Prompt-Rough

Parings-Vincent/Yuffie

Timeline-2014-Month December

Warnings-I think I'm gonna try Yuffie angst, yup, I went there!

Request-None

Notes-Okay, now the last two were sweet and funny, this one I'm gonna try and be a bit more serious.


Yuffie sat at the bar, sipping something she hadn't a clue of, but then again it was from Tifa, how bad could it be? Watching her friends as they celebrated Christmas, (even though Christmas was a week away), Marlene, Denzel, Shelke and Barret were playing a game of Chutes and Ladders, she chuckled at seeing Shelke's intense stare at the simple child's game. Red XII was close by them; he always had a soft spot for the kids.

Tifa and Shera were discussing baby things, little Zack had recently turned one year old, while Denus was almost three. Cid and Reno were having an arm wrestling contest, with the other Turks watching. In the corner was Cloud, Reeve with Cait Sith in his lap, Rufus and Vincent discussing W.R.O stuff.

Sighing at seeing him she turned back to her drink, he was the reason she couldn't enjoy herself right now. Remembering earlier when Tifa was over here, she was talking like she understood, like she knew what she was going through.

No, Tifa didn't understand, Tifa got her happily ever freakin' after, a wonderful husband and two kids, a husband who loved her. Not like her and Vincent, no, her and Vincent would never happen, ever.

She didn't want (try) to get rid of her love for him, didn't try (want) not to love him, even though loving him killed her. Loving him practically broke her, she couldn't even fathom dating, not when her heart wanted (needed) him, damn him. Sadly she couldn't (wouldn't) wish bad will on him, he was her friend also, love wasn't the first thing she thought of when they first met, it had just come.

Sighing Yuffie thought of why she was depressed, last week they had taken their (now) monthly mission trips. The two often either shared a hotel room or a cave, she had heard Vincent mumbling in his sleep, things that about made her cry. He wasn't happy with his life now, at least that was what she caught mostly. She had done all she could, but it (she) wasn't enough damn it!

She resisted the urge to break down now, after all, everyone could see her and that wouldn't do for her ninja pride. What had she done wrong? Maybe she was too loud, too hyper, she wasn't lady-like, she wasn't like Tifa or Aerith or Lucrecia. Why wasn't she enough? She contemplated growing her hair out and wearing more feminine clothing, maybe that would be better for him. Even though she didn't want to change for someone else; she knew if he wasn't happy she would find a damn way to make him happy, even if it meant changing herself.

Taking a sip of her drink she wondered how it had come to this. How his happiness outweighed her own? She was a pathetic ninja, ninja's don't fall head or hells in love, an unrequited love at that! Ninja's don't cry, she had already broken both rules though, she had only cried three times in secret. (Well Tifa knew at least two of them) Once when her mother died, second when Aerith who reminded her of her mother died, and third when she thought Vincent died. (She was never more thankful to the Planet for returning him.)

Drowning the rest of her drink, Yuffie wondered if anyone would notice if she went upstairs and broke. Fall apart without pity or questioning gazes (Tifa and Cloud's reactions), she didn't want to ruin Shelke's evening or anyone else. They should enjoy their happiness, even if she felt like a vice was constricting her heart and making it hard to breathe, extremely hard to breathe.

|X|X|X|

Tifa sighed at seeing her friend, obviously something had happened, it wasn't like her to be depressed. She was the life of the party, she didn't (as weird as this sounded) sulk. Looking down at her giggling son she wished Yuffie could have some of the happiness she had been blessed with, but with Vincent he was bound to take more time to come around then Cloud, even with the closure he should have gotten with Deepground.

Standing up she bid Shera goodbye and went over to the four man, tapping Cloud on his shoulder he looked over and his eyes lit up at seeing both Tifa and Zack. "Hey little man." Cloud greeted taking his son away from his mother, he gurgled happily as Cloud hugged him and Reeve and Rufus focused on the happy child.

Walking over to Vincent she tapped him on the shoulder and pointed to the kitchen, nodding he stood up and the two went into the kitchen.

"What happened?" She asked leaning against the opposite wall as Vincent, curious as to what may have transpired between her two closest friends. Vincent was like an older brother and Yuffie like a little sister, she wanted them to be happy damn it!

"I don't know," he admitted shrugging, he knew Yuffie was upset, that much he could tell. Despite the fact she tried to hide it, he wasn't stupid nor blind. Normally when they returned from the mission she was in a bright and happy mood, not this time and he couldn't figure out why. It frustrated him to no end, "she's been...off, for a week."

Nodding Tifa processed this information, thinking of things that would make Yuffie depressed. Yuffie had pride and if she didn't want to tell you something, it was near impossible to get it out of her. The two lingered in silence as they wondered and worried over what was the problem, what could make Yuffie depressed?

"Have you talked to her about it?" She knew that communication with Vincent could be hard, but he wasn't that bad now and days, mostly.

He looked up at her before shaking his head, "I thought about it, but I could never get her alone to talk." He knew Yuffie wouldn't talk if Shelke was around, she didn't want to bother Shelke with her problems, rather she didn't want Shelke to think she was weak.

"How about we corner her?" Tifa offered knowing they maybe, (a big maybe), could get Yuffie to tell them something, if they were lucky. And if not she would get her hammered so she would talk, Yuffie was a talkative drunk thankfully.

Nodding the two silently decided Yuffie would talk, by the end of the night, either by talking or getting her drunk. Poking their heads out in search for the young woman, both their eyebrows furrowed and eyes narrowed as the seat she had occupied all night was empty along with the glass, "where'd she go?"

The two looked around the area to find no sign of their friend, Tifa chewed her bottom lip as she started worrying, this was Yuffie and it was winter, what if she went outside without a coat? Now she wasn't stupid, but she had been known to do that, along with dancing in the rain until she had a cold, or grabbing something hot out of the oven without oven mitts. Shaking her head she knew that was Yuffie, she did things without thinking them through, even now she still did, she was just, impulsive.

"Upstairs?" Tifa offered already on the move to the stairs, with Vincent behind her. Once upstairs the two poked their heads in each room, calling her name. Vincent looked into the room he was curtain she used to use and saw her feet dangling from the window, unconsciously sighing in relieve he walked out to bump into Tifa.

"She's out there." Vincent told her, pointing at the room he just came out of.

Tifa sighed in relieve until a thought crossed her mind, following Vincent as he went into the room directly across it. "she's on the roof again, isn't she?" It was a retortical question, she knew Yuffie was.

He gave her a small nod, smirking in amusing as she sighed loudly, muttering about how she wanted her to have heart attacks. Tifa watched as Vincent opened the window she knew he was going to retrieve her.

Turning to go downstairs she prayed to Aerith that her stubborn friends would accept the fact they loved each other, prayed they would get some happiness after all the heartbreaks. Because she knew if two people deserved it most, it was her two stubborn friends.

|X|X|X|

Vincent carefully walked on the slippery roof, glad Yuffie hadn't (yet) to fall off. Placing a hand on her shoulder in case he scared her and caused her to jump, he gently said her name. Turning to look at him with a pensive frown marring her bright features Yuffie stood up and walked to the middle of the roof, so she wouldn't ran the risk of falling (hopefully), Vincent followed her and sat down.

The silence wasn't calming, in fact it was tense, he was waiting for her to talk. Yuffie often started their conversations, sighing Vincent knew he would have to start this one, "is everything okay?" He asked gently, hoping she would talk; of course her words confused him greatly.

"Vince, are you happy?" Yuffie turned to look at him, a seriousness he was scared to see in her eyes, placing a hand on his knee she leaned closer. "And I mean really happy, like so happy you wouldn't change anything, kind of happy. Are you happy?"

Was he happy? Of course he was he enjoyed his life as odd as that sounded to him, he should only enjoy quiet and peace and repenting. But he was very happy with his life, all because of her and Shelke,"I am, what brought this on?" Vincent questioned, what would make her ask this question? Now while he had never told her, he didn't know why she was acting like this was life or death?

Biting her lip Yuffie adverted her eyes, frowning he cupped her chin with his normal hand and made her look at him, this was her problem? If he was happy? Something had to have brought this on, but what? "Well, it's just..." Yuffie's voice trailed off as she mentally fought over rather she should tell him or not.

Sighing she looked at him with such sadness in her gray eyes Vincent felt his heart ache at that look, "while we were on that mission, you were mumbling, saying..."Why this?" "I want to go back." "I miss you"..."

He felt his heart drop; she thought he wasn't happy because of a dream, so it was his fault Yuffie had been upset. That would explain why after the mission she wasn't happy. "Yuffie, it was only a dream, it didn't-" Vincent started to try and comfort her, though he wasn't good at it.

"But what if it did, Vincent!" Yuffie interrupted a furry in her voice, causing the man to flinch. Vincent didn't know why her using his full name installed terror, but it always meant something was wrong, always. Yuffie continued on, self-anger in her voice.

"If you're not happy say something, damn it! I can handle it, so just tell me I'm not good enough! Tell me I'll never measure up to-!"

Yuffie cut herself off from saying her name, afraid to upset him and reveal more than she was ready to. Turning she brought her knees up to her chest, refusing to see whatever emotion he felt, probably disgust. She was disgusted at herself, so why shouldn't he be? Yuffie's eyes widened and her body stiffened in shock and surprise as Vincent brought her into his arms, she could only blink as she was now sitting sideways in his lap, maybe he was drunk?

"I'm sorry," he was probably never sorrier for causing her to be distressed. Vincent tried to think of a way to calm her and make her realize he was happy, "I am happy Yuffie, I don't understand why this matters, but I do not think I would be happy without you."

Yuffie was looking at him with curiosity and cautiousness, surely this was a joke? Cid was going to pop out of nowhere and yell "gotcha!"

The sincerity in Vincent's crimson eyes though, was throwing her for a loop. He couldn't mean that, he couldn't, damn it this was giving her hope. Wrapping her arms around his neck Yuffie buried her head into his chest, "you mean it?" Her words were muffled as she was waiting for him to say "no", a part of her though was wanting (needing) a "yes".

"Yes, I'm sorry I upset you," Vincent apologized. He didn't know what possessed him to tighten his grip on her, to bring her closer to him, either for her comfort or the fact he enjoyed having her this close, he wasn't sure. Decided it was of course for her comfort, because the other option would lead to many sleepless nights as he tried to figure out the extent of his feelings.

The two were content to stay in their embrace, a cold wind brought Yuffie out of her peace. Sighing she hated to break whatever had possessed Vincent, pulling back slightly so she could look up, Yuffie asked. "Do you want to go inside?"

He looked at those gray eyes that often hid how she felt, a wall she shouldn't have was thankfully not up and he could see the extent of her emotions: Peace, she looked contented, but she seemed sad that they had to go inside.

Vincent knew they probably should, but for the life of him he couldn't bring himself to say yes. Her face was red as the cold wind blew again, making her look beautiful, (even though he would never tell her).

"I think we can stay out here for a while longer," Vincent mumbled, her eyes brightened with happiness as she snuggled into him, his warmth inviting against the winter. Though they both knew they were only friends, the embraced seemed more of one of lovers, neither would admit they were (had) fallen closer to love.

For right now they didn't need soft words or kisses, they simply needed each other; it was more comforting to both of them to embrace the other than anything else.