***WARNING***
A poor quality chapter lies ahead along with an incredibly long Author's Note. Continue if you dare.
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[A/N: Guess who's back? Back again? QwickSilver's back, warn a friend.
Not to be rude or anything, but just a reminder: this is a hobby, not a job. I took up writing because I was bored...but mostly because I actually enjoy it. But I haven't had the time to be bored or enjoy anything lately...I'm writing this at 2 in the morning on a Saturday, and I just got back from a huge track meet. If you haven't noticed, I'm one of those over achievers who try to do everything at once and then have a nervous breakdown. I'm taking an extra class this semester so I don't have to suffer in summer school, I have track practices everyday (including weekends....in fact, I have to go in like an hour), I have a job, I still try to find time to study for my permit test and, um, breathe.This is the first time in a really long time that I've been able to sit at the computer for more than fifteen minutes. Now if I was paid to write, I'd update like every other day. Unless you guys decided to start paying me per chapter I put out (which would actually be nice so I didn't have to work too), I doubt that's gonna change. Perhaps the chapters will become a little more frequent, but for now updates will be once or so every four weeks. *gets pelted with garbage* Hey! It's not even like I have that much farther to go! Honestly, if I could drop something like working, I would. I love writing and hearing from you guys. Hell, I've become addicted to reviews. But if I can't deal with real life, it'll show in my writing.
*whew* Now that I got that off my chest...I'm not like this all the time. Just give me a coupla cans of Coke and Skittles and I'm ready to go!
Oh and in the flashback, we get more information than Yuffie actually remembers. 1.) Cus I thought it was a nice touch and 2.) Um, there isn't another actual reason, but I thought you guys would like to know a bit more than what Yuffie remembers (since she seems to have an abysmal memory…well, at least in my story).
Wow, long Author's Notes. Anyway, before we begin, I'm sorry for the weird format. Stupid Microsoft Word was being a bitch, so I typed it up in WordPad, which just made things worse...but, it's here! I'll go back and fix it later.]
DISCLAIMER: Me, own Kingdom Hearts/Final FantasyVII/VIII/X? What the hell are you smoking?...and where can I get some?
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-Thoughts-
"Speech"
****Flashbacks****
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Life or Something Like It
Chapter 10: Broken Glass Can Shimmer Too
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****Yuffie beamed up at the tall, brown haired boy. "You're gonna win, I know it," she began, just as she did before his every match. "You always beat Cloud when you spar, and you even beat me a bazillion times!"
Squall ignored her, much like he did everytime she felt the need to give him a pep talk. He attempted to stay focused on the task at hand. He'd made it to the finals of the tournament, taking down Cloud in his last match. It'd been much tougher than he'd thought it would be, and he now took the few minutes before the match to calm himself and think clearly. He was going up against Seifer, the best in his SeeD and everyone's favorite to win.
In lamest terms, Squall was the underdog, which made it more difficult to stay calm. He grew anxious, nervous, and worried. -And not to mention irritated- he added as Yuffie continued rambling on and on. Squall did appreciate her support, honestly he did (in his own subtle way), but her consistent chatter wore on his nerves. So much for concentration. "Anyone with a plastic spoon could beat you," he muttered, sparing her a passing glance.
Yuffie pouted, but remembered what Cloud had told her before. -Don't get him mad, otherwise he'll end up fighting worse and lose concentration, which is exactly what Seifer wants- "Try your best, okay Squallie-chan?"
Before Squall could reply, someone else cut in. "Yeah, 'Squallie-chan'. Win one for the runt," Seifer laughed.
"I'm no runt!" Yuffie exclaimed defiantly, glaring at him.
Seifer looked down disdainfully at Yuffie. "Keep your shirt on, Squirt, and stay out of grown ups' business."
"Leave her alone, Seifer." Squall let his weapon rest on his shoulder and met Seifer's gaze. "Your fight is with me and me alone."
"I wouldn't even call it a fight. After all, I don't have much of a challenge, do I?"
"Shut up! Squallie's the best swordsman ever!" Yuffie jumped in.
"Oh, so now you got your girlfriend sticking up for you?"
"Yuffie go away. I need to concentrate," Squall said, returning to his practice swings.
"But--"
"I *said* go away. Now," he added forcefully.
Her lower lip trembled, but she obeyed and ran off to find Aerith and Cloud. She just wanted him to win...she hoped he wasn't mad at her. Otherwise that would mean that Cloud would get mad at her too, and then she'd get left behind the next time they went to a tournament.
"Good job, Leonhart. You chased away the only person who thinks you'll win."
That was the last straw. Something inside Squall snapped. "Dammit, Seifer! If you think you're so high and mighty, why don't you shut up, draw your sword, and quit acting like an asshole! Or maybe I'm asking too much from you?"
Seifer was speechless until he heard the announcer call out his and Squall's name. He'd never heard more than a, "Shut up, Seifer," or "Quit acting like an ass," from the stoic brunet. "Didn't know you knew so many words, Leonhart."
"You don't seem to know much, now do you?"
The heavy doors before them opened. Together, they entered the arena and walked to opposite sides of the battlefield. "Bow to your opponent," the referee said gruffly. Squall bowed stiffly, whereas Seifer merely nodded his head. "Take your stances." Each boy got into their respective battling stances. "Begin!"
Both ran forward, swords held high. In the packed stands, Yuffie cheered wildly, Cloud yelled last minute tips, and Aerith chewed her bottom lip worriedly. Their swords met in a clash of metal. They broke apart and charged again. Squall dodged Seifer's blade and drove forward. Their swords met again.
The two kept this up for a good fifteen minutes when they broke apart again and stood at the opposite sides of the field where they had started. "You're not as bad as I'd thought, Leonhart," Seifer said, actually impressed. He raised a hand to wipe away the sweat from his brow.
"I'm not here for your approval. Let's go!" Squall charged again, and Seifer just managed to sidestep.
"Your temper's gonna get you into a lot of trouble if you don't control it."
"Shut up!" Though Squall knew that Seifer was right, he was unwilling to admit it. It was one of the first things he'd been taught during his time with SeeD. Anger clouds the mind. Anger should not drive you, but you should drive it. Anger will consume you from the inside out if you're not careful.
Blah blah blah. Seeing red and uncaring of what he'd learned in class, Squall struck again, only for his sword to be blocked by Seifer's.
"You're gonna lose if you don't cool it. And actually I thought for a moment that you were a worthy opponent."
Cloud's brow was furrowed in confusion. "What the hell is he doing out there? If he doesn't chill out, Seifer's gonna massacre him!" He looked down at Yuffie who had gone deathly pale and quiet. "Do you--?"
"I didn't mean to make him mad, honest!" Yuffie blurted. "Seifer was picking on him and I helped him out then he got mad and told me to go away."
"I was gonna ask if you wanted to go home with Aerith. You guys don't seem to be having much fun," Cloud said. "I don't think it was your fault...Seifer just probably ticked him off, that's all," he told Yuffie reassuringly.
Aerith smiled and patted Yuffie's shoulder. "Cloud's right Yuffie. Seifer's just a bully and loves getting under people's skin. It's not your fault Squall can't control his temper."
Didn't they understand that Squall was going to lose because of her? Before either Cloud or Aerith could stop her, Yuffie got up and ran down the steps to the front row of seats. She hung over the railing and called out, "Squall!! I'm sorry!"
Squall's head snapped up in the direction of Yuffie's voice. "What?" That was the only opening Seifer needed.
Yuffie's eyes widened as she watched in slow motion. She closed her eyes at the last second, but she could still she the bloody gash that darted across his forehead.****
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She shut the case, breathing heavily. She'd felt like she had run a mile. "Whoa," Yuffie uttered breathlessly. So he had that scar because of her. That made things a bit different and uncomfortable. Funny how, out of the millions of people in New York, she met up with all these people who have some kind of connection to her.
Fate was either on crack, or had a seriously strange way of doing things.
She put the case back in its corner and stood up, stretching her arms aboe her head. Yuffie turned and supposed that she should go see if Squall had used up all the hot water when she slammed into a body.
A topless, damp, slightly steamy and only-wearing-a-towel body. Not that she missed the six pack or tanned skin. Yuffie tilted her head back to look up at Squall. -I can definitely get used to this every morning- she thought. She found no reason to complain; the view was niiice. "I…I-I-I…"
"What are you doing in here?" he asked, obviously fighting back his anger. "I resent people looking through my belongings."
Yuffie cleared her throat and began again. "I'm sorry, I came looking for you, and I saw the picture of Aerith and Cloud that looked familiar, so I was curious--"
"Curiosity killed the orphan."
Yuffie winced at his harsh tone. "I'm sorry, I know I messed up…it was almost as if something was calling me to it, it was--" She paused. "Well? Aren't you going to yell, hit me, something?"
"Perhaps when I'm dressed and dry?" Squall suggested wryly.
"Oh. OH." She forced herself to inch towards the door, trying to look at anything but him. Yuffie recovered enough to apologize. "Listen, I'm really sorry about going through your stuff--"
"You made a mistake. Mistakes happen…as long as they don't happen twice."
"Right…I'll go shower…" Without running but not taking her sweet time either, Yuffie fled the room and locked herself in the safety of the bathroom. Whoa. That had been an awkward moment, yet so pleasant at once. She'd never felt so flustered in a man's presence before...but then again, she'd never seen a man half-naked before. Cursing Squall for being so attractive yet downright annoying, Yuffie stepped into the shower.
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The car ride was the most uncomfortable one both Yuffie and Squall had ever sat through. Yuffie tried as hard as she could to keep her eyes off him. Whenever she looked at him, she saw him siting there in nothing but a towel with damp hair that clung to his forehead and water droplets glistening on his chiseled chest... Then she'd blush and he'd look at her and ask if she was okay. Then Yuffie would nod awkwardly and glance out the window, hoping that her face would return to its normal color soon.
Squall couldn't help but wonder if something that Yuffie saw something in his photo album that caused her to act this way. Baby pictures, maybe? Whatever it was, it was having one hell of an effect on Yuffie's nerves. And his own for that matter. He couldn't remember feeling so self-conscious. Ever. Though it was a mystery as to why he even cared what she thought. Squall stopped at a red light and sighed. "Is it just me or is there..."
"Tension in the atmosphere? No, it's definitely not just you," Yuffie replied, still gazing out the window.
"Well, the least you could do is look at me when you talk to me."
"I really can't," she mumbled to herself.
"Why not?"
Yuffie blinked. She hadn't meant for him to hear that. -Smooth move, K"It's...complicated."
"You wanna talk about it?"
This earned a pointed glare from Yuffie that said, "You've got to be kidding." -Damned psychiatrist...-
"I'll take that as a no."
"Good choice."
They rode the rest of the way to school in silence, stealing glances at each other when the other wasn't looking. Both were trying to figure out what exactly was going on in the other's head. Yuffie was actually almost glad when they pulled up beside the school. She gathered her books and began to get out of the car when she felt a hand gently touch her shoulder.
"Look, I know you're probably going to ignore me but...have a nice day. Seriously."
Don't look at him, don't look at him, don't...but her eyes betrayed her. She could already feel the blush rising to her cheeks. Damn you, Squall! He was annoying, but really handsome...Yuffie then deemed it illegal to look so good but to be so bothersome at once. It just wasn't logical. Why would Mother Nature waste her time blessing a creature with good looks but with the personality of a fly as well? She shivered, and it wasn't just becase of the cold. "Um...you too, I guess."
Squall watched as Yuffie slammed the car door and hurried up the steps into the building. He'd forgotten how to deal with teenage girls. -Well, you do tend to forget after nine years of avoiding the opposite sex- another part of him reasoned. Had it really been that long? Was he just desperate for a relationship? Was that why he'd felt rather attached to Yuffie? Or was his association with her as a child much deeper than he'd thought?
A honk from behind him brought him back to reality. Squall sighed as he drove off. Yuffie was a whole lot of firsts for him. He'd never daydreamed like this until she came back into his life. -What are you doing to me, Yuffie?- Squall wondered as he started for Cid's car shop.
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"Holy shit, what the hell did you do to this thing?"
Squall sighed. "I thought we went over this. I hit a street light trying to avoid a couple of punks on skateboards."
Cid nodded. "Punks on skateboards? I got a couple of those."
"Yeah, Aerith had told me that you'd adopted some kids."
"They're pretty good kids. They help out around the shop a lot, and the best part is I don't havta pay 'em jack." Squall hid a smile. He could always count on Cid to see the brighter side of certain situation. "Hey!" Cid yelled up the stairs. "You two had better haul ass and get to schoo!"
A kid with brown hair that stuck out in all directions, shining blue eyes, and a goofy grin bounded down the stairs, slinging a knapsack over his shoulder. "Comin', gramps."
"Dammit, it's Cid. C-I-D. Where's Riku? I want you guys to meet someone."
As if on cue, the silver haired boy in question descended the stairs. "Yo, kid, get over here."
Riku sauntered over to where Cid and Sora stood and came to an abrupt stop when his gaze landed on the stranger. He recognized him as the man in the Mercedes who had nearly run over Yuffie.
"This is Squall," Cid introduced. "Squall, the goofy looking one is Sora--"
"Hey!"
"--and the quiet mysterious one is Riku."
"We've met," Riku cut in.
"We have?" Sora and Squall asked in unison.
Ignoring Sora, Riku continued. "We're friends of the girl you ran over."
"Oh, Yuffie?"
Sora brightened. "Do you know where she is?"
"Yeah, she's staying with me," Squall answered. He turned back to Cid. "How much do you think this is gonna cost me?"
"Well, You'll need paint, a totally new hood..."
"Hurry up or I'll be late for work," Squall said impatiently, glancing at his watch. "Unlike some people, I didn't adopt two kids to do all my work for me when I'm high or drunk."
"Hey, unless you want to pay an outrageous bill, I suggest you shut your pie hole now."
Squall followed Cid back to the garage where his wrecked car was parked. Riku looked to Sora who seemed relieved that Yuffie was all right. "Hey, where does Yuffie go to school? I'm just curious," he added when Squall gave him a suspicious look.
"The Catholic school down on 12th street," Squall replied hesitantly. "Why?"
"Maybe our schools play each other in football," Riku lied smoothly. If he'd learned anything during his stay at the orphanage, it was how to lie through his teeth.
"Speaking of school," Cid interjected, "you two had better get moving!"
"We're going," Riku said as he grabbed his skateboard. "C'mon Sora, we're gonna be late."
"Right behind you."
As the two boys rolled down the sidewalk, Sora came to a stop as Riku turned right onto 12th street. "Where are we going?" Sora asked, puzzled.
"School."
"School's this way."
"Who said we were going to our school? I mean we're going to find Yuffie."
"We're skipping?" Sora asked incredulously.
"We'll still be in school...just not our own. As long as we're in school, we're fine, according to the state law." Riku turned and faced Sora. "Unless you're going to be a huge baby about it, then we can forget it."
But Sora was two steps ahead of him. "What're you waiting for? Let's go!"
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TBC
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A/N: Ugh, this is not going as I'd expected at all. I really am sorry for the poor quality of this chapter...I absolutely HATED how it came out. It looked so much better in my notebook...Next chapter we'll see Riku and Sora interacting with Yuffie's "new posse", and anyone I decide to throw in. I was gonna put in some Yuna/Tidus (I've become recently addicted to the pairing, thanks to the VL's FFX fic), but I don't see how I'd do it. I can't afford to make my life more complicated anyway.
Also, I'm really sorry for making you guys wait a bazillion years just to read this load of shit. But then again, I'm my own toughest critique, so maybe you guys think otherwise. I owe you guys one. I'll have another chapter up by next Friday, cus I have the rest written in my notebook. But I do have to sleep, plus outline a chapter for History, so I'll talk to you guys in a week...hopefully. If I'm not back in a week with a new chapter, my mom got on my case about my grades and decided to take away my beloved laptop.
A poor quality chapter lies ahead along with an incredibly long Author's Note. Continue if you dare.
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[A/N: Guess who's back? Back again? QwickSilver's back, warn a friend.
Not to be rude or anything, but just a reminder: this is a hobby, not a job. I took up writing because I was bored...but mostly because I actually enjoy it. But I haven't had the time to be bored or enjoy anything lately...I'm writing this at 2 in the morning on a Saturday, and I just got back from a huge track meet. If you haven't noticed, I'm one of those over achievers who try to do everything at once and then have a nervous breakdown. I'm taking an extra class this semester so I don't have to suffer in summer school, I have track practices everyday (including weekends....in fact, I have to go in like an hour), I have a job, I still try to find time to study for my permit test and, um, breathe.This is the first time in a really long time that I've been able to sit at the computer for more than fifteen minutes. Now if I was paid to write, I'd update like every other day. Unless you guys decided to start paying me per chapter I put out (which would actually be nice so I didn't have to work too), I doubt that's gonna change. Perhaps the chapters will become a little more frequent, but for now updates will be once or so every four weeks. *gets pelted with garbage* Hey! It's not even like I have that much farther to go! Honestly, if I could drop something like working, I would. I love writing and hearing from you guys. Hell, I've become addicted to reviews. But if I can't deal with real life, it'll show in my writing.
*whew* Now that I got that off my chest...I'm not like this all the time. Just give me a coupla cans of Coke and Skittles and I'm ready to go!
Oh and in the flashback, we get more information than Yuffie actually remembers. 1.) Cus I thought it was a nice touch and 2.) Um, there isn't another actual reason, but I thought you guys would like to know a bit more than what Yuffie remembers (since she seems to have an abysmal memory…well, at least in my story).
Wow, long Author's Notes. Anyway, before we begin, I'm sorry for the weird format. Stupid Microsoft Word was being a bitch, so I typed it up in WordPad, which just made things worse...but, it's here! I'll go back and fix it later.]
DISCLAIMER: Me, own Kingdom Hearts/Final FantasyVII/VIII/X? What the hell are you smoking?...and where can I get some?
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-Thoughts-
"Speech"
****Flashbacks****
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Life or Something Like It
Chapter 10: Broken Glass Can Shimmer Too
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****Yuffie beamed up at the tall, brown haired boy. "You're gonna win, I know it," she began, just as she did before his every match. "You always beat Cloud when you spar, and you even beat me a bazillion times!"
Squall ignored her, much like he did everytime she felt the need to give him a pep talk. He attempted to stay focused on the task at hand. He'd made it to the finals of the tournament, taking down Cloud in his last match. It'd been much tougher than he'd thought it would be, and he now took the few minutes before the match to calm himself and think clearly. He was going up against Seifer, the best in his SeeD and everyone's favorite to win.
In lamest terms, Squall was the underdog, which made it more difficult to stay calm. He grew anxious, nervous, and worried. -And not to mention irritated- he added as Yuffie continued rambling on and on. Squall did appreciate her support, honestly he did (in his own subtle way), but her consistent chatter wore on his nerves. So much for concentration. "Anyone with a plastic spoon could beat you," he muttered, sparing her a passing glance.
Yuffie pouted, but remembered what Cloud had told her before. -Don't get him mad, otherwise he'll end up fighting worse and lose concentration, which is exactly what Seifer wants- "Try your best, okay Squallie-chan?"
Before Squall could reply, someone else cut in. "Yeah, 'Squallie-chan'. Win one for the runt," Seifer laughed.
"I'm no runt!" Yuffie exclaimed defiantly, glaring at him.
Seifer looked down disdainfully at Yuffie. "Keep your shirt on, Squirt, and stay out of grown ups' business."
"Leave her alone, Seifer." Squall let his weapon rest on his shoulder and met Seifer's gaze. "Your fight is with me and me alone."
"I wouldn't even call it a fight. After all, I don't have much of a challenge, do I?"
"Shut up! Squallie's the best swordsman ever!" Yuffie jumped in.
"Oh, so now you got your girlfriend sticking up for you?"
"Yuffie go away. I need to concentrate," Squall said, returning to his practice swings.
"But--"
"I *said* go away. Now," he added forcefully.
Her lower lip trembled, but she obeyed and ran off to find Aerith and Cloud. She just wanted him to win...she hoped he wasn't mad at her. Otherwise that would mean that Cloud would get mad at her too, and then she'd get left behind the next time they went to a tournament.
"Good job, Leonhart. You chased away the only person who thinks you'll win."
That was the last straw. Something inside Squall snapped. "Dammit, Seifer! If you think you're so high and mighty, why don't you shut up, draw your sword, and quit acting like an asshole! Or maybe I'm asking too much from you?"
Seifer was speechless until he heard the announcer call out his and Squall's name. He'd never heard more than a, "Shut up, Seifer," or "Quit acting like an ass," from the stoic brunet. "Didn't know you knew so many words, Leonhart."
"You don't seem to know much, now do you?"
The heavy doors before them opened. Together, they entered the arena and walked to opposite sides of the battlefield. "Bow to your opponent," the referee said gruffly. Squall bowed stiffly, whereas Seifer merely nodded his head. "Take your stances." Each boy got into their respective battling stances. "Begin!"
Both ran forward, swords held high. In the packed stands, Yuffie cheered wildly, Cloud yelled last minute tips, and Aerith chewed her bottom lip worriedly. Their swords met in a clash of metal. They broke apart and charged again. Squall dodged Seifer's blade and drove forward. Their swords met again.
The two kept this up for a good fifteen minutes when they broke apart again and stood at the opposite sides of the field where they had started. "You're not as bad as I'd thought, Leonhart," Seifer said, actually impressed. He raised a hand to wipe away the sweat from his brow.
"I'm not here for your approval. Let's go!" Squall charged again, and Seifer just managed to sidestep.
"Your temper's gonna get you into a lot of trouble if you don't control it."
"Shut up!" Though Squall knew that Seifer was right, he was unwilling to admit it. It was one of the first things he'd been taught during his time with SeeD. Anger clouds the mind. Anger should not drive you, but you should drive it. Anger will consume you from the inside out if you're not careful.
Blah blah blah. Seeing red and uncaring of what he'd learned in class, Squall struck again, only for his sword to be blocked by Seifer's.
"You're gonna lose if you don't cool it. And actually I thought for a moment that you were a worthy opponent."
Cloud's brow was furrowed in confusion. "What the hell is he doing out there? If he doesn't chill out, Seifer's gonna massacre him!" He looked down at Yuffie who had gone deathly pale and quiet. "Do you--?"
"I didn't mean to make him mad, honest!" Yuffie blurted. "Seifer was picking on him and I helped him out then he got mad and told me to go away."
"I was gonna ask if you wanted to go home with Aerith. You guys don't seem to be having much fun," Cloud said. "I don't think it was your fault...Seifer just probably ticked him off, that's all," he told Yuffie reassuringly.
Aerith smiled and patted Yuffie's shoulder. "Cloud's right Yuffie. Seifer's just a bully and loves getting under people's skin. It's not your fault Squall can't control his temper."
Didn't they understand that Squall was going to lose because of her? Before either Cloud or Aerith could stop her, Yuffie got up and ran down the steps to the front row of seats. She hung over the railing and called out, "Squall!! I'm sorry!"
Squall's head snapped up in the direction of Yuffie's voice. "What?" That was the only opening Seifer needed.
Yuffie's eyes widened as she watched in slow motion. She closed her eyes at the last second, but she could still she the bloody gash that darted across his forehead.****
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She shut the case, breathing heavily. She'd felt like she had run a mile. "Whoa," Yuffie uttered breathlessly. So he had that scar because of her. That made things a bit different and uncomfortable. Funny how, out of the millions of people in New York, she met up with all these people who have some kind of connection to her.
Fate was either on crack, or had a seriously strange way of doing things.
She put the case back in its corner and stood up, stretching her arms aboe her head. Yuffie turned and supposed that she should go see if Squall had used up all the hot water when she slammed into a body.
A topless, damp, slightly steamy and only-wearing-a-towel body. Not that she missed the six pack or tanned skin. Yuffie tilted her head back to look up at Squall. -I can definitely get used to this every morning- she thought. She found no reason to complain; the view was niiice. "I…I-I-I…"
"What are you doing in here?" he asked, obviously fighting back his anger. "I resent people looking through my belongings."
Yuffie cleared her throat and began again. "I'm sorry, I came looking for you, and I saw the picture of Aerith and Cloud that looked familiar, so I was curious--"
"Curiosity killed the orphan."
Yuffie winced at his harsh tone. "I'm sorry, I know I messed up…it was almost as if something was calling me to it, it was--" She paused. "Well? Aren't you going to yell, hit me, something?"
"Perhaps when I'm dressed and dry?" Squall suggested wryly.
"Oh. OH." She forced herself to inch towards the door, trying to look at anything but him. Yuffie recovered enough to apologize. "Listen, I'm really sorry about going through your stuff--"
"You made a mistake. Mistakes happen…as long as they don't happen twice."
"Right…I'll go shower…" Without running but not taking her sweet time either, Yuffie fled the room and locked herself in the safety of the bathroom. Whoa. That had been an awkward moment, yet so pleasant at once. She'd never felt so flustered in a man's presence before...but then again, she'd never seen a man half-naked before. Cursing Squall for being so attractive yet downright annoying, Yuffie stepped into the shower.
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The car ride was the most uncomfortable one both Yuffie and Squall had ever sat through. Yuffie tried as hard as she could to keep her eyes off him. Whenever she looked at him, she saw him siting there in nothing but a towel with damp hair that clung to his forehead and water droplets glistening on his chiseled chest... Then she'd blush and he'd look at her and ask if she was okay. Then Yuffie would nod awkwardly and glance out the window, hoping that her face would return to its normal color soon.
Squall couldn't help but wonder if something that Yuffie saw something in his photo album that caused her to act this way. Baby pictures, maybe? Whatever it was, it was having one hell of an effect on Yuffie's nerves. And his own for that matter. He couldn't remember feeling so self-conscious. Ever. Though it was a mystery as to why he even cared what she thought. Squall stopped at a red light and sighed. "Is it just me or is there..."
"Tension in the atmosphere? No, it's definitely not just you," Yuffie replied, still gazing out the window.
"Well, the least you could do is look at me when you talk to me."
"I really can't," she mumbled to herself.
"Why not?"
Yuffie blinked. She hadn't meant for him to hear that. -Smooth move, K"It's...complicated."
"You wanna talk about it?"
This earned a pointed glare from Yuffie that said, "You've got to be kidding." -Damned psychiatrist...-
"I'll take that as a no."
"Good choice."
They rode the rest of the way to school in silence, stealing glances at each other when the other wasn't looking. Both were trying to figure out what exactly was going on in the other's head. Yuffie was actually almost glad when they pulled up beside the school. She gathered her books and began to get out of the car when she felt a hand gently touch her shoulder.
"Look, I know you're probably going to ignore me but...have a nice day. Seriously."
Don't look at him, don't look at him, don't...but her eyes betrayed her. She could already feel the blush rising to her cheeks. Damn you, Squall! He was annoying, but really handsome...Yuffie then deemed it illegal to look so good but to be so bothersome at once. It just wasn't logical. Why would Mother Nature waste her time blessing a creature with good looks but with the personality of a fly as well? She shivered, and it wasn't just becase of the cold. "Um...you too, I guess."
Squall watched as Yuffie slammed the car door and hurried up the steps into the building. He'd forgotten how to deal with teenage girls. -Well, you do tend to forget after nine years of avoiding the opposite sex- another part of him reasoned. Had it really been that long? Was he just desperate for a relationship? Was that why he'd felt rather attached to Yuffie? Or was his association with her as a child much deeper than he'd thought?
A honk from behind him brought him back to reality. Squall sighed as he drove off. Yuffie was a whole lot of firsts for him. He'd never daydreamed like this until she came back into his life. -What are you doing to me, Yuffie?- Squall wondered as he started for Cid's car shop.
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"Holy shit, what the hell did you do to this thing?"
Squall sighed. "I thought we went over this. I hit a street light trying to avoid a couple of punks on skateboards."
Cid nodded. "Punks on skateboards? I got a couple of those."
"Yeah, Aerith had told me that you'd adopted some kids."
"They're pretty good kids. They help out around the shop a lot, and the best part is I don't havta pay 'em jack." Squall hid a smile. He could always count on Cid to see the brighter side of certain situation. "Hey!" Cid yelled up the stairs. "You two had better haul ass and get to schoo!"
A kid with brown hair that stuck out in all directions, shining blue eyes, and a goofy grin bounded down the stairs, slinging a knapsack over his shoulder. "Comin', gramps."
"Dammit, it's Cid. C-I-D. Where's Riku? I want you guys to meet someone."
As if on cue, the silver haired boy in question descended the stairs. "Yo, kid, get over here."
Riku sauntered over to where Cid and Sora stood and came to an abrupt stop when his gaze landed on the stranger. He recognized him as the man in the Mercedes who had nearly run over Yuffie.
"This is Squall," Cid introduced. "Squall, the goofy looking one is Sora--"
"Hey!"
"--and the quiet mysterious one is Riku."
"We've met," Riku cut in.
"We have?" Sora and Squall asked in unison.
Ignoring Sora, Riku continued. "We're friends of the girl you ran over."
"Oh, Yuffie?"
Sora brightened. "Do you know where she is?"
"Yeah, she's staying with me," Squall answered. He turned back to Cid. "How much do you think this is gonna cost me?"
"Well, You'll need paint, a totally new hood..."
"Hurry up or I'll be late for work," Squall said impatiently, glancing at his watch. "Unlike some people, I didn't adopt two kids to do all my work for me when I'm high or drunk."
"Hey, unless you want to pay an outrageous bill, I suggest you shut your pie hole now."
Squall followed Cid back to the garage where his wrecked car was parked. Riku looked to Sora who seemed relieved that Yuffie was all right. "Hey, where does Yuffie go to school? I'm just curious," he added when Squall gave him a suspicious look.
"The Catholic school down on 12th street," Squall replied hesitantly. "Why?"
"Maybe our schools play each other in football," Riku lied smoothly. If he'd learned anything during his stay at the orphanage, it was how to lie through his teeth.
"Speaking of school," Cid interjected, "you two had better get moving!"
"We're going," Riku said as he grabbed his skateboard. "C'mon Sora, we're gonna be late."
"Right behind you."
As the two boys rolled down the sidewalk, Sora came to a stop as Riku turned right onto 12th street. "Where are we going?" Sora asked, puzzled.
"School."
"School's this way."
"Who said we were going to our school? I mean we're going to find Yuffie."
"We're skipping?" Sora asked incredulously.
"We'll still be in school...just not our own. As long as we're in school, we're fine, according to the state law." Riku turned and faced Sora. "Unless you're going to be a huge baby about it, then we can forget it."
But Sora was two steps ahead of him. "What're you waiting for? Let's go!"
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TBC
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A/N: Ugh, this is not going as I'd expected at all. I really am sorry for the poor quality of this chapter...I absolutely HATED how it came out. It looked so much better in my notebook...Next chapter we'll see Riku and Sora interacting with Yuffie's "new posse", and anyone I decide to throw in. I was gonna put in some Yuna/Tidus (I've become recently addicted to the pairing, thanks to the VL's FFX fic), but I don't see how I'd do it. I can't afford to make my life more complicated anyway.
Also, I'm really sorry for making you guys wait a bazillion years just to read this load of shit. But then again, I'm my own toughest critique, so maybe you guys think otherwise. I owe you guys one. I'll have another chapter up by next Friday, cus I have the rest written in my notebook. But I do have to sleep, plus outline a chapter for History, so I'll talk to you guys in a week...hopefully. If I'm not back in a week with a new chapter, my mom got on my case about my grades and decided to take away my beloved laptop.
