DISCLAIMED: (09/17/09)
Characters: Reno/Yuffie, Vincent/Yuffie, Cloud/Tifa(minor), Rufus & the Turks, AVALANCHE
Genre: Romance/Drama/Action
Rating: T for language and light adult content.
Summary: Yuffie was just doing something nice for a couple friends. Why her world suddenly turned upside down by two different men was anyone's guess. Explores an age-old question – Vincent? Or Reno? Rated for light adult content.
A/N: Only one more after this and then I'm lost =P Thanks so much to you guys who reviewed. You continue to rock.
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Chapter 九
Vincent returned to his apartment that night and fell asleep sitting in the open window of his window seat. Bright sunlight shone on his face as he awoke.
Standing, he shrugged his shoulders to rid himself of the kinks in it from sleeping upright all night. As he got ready, he thought about the night before and mentally sighed. He'd have to apologize to Yuffie for disappearing last night. His shoulders felt heavy and wouldn't loosen. Inwardly, he cursed. He no longer had immortality, and now his body was telling him. No more all nighters sitting whichever way he wanted.
He was still tight when he walked into 7th Heaven. Tifa was behind the bar and told him Yuffie had gone out. Vincent asked if she needed help and when she shook her head, he said he was going to go find Yuffie. Tifa had a knowing smile as the gunman exited.
Vincent passed a schoolyard on his way towards the shopping district. Denzel and Marlene were there playing with Red in the field. They noticed him, as how could you not, and waved. He nodded at them and continued on.
Reaching the market, his gaze scanned the stalls set up among the storefronts as he walked through them. He paused in the middle, to look back and heard Yuffie's distinctive voice at his back. Turning, he saw her coming out of a store, hands and arms full of packages and bags, talking to a young bag boy behind her. It sounded like Wutainese. Vincent blinked, not having heard it in so long and having forgotten most of it. Even more odd that she found someone who also spoke it, as the bag boy was chattering away right back at her.
Apparently, they were arguing about something, but Yuffie stopped mid-sentence as soon as she noticed Vincent.
"—Vince!" she exclaimed before dropping her packages.
Vincent glided forward and helped her as she kneeled to gather them.
Yuffie blushed as she glanced at him under her fringe. Real smooth, Yuffie.
They straightened with the groceries, Vincent stepping towards the bag boy, who stepped back nervously, looking up at the imposing gunslinger.
Vincent held out his arms. "I will help her carry them."
Yuffie nodded to the boy who looked at her fearfully. The boy handed Vincent the bags before quickly disappearing into the store.
"Geez, Vinny. Maybe if you'd smiled or I don't know, worn something with a neck, maybe he wouldn't have to go change his underpants now," Yuffie spoke, shaking her head, her nervousness forgotten.
Vincent turned to her and blinked. "You do not like my attire?"
Yuffie frowned. "Er, it's great for scaring the shite outta the bad guy, but for normal wear, no." She shook her head in confusion, "But I've been cracking jokes for years about your raggedy-Ann cloak – all the sudden you're listening to me?"
Vincent lowered his gaze to the ground and she swore she saw a ghost of a smile.
"I learned to block out voices, including Chaos'."
Yuffie's eyes widened. He never spoke of this to her. "Chaos? He spoke to you? Like what, in your head?"
Vincent nodded, shifting the groceries up. "Yes. Mostly he admired Tifa, Aerith and your figure."
Yuffie's eyebrows shot up. "Really?"
Vincent nodded. "He made some rather uncouth suggestions, so obscene, I had to block him out or I would have become ill."
Yuffie frowned, not sure if that was a good or bad thing. "Thoughts of doing things to me- er, us- made you sick?"
Vincent shook his head.
"You don't understand Chaos' imagination. Apparently, he was a fan of bdsm."
"Oh," Yuffie gasped, blushing. "Gross," she made a face.
Vincent pursed his lips. "Yes. Not entirely, but part of the reason I was so terse with everyone at the time."
Yuffie nodded, not knowing what else to say. She turned to head out into the market and Vincent fell into step with her.
"What were you and that bag boy arguing about?" Vincent asked.
Yuffie glanced at him and blinked. "Oh. He claimed Jujitsu is the best fighting form there is, and was just being a punk. Thank Leviathan you showed up. I don't think I could stand the walk all the way home with him."
"He is Wutainese as well," Vincent commented.
Yuffie nodded. "Yeah. Why?"
Vincent shook his head. "I just heard you both speaking Wutainese. I've forgotten most of it myself."
Yuffie lifted her eyebrows. "You used to speak Wutainese?"
Vincent nodded. "My mother taught me."
She cocked her head at him. "Now that I think on it, I remember thinking you resembled the Wutains a bit when we first met." She smiled as she turned her face towards the ground. "I was so frightened of you though that I immediately forgot to ask you."
"I'm sor—"
Yuffie lifted her head, shaking. "No. No apologizing. Not for the past. It's over and done with."
Vincent glanced at her before giving a small grin and nodding. Yuffie smiled back slowly, before looking away before she blushed.
"I, uh," she cleared her throat. Vincent looked at her concerned as her tone was serious and that was not normal. "Well, I've been thinking about…what you said the other night and uh…"
Vincent waited patiently, however intent on her words.
"…I'd like to try," she finally finished. She glanced to the side at him briefly flashing a smile. "Ya know, if the offer still—"
"It does," Vincent cut in.
Yuffie looked at him quickly and he smiled back slightly. She flushed and looked away, laughing nervously.
"Alright, then." She turned to him then, "Though I may still mess everything up-I don't know exactly what I'm doing, ya know and—"
Vincent cut her off again. "Yuffie."
She shut her mouth.
He gave her a kind look. "I can't promise I won't mess up either. But we're both willing to try and that's enough."
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"Wait a minute," Cloud sat up, cleaning the oil off his hands from working on Fenrir. He frowned. "So you saw Yuffie and Reno making out on the couch? And you didn't do anything?"
Tifa hung her head in disbelief, looking down at him from her perch on a workbench along the side of the building.
"She's a grown woman, Cloud. And she can kick his ass if she wanted – which it didn't look like she wanted to at the time."
Cloud grimaced and shook his head, trying to clear the visual her words wrought.
"But I thought Vincent confessed to her. Why is she kissing Reno?"
Tifa sighed. "Because she's confused. And Reno can be very persuasive when he wants to be."
Cloud glanced at her sharply. Tifa lifted her eyebrows at him, daring him. "What? You think he hasn't tried his moves on me?"
Cloud's blue-green eyes glowed darkly. Tifa laughed.
"Oh, stop. You honestly think he got anywhere? I'm not confused." She slid down off the bench and leaned back against it, giving him a challenging look.
Cloud met it evenly, bending his knees and lifting himself to his feet in one fluid motion. She gave him an intimate smile as he stalked towards her. Placing his hands on the bench on either side of her, he leaned in.
Her gaze shuttered as she added, "I've always known there's only one for me…"
They shared a soft smile before giving in to an equally soft kiss. It quickly grew fierce and out of control. Tifa pulled her mouth from his finally to ask, "When do you have to leave?"
Cloud only said, "Not today," before he was again kissing her. Tifa squealed as he shifted and abruptly lifted her into his arms, before carrying her inside.
Yuffie and Vincent entered the bar laughing. He was telling her how Cid had lost his cigarettes. Apparently, Barret was having a temper tantrum and waving his huge arms about, hitting Cid's elbow right as the pilot was pulling out his pack. The pack flew from his hands towards the water and in a fit of panic, Cid stumbled after them, tripping over Cloud who was bent over checking the supplies. His momentum sent the two men and the supplies into the water, while Red caught Cid's cigarettes with the end of his flaming tail, disintegrating them.
Vincent helped Cloud back into the boat, but when Barret went to help Cid, the pilot yanked the huge man into the water, angry over his cigarettes.
"Hey, Tif." Yuffie called. "We're back." They moved into the kitchen and set the bags down. "Tif?" Yuffie frowned when she didn't get a response and went to the stairs to investigate. Vincent started putting the groceries away, familiar with the kitchen.
Yuffie walked up the steps, more cautious than usual since Tifa didn't usually leave without telling someone or leaving a note. Hand on her thigh, she was ready to launch a dagger at any moment.
Reaching the top of the landing, she frowned as she heard a thumping noise. Continuing forward, she realized it was coming from Tifa and Cloud's room. She tentatively pressed her ear to the closed door, before gasping and lurching away. Realizing stupidly that Cloud and Tifa were a newly married couple, she blushed knowing what they were doing and feeling ridiculous since she hadn't thought of it.
She crept quickly back downstairs and into the kitchen where she grabbed Vincent's arm and tugged him outside.
He frowned. "Where are we going?"
"Anywhere but here."
"What about Tifa?"
"Oh, I think Cloud's taking care of her."
Vincent made a weird face at the back of her head before realizing she meant it as dirty as it sounded.
Yuffie didn't slow until they reached the schoolyard. Denzel and Marlene were playing with the other orphans now. Yuffie leaned against the fence, Vincent doing the same.
"He's leaving tomorrow on a delivery," said Vincent.
Yuffie nodded. "Yeah. Sucks for them," she lamented.
"We could take care of the bar for them tonight, so they can go out."
Yuffie glanced sideways at him with a smile. "Aw, Vinny you're an old romantic at heart."
Vincent laughed softly, glancing down. "It's genetic. Both my parents were."
Yuffie turned, leaning back against the fence. "Oh, yeah?"
Vincent nodded. "My father was passionate about science, but not as much so as about my mother. She died when I was ten." He continued staring at the ground. Yuffie tilted her head sympathetically, laying a hand on his arm.
He turned his head towards her before meeting her gaze. Yuffie's eyes widened at how serious and intent his eyes were on her. Blinking, she looked away, her cheeks flushing.
"Yuffie!"
She looked up to see Marlene waving at her.
"Vincent! Come play with us!"
Yuffie turned back to Vincent smiling. He gave her a look as if to say 'you want to?' Yuffie shrugged.
"Hey, we don't know how long those two," she jerked her head back the back the came, "will be. I don't think Denzel needs to know what his parents do this early on and Barret'll throw a fit if Marlene hears them." Vincent glanced back out at the playing children. They knew he was friends with Denzel's parents but they were still scared of him.
Yuffie tugged on his arm though, pulling him through the opening in the fence.
"As far as I'm concerned, I'd've thought Cloud's bits shriveled when he fell in the lifestream."
Vincent grimaced at the thought, never wanting to have considered Cloud's "bits" at all.
They stopped before Marlene, who beamed up at Yuffie, then Vincent. She turned away from the adults.
"Denzel!"
The boy turned around. He smiled as Yuffie waved and ran over.
"Hey, you guys gonna play?" Denzel asked, staring at Vincent. He idolized Cloud, but Cloud's lack of staying power and past inability to be a real dad somewhat dimmed his view of the man. Vincent was the epitome of cool however. Yuffie was too, as she'd brought hand-made weapons from Wutai for him and Marlene this last time. Tifa had been teaching them martial arts, but Denzel wanted a weapon like Cloud's or Vincent's.
"Yeah," Yuffie answered. She turned and looked imploringly at Vincent. He glanced at her, before looking at the frowning children standing a ways behind Denzel. Yuffie frowned and glanced at what he was staring at. Rolling her eyes, she turned and faced Vincent.
"Take off your cloak."
Vincent stared down at her uncomprehending.
"I told you, it's intimidating."
"So is my gauntlet."
Marlene stepped up to them. "I can show them it's not bad."
Yuffie and Vincent looked down at the growing girl.
She looked up at them with wide smiling eyes. "I know you'd never hurt anyone. I can show them."
Yuffie looked back at Vincent, who was still staring down at Marlene. He wasn't responding so she clapped him on the chest.
"Well," Yuffie started, snapping Vincent out of his thoughts. "I'll leave you to Marlene, then." Turning she started shouting at the kids. "Hey you little runts! Think you're scared of him? Wait till you see me score a home run on your asses."
Marlene shook her head at Aunt Yuffie's language, before grabbing Vincent's hand. "Come on."
She led him over to a slide where he began unbuckling his cloak, before draping it over a bar on the playset.
"It's okay Vincent," Marlene soothed. "They all love hearing Denzel tell stories about you, they're just unsure since they know about your limit breaks. They don't understand, that's all."
Vincent gave her a small smile and a nod, appreciating her efforts at comforting him. She had a speculative look in her eye, then.
"I have an idea…"
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Yuffie and a taller kid named Roarke, whom the kids referred to as "Corky" – probably because a lot of them couldn't pronounce his name easily – were team captains and had chose their teams, when Vincent joined them, Marlene riding piggyback. She'd taken his headband and thrown it on his cloak and Vincent, having a handful of Marlene couldn't do anything about it. He felt naked.
He stopped next to Yuffie, looking uncomfortable. Everyone was quiet looking at him.
Vincent cleared his throat, and said gruffly. "Did you want me to play?"
Marlene leaned down to his ear. "Less gruff, not so menacing," she whispered encouragingly.
Roarke stepped forward. He considered Vincent, slightly defiantly. Vincent stared back at the youth, his expression neutral.
Roarke finally nodded. "You're alright…Marlene's the biggest baby here and if she's not scared of you, then you're harmless."
Vincent felt Marlene stiffen with anger as the boys laughed. He immediately knelt, so she could slide off, knowing she'd want to exact revenge. Marlene did and took off after Roarke, who ran backwards, laughing at the furious girl.
"I can still kick your ass, Cork-Head!"
Yuffie grinned. She was only eight and chasing after boys. And she was starting to sound like her father.
"Alright, well," Yuffie turned to the group. "I guess Vinny's on Cork-Head's team then."
There was laughter as Yuffie pulled out a coin. "We'll flip to see who goes first. Vinny, since your captain is getting his mac on at the moment, you call it."
Vincent only had a second to process this request and its odd accompanying statement before he said, "Heads."
Roarke's team went first.
Yuffie and Vincent played outfielders just to keep it relatively fair. Roarke and Denzel were both pitchers for their respective teams. Marlene played catcher for both teams. During Yuffie's first turn at bat, she hit it straight to Vincent, cursing him for making her "out" when he caught it.
When Vincent came up to bat at first, all the kids in the field, minus Denzel, backed up. He ended up hitting it downward, sending it into a bouncing roll across the field towards Yuffie.
Yuffie caught it up, and threw it to second base, as Vincent's long legs had already ate up the distance to first. His teammates were yelling at him to stop, so he did. The next kid was having trouble. He couldn't hit the ball and when he did, it popped up foul.
The first baseman was staring at Vincent rather the proceedings. Vincent noticed and glanced at him. The kid looked away quickly before his eyes strayed to Vincent's lethal looking claw.
"What is it?" Vincent asked, his voice kind.
"W-why do you wear that?" the kid nodded to his claw.
Vincent looked down at it and held it up. The boy stepped back a little. "An experiment by a bad scientist. It's grafted onto my arm and hand."
The boy blinked. "What's 'grafted' mean?"
"It means I can't take it off."
"It's stuck?"
Vincent nodded.
"…Is it sharp."
Vincent nodded again. "I only use it to fight monsters and bad guys."
"Like the 'vetts?"
Vincent blinked before realizing he meant the Tsviettes. He nodded. The boy was still staring at his claw, his gaze more curious than fearful now.
"Would you like to touch it?"
The boy looked interested, but hesitant. Vincent squatted low so he could look at the boy. He held out his claw. The boy stepped closer, his hand coming out hesitatingly. The rest of the kids had noticed and their game paused as they watched their classmate make contact with the dark, red-eyed man's claw.
"Does it hurt?" the boy asked as kids came running up to them.
Vincent shook his head. "No."
Another boy at the front of the small crowd forming stepped forward and reached out to touch the claw as well. Yuffie caught up to Denzel, who hung back from the group. She placed an arm along his shoulders. Denzel glanced up at her before turning back. Vincent was surrounded by small children now pawing his clawed hand and arm, trying to answer all their questions, for they had many.
"How many have you killed with your claw?"
"Did you take out the Tsviettes with this?"
"Why is it gold?"
"Isn't it heavy?"
"Aren't you afraid you'll poke your eye out?"
"Where can I get one?"
Some little girls started fingering his hair. Vincent turned when he felt them tugging on the ends.
"Your hair is so long."
"It's longer than Yuffie's."
"It's longer than mine."
"Why don't you cut it?"
"It doesn't look like you brush it very often."
Yuffie covered her mouth to stop her laughter. Vincent looked so uncomfortable. Something moved out of the corner of her eye, and she glanced towards the street.
Reno stood at the fence. His took a long drag from his cigarette and blew out the smoke, watching her. Angry that he dared to hang around, she muttered a "be right back" to Denzel before taking off towards the fence. Vincent noticed through a break in the crowd, but didn't see Reno. A request for a piggyback ride caught his attention then.
Yuffie stopped on the other side of the fence. Reno regarded her and she stared malevolently back.
"What are you doing here?" she said.
Reno puffed out some smoke, still considering. He finally shrugged. "Just out."
"Well, be 'out' somewhere else. There's little kids here. They've had enough crap happen to them, they don't need some sex-crazed pervert hanging around."
Reno scoffed. "Sex-crazed? How bout your 'beau' over there? Letting those brats paw at him is an obvious ploy to make you all soft and yielding."
"He's at least trying to change."
"Oh, so you want me to change, do you?" Reno stepped up to the fence, tossing away his cigarette. "For who? You?"
Yuffie huffed, looking annoyed. Moving off to the side, she leaped lithely over the fence and stubbed his cigarette out with her boot. "How bout for yourself," she bit out. "Or for your partner. Or for Elena. Or for anyone who had the dumb sense to care about you."
She made to leap back over, but he stopped her, coming close. Her heart sped up, but she looked up at him with disdain.
"And again I'll ask," he breathed, his gaze hard yet earnest. "Does that include you?"
The sound of screaming kids caught her attention and she looked out over the field, seeing the kids scattering with a glowering Vincent staring straight at her. No, he was staring at Reno. And now he was walking towards them.
"Oh, kuso," Yuffie muttered. She shoved Reno and he stumbled back. "Get outta here."
Reno looked at her in askance, glancing between her and Vincent. "What the fuck?"
"I said, get outta here!" Yuffie yelled at him. "I don't need your death on my hands."
Reno gave her a cocky smirk. "You don't think he has a right to know about us?"
"There is no 'us'. Now, go before I kill you myself."
Reno cocked an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Not even when your fingers mussed my hair as you stuck your tongue down my throat?"
She launched a throwing star at his head. He ducked backwards, matrix-style, it just missing him. She swung her leg low, but he back-flipped away. She pushed off the ground and launched herself feet first at him, but he rolled to the side. Standing, he kicked her in the back with the flat of his boot and she let out a yell as she slammed face-first into the ground.
He had just enough time to pull out his EMR before Vincent was on him. Reno struck out, but Vincent was in a rage and grabbed his arm viciously, wrenching it. Reno let go of his rod with a grunt as he felt his shoulder pop out of its socket. He turned and Vincent head-butted him. Everything went black.
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A/N: Let me know what you think;)
