AN: A little gift for Tijuana Pirate. For being so nice and taking so much time to read through my collection of mishmashed stories...
"Hey there, shhexxxy," he said, the foul odor of his breath making her cringe.
"Lay off, you drunken perv!" she screeched, hitting below the belt.
"Dammit!" he yelled, still managing to save his most prized part.
"You need to learn some manners!" she shouted, getting out of his grasp.
"Mannersss? You ssshhould talk," he muttered, taking a good swig as she dissappeared out of sight.
"Fancy meeting you here," he said, oozing a choking amount of charm. She wrinkled her nose at its stench.
"Fancy? Didn't think you knew such a word," she quipped. He smirked.
"S'pose you're still as childish as ever," he answered, letting his eyes wander, "Plenty of other women here tonight..." She gave him an angry look and stomped off.
"I still got it," he chuckled to himself, gliding up to the next lonely woman.
"You like to show up at the worst moments, don't you?" he muttered, reaching over to begin drinking. She scowled.
"I didn't come here for you," she hissed, assuming a defensive and yet arrogant position, "Really? Funny, that's what she said..." he whispered, finally getting a hold of the bottle.
"Just the messenger..." she replied curtly, dropping the envelope in front of him before stalking off.
"Oh no," she spoke, demanding and whining at the same time, "I'm not working with you. I don't care what he said..."
"I'm afraid you're mistaken," he said quietly, failing at hiding his amused grin, "Looks like we're partners." He smiled a sickeningly sweet smile at her.
"There are worse things," she said, flashing him a quick grin, "But then again, we killed him. I guess that makes you the worst now." He gritted his teeth.
"Funny, I was just thinking the same thing," he answered, a satisfied grin on his face.
"Ugh, why do I feel, so strange?" she said, woozily staggering about.
"Steady! We haven't time for this," he said, grabbing her arm to steady her.
"How sweet," she said sarcastically before slumping over.
"How long have I been out?" she said, her voice cracking from its lack of use. He smiled grimly.
"Two days," he answered, "You had quite a fever." She groaned as she shifted in the bed.
"Hmm... that explains why my head wants to explode," she said, and rolled over into sleep again.
"Didn't even say thank you," he muttered to himself, "Then again, what did I ever do that was so great?"
"I'm bored," she stated plainly, "And I can't leave this bed. That means you have to talk to me." He smiled, leaning further in his seat.
"I could just ignore you," he said, propping his foot up. She scowled.
"Aw c'mon," she said, a little more gentle, "aren't you the least bit curious?" He sniffed, considering her question.
"Alright, shoot," he answered.
"Why'd you do it?" she asked, and then bit her lip, "You know...help me." He grinned.
"'Cause now you owe me," he answered smoothly. She scoffed.
"Fine. I'll just go back to sleep," she rolled over, muttering to herself.
"Alright, alright," he said with mock defenses, holding his hands up, "I admit, I'm a bit of a slob." She arched her eyebrow skeptically.
"A bit? Ha," she teased, "Looks like you need to fire whoever does your clothes." He chuckled, despite her obvious insults.
"Yes, well what about you?" he quipped, "Your threads hardly qualify for proper attire." She just about lost it.
"Geez, didn't know you even had a vocabulary," she giggled, holding her sides. He smirked.
"Let's not get too friendly, eh?" he said quickly, "It's not like we actually want to be here." She frowned, turning her head down.
"Right..." she said quietly.
"Get down!" he yelled at her, and she complied, just in time, as bullets whizzed by.
"I don't need you getting killed," he growled over to her, "Just because of that whole 'hero' business."
"And what do you know?!" she retorted, "Money and reputation hardly qualify as honorable ends."
"Honorable ends!" he kept from shouting through gritted teeth, "Shoot or be shot. Only the damn rich have time to make up such bullshit."
"How bleak," she muttered, adjusting her weapon for another attack, "I guess I'm not old enough to have given up on principles."
"We could fucking die!" he yelled, face twisted into some carnival apparition, "Like that!" He snapped his fingers, illustrating his point. She shook her head.
"Life's too fast, sweetheart," he muttered, face grimly set, "Now let's fucking finish this and get out of here."
"I didn't think you were old enough to drink," he observing, indicating towards her poison. She smirked.
"I didn't think you were young enough to care," she quipped, taking a dramatic swig. He sat down, gesturing to the bartender.
"Am I really that naïve?" she asked, not caring if he answered. He shrugged.
"If you've seen death, or dealt it," he muttered eyes focused on the wall, "Then you've given up on any form of innocence."
"Innocence? I could give up a little..." she whispered, the insinuation heavy in the air.
"You're lucky you caught me sober..." he replied, setting down the glass and getting up to leave.
"It's just another mission," she spoke, trying her best to deadpan, "Bang. Boom. Done."
"Stop acting like that," he answered, shifting his weight, "You sound like fucking Tseng or something."
"I'm not a child," she retorted, "I can sound like an adult when I want to."
"Yes, but not that adult," he whispered, putting a hand on her shoulder, "He's dead."
"What does that matter?" she replied, on the edge of her breath, "People at least respect the dead..." He snorted.
"So that's what you think?" he hissed, "Damn. No wonder..."
"What?" she asked, pulling her shoulder from his grasp, "You got something to say? Like always?"
"No," he said quietly, "Just keep yourself alive, ok? I don't need to bury any more comrades..."
"Yuffie!" he shouted, seeing the bullet before she reacted, "GET DOWN!"
She turned, just enough for it to miss anything...vital.
"UGH!" she shouted as it hit, her arm abloom with her own blood.
"Dammit," he muttered, ducking as he made his way towards her, "You never listen..."
"Hey," she said, her eyes glazed, "That kinda hurt." He chuckled.
"No shit," he replied, steadying her, "Can't stay out of trouble, huh?"
"About as well as you can," she replied, before passing out.
"I wanted to apologize," she whispered hoarsely, "Guess I'm still a little childish..."
"No," he interrupted, tired eyes regarding her almost coldly, "Don't even talk like that."
"Why?" she breathed, grimacing as she attempted to sit up. He shrugged.
"Hell, you wouldn't sound like yourself, Yuff," he said, a little mischief playing across his features, "Stubborn and all that." She sighed.
"Well, good lot it's done me," she said defiantly, "You acting all nursemaidish and all..."
"Don't push your luck," he said leaning back in his chair, "I'm a bad guy, remember?"
"That's no excuse," she replied, grinning madly.
"What's the problem?" she said, leaning dangerously towards him, "Do I make you... nervous?" He gulped, sliding along the wall.
"No," he lied, gritting his teeth with the effort, "Your breath stinks." She wrinkled her nose.
"I could say the same," she muttered, backing off, "When's the last time you bathed?" He let out a slow breath.
"And some people confuse you for a child..." he whispered to himself, not realizing she could still hear.
"Guess you're more innocent than I thought, Reno" she replied, sashaying out of his vision.
"Are you honestly daring me?" he asked, his face shocked. She smiled.
"You're the one who told me life's too short," she replied coolly. He smirked.
"If only for the adventure of it," he replied, silencing himself when his lips became entangled in hers.
"That's not what I meant!" she gasped out, pulling herself away. He smirked.
"You dared me to make a move," he replied, tracing her cheek with his fingers, "You didn't specify what kind of move..."
"Well, what now?" she asked, biting her lip, "I'm not sure..." He silenced her with a finger on her lips.
"Shhh," he said, grinning, "I never thought you were ever a child..."
AN: Gosh, I keep turning Yuffie into such a little vixen... Can't help it, I guess. Oh, and her getting sick and all... um, I was kinda sick for the past couple of days (I even missed class, really bad thing in college) and I took it out on Yuffie. Sorry.