a noise. He didn't understand this sort of foolishness. She wasn't fine. He didn't want to hear that she was fine. He'd rather her explode into tears and tell him a thousand times that she wasn't fine, as long as that would bring back the spring in her step.
"Vincent?"
He paused, crimson eyes darkening behind his eyelids. His fingers tightened around the knob, throat giving a hollow swallow as he awaited her words. Why did he feel so willing to please her? "Yes?" He cleared his throat.
"Don't go."
Please not that the song used here is an ancient Ryukyuan folk song, meaning that it is not Japanese.
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