Katori: OK, My stupid dumbass brother kicked me OFF the internet, so now I'm going to ATTEMPT to continue to write the Plus Side of Insomnia, even though I'm pissed off beyond all belief…

Sin….. maybe it's best that you just go to sleep?

Katori: Who asked YOUR opinion?

Sin: You know… you're kind of RADIATING hatred right now, I DON'T think you should continue this….

Katori: No, I think it'll be OK, I'll just senselessly beat Reno or someone in this chapter…

Sin:…. Er…. Anyways… Katsu thanks:

…………………………..

As far as I could tell, everyone had a part on this, I was right in assuming something was off. But I can't find myself being mad at Vincent, it's not like he did it with an ill intention, I just wish he would join the party.

I can't blame Vincent Valentine for being stand offish, I think it was always a part of his nature even before those demons were embedded into his mind. I find myself wondering if I'm going to turn him into someone outgoing, or if he's going to change me into someone who likes a more secluded life. I know that relationships aren't meant to change people, but we have to meet half way, right? I know that he's not the type to shout out his feelings, but it makes the small things he does, like Tifa said, all the more admirable.

Like the thought of him planning all of this, it makes me realize what he must have had to go through to do this on such short notice. He obviously had help from Tifa, and hell, I bet Reno had things that he contributed, but he put fourth the effort to make me happy. It was a small gesture that I kind of skipped over while I was trying to figure out what he was doing. I guess I didn't notice that whatever he was doing, he was doing it for me, with no hidden agenda up his sleeve.

And he's trying, I think he's sincerely trying to be more friendly with everyone, and the funny thing is, I guess we're both still outsiders. We were late coming into Avalanche, I still get the feeling that he's a monster sometimes to guys like Barret and Cid and I'm still the brat and the thief. I don't think everyone trusts us 100 like they do each other, and I was OK with that, in all honesty, I was playing Naive.

I think that we're what's called 'On the outside looking in', we're a part of the group, but we aren't the most important members. We're still looking into the closely knit friendships between Barret, Cid, Tifa, Cloud, hell, even Nanaki.

Maybe I'm more secluded then I thought, I trust guys like Cid and Cloud, but in the scope of the whole thing, I only really talked to Vincent, Nanaki, and sometime's Tifa.

I'm thinking this while I'm sitting on the bed, beside the clothes Tifa left me.

I'm really kind of awestruck by the gesture, but I don't have to tell anyone that skirts aren't me, they just… aren't. I haven't worn a skirt on my whole life, I was a pure tomboy when I was growing up, and had to put on Kimonos for the special occasions.

Then again, this skirt goes down to just above my knees, and it's made of that dark blue denim material. It also has these small little fringes on the bottom, like the edge is frayed, I suppose that's in style. It also flares out a bit, allowing some free movement that you definitely don't get in a Kimono, or tight shorts for that matter. Actually, it looks pretty casual and free to move in, but I know I'll think I'm flashing people all the time.

It's like, if your used to feeling something there, you feel kind of bare without it, and I'm really used to tight shirts and shorts because I need form fitting clothes that don't get in the way when I'm training.

I also don't mind the top, which is red, but it's so sophisticated, and it's everything I'm not, it's more Tifa's style.

It's off the shoulder and t-shirt sleeved, with the sleeves slit up and tied together by red ribbons to form a bow that cascades down your arms. I know that it'll make me think there's something touching my arm that's not supposed to be there. And it's kind of open in the front, the whole front is opened and laced together like the lace designs on my normal beige boots, it's a kind of corset style shirt. A white tank top is meant to go on underneath, but the one she's set out is very low cutting, and get this; she got me a bra

I'm used to sports bras that strap you down so you can do agile flips and fight in, not a bra that, you know, pushes them up…

Don't even get me started on the… heels… I'm already klutzy enough in those shoes that she gave me to use in the Golden Saucer, I cannot handle these one and a half inch heels. No matter how cute they are, they probably won't even fit on my feet!

But… I suppose that would hurt Tifa's feelings if I didn't throw her silly outfit on and flaunt it around for a few hours. Gods, what would Vincent think? Red and blue are his favorite colors after all, would he be amazed, and would I look prettier to him then whatever he sees in me now?

I slowly slipped out of my previous outfit and stood there in my underwear, looking at the outfit she'd laid out so nicely. Slowly I pulled the sports bra off over my head and pulled the new push up one on, surprised to see that it actually fit, who knew that Tifa paid so much attention to my size?

Next was the skirt, I bit my lip, could I tweak the outfit slightly, would she mind if I put some short shorts on underneath? I decided that for my own sanity I'd do it, so I rummaged in the closet for a pair of dark blue ones to match, slipped them on and then pulled the jean skirt on and buttoned it up. Apparently the thing was meant to ride just on my hips, which wasn't too bad once I had thrown on a black belt.

Finally I had to slide on the low cut white tank that had a Celtic Cross design just between the breasts. I contemplated going down there just like that, then threw my sanity out the window and pulled the corset thing on, lacing up the red ribbons in the front so that it wouldn't fall off.

I slowly turned to stare at myself in the mirror, I made a face and decided that if Vincent could go without his precious head band, then I could too.

So it came off, and I had never felt so naked in my entire life.

To finish my new attire, I had to slip on the heels, that were surprisingly comfy, they were white sandal type, with criss crossing straps that covered the top of my feet and tied to my ankle to keep them there. The heel wasn't too bad either, it actually made me feel a bit taller, and they weren't impossible to walk in. After I had taken a few cautious rounds around the room I thought I was pretty confident in them.

So now it came to my first big obstacle, the process of getting down the stairs while hurting the least amount of people possible…

Do you know that feeling where everyone is watching you and all you're trying to do is not fall ass or teakettle in front of them? So you take these small steps down the stairs while everyone goes unnaturally quiet and your whole face lights up as red as a stop sign. You wish everyone would stop starring and completely ignore you like they did before, but they just keep on looking at you until you feel like their eyes are boring into you.

Of course, I knew where Reno was starring, but I was pretty sure I would never hear the end of this from Cid, the man nearly had a heart attack when I wore those heels Tifa bought me the last time.

I could just see the red head now thinking: Holy shit, she actually HAD them? When the hell did that happen?

I wanted to scream out for everyone to mind their own business and stop rudely starring, but there was something blocking this from coming out my mouth. I knew that saying something like that would normally be very… Yuffie-ish, but something about the way I was feeling right now was making me all the more shy.

I knew I should grin wildly and ask them what the hell they were staring at, because that was expected of me, but I just couldn't. Instead I made my way down the stairs and, for the Gods know why, clasped my hands in front of me and began idly playing with the bottom of my shirt sheepishly like I was caught stealing red handed (Like hell, I was YUFFIE KISARASGI! No one ever caught me…well… except for Vincent…)

Speaking of red, I think the color in my face was turning from red to purple right about now, I could feel the heat just radiating off of me that if someone was to walk by they'd feel themselves tanning. I took in a deep breath and looked yup to meet their stares, but I did it in this annoyingly shy way, like I looked up slowly and strands of hair fell in front of my eyes.

In an instant my left hand was on it's way to push them behind my ear, and if you cloud believe it, I looked away.

This was one of those times you look back on and then promptly smack your head on the closest hard, flat surface for your stupidity.

There was awkward silence, everyone just kind of SAT there and I just kind of STOOD there, then I noticed someone was missing. Before I could ask where Vincent had gone I heard a voice to my right, everyone, including me turned their heads in that direction.

"That looks very nice on you,"

Thank you, Vincent. For making that nice purple-red turn to full blown purple.

"Uh… well… I….." 'AUGH IDIOT SAY SOMETHING! ANYTHING! YOU STUPID LOSER!' "Um… you look nice too…" 'Oh my God did I just say that out loud? Vincent, can I borrow your Death Penalty please?'

"HAH! I KNEW IT!"

Everyone jumped and looked towards Reno, but I wasn't upset at all I was glad everyone was starring at someone else.

Reno felt the need to explain his idiocy, "I knew there was something happening between the two of them! Hah!" Reno looked damn proud of himself too.

There was a heavy silence that fell on the room, I looked over at Vincent and his usual stoic expression was still present, I wonder if he was expecting me to say something about it.

Suddenly, Cid spoke.

"No Fucking duh you retard half-wit," Cid replied, picking up his lighter and lighting a cigarette in the middle of the living room, not even noticing the glare Tifa sent him. "We all knew that since, hell, this morning…?"

"Yeah," Barret chimed in, "I mean, Cloud told everyone…" he then continued off handedly, "Shit, I lost eight hundred fuckin' gil thanks to Vincent-……."

This time the silence was smothering, in which Barret covered his mouth after realizing his mistake and Cloud shifted in an uncomfortable way. Tifa and Sierra looked confused, but every man in the room (save Reno, because he was a 'retard') looked everywhere in the room but the two standing. Even Rude seemed to know what was going on, he shifted slightly to fiddle around with his sun glasses that Elena had threatened him to take off. I guessed that he was contemplating if he should put them back on or if he would be yelled at by his co-worker.

"What the hell do you mean, Cloud?" I suddenly demanded, forgetting all about my earlier insecurity and eyeing Cid, "Well? Someone better start explaining…" I cracked my knuckled menacingly, "Before I have to take drastic measures to get this bit of information out of you guys…" I looked over at Cloud who foolishly looked away and shied away from my gaze, I walked over to him, picking my first target, "So Cloud, what exactly did they mean by 'Cloud told everyone'?"

Cloud blinked rapidly and looked around for someone to save him, he even looked over at Tifa, but she apparently was mad at him for not showing her, so she grinned evilly and mimicked Yuffie's words.

"Yeah Cloud, what do they mean?"

"Uh… well…. It was….. um…. Really late and uh……" He suddenly jumped up and ran behind Denzel, "HE DID IT!"

Denzel blinked and looked innocently surprised by this accusation.

"But Cloud, you told me to sneak in there, so it was your idea…."

I paled, Vincent blinked.

"Wait a sec…!" I was blushing horribly again, "You mean that DENZEL watched us last night while we were sitting in the kitchen?" I was too stunned to act mad.

"Hells, you were doing more then just sitting…." Chimed in Cait Sith, and then he covered his mouth with his two paws from the glare he received from Reeve. "Sorry…" He apologized quickly, being muffled by the two furry paws that he held in front of his mouth.

I needed to sit down, so I wondered over to the stairs and sat on the second last one, completely dazed.

"So…" I ventured, "What did you see?"

"Oh, I just … heard you guys talking about it so…"

"Oh…" I blinked again, "Sooooo….." This wasn't exactly the way I wanted them to figure it out, hey wait a minute, we weren't talking about our relationship…. "You say we were… talking about 'it'?"

Denzel nodded vigorously, "Yeah, when Vincent asked you if it was your birthday today, when I heard it I went and told Cloud, then he told me to tell Barret and Cid in the morning, but Tifa beat me to it, so I just told everyone you were staying up late at night together… But I think they mistook friendship for something else…"

Cid coughed on his cigarette and looked rather angrily at the twelve year old, apparently he had assumed something else was happening between the two of them.

I couldn't hide the confusion on my face, I glanced over at Vincent. I mean sure, we would have to eventually tell them that we were together, but would he want that right now, even if our relationship was so fresh? I mean, would it even put a strain on it if we were to tell all of our friends, sure, Tifa already knew-

/Switch P.O.V to Vincent/

After the time that we've known each other, you grow to be able to read a person, I know that she's relieved that they mixed up the information. I also know that she's not sure what to do with what we have, or what we could have.

We are going to take this slow, I don't think that my past and hers helps the matter, but we're both working at it. I also know that if we try to hide this then it means we aren't comfortable with others knowing, and I don't want Yuffie to feel ashamed about something so natural. Everyone in the room had some sort of a romantic relationship before, so all of them knew what it felt like the first time you let someone in like that.

And if I know Yuffie like I think I do, this is going to eat her alive until we either talk about it, or I do something about it. I want her to feel like she can say whatever she wants to me, like she can talk to me like we normally do during the evening without having to worry about my reaction.

Seeing Yuffie walk down the stairs like that, embarrassed with herself for wearing something so unlike her was something that I'm getting used to seeing with her. She's so new at a lot of things and she gets so uncomfortable with the unknown, but she still tries new things and experiences.

It's part of being human, something I haven't done much of in the past thirty three years or so. She's the one who's made me more human, not the animal I thought I had become and could never get away from. She's even tamed the beasts in my head, they seem a lot more prone to just sitting there and watching through my eyes. Even if Chaos and Hellmasker usually have something perverted to say about whatever it is.

"I thought that two people could have a conversation without it involving the rest of the household…" Cloud suddenly looked ashamed of himself and scratched his head nervously, I could see Yuffie agreeing with me by nodding her head and slightly glaring at all of them, she wasn't hurt by their intrusion al all though. "However I do believe that both of us were thinking about something else when you accused us of more then companionship."

Cid and Barret were giving me that look again, the one that told me that they couldn't quite believe my actions. It was more present as of late, I caught glimpses of them sending me that look whenever I had transformed into one of the beasts that resided in my head. It was an uncomfortable look, and it was as if I suddenly wasn't a part of the group at all, like I had intruded on their happy lives.

For some odd reason, I didn't quite care about their opinions, they could either accept it or not, either way it wasn't their decision to make.

"I just don't get how the two of ya could get along…" Replied Barret uneasily, he was gauging my actions again as if I would go 'Chaos' on him if he said something to aggravate me. Neither of them had ever joked around with me very much, but I think they both knew that they could trust me… to an extent. "I mean, the two of you, yer pretty much opposites…"

"Well, opposites attract, isn't that how it goes?" I replied, sensing Yuffie look my way and wanting to meet it, but I didn't, I was very well telling Barret what he wanted to know.

Reeve offered fourth a small smile, he had obviously caught onto the meaning a lot faster then the other two, who were still trying to get what I had meant out of it.

"I think he was implying that we were right in our assumptions to begin with,"

/Normal P.O.V/

Tifa grinned as Barret and Cid stared rather stupidly at Vincent, they both then looked back and fourth between Vincent and Yuffie before realization dawned on them. She tried to hold back her laughter while the two men fell all over themselves trying to spit out what they wanted to say. Unbeknownst to the three men, Yuffie was genuinely smiling and I felt really happy for her, I think it was about time that they got it out in the open.

Nanaki had this knowing look on his face, I think he figured it out long before the rest of us did, and Cloud had figured it out at about the same time Reeve did.

Strangely enough, Marlene and Denzel were sharing these matching grins and Sierra and I both caught them.

"What are you two planning?"

Suddenly, Marlene jumped up and ran over to the kitchen door, she disappeared inside of it for a few minutes and then came wandering back out with a picture frame in her hands. She still held that triumphant expression on her face as she held the picture up in her father's and Cid's faces.

"They're together sillies!"

I finally caught sight of what the picture contained, it showed a picture of Vincent and Yuffie, both standing on the bridge and looking into each others eyes, he was slowly leaning in towards to kiss her and she had stood on the tips of her toes to meet him.

They were merely inches apart in a perfect 'almost kiss' picture that for no doubt, Marlene and Denzel had taken with my new digital camera that had gone surprisingly missing this afternoon. It was a really sweet picture, and if I could, I wanted a copy of it, it was one of those things you just 'awed' at every time you saw it.

After Cid and Barret were done gawking at it, Marlene skipped over to Yuffie and handed her the picture. "Happy Birthday Auntie Yuffie, and Happy Belated Birthday Uncle Vincent!" As Yuffie took the picture, she turned a nice shade of pink.

"Thanks Marlene," She knelt down and hugged the little girl.

Reno had to ruin the moment.

"Hey! Aren't we going to have cake first, sing to her and all that jazz?"

Katori: Awe, well, there, you see that you're going to have at least one more chapter…

Sin: Wow, you had a HUGE writers block on this thing…

Katori: I know, but it came out good in the end, ne? Besides, I like making fun of Cid and Barret… they're so clueless…

Sin: well… R&R… and… yeah…

Katori: You know I think I'm converting you…

Sin: What does THAT mean?

Katori: nothing, nothing…