Disclaimer: Characters go to SquareEnix.
Mystic: Gah, this chapter. -.- Since the people over at Square only told us about Reeve's mother, Ruvie, and nothing about his father, I say it's time to break out the creative license and delve into the commissioner's childhood. Yay! What follows is my bastardized thought/opinion/imagination.
Silence was never a friend of Yuffie's. She considered it a cruel temptress that would undoubtably lead her to thoughts she tried to ignore, or suspicions she didn't care to acknowledge. Reeve's eyes were dark on the stairwell; soft with many questions, yet firm with untapped answers. Yuffie wanted to break the silence first and put that temptress in her place (preferably six feet under), but Reeve simply offered her his hand and calmly led her down the stairs, out the front door, and far away from prying ears.
The air outside was fresh and clear, with only a slight breeze to snake through the array of buildings and across the cheeks of two lone individuals.
"They asked you the same thing, didn't they?"
His question was more of a statement and it only caused Yuffie to let go of his warm hand and lean against the brick wall. "Yeah," she answered, her face rather downtrodden.
"Did you respond?"
She shook her head. "No."
He sighed and looked upward at the stars half-hidden by the moonlight and streetlamps. An image of his father suddenly appeared in his mind and Reeve's heart collapsed into a bed of repressed emotions that probably shouldn't have been so repressed in the first place. It was time to talk, though he wasn't quite sure what to say.
In typical Yuffie-fashion, she said it first. "I don't want to screw this up, Reeve!"
He turned, obviously shocked, and gently took her by the shoulders. "What makes you say that? Why would you even think that?"
"My mom died when I was a little kid!" she yelled with a foot stomp. "I have no idea how she interacted with my dad, or how to be a wife."
"Then why did you say yes to me? If you're that scared, why did you say yes?"
The corners of her mouth turned upward. "'Cuz you're hot?"
"Yuffie, be serious."
The sound she huffed in protest reminded him of an inbred chocobo. "Because you're Reeve," she answered, poking him in the chest. "You're my Reeve. You're my cute, nerdy Reeve. You've always been my friend, my boss, and I'd rather you be mine in lotsa other ways. And I don't give a damn how selfish that sounded, because it's the damn truth!" Those final words were stressed by jabs to his chest.
He grabbed her hand to prevent anymore finger poking. His sturnam was going to bruise from the abuse. He brought her knuckles to his lips in one brief kiss, then slumped back against the building, a recognizable liquid glistening around his eyes. "Do you know how old my parents were when they married?"
"What does that have to do with --"
"My father was forty-one," he interrupted, "and my mother was eighteen." He paused there, just long enough for the information to properly register in Yuffie's mind.
"Okaaayyyy," she drawled. "What's your point exactly? That happens all the time in Wutai. So, unless he was hitting her or something --"
"No." Reeve's voice was sharp and enough to make even Yuffie jump back. "No," he said again, this time much softer. "My father was very good to her. That man loved her with all his being."
"So, what's the issue?"
He sighed. "My father died when I was eleven, leaving my mother heartbroken and alone. She became the stereotypical young widow with a son to raise by herself and a part of me never forgave him for it." His eyes dropped and he blinked to hold back the tears his father said boys never released. "I refused to do that to a woman. I vowed to never to do what he did. He left a woman alone and scared."
Yuffie could only stare back at him. Not once did she ever think that Reeve was raised in a one-parent household like she had been. "It's not like he could've helped it, Reeve," she said softly. "At least you had memories of him; I barely remember my mom."
"That's not it, Yuffie."
"Then what is it?" She reached forward and latched on to his arm. "Why is one little word making us like this for that matter?"
"I never desired to marry a girl so much younger than I," he admitted, "only to abandon her through an early demise."
"You sound like Vincent," she snorted. "My boss is brooding."
"I'm contemplating."
She snorted again. "What made you change your mind?"
"You."
She glanced up. "... what?"
He turned to face her fully, letting his hands slide up her bare arms. "You, Yuffie. I came across this sixteen-year-old girl with enough courage to pilfer materia from a band of terrorists and then fight the crazed ex-general of a powerful company. I saw that same girl, two years later, return again to fight his remanents. Then I hired that girl to be my top spy and I could almost hear my father laugh at me, because I was feeling for you the same emotion he felt for my mother." That damned liquid returned and this time, he ignored their gentle stream. "I tried to keep it away, but it wouldn't leave; not with you always around me."
There was something in his voice that cracked. It sounded like desperation, but Reeve wasn't like that. Not her Reeve anyway. Not the Reeve she always knew.
"Staniv called my private number and requested that I become the husband of the prized White Rose and I said 'yes' because I knew, I knew, that no man could ever care for you or love you like I already did!"
She kissed him, long and hard, bruising and possessive. She kissed him the only way she knew how; which was to take everything he was willing to give and use it for herself. This embrace wasn't romantic like the others, but since it had been initiated by Yuffie of all people, Reeve didn't expect it to be. He didn't mind the clumsiness of her tongue or the deftness of her fingers tangling in his hair. This was a Yuffie-kiss and it felt too damn good for him to pull away.
xxx
"Tiiiifffaaa!"
"What is it, Marlene?"
"How long can people go without breathing?"
"... Huh?"
"It's Reeve and Yuffie. They're kissing and --"
Tifa quickly ran over and covered the girl's eyes. Barret was about to charge out the door and shoot a round into Reeve's behind, but quickly decided to shut the window blinds instead when he saw Vincent's red glare from across the room. Even with his gunarm, he couldn't really compete with a man who still had three demons living inside his head.
xxx
When they did eventually separate, it was with shaky breaths and quickened heartbeats. Her small hands clung to his lapel while his rested against her slim waist. "Why couldn't you have said all that earlier, Reeve?" she wondered, her voice infused with slight anger. "Why did you have to be all cocky and smug?"
"I have to keep appearances, Yuffie. Politics." He pulled her closer so they met in a true hug. "I doubt you would've believed me anyways."
"I've never even had a relationship," she sniffled. "I don't know what the hell I'm supposed to feel."
"You said I was yours, Yuffie. As selfish as that is, you still said it. If you just hold on to that, then you couldn't screw this up." Reeve pulled back to stare into those bright eyes. "You trust me, don't you?"
" ... yeah."
"Then I want you to wear this."
Young eyes widened at the sight of a small, black velvet box now nestled in the palm of WRO's commissioner. "I ordered you a ring after Staniv contacted me," he explained. "It arrived this afternoon and I hope it shows that I'm serious about this, Yuffie. I intend to make this -- us -- work." The engagement ring he chose was surely fit for the Wutaiin princess; a one carot princess-cut diamond sat on a fourteen-carot gold band and was surrounded by another half-carot of crushed diamonds. "I know you normally don't wear jewelry, Yuffie, but I hope you'll wear this. At least, for me."
"Reeve!" She watched with a growing smile as he slid the ring on the fourth finger of her left hand. "How much did this --?"
"That's not important," he said. "Compared to your bride price, this was surprisingly easy to afford."
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she giggled, "Like father, like son, huh?"
"He would've liked you."
"Were they arranged, Reeve?"
"No," he laughed. "He arrested my mother actually."
Yuffie quirked an eyebrow. "Wait, what?"
"My mother was one of those ... planet-loving types, you see."
"She was a hippie?!"
"Pretty much." A wide smile appeared as he recalled the often-told story. "One of her peace rallies became a bit unpeaceful and the police force had to be called in. My father was the one who took her into custody."
"Awwww ... " Yuffie squealed. "That is the most romantic story of jailbait I've ever heard!"
"What about your parents, Yuffie?"
"Pfft, they were arranged to wed when they were kids," she scoffed. "From what I heard though, mom had dad completely whipped. He never won a single argument."
Reeve had to wonder how much Yuffie inherited from the late Lady of Wutai. As commissioner, he was quite used to being in the right and verbal fights just so happened to be his strongpoint. The nagging he could handle, but the "whipped" part didn't exactly sit right. More like keeled over in a vat of chocobo dung. He was about to speak up when a recognizable laugh echoed in the recesses of his mind. 'Just you wait, son. She'll break out the tears, or the lip pout, and you'll cave like the rest of us.'
Dammit, he already let her have her way one too many times back at Headquarters. 'Enjoy your spine while you still have it.'
Okay, now that was getting annoying. "And here I thought Wutaiin women were supposed to be quiet and submissive."
Her hands flew to her hips. "Bite your tongue, Reeve!"
"Wouldn't you prefer to do the biting?"
She took him up on his offer and kissed him again. It was another Yuffie-kiss, complete with roughness and a harsh, frustrated growl from the ninja. She stopped after one, teasing nip to his tongue, only to rest her head against his chest. He could literally feel the smile and blush grow on her and he knew that what he experienced was a sincere 'thank-you'. That was how she showed gratitude and that was how she showed emotion.
"I won't screw this up, Reeve," she murmered. "I refuse to."
He knew she wouldn't. Not his Yuffie.