Disclaimer: I don't own FFVII.
Ten
-Wutai-
The wind was blowing lovingly through her hair, as if the very planet adored her. Her eyes were closed and a small smile graced her face, her ebony locks swinging to and fro across her face. It died down the moment she realized his presence, or perhaps she didn't realize he was there until it stopped. Either way, she turned, her smile widening in honest joy.
His heart was pounding violently in his chest, he knew exactly what was to come; he was, after all, no stranger to women.
"Isn't it beautiful up here?" She said gently, too gently for a girl of her young age. Her voice was aged many years beyond her own, and for a moment, Vincent felt like a child in his grandmother's living room. This was her place, and all of the sudden, she was so much older. It was intimidating, and it made his heart beat all the faster.
"Yes, it is quite gorgeous." He replied childishly, suddenly reminded of the similar talk they had on the mountains to the north of Icicle Village. She certainly was one for nature, he supposed that drew from the fact that their teammates, not to mention other people, seemed to enjoy tormenting her.
"My mother always loved it up here. You know, before Shin-ra…" She couldn't finish the sentence, eyes locking with Vincent's as pain suddenly crossed his features. He didn't want to hear about Shin-ra's involvement in her mother's death, he didn't want to know what the battle he was supposed to have taken part in turned out.
"Anyway, it's so peaceful, you can really forget about all the troubles in the world. I wish it was winter, the snow makes it feel even better." She smiled brightly, and for the first time in many years Vincent felt jealously burn in his chest.
He was jealous of her and her carefree attitude, he was jealous of her ability to bounce back from such painful events. He was so jealous of her that it hurt, and he wanted to cry and scream and tell her everything horrible that had ever happened to him.
But he didn't. Vincent Valentine turned his back on her and walked away, pain gripping his chest and guilt dripping from his soul.
Yuffie Kisaragi let him go.
She could see everything going through his mind, she could feel him tense and relax systematically, as if he was a machine on a dying battery. From the jolt of his fingers to the twitch in his shoulder, she could read the way he walked and the way he stood before her. She wanted to help him, she wanted to know what she could do to ease his pain. But she knew there was nothing but time to save him now, and that was all she could offer.
"Vincent!" She called out, her voice singing with the wind as it picked up again. He turned slowly to gaze up at her with heavy crimson eyes.
"You didn't give it enough time." She said reassuringly.
Of course that wasn't what she meant. He'd been in a coffin for the past thirty years, how much more time could he offer? But he knew what she meant, and he nodded in thanks to her as his heart lifted slightly.