Authors Notes: Thanks for the reviews! Disclaimer: I don't own FF7 in any way, only this story. I know sad, but...that's how it is.
"Auntie Yuffie!" The young girl cried as she jumped onto the ninja's lap. "Oomph!" Yuffie let out a grunt.
"Sorry" the little girl said with a chuckle. Yuffie put her arms around Marlene and kissed the top of her head. "What are you doing out here?" She asked.
"Daddy and Uncle Cid are saying bad words so Auntie Shera told me to come outside for a while." Yuffie smiled, she could hear Shera scolding the two men for their bad choice of words.
They sat out on the front porch while Marlene told countless stories about her everyday life in Corel and the struggles of being in the first grade. From little boys pulling her hair to the bratty girls who wouldn't share the crayons. The young Shinobi was actually quite intrigued. It was strange to hear this little girl go on and on about the things in her life and think they were really important. She laughed to herself. What age was it when things like this weren't important to her anymore? When did she take that leap from child to adult? She remembered back to the days when she could just lounge around the house and not have anything too serious to worry about. She remembered her father telling her to stop being so lazy and do something productive while she simply rolled her eyes, said a smart remark and went on. Or when the biggest worry was did she do her chemistry homework, and if she didn't who was she to copy from the next day. It was strange how one could make the transition to adulthood and not even fully be aware of it.
"Auntie? Auntie are you listening?" Marlene asked with a confused look on her face. Yuffie snapped out of her thoughts and smiled at the little girl before her. "Sorry sweetie, go on." Marlene smiled and was starting back up again before a certain brunette walked up.
"Hey!" She exclaimed. She was holding a clear grocery bag that looked like it consisted of ice cream.
"Ice cream!" The little girl screamed as she jumped off Yuffie's lap and ran to the crimson eyed girl, pawing through the bag.
"Hey not just yet, the ice cream is for dessert tonight." Tifa explained while pulling the bag away.
"What else did you get?" Yuffie asked her friend who had just returned from the store. Tifa smiled and gave a wink "Junk food!"
Yuffie laughed, "Alright now your talking my language!"
"Yeah" the brunette began "I figure since were on vacation why not indulge huh?" She handed the bag to Marlene and told her to take it inside to Shera. The little girl obliged while happily skipping into the house. Tifa sat next to her friend on the porch.
"So for tonight I vote on a movie, what's your say on that?" She asked inquisitively. Yuffie rested her head on her hands and looked up as if she were thinking.
"Hmm" she began "I think that would be great."
Tifa laughed. She had been having a great time this past week with her friends. She had reverted back to her old self. The old Tifa that all of her friends had been so accustomed too. Her smiles had become genuine again and she had gotten back that cheery, angelic voice. It was great to be around them all again...it was great to be around him. The ex soldier had came back into her life and had made it do a complete turn-around. Speaking of the blonde, where was he?
"Where's Cloud?" She asked after a moment's silence.
Yuffie cringed. She was growing quite tired of this Cloud and Tifa thing. She did want her friends to be happy, but it was slowly taking a toll on her.
'Are you kidding me!?' The ninja thought to herself. 'Not only do I have to watch this dumbass movie, but I also have to witness the Cloud and Tifa flirt scene!' Yuffie took another bite of her strawberry ice cream while she stared venomously at the two on the couch beside her. Tifa was lying down against Cloud with her head resting on his chest while he held her in his arms, stroking her hair. They would make comments quietly to each other through out the movie, a few which caused Tifa to let out a deafening sweet giggle. Yuffie rolled her eyes 'Give me a break!' She tried to focus on the ice cream because the movie wasn't holding her attention, but she kept hearing the two talk in their quiet voices. She looked around at the others. Cid and Shera sat on the love seat curled up in each other's arms, both entranced with the movie. Nanaki lay on the floor asleep. Barett was very much into the movie as well while he held a sleeping Marlene in his arms. Vincent...well Vincent hadn't stayed for the movie. He said he was going for a walk. And at this moment Yuffie wished she had also. 'Gawd' she thought 'isn't it bad enough that I have feelings for this guy, but I also have to be subjected to this crap!' She finished her ice cream and looked at her now empty bowl. 'Damn, now what?' she thought. She quietly made her way off to the kitchen and discarded her bowl in the sink. 'I think I'm going to call it a night' she thought to herself as she tiptoed back to her room.
'I doubt anyone noticed I left,' she thought to herself as she shut the door quietly. What a mess. She was glad to be with her friends, but at the same time she hated it. She tried not to think of it as she lay down on the bed. 'Just don't think.'
She drifted in and out of sleep for a while. 'Everyone must be sleeping' she thought to herself. She didn't hear the sounds of the T.V anymore, but she did hear Imara's faint cry in the distance and muffled footsteps followed by a sweet voice that could be none other than Shera's. She smiled as she closed her eyes again, but an irritating ring started.
"What is that?" The young ninja asked groggily to know one in particular as she sat up in bed. The ringing kept on going. "My phone?" she said as she rummaged through her bag trying to find the small cell phone.
"Hello?" she asked sleepily.
"Yuffie?"
"Hmm"
"Yuffie? Are you awake? I'm sorry to call you so late, and on your vacation at that."
"Gigio?" Yuffie asked.
"Yes" he replied, "I'm sorry, I know that you didn't want to be disturbed on your trip to see you friends, and I'm truly sorry to ask that you come back." Yuffie blinked a few times trying to fully wake up.
"Come back? Why?" she asked curiously.
"Business matters Yuffie, I really am sorry. But the sooner you return the better." Yuffie's eyes lit up. This was just the excuse she needed to get away. She needed to leave, she loved seeing all her friends, but she had to leave...she had too.
"No Gigio it's alright" she began "I understand. When?"
"I can set up for you to come back now. All I have to do is make the call, or if you'd like it can wait till tomorrow, that way you can say bye to all your friends."
Yuffie shook her head "No, no now is fine." She didn't mean to be selfish by leaving so abruptly but she had to get back to her normal environment. Maybe if she distanced herself from Cloud things would go back to the way they were, before she felt like this.
"Alright Yuffie, I'll see you soon then, be ready." Gigio said before hanging up. The Shinobi got all of her things together as she walked out of the room. 'Should I wake everyone up? Or just leave a note? I mean I can just call them in the morning.'
She continued walking out to the living room and grabbed a piece of paper and pen off the desk.
"Yuffie?" A voice asked.
She turned around to be faced with Cloud.
"Hey" Yuffie replied. He looked half asleep and was rubbing his eyes with his hand. "What are you doing?" he continued. Yuffie went to speak but froze up. She placed the pen and paper down and sighed. The blonde caught a glimpse at her bags and his eyes widened. "Are you leaving?"
The young ninja nodded "yeah I have too." She ran a hand through her uncombed hair and smiled weakly. "I mean...its back to business. I didn't want to wake everyone so I was just going to leave a note. Gigio just called and they need me back there."
Cloud frowned "Way to cut our vacation," he said simply with a sigh. 'Our?' Yuffie thought. "What do you mean our?" she asked skeptically. She was answered by Cloud walking to the closet and grabbing his bag. "I mean, when you leave so do I," he explained while dropping the bag on the floor. Yuffie had a confused look on her face. Cloud noticed and sighed, "I told you I'm on assignment Yuff." The girl shook her head "No you said you take on a lot of assignments, you didn't say you were actually on one."
Cloud shrugged "Well now you know," he answered flatly.
'What the hell what kind of assignment is this?' Yuffie thought to herself. She frowned, he seemed a little upset to be going. She didn't want him to leave just because she had too. She didn't want him to resent her. If he wanted to stay with Tifa then by all means he should. She didn't want to be responsible for him being angry or heartbroken. 'Forget it' she thought 'I don't have time to worry about this, I need to get back to Wutai and back to my rightful place, I don't have time to worry about feeling guilty. He's grown, he can make his own decisions. Whatever assignment he's on, he can just forget it!' she thought angrily. She picked back up the pen and paper and scribbled down a quick message then grabbed her bag. "I'll be waiting outside." She said coldly while quickly walking out of the door.
Cloud sighed. He didn't mean to make her mad, he just wasn't sure if he was ready to leave yet. He didn't want to leave Tifa. Not when they were just starting to get reacquainted. Things were going so well for them, he didn't want to ruin that. He couldn't just leave. But he had a job to do. He sighed again. This wasn't easy. Then again, now that he was back he definitely wasn't going to lose contact. But still. He shook his head, no he had to go. No since in arguing it. He glanced at Yuffie's note and added too it. He thought that would be enough for now and he would just call them in the morning. He grabbed his bag and made his way over to the door, but not before stopping by the couch where Tifa slept. He bent down and kissed her on the forehead. She looked so innocent, so beautiful. "See you later Teef." He whispered as he pulled the blankets up higher on her. And with that he was out the door. He saw Yuffie look back at him, and then she began walking. He shook his head, this wasn't going to be easy.