Because English in summer school is a crash course that I'm sailing by in, I wrote several subplots for Project 365 while listening to a lecture about, um, some story. To Build A Fire, I think. Eh, anyway. This is set post-DoC.
With her hands folded on her lap, legs crossed in pseudo-meditation, Yuffie Kisaragi studied the inhabitants of Tifa's Seventh Heaven, eyes closed. Tifa was near her, washing dishes and speaking to costumers, filling orders and such. Cloud was in his room, working on the route of the quickest way to his next designation. Shelke was in the living room speaking to Nanaki, otherwise referred to as Red XIII. Marlene and Denzel were playing infront of the bar with one of their friends. Cid and Barret were working on a new machine to harness the power of oil, something Yuffie rolled her eyes at. Right, like those two'll really get any work done. Cait Sith and Reeve were watching TV and sleeping respectively. Vincent was...
Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Clink.
...right infront of her. She opened her eyes and, sure enough, the stoic gunslinger was staring down at her with his garnet eyes. Grinning sheepishly, she gave him a slight wave. "Hey, Vince. I know you wanna talk to a babe like me, but, I'm practicing my information gathering skills. My old man has some work for me to do when I get back home."
The ex-Turk arched a brow. "Yes, I, I'll leave you to that, then," he said, turning.
"Whoa, wait!" Yuffie reached out, grabbing his gauntlet'd hand with both of hers. When he turned back, she grinned. "I'm kidding, Vince. You know I have time for you."
"Right," Vincent said, taking back his hand when Yuffie dropped hers back to her lap. He stared down at her, as if considering how to word something. After several long, almost awkward moments, he spoke up. "I wanted to apologize for what happened back in Mako Reactor Zero, with Nero."
Yuffie frowned. "With what happened with Nero?" Which part? she added in her head.
"When he pulled you into his darkness," Vincent clarified.
An expression of realization washed over her. "Oh, right. That. Why're you apologizing?" She arched her thin brow at him.
He sighed, sitting down next to her as if the strength in his legs gave out. "For not preventing it. What happened, it must have been horrible for you to black out like how you did," he said, staring down at his lap.
Giving an un-feminine snort, Yuffie smacked him upside the head. "Jeez, Vincent," she said. "You really do blame yourself for everything, don't you." It wasn't a question, so he kept silent. "Listen," she said, turning bodily towards him. "Not that you did anything wrong, but, Vince, I forgave you the second you pulled me out of there." Standing, she gave him a grin that reached to her eyes and beyond. "Besides, you can't prevent everything bad that happens. Now, I'm gonna ignore you until you get that through your head. All right?" Turning with a smile, she bounded off to bother Cait Sith and Reeve, leaving Vincent to his thoughts.
With his ungauntlet'd hand resting against the place Yuffie stuck, he felt the beginnings of a smile on his lips. Perhaps... Perhaps she was right.