It was dark and Vincent had stepped outside to get some air. It had been nice to see Cid again but the loud brash man did not share much in common with Vincent and had soon left him to his own devices. The wind whipped through his hair and tugged on his long red cape. Sighing deeply, Vincent let his head fall back and stared up at the stars.
"What am I doing here?" he whispered to himself.
Yuffie who was sitting on top of a cargo crate just a short distance away her legs pulled up to her chest as the airship flew almost silently decided it was time to announce her presence.
"Looking for a new cape? You really should get a new one you know,"
Vincent spun around.
"Yuffie! I didn't know you were out here," he said losing his cold demeanour for a moment.
"Sorry Vincent, I don't seem to feel as sick out here, I guess it's the fresh air," Yuffie played with the laces on her high boots.
"I'll go away don't worry," she pushed herself up and started to leave.
So even she's given up on me Vincent thought as he heard the door shut behind her. Yuffie took a few steps down the corridor towards her room and then stopped. Why should she run away from him? She was the great ninja Yuffie!
Turning on her heel she shoved the door open again.
"I changed my mind," she announced the door slamming shut from the wind.
Vincent looked at her, only his crimson eyes poking above his cape. She studied him trying to gauge his feelings.
"Vincent, I know I annoy you and I know you get sick of me being around, but for some reason you're the only one of my dam friends who can even remotely make me feel like I can be myself, don't ask me why, you just are, so deal with it!" she complained crossing her arms.
"You don't annoy me Yuffie," he stared at her.
"I don't?" she gaped in surprise.
"You always ignore me when I visit you and you never talk if I ring!" she looked sad for a moment "No one really listens to what I have to say anyway, why would they listen to a little ninja thief?" she walked forward her shoulder brushing his and slumped forward leaning over the guard rail staring out into the night. Vincent looked at her small back and heard the tiny sob that escaped her. He noticed the gentle shiver of her shoulders and undoing his cape wrapped it gently around her shoulders.
"Thanks Vinnie," she breathed in the scent of him from the thick material.
"I take it back, this cape is fine," she smiled cheekily at him, all traces of tears gone.
Vincent reached his hand out to touch her but the moonlight reflected off of his metallic claw before he came in contact with her skin. What am I doing? He asked himself she doesn't want you to touch her, who would want that metallic claw anywhere near them. You're a monster Vincent, a monster full of demons.
Yuffie looked at the claw that sat on the railing so close to her own hand. She lifted her hand slightly and ran a finger tip down one of his golden claws.
"Its warm, I don't know why but I expected it to be cold," she smiled up at him.
"Everything about me is cold Yuffie,"
Yuffie turned to face him and rested a hand on his chest, over his heart.
"This isn't cold she whispered, you're a good friend….Vincent," she used his full name softly blushing at the intimacy she was sharing with him.
Taking a step back she laughed nervously, embarrassed at her behaviour.
"I should go try and get some sleep," she walked backwards towards the door bumping into a box on the floor and stumbling slightly. Vincent watched her as she opened the door and hurried away. Chaos taunted him.
You scared the little princess away. She doesn't want you, Lucrecia didn't want you. No one needs a monster Vincent let me take control. Let me destroy them all.
Vincent ignored the demon but could not deny his words left a sting, he liked her youthful enthusiasm it almost made him feel alive.
Yuffie ran down the corridor and pushed open her quarter's door, shutting the door behind her and leaning back against it in the dark room. What was she doing? This was not good. She shook her head trying to clear her thoughts.
She realised she still had Vincent cape on and she ran her fingers along the material feeling its texture. This cape was as much apart of him as his metallic claw. She smiled at the thought of being so close to him, but then berated herself. He was a friend, to think of him as anything more was foolish. He was too serious to bother with a silly young flea like her.
Feeling guilty for intruding his personal effects she slipped out of the cloak and folded it neatly. She snuck along the hall to his quarters and opened the door with out turning on the light she padded over to his bed and placed the cloak on the end. She hesitated for a moment and reached in her pocket and pulled out a crane she had folded out of paper earlier, in the way of her people. She pulled on its wings pushing it back into shape and sat it onto of the cape. Turning to leave, she headed back towards the door, about to open it she was thrown backwards as Vincent opened the door and entered his room.
On instinct Vincent's arms shot out to grab her so she wouldn't fall. His sharp claw scratching her exposed upper arm. As soon as she was steady, Vincent pulled his hands away like she was poison to touch and flicked the light on.
"Yuffie what are you doing?"
"I, ah, I mean, I wasn't stealing materia I promise," she stuttered slightly feeling very nervous.
Vincent looked at her arm and the thin line of blood that had appeared.
"I hurt you, I am sorry,"
Yuffie looked down at the thin cut.
"It's nothing Vinnie, wait do you have any materia?"
Vincent stared at the young woman.
"A little, not much, I had to use most of it,"
"I could give you some…..if you want I mean"
Vincent hid his shock. Yuffie who valued materia above almost anything else was offering to share with him.
"Hold on I will be back!" she said as she hurried out of the room.
Pulling a large brown bag out from under the bed in her room she opened a small box with four cradles inside for holding materia orbs. The box itself was very old and was crafted by her people. She wouldn't tell Vincent that it had been her mothers, he wouldn't accept it then and it was the only thing she had to give him the materia in.
Hunting through the bag of materia orbs she selected a medium strength level two lightening and ice materia an impressively strong level 4 fire materia and a medium strength level one healing materia. Slotting them into the box and snapping it shut she shoved the bag back under her bed and headed back down the hall.
Vincent looked at the door for a moment after she had left, still surprised at finding her in his room. He thought of the scratch he had left on her arm. He had hurt her even when he was trying to help her. He noticed his cape on the bed and couldn't help but smile at the small crane that nestled on top of it. Picking it up and twirling it in his fingers he was surprised at the care that had been taking in folding it, he would not have imagined the little ninja could have sat still long enough to accomplish such a task. Folding it flat, carefully he slipped it inside his breast pocket just as the door swung open.
Yuffie held out the box to him.
"I am sorry the healing materia is kind of weak but I used my best one on you before and I only have one more and its not much better," she fidgeted nervously as he took the box "I should go get some sleep you know, see you tomorrow Vinnie!" she walked out of the room again almost as suddenly as she had entered.
Vincent cracked open the box and examined the material, besides the healing materia they were all impressive. Especially the fire materia even a collector such as Yuffie could go half a life time with out finding one so strong. Looking at the box lid he noticed a faint gold symbol. He looked more closely, it was the symbol of Yuffie's house, and it was old, very old. Vincent could almost feel its history as he ran his fingers along the box.
Setting it next to his bed on a small table he laid on the bed, he would have to return the box; it was a gift too valuable in sentiment to receive. Why had she even considered parting with it?
Yuffie tossed and turned in her bed down the hall, sleep would not take her. It had been a hard thing to give such a beautiful fire materia away. But the loss of it wasn't what was keeping her awake it was that she wanted him to have it and her mother's box as well. Having him around again was nice; she had never met anyone who could make her feel so utterly at peace with their presence as well as set her stomach doing cartwheels. Did she love him? It was ridiculous to even consider whether she did or not, he was a lot older than her and immortal. She would grow old and ugly and he would be as cute as ever.