Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters places things, because Square-Enix does. I hate expository writing and all that comes with it. It is 10am where I am, and I had my Expo Comp class at 8am. Can't think of a worst way to start the day than reading "Ron, I know you are capable of writing a decent paper... please consider taking some of this seriously..." and so on. That was a big research paper, and to be honest I got a D- on it. A tip to everyone making the jump between high school and college: College can be harder depending on how organized you are.

Cold Decency

Chapter Fourteen:

Cid was now in charge, and his persona emulated that feeling as he stood with his chest puffed looking out the window of the Highwind instead of nagging the pilots. And for a little bit it was just like that. Tifa had left them to personally watch over Cloud with an unwavering vigil. Much to Barret's disappointment Cid had been chosen as the replacement by Tifa. Avalanche didn't have much direction anymore. Searching for the large materia was more of a concept. Everyone on the ship just kind of sat around pondering the roles they had decided.

Vincent sat alone in the resting quarters on a worn down plain white cot. He sat alone and did nothing save scrutinizing the poor wall deep in thought. Avalanche needed to focus, but he was not the appointed leader. We should be finding a way to pierce Sephiroth's barrier. Why is Yuffie so willing to be close to me? I shouldn't have cried. Maybe Yuffie will be different. She certainly isn't like Lucrecia, and it doesn't seem like such a young soul could be capable of such deceit. What am I thinking, she robbed us blind at one point. What should I do? I shouldn't even be thinking about this with the way things are going now. It felt good to have someone carry my weight.

Cait Sith stood in the back of the pilots deck unmoving. A faint whir could be heard coming from inside Cait's giant mog as the well oiled machines waited for further command from Reeve.

Reeve sat bored behind his desk hoping for something to happen in Avalanche to give him a distraction from his paper work. Reeve old boy he thought, you are boring.

Yuffie sat in her usual spot behind the boxes thinking as her eyes darted from object to object. After Vincent had cleaned up my barf the other day it is probably the cleanest place on all of the stinky old Highwind. I hope Tifa is doing alright. Tifa freaked when she saw Cloud was in a vegetable state. She didn't have to shoo us all away though, Mideel still needed help. Oh well, not much for me to think about other than saving the world... and Vincent. Now that I have an honest crush on someone other than magazine heartthrobs (bleh my sister used to be obsessed with JTT, do all girls have magazine crushes in their preteens?) it makes me feel almost normal. All the other girls in Wutai were training to be proper women. More like proper morons. Yuffie Kisaragi wasn't going to be someones doll. Always a source of conflict too since Wutai men seem to find women good for only a handful of things. Very few women broke free from these bonds, and my mom was one. I miss her.

"All hands on the god damned deck!" blared Cid's voice over the intercom, "We have fucking some plans!"

Avalanche stood outside of the Pilot's bar in Rocket Town.

"You have got to be kidding me," Red XIII said silently.

"Shut your trap crotch licker, I think we should look for a fucking little inspiration in the bottom of a bottle!" Cid shouted with glee.

"I second that," Barret said gruffly as he already began walking in.

"I'll drink with you in spirit," Cait said as Reeve took out a drinking flask from his prim jacket.

"..." Vincent looked on with disapproval.

"Hey Cid?" Yuffie asked.

"What Brat?" Cid sighed exasperatedly, "You are not old enough to drink you little shit sneak."

"What?" Yuffie said surprised, "I was just going to ask why it is called the Pilot's Bar if you are the only pilot."

"Because I am a damn good pilot!" Cid said puffing out his chest as he took a long drag on his cigarette.

"Fat chance," Yuffie murmured under her breath.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU SAY?" Cid yelled.

"I said you suck, and I am looking for something else to do!" Yuffie said sticking out her tongue with a big smile.

"Whatever," Cid grumbled as he sauntered into the bar with Red XII following.

Vincent silently decided to follow Yuffie around, and she seemed to have a destination planned as she briskly made her way over to... the materia shop. He scanned it warily with his deep red eyes.

"It is closed Yuffie," Vincent said almost to quiet to hear.

"I guess," Yuffie sighed, "Thanks for not ditching me to drink."

"It is not my intention to be belligerent."

"Well I would be if I was OLD enough," Yuffie said mimicking no one in particular.

"If I remember correctly it is a lot more fun when you aren't supposed to be doing it," Vincent said looking up into the sky as if remembering something from long ago.

"Thats my whole philosophy, now get me some booze," Yuffie said demandingly.

"It would not be proper," Vincent said dryly looking back down into her pleading eyes.

"PLEASE, I have been real real good lately right?" Yuffie whined, "If I am old enough to undertake a quest on saving the world you think I would be able to drink a little."

"No," deadpanned Vincent.

"Oh you're real fun," grumbled Yuffie. She looked around the town. Nothing open save the bar. "So what do you want to do Mr. Arthur B. McNotcool?"

Vincent eyes widened at the new nickname. What to do indeed. Yuffie is just standing there staring at me... It is three in the morning, some of us should get sleep.

"We should go to Cid's house for sleep," Vincent said after a moment of deliberation.

Vincent had retired to a room long ago, and he probably wasn't even sleeping. Yuffie sat at the kitchen table very much awake, and very bored.

"Is Cid out drinking again?" Shera said walking into the kitchen.

"Yeah, everyone is," Yuffie pouted, "Well not Vincent."

"Oh, I see," Shera said with a small smile. "Well as long as they all secluded you, and Cid didn't even bother to tell me he was coming how about we have a little drink ourselves?"

"Are you serious?" Yuffie said surprised.

"I don't see why not, just don't tell your parents," Shera said as she reached into the cabinet and pulled out two wine glasses.

Vincent had been trying for the past hour to drown out the noises from the kitchen, until he heard some rather loud laughter. This is one of the reasons he didn't want to get the young ninja any alcohol. It is Shera's responsibility now he thought as he rolled over to face the door.

Yuffie was standing directly over him! He looked at her feet and saw she was wearing socks, and not those squeaky orange shoes.

"Heh, you were surprised... I am a ninja after all," Yuffie slurred as she fell suddenly on Vincent.

Her thin frame pressed up against his. This is the other reason he didn't want her to drink.

"You kids behave now," Shera said from the door, partly serious. A couple seconds later a click was heard as Shera went to bed.

"Yuffie, please sit up," Vincent calmly.

Yuffie tilted her head up on Vincent's chest so she could make eye contact with him. "But your so comfortable," she said as she tried to wrap her arms around his waist.

Vincent sighed and sat up. He then propped Yuffie up and watched as she leaned into him intently. "Shouldn't you be going to sleep Yuffie?"

"Nah I'm not tired, but I am curious..." Yuffie said eyes half shut.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, well you see, I am attracted to you," she paused and thought about how to word the next part, "but I don't think my dad will be attracted to you."

Vincent's eyes went slightly wider at that comment.

"NO! WAIT, I meant to say that I am not sure if he would be happy that I like you," Yuffie said belligerently.

Vincent didn't know how to respond to this. He didn't even know what his relationship with Yuffie was to him. It was alright though, Yuffie was drunk and she will talk the whole time without needed any feedback... ah the wonders of alcohol.

"I bet my mom would've like to have seen you," Yuffie mused, "She could seen what a real man looked like, instead of my old man."

Interesting thought Vincent, this is the first time Yuffie has mentioned her mother since the time she punched him in the nose.

"My mom was the best," Yuffie continued, "She always was there for me, and she made sure I could be who I wanted to be. Not some bozo in a kimono, but a real person with character."

She definitely has character mused Vincent as he looked down at Yuffie's head resting on his shoulder. As good as it feels to be comforted, it feels good to be her shoulder to lean on. Lucrecia had never really emulated true comfort. Her attraction was of less innocence. Vincent mistook her awkwardness about it for actual feelings for him though, and he tried for the first time in his life to open up to someone. Lucrecia in the end obviously wasn't interested. Now here is Yuffie, someone who honestly cares about me.

"My mom protected me to the very end," Yuffie said suddenly knocking Vincent out of his reverie, "When Shinra invaded."

She began to shiver slightly from the memory, and Vincent instinctively pulled her closer to him.

"Sephiroth was there," she said as tears began to brim in her eyes, "and the worst part is after he killed my mom... he saved my life!" Yuffie full out broke into tears as Vincent lifted her onto his lap, and hugged her against his chest.

This feels natural enough Vincent thought as his chin rested lightly on Yuffie's head. A few minutes later Yuffie's crying had died down, and she was asleep. He laid her gently down on the bed that he had been using. After he was sure she was comfortable he left the room, and sat at the kitchen table.

Another sunrise was watched by Vincent. Vincent also watched the rest of Avalanche stumble into the house and each fall asleep in random parts of the house. Shera was the first up, and she walked into the kitchen not at all surprised to see Vincent sitting there.

"Morning," she said nonchalantly.

Vincent nodded his head.

"Sorry if Yuffie's drinking caused any problems last night," Shera said as she shuffled around the cabinet for the teapot.

"No harm done," Vincent said without tone as he thought about how much worse Tifa was in comparison.

"Can I make you breakfast then?" Shera said pouring water into the teapot.

"No thank you," Vincent said monotonously as he got up without warning and walked out of the house.

Shera just shrugged as the water began to simmer.

Yuffie awoke with a start. Why am I still wearing my clothes? Better yet, where am I? Oh yeah, Vincent and I went back to Cid's house and Shera and I drank a little. What happened after that though? Wait, wasn't this the room Vincent went too? Note to self, find Vincent she thought as she stood up uncertainly. She fell back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling feeling a little sickness creep up. Note to self, drink less next time.

Okay, I think this will make a fine place to stop. Good and bad news everyone! And for once the good is better. Well, potentially anyways. The bad news is that this weekend (being May 7) I will be unable to write, because I am going to my native land in Illinois, so I won't be able to write. The good news is that after next week I am done with my first year of college, and will have all summer to be bored and update this story. Now let that sink in and please review. Review about my writing style, what you think is good or bad, what can be improved, and even though I probably won't take it seriously, what you might want to read. Hell, you can even review about nothing but how the weather is! Hope your weekend will be as fulfilling as mine promises to be!