A/N: HOLY CRAP, IT'S ME. Yeah, I know, been dead for quite some time, right? Well, yeah, not no more no way no how. D:

Okay, finally updating…

UPDATEEEEE.

Earning Her Wings

Chapter Two: Singing Makes Everything Better

Yuffie wrinkled her nose at the closed door. "Sheesh, rude much." She shook her head and spun around, jumping onto the couch from behind and laughing quietly.

"Oh well, he'll just have to grow up, is all." She paused. "I don't know what crawled up his pants."

Leon grumbled to himself. Stupid little girl… she just comes in here and asks for a place to sleep and I accept!

He stopped and scratched his head. No, no, I'll go in her and tell her to beat it. Yeah, I'm not having anyone stay, not even her, no matter how pretty her eyes are. Psh.

He grinned at his own brilliance (yeah, okay) and turned on his heel, whistling to himself. As soon as he pushed open the door, was he held hostage in a HUG OF DOOM. Ahem, I mean, did Yuffie cling to him.

"I just wanted to thank you so much for the hospitality! You really didn't need to, you didn't," She stared up at him with them big 'ol eyes.

Leon scratched his head and tried to stop himself from turning red. "Is this how they greet people on your planet? Anyway… yeah, well… it's no big deal."

Yuffie smiled whole-heartedly that made Leon's heart almost melt. Aw, crap, there she goes again…

She blinked. "Oh, yeah, and one more thing…" She turned behind her and picked something up, her facial expression blank. "What's this thinger here do?"

Leon sighed. "That's a remote control."

Yuffie smiled the reflection of epiphany. "Ohhhh! And um…" She glanced around as if someone would be spying on her. "What does it do again?"

Leon resisted the urge to face-palm himself. "It works the television set. Tel-eh-vis-shun."

Eventually Yuffie remembered (even if constantly reminded by Leon) what human things did what and what their names were. She'd been so long gone from earth, she even discovered new appliances and features, and was currently fascinated by something called the "Internet".

"Whoa!" Yuffie blinked as a window popped up in her face. "What in heaven's name is this?"

The window spoke, causing Yuffie to jump back. "Welcome. You've got mail."

Yuffie arched an eyebrow as the window changed. Instead of the little pixilated mailbox that was there before, there were now a few lines of underlined text into blue. Yuffie discovered that, when she ran the "mouse" over the text, the cursor turned into a pointing hand.

"Ohhhh," Yuffie breathed in awe as she clicked. The window changed again, but instead of blue text or a mailbox, there was a letter of some sort. Yuffie (who had slowly remembered basic writing and reading skills) read out loud to no one in particular:

"Dear Murr Leonhart,

We ap-ol-ogize to inforrrm you that your job application has been deenied. As you may already kanow, we get hundreds of pahone, no, phone calls a day, so we apologize again for not being able to contact you via phone call.

Sinkerly,

Bert and Hutch Loduhging Company"

Yuffie blinked. "Ah ha!" She grinned and twirled around in the revolving chair, waving her arms as if she were some magical fairy. "I know what to do! Yuffie here, to save the day!"

Leon groaned, trudging down the hallway at a slug's pace, cup of strong coffee in his hand. He rubbed at his temples warily. Sheesh, this girl's going to wear me out, he thought groggily. The hallway to his office seemed to be a long stretch, unlike usual. To his surprise, the door was wide open. He dragged his feet through the door and stopped dead in back of Yuffie, peering over her shoulder sleepily.

"Um… Yuffie… what are you doing…?" He asked hesitantly, afraid for his life what the answer would be.

Yuffie smiled the equivalent of a chibi, animated bunny. (A/N: Aww. So cute.) "Fixin' stuff!" She chirped, and turned back to the keyboard with which she was typing like an amateur-- one finger at a time.

Suddenly wide-awake now, Leon began to read what Yuffie had begun to type.

Dear Mr. Loging Man Sirs,

I'm yuffie, mister leon's roomate for the time being. I just wanted to let you know that he's really nice and a great guy trying to get a job so you should give him one, you big meanie!

Leon's eye twitched.

"Sooooo?" Yuffie inquired, tilting her head to the side. "What do you think?" She bit her lip in anticipation of an answer.

Leon's eye twitched.

"Speechless, eh? Hehe! I knew you'd like it!" She tried to type Sincerely, Yuffie swiftly and quickly, but ended up stumbling over keys, typing Sinercley, Yufife.

Yuffie leaned back, looking at her handiwork with pride. She hummed to herself as she pressed the big button that read, "Send".

Oops.

Leon's eye twitched.

Yuffie stretched her arms upward, arching her back and yawning. "Well, I think that's good for my good dead of the day!" She smiled.

"Out," Leon whispered.

Yuffie made a small inquisitive noise, blinking up at him.

"I said, OUT!" He bellowed at her, face red from anger and embarrassment. Her pupils retracted in fear and she stood up clumsily, tripping over her own two feet. Leon glared her down, following her until he made sure she was out of his room. By the time he slammed the door in frustration, he was already feeling a bit guilty. He turned around and leaned against the door for support, sinking downward slowly, his knees touching his forehead.

Yuffie stood at the front door to Leon's apartment, her nose an inch away from the eyehole. She stared at it in utter disbelief. What had she done wrong? Apparently, sending an e-mail to the boss of that company wasn't a good idea. Yuffie sighed and let her shoulders slouch. She was more naïve than she thought.

For hours, Yuffie stood outside, thinking she'd only been sent out for being bad, like a dog. Her things were inside, her only things she had down on earth. By the time night had fallen and the bitter evening wind was nipping at her bare arms, she began to panic. What if Leon kicked me out for good? What if I fail and don't become an angel? What if I die out here from starvation? Oh wait, I can't die, I'm not human…

Yuffie's thoughts ran wildly, when suddenly she remembered a bit of advice she'd received from an elder friend when she was about to descend. He'd earned his wings centuries ago.

"If something ever goes wrong…" he began, smiling. "Sing."

Yuffie took the idea into consideration. It just may work, Yuffie thought hopefully. She took a deep breath and tried to remember a song from her childhood. Finally, one struck; the one she and her mother always used to sing together when the nights were cloudless. She clasped her hands together and raised them to her chest, closing her eyes as she tried to recall the lyrics. Slowly, in a very small voice, she began to sing.

"Twinkle twinkle little star… how I wonder what you are…" She started. She peered open one eye, hoping to maybe see Leon out there, smiling, beckoning her back in. He wasn't; she tried singing a little louder.

"Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky," she continued confidently. Even if it didn't get Leon to invite her back in, it certainly was making her feel happy. She began to almost shout the words; "Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you--"

She stopped as she heard the door open. A rather aggravated looking Leon stared at her in disbelief, shaking his head. "What in the world are you doing?"

Yuffie tapped her fingers together, embarrassed. "Well, um, I once… asked my friend for some advice… and he said if anybody was ever feeling down, to sing!" She looked up, her brow furrowed in determination, trying to convince him of her good intentions. "So I tried to sing for you…"

Leon's expression softened. "How… how long have you been standing out here?"

Yuffie's eyes darted sideways guiltily. "All night…" Before Leon could get in another word, she turned to face him, her fists clenched in from of her. "I… I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset you, I was only trying to help…" Her voice trailed off, and she rubbed her arm self-consciously.

Leon stared at her for a only a moment, but time seemed to stand still in that one short amount of time, then uncomfortable tension between the two rising. It only faded when Leon let out a small laugh, which began to grow into fits of laughter. Yuffie, not catching onto what was funny, just blinked. She began to laugh in loud, obvious ha's.

Leon stopped and shook his head, sighing. He ruffled Yuffie's hair playfully. "I have to admit, you're the first person to make me laugh in months. Geez, singing? I'm not sure how old the guy who gave you that advice was, but man. Oh well… come on back in. I'm sorry I overreacted."

Leon tossed her a coat, and Yuffie's eyes lit up. She smiled from ear to ear. "Really!"

"Really," Leon grinned.

Yuffie bounced happily back inside, giggling to herself-- if only Leon knew that the man that told her that piece of useful advice was 240 years old.

A/N: WHOOT, IT'S FINALLY DONE. Kiki's gonna throw a party tonight. Yeah, sorry for the shortness, but this chapter wasn't supposed to be uberly long, just one that kind of tightens the bond between Leon and Yuffie a bit. :3

REVIEWS MAKE BAGGS HAPPY, PLEASE.