For NeonRaine and KrystalGamer. Enjoy! (I hope…)

Save the Best for Last

Chapter 2

Yuffie moved in time with the beat, keeping up with the rest of the cheerleaders. She tried to push Squall, Leon, or whatever he called himself out of her mind and concentrated on the routine.

"Okay… that should be it for tonight!" Trish called out. It's been a long day, and they all need their rests.

Yuffie handed her pompoms to the 'Pompom Keeper' and walked with Angela to the University Shuttle Bus. "So who was that guy?"

Yuffie looked at Angela with a guarded expression. "What guy?"

"The hottie with that scar you were talking to?"

Yuffie pretended to suddenly remember. "Oh, him. He's an old family friend."

Angela smirked. "Okay, if you say so. You look really out of it since this afternoon."

"Just hungry. Listen, you go ahead. I feel like… pancakes. Big chocolate pancakes."

"Just make sure Trish doesn't find out. She'll freak if she finds out any of us is eating more than 5 lettuce leaves."

Yuffie and Angela shared a laugh before they parted ways. Yuffie walked out of the stadium and straight into Stacks of Pancakes. She didn't even know why she suddenly wanted to eat pancakes.

You know why! A voice sneered inside her head. You both have pancakes for dinner, every night on his birthday. The only time you eat pancakes. Remember your tradition? The voice taunted her.

"Shut up, brain." Yuffie muttered as she walked in the restaurant She smiled at the waitress and requested for a booth. "I'll have Nachos please. I'll have the Chocolate Supreme Pancakes later."

"Not a problem. Won't be long." The waitress replied as she took down Yuffie's order.

Every night on Squall's birthday, they would eat pancakes for dinner. When she first met Squall, she was just six. She remembered wandering off the party her parents took her to, and got lost in the maze.

She met him then, on the ground, a sketch pad on his lap as he drew the flowers around him.

"Are you lost?"

Yuffie jumped in surprise. He wasn't even looking at her!

"No." Yuffie lied, not wanting to admit that she was. The boy looked at her, and she stared in wonder at his eyes. They were the prettiest eyes she had ever seen. "Why are you here alone?"

"I wanted to stay away from all the noise. You're Yuffie Kisaragi, aren't you?"

Yuffie looked at the boy in wonder. "You know me?"

"Your parents took you to our house last night."

"How come I didn't see you then?" She asked. She didn't remember any boy last night.

"That's because I came home late. You fell asleep and my mom put you in my room."

Yuffie nodded , remembering the blue room she stayed in last night. "Your room is blue."

Squall wanted to roll his eyes as he stood up. "Come on. I'll walk you back, your parents are probably worried about you." He offered his hands to the little girl, and she took it, and the two went out of the maze.

Yuffie sighed as she replayed the memory in her head. She found out that day that their families was going to go skiing. On the day of his 16th birthday, Squall's and Yuffie's parents were invited to a party, but got stuck in a blizzard and couldn't come home. Needless to say, Squall wasn't happy.

"They won't be back tonight?"

Squall shook his head. Not knowing why he expected anything different this year. "No."

"But it's your birthday!" Yuffie protested as she followed the older boy in the living room.

Squall sat on the sofa and pulled a book from the coffee table. "It doesn't matter."

"You haven't even had your cake yet! It's not a birthday if you don't have a cake!"

"I'm too old for cakes." Squall replied and Yuffie pouted. No one was too old for cakes. Seeing that Squall wasn't being nice like he was earlier, Yuffie left the older boy alone and went to the kitchen. She was only going to get a banana when she saw a packet of pancake mix her mother used earlier.

"That's it! I'll make Squall a pancake!"

She'd seen her mother do this a dozen times, so it should be easy, right?

Squall rushed to the kitchen when he heard Yuffie scream. "What…" He couldn't finish what he wanted to say when he saw Yuffie, covered in white powder, broken pieces of eggs all around her. "What happened?"

Yuffie tried not to cry, but her bottom was really hurting. "I was going to make pancakes… and I tried to reach the eggs…"

She remembered Squall picking her up and cleaning her, before he cleaned the kitchen. She stood next to him as he helped her make the pancakes… and that was the start of the Pancake Tradition… which ended two years ago. And now, Yuffie found herself alone in a restaurant eaten pancakes, like she had after Squall broke their tradition. "I don't even know why I do this…"

Even as she asked herself the question, her heart already knew the answer.

Not so far away, Squall sat on his bed as he looked at a picture. It was taken so many years ago, and even now, after all these years, it still brought a smile to his face. Little Yuffie, covered in pancake powder as she looked at him from the ground, brilliant grey eyes almost in tears. He took a photo before he cleaned her up. The camera was on top of the refrigerator, and he couldn't help but want to capture the scene before him. They ended up making pancakes after making sure the girl wasn't hurt anywhere, and after he cleaned up her mess. He placed the photo back in his wallet as he stood up. He suddenly felt like pancakes.

The walk to the restaurant didn't take long, considering they chose the hotel nearest to the stadium. Once inside, he was quite surprised to see a crowded room.

"Table for one, sir?"

Squall looked at the waitress and nodded his head.

"I should have a table at the back, if you could just follow me, please."

The waitress walked ahead of him and Squall followed, only to see Yuffie next to the table where he was supposed to seat.

Yuffie looked up and tried not to choke on her nachos when she saw who walked past her. "Fancy meeting you here."

The waitress looked at Squall and Yuffie. "Would you like to share a table?"

Squall looked at Yuffie who shrugged. He sat down in front of her, and Yuffie suddenly felt like fixing her hair. "I'll just have a Caesar Salad and a bottle of water."

"I'll be back with your order."

Squall and Yuffie looked at each other in silence for a few seconds before Squall spoke. "You cut your hair."

Yuffie's hands flew at the nape of neck, and touched the soft strands that sometimes tickled her. "Yeah… easier to manage."

"It looks good on you."

"Thank you." Yuffie replied as she took another nachos. "I suppose you're here to scout?"

Squall nodded. "The agency is looking for new athletes. I'm surprised to see you here, as a cheerleader. You've always told me how silly they looked."

"I'm doing it as a favour for my cousin. She broke her ankle after her boyfriend got into a fight, they both landed on her legs… she pretty much didn't stand a chance."

The waitress arrived with Squall's order, and Squall thanked the waitress who gave Squall a seductive smile. Yuffie just rolled her eyes as she went back to her nachos. "So, found anyone you want to book?"

"Too early to tell."

Still not talkative. Yuffie thought as they ate. She was about to take another bite when she noticed something from Squall's hands. "Your ring? What happened to it?"

Squall looked at her before he replied. "I gave it to Rinoa."

"Can I have your ring, Squall? Can I? Can I?" Eight year old Yuffie asked as she held Squall's hands.

"No, Yuffie. I can't give this ring away. It's a family ring."

Yuffie pasted her cheerleader smile as she brushed the memory away. "How sweet."

Squall noticed the change in Yuffie's behaviour. "It's been a long time, Yuffie…"

"Yep. Two years… and four hours and ten minutes, but hey, who's counting?" Yuffie replied, angry that she could hear the bitterness of her own voice. "I'm…"

"Yuffie Kisaragi! No wonder you won't accept my invitations for a date." A loud voice called out and Yuffie closed her eyes.

"Jake… how are you?"

The rest of the basketball team walked to their table, headed by the Captain himself.

"Jake, meet Leon Leonhart. Leon, ,meet Jake Martinez, Mr. Big Man On Campus."

Jake and Squall shook hands. "Leon Leonhart? Are you related to Squall? The agent?"

"I'm Squall, Leon's a nickname."

Jake and the rest of the team suddenly became more friendlier. "Why don't you guys join us?"

"JM, come on, leave them alone." Gary Barton said as he winked at Jake. "Don't you see how they want to be left alone?"

Jake snickered as he looked at Yuffie suggestively. "See you tomorrow, Yuffie."

"Unfortunately." Yuffie replied as the basketball team laughed and walked away, exchanging high-fives. "Idiots." She turned her attention back to Squall. "I thought it's Leon now and not Squall."

"I realised I was wrong, and my reasons were selfish." Squall replied. "I was surprised to hear you call me Leon."

"It's what you wanted."

Before Squall could say anything, the waitress returned to their table. "Are you ready for your pancake?"

Yuffie forgot about the pancakes. "Yes, please."

"You're having pancakes?"

Yuffie flicked her hands, as if showing him their surroundings. "We are in a pancake restaurant."

"I did… I missed this." Squall confessed and earned a surprised look from Yuffie.

"I thought you said it was childish and completely irrelevant."

"I was wrong."

The pancake arrived and the waitress served two extra plates. "Enjoy your pancakes."

There was an awkward silence before Yuffie picked up her fork. "Well, here's to old times."

Squall nodded and pushed his salad aside for a pancake. "For old time's sake."

End Chapter 2

Well, hope that explains a few things here and there… there's more flashbacks to come though.

Thanks for the review, NeonRaine. I am intrigued by your fic! Please let it be happy! Please! I'm loving it!

KrystalGamer, I enjoyed Chapter two very, very much. Your reviews will keep my ego and sanity going!