Disclaimer: I don't own kingdom hearts for like the NINTH time. Holy pineapples.

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews guys! It's helping me to get the chapters up faster... I'm not sure how much longer I should write this story, I'm thinking either closing it off after a couple more chapters or going a little while in Yuffie and Cloud's relationship. What do you guys think? Well, R & R!

"In case you don't know, ninja's don't get their nails done." Yuffie informed Aerith as the three of the girls sat in the chairs.

"Now they do." Aerith answered.

"I remember why I left now, because you're always making me do girlie stuff when, NEWSFLASH, I'm not girlie."

"You're a girl Yuffie, there's going to be some feminism in you somewhere." Tifa butted in.

"Exactly, now stop complaining, sit back, and relax." Aerith said with a sweet smile.

"Fine, as long as they paint them clear, I am not having little flowers on my nails." Yuffie muttered and then turned to face Tifa. "So what brings you here Tifa?" Yuffie asked.

"I was here during the heartless battle... remember?"

Yuffie thought back. "Oh yeah, I barely saw you, sorry."

"I just wanted to talk to Cloud again and I figured I could visit." Tifa closed her eyes.

"We're always happy to have you Tifa." Aerith said.

"You would be happy to host one of the Organization XIII members if they were still alive." Yuffie answered with a giggle.

"Yuffie!"

"Just kidding, just kidding."

"I can't believe that you asked them to paint flowers on my fingers... I CAN'T GET THEM OFF!" Yuffie yelled on the way home, the two girls laughing.

"C'mon Yuffie, they're cute." Tifa said trying to stop her laughter.

"They would be cute if I wore PINK like a certain someone and pranced around in a dress. I'm a NINJA!"

"It'll stay on for at least two weeks... sorry Yuffie." Aerith answered.

Maybe she isn't as nice as I give her credit for... she's a schemer. Yuffie thought to herself.

"Cloud's going to love your fingernails." Aerith whispered so Tifa wouldn't overhear her.

"Very funny, I will find a way to get them off... mark my words." Yuffie scowled at Aerith who just shook her head.

The moment they got back Yuffie went in search of Cloud who was conviently no where to be found. "Humph... He knows that it's his fault I was dragged off and he's hiding from me."

"Looking for me?" Cloud chose that moment to show up.

"It's your fault!" Yuffie informed him as she crossed her arms. "I want an excuse now."

Cloud glanced down at her nails and tried not to smile. "I figured that you wanted to be included with the girls."

"You are such a liar."

"You're one to talk." Cloud answered.

Yuffie groaned, threw up her hands and walked out leaving Cloud with a slightsmile.

That night, all of them sat around a table talking. Yuffie felt like she was finally included with everyone else and it was a great feeling. Aerith got out a bottle of wine and some glasses and brought it to the table. Yuffie was sure that she wouldn't get any but without saying a word Aerith poured her a glass.

Ok... I am officially grown up, HA! This is so awesome, I'm not being treated like a little kid anymore... words cannot describe how happy I am.

Yuffie noticed that Tifa was trying to get a little closer to Cloud who was sitting in between her and Tifa. Cloud looked uncomfortable and scooted slightly closer to Yuffie. This is working out to my advantage. Yuffie thought glancing at Tifa who just sighed and took another sip of her wine. Yuffie couldn't help feeling sorry for her, she really did seem tolike Cloud. I can certainly relate to that feeling. Cloud took her hand without saying a word and Yuffie glanced at him and smiled.

A few glasses later they began telling stories. "Remember that Yuffie used to think she was a boy?" Aerith said with a loud giggle. Yuffie had stopped drinking after her first glass, she could tell she couldn't hold her alcohol good and she wasn't going to risk accidently telling Cloud something embarrassing. "Until I told her that men have-"

"AS LOVELY as this topic is let's change it." Yuffie interrupted.

"Why's that?" Tifa asked with a giggle her words slurred. "Are you embarrassed? Hee hee."

Ok, Yuffie HATED seeing people drunk... A memory flashed through her mind and she immediately tried to push it back. Yeah, she wanted to be older and fit in with the adults. Since when though, is maturity getting drunk and making a complete fool out of yourself?

"I think that I'll be going to bed." Yuffie said with a smile as she stood up. "I'll see you guys in the morning." She had a feeling they wouldn't even notice her absense.

"I'll come with you." Cloud said as he stood up, he seemed a bit annoyed by the antics around the table as well. Or maybe he just wanted to get away from Tifa, Yuffie couldn't tell. He seemed to be thinking something so he continued, "Not with you to bed, with you away from... here..."

"I know what you meant." Yuffie answered with a smile. As he followed her back she said, "I guess that getting drunk doesn't seem very grown-up to me, it's just an escape... the coward's way out."

"That's not always the case."

"Well for him it was."

"Who is him?"

Yuffie paused for a moment. "No one, forget about it."

Cloud and her just stood in the dark hallway together listening to the others laughing. Yuffie felt goosebumps go up her arms as Cloud wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed his lips against her neck.

"Are you drunk?" Yuffie hissed. She hadn't seen him drink much but maybe he couldn't hold his alcohol.

"If I was I wouldn't be responsible for my actions." He answered before cupping her face in his hands. "And I want to take all responsibility for this."

"Wha-" Yuffie was cut off as he leaned down and kissed her. For a moment she was stunned, then she reacted by throwing her arms around his neck, causing them to fall into the wall... They didn't even pause. Yuffie was enjoying it... but... something was nagging at the back of her mind so she pulled away.

"What?" Cloudasked, slightly out of breath."Is something wrong?"

"Yeah, I think something is. I'm getting really mixed signals here. You tell me that you'll never like me and all that crap and then this kind of makes me think that you want to be with me. Could you clear everything up for me?"

"Look, I'm really tired-"

"So you aren't taking responsibility for your actions? I want an answer now."

"Yuffie, and here I thought you were matured. Of course I like you, I wouldn't just kiss anyone. My feelings... have changed."

"I care about you so much." Yuffie whispered. "I'm just afraid... you hurt me so much before even though I tried to ignore it, I don't want to get hurt by you again."

"I can't make any promises." Cloud answered.

"You're right, you can't. But I'm tired so just in case you are drunk we'll talk in the morning." Yuffie weakly smiled at her lame excuse to leave. "Goodnight Cloud." She wanted so badly to kiss him again that she could hardly bear it but she managed to turn and walk towards her room.

"I can't believe that he likes me." Yuffie whispered to herself in the dark. A feeling of happiness overwhelmed her and she giggled quietly. The smile disappeared from her face soon after. "The question is... Am I willing to trust him after everything?" She didn't have an answer for herself so she closed her eyes to try to sleep.

"Isn't it a beautiful day?" Yuffie exclaimed as she pranced into the kitchen the next morning.

"Uh huh." Aerith groaned as she stirred whatever she was cooking and held her head at the same time.

"That's what you get for drinking too much." Yuffie informed her as she pranced over to the table and sat down.

"Yuffie, your voice isn't the best thing to hear in the morning." Leon muttered as he walked by her to get his cup of morning coffee.

"Thanks Leon, I love you to." Yuffie answered her voice still sounding happy.

Cloud and Tifa burst into the room with her trailing behind him. "Are you sure you're alright?" She asked sounding worried. Yuffie wondered why she looked fine and without a hangover.

"It was just a scratch." Cloud answered. At the other's questioning looks he answered, "A stray heartless, I wasn't expecting it."

"They appear so rarely that's no surprise, we don't even carry out weapons with us anymore." Aerith answered as she dropped what she was doing and walked over to look at it. "Hm...I can cure it but there will be a scar and it'll be tender for a couple days... cure." She whispered as a green light glowed over his skin and the wound disappeared.

"Thanks." He told her and the two of them shared a look. It was friendly, like things were settled between them.

Yuffie felt a little anxious that Cloud hadn't even looked at her yet. Her insecure self was coming out as she watched Tifa little touch Cloud's arm looking worried. "Hands off." She growled under her breath.

"I think that something is happening." Cloud informed everyone. "A group of nobodies was spotted not to far from here, we may need to get ready to fight again."

"I'm always ready to fight." Yuffie said and he glanced at her for a moment and then turned to Leon. "I know that the heartless should be completely gone but apparently we were wrong once again."

"We'll be on the lookout." Leon said and stood up and grabbedhis head with a wince. "Hopefully they can wait a little while though."

Tifa hadn't removed her hand from Cloud's arm and Yuffie felt jealously running through her. She wasn't going to let Cloud see it though, oh no, she wasn't going to be like all the annoying girls she'd seen, who freaked out with their boyfriend dared to even LOOK at another girl. She was going to play it cool.

With that thought in mind Yuffie remembered that she could do the 'Fire' Magic spell slightly. She let a small flame appear on her finger and before anyone noticed, flicked it towards Tifa.

"Ow!" Tifa said as she let go of Cloud and rubbed her arm. "What was that?"

Mission Accomplished!

Keeping a straight face Yuffie said sweetly, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, it just felt like something burnt me for a second." Tifa said with a frown.

Cloud looked straight at Yuffie who just looked back at him, trying to keep her best innocent face. "I'm going to go talk to some of the townspeople and see if they know anything." He said.

Yuffie thought that she had gotten away with it, he apparently didn't know it was her.

It was like he could read her thoughts as Cloud glanced back at her and gave her a quick wink.

She had to be seeing things. The mighty Cloud wouldn't wink at anyone. Or... maybe she was really special.