Chapter 60: Stars

Vincent opened his eyes as the bathroom door opened. When his eyes met the sparkling gray of his ninja, his lips curved upwards as she graced him with a happy grin. In a blur of movement, the ninja hopped on the bed and planted herself on his thighs. His hands immediately moved to her hips, he could feel the metal of her brace under the fabric of her shorts on her left hip and subconsciously, his thumb ran across the edge of the metal though Yuffie didn't seem to notice.

She smiled down at him as she straddled his thighs, her head tilted slightly to the side. "I missed you this morning!"

Vincent warmed at the innocent picture she painted with her head cocked to the side as she spoke. Leaning down, she placed a quick peck on his forehead. A pleased sigh slipped from his lips as he gave a nod. "I had some things I needed to do and after last night's storm; I thought you could use the extra sleep. Did you rest well?"

"Yep!"

"I am glad." He replied. "I received a call while I was out. Clay will be able to meet us at noon."

"Did he want us to meet him in town?"

The gunman shook his head. "He will be coming here."

"All right, that sounds good. I'd hate to have to bring Cloud's gift back and risk running into him. That wouldn't be much of a present if he knew." Her eyes moved to Vincent's toned stomach and she watched happily as his muscles bunched with movement as he shifted. She'd never tire of the simple things she experienced with the man before, or rather, beneath her. His hands entwined with hers as he leaned forward and kissed her before pulling away only when they were both fully sated.

Yuffie gave his cheek a gentle pat and glanced over at the clock. "We've got about two hours before he'll arrive," She rolled to the side and flopped lazily on the bed, propping her chin on her hand. "Are you hungry?"

Vincent nodded and prepared to stand, but Yuffie shook her head and hopped off the bed. "I'll handle breakfast!"

He watched with amusement as she disappeared through the bedroom door. He would never tire of her presence. It was refreshing and he felt complete when she was with him. Laying back on the bed, his right hand tucked behind his head, he contemplated on what to do with her today.

.:-o-:.

He could hear the muted voices from the TV along with the sound of her humming as he walked down the hallway, tying his hair back with the black leather thong. Stepping into the kitchen, he watched as she chopped up pieces of strawberries, kiwi and banana before adding them to the tops of two bowls of strawberry yogurt. Her humming turned into the lyrics of some Wutain song when she abandoned the knife, picking up the spatula and scooping up the four pancakes on the griddle to place them onto two plates.

At the whistle of the teakettle, the gunman entered and turned off the burners. "Need help?"

"Yup, you can make the tea, but that's it! You need to relax."

Deciding on green tea, the gunman began to prepare two cups. "The others will arrive today." He stated, adding the tealeaves.

She grabbed the two plates and placed them on the table then returned to grab the yogurt. "I talked to Tifa this morning," She placed the bowls in front of the respective settings before taking a seat, thanking the ebon haired man as he placed a cup of tea near her hand. "Cid is leaving at noon. They have to stop at Cosmo canyon to get Nanaki, but will be here after that. Reeve will be getting here 'round three, possibly sooner if Reno's piloting the helicopter. Barret, Elmyra, Yoshi and Marlene will be here around one.

"Teef is going to make dinner at the condo and everyone is invited." She swirled her spoon in the creamy yogurt, her gray eyes moving up to meet his. "Will you be alright around everyone? We can leave a little early; I'm sure no one will mind."

Vincent gave her knee a pat and shook his head slightly, the corner of his mouth tipping upward slightly. "I will be fine, Yuffie." He gained a smile from the ninja before she took a bite of her fruit-laden yogurt.

"If you say so, Vince." She finished up her yogurt before grabbing the syrup for her pancakes. "So, what do you want to do today?"

The gunman thought for a moment. "Would you like to go on a motorcycle ride?" He knew that he had hit the activity nail on the head when he saw her eyes light up and a broad, excited smile graced her lip. He barely restrained his chuckle as she began to bounce in her chair.

"Let's do it! That will be so fun!" She paused for a moment. "I've never had a chance to ride on a motorcycle before…"

"We'll rent one and I'll drive. If you wish to learn, we'll figure a time for me to teach you while we're here or when we return to Nibelheim." He sat his tea on the table just in time to catch an arm full of ninja. Her arms wrapped around his neck when their lips met, a soft chuckle escaping his lips when he heard the little mewl that escaped her lips before her head came to rest on his shoulder.

They sat in silence for a moment, listening to the chatter coming from the television before Vincent reached over, pulling Yuffie's plate closer to where she sat in his lap. He wasn't quite ready to relinquish his hold on his ninja. It took a few bites to get a good rhythm going to keep her from dripping syrup on their clothing, but the quiet breakfast passed without incident.

.:-0-:.

Once the dishes were washed and placed in the rack to dray, they decided to venture into the den. Vincent grabbed the most recent book that had drawn him in while Yuffie set up camp at the computer. The gunman smirking at the occasional curses and howls of triumph as the ninja challenged others in an online battle game she had found while browsing the internet. Luckily the ring of the doorbell came between matches.

Vincent placed a marker in the book and followed the bouncing ninja to the door, watching as the petite princess moved to her toes to peek out of the peephole. "It's Clay." She confirmed before opening the door. "Hey! Come in!"

"Miss Yuffie, Mr. Valentine," He said in greeting as he stepped in and kicked off his sandals. Clay nodded his to the gunman, returning the silent greeting.

The ninja led their guest to the kitchen table where he placed the two fabric-wrapped black cases he had tucked under his arm, careful not to scratch the surface. Shifting his pack off his back, he removed a third smaller box. Yuffie found herself excited to see the finished products of both blades.

"It took me a while to decide on what to do with the cases and what type of harness would be best for Cloud's weapon, but everything is complete." Clay began removing the protective coverings from the cases, starting with the smaller case. The wooden surface was lacquered and hand carved. It was beautiful in its simple, straight lines and beveled edges. The lacquered finished on the cherry wood suited its new owner, whose name was carved along the bottom and stood out in bold black script.

"If you ever decided on a crest, you can ship it back to me and I'll do the work on it." He said, opening the locks. "The case is reinforced so it can withstand quite a bit of wear and tear."

Clay handed Vincent his blade as Vincent thanked him, taking it into his hand. If he had been impressed with the blade before, he was even more so now. He admired the finishing touches that clay had added. The grip was now encased in red and black leather to match the scabbard that protected the blade. That in itself was a work of art.

"Wow," Yuffie murmured, running her fingers up the lacquered scabbard. Though there was no real design to it, the way the black and red swirled chaotically gave the impression of deep crimson flames and black smoke. She looked to her gunman smiled. "It's perfect." Vincent nodded in agreement.

"Glad you like it." The smith said humbly as he removed the second case from the larger cloth bag. "With this one, I kinda figured the image fit."

Vincent let out a sound of approval as Yuffie voiced her appreciation of the lone figure on the case. Two wolves were carved into the black, wooden surface, so lifelike that it seemed as though they were stalking some unseen prey.

"You know what's strange?" Yuffie started. "Cloud has a broach of a wolf's head that was given to him by a friend while he was with Shinra as a guardsman. I know it's really special to him.

"Then that makes it even more fortunate that I chose the wolf." Clay said with a small smile. "From the few interactions I've had with him and from the news feeds, the wolf seemed right over everything else I considered."

Once both blades were inspected and quickly approved by the couple, Clay placed Cloud's gift back into the bag. Yuffie thanked him for his work as Vincent picked up the rapier. "We appreciate you brining them up here." The gunman said.

"Anytime." Clay grabbed his bag and removed a second smaller box from his pack. "Before I forget, this is the harness for the blade." He quickly showed them how it worked before replacing the blade and harness into their respective cases.

"This is more than we expected. I think he'll love it!"

"S'no problem Miss Yuffie. Same goes for Mr. Strife. If he would like something else on the case or if any modifications are needed, tell him to let me know. I'll be here in town for the next few days." He removed his card and wrote the name of his hotel and his room number. " The harness may need to be adjusted a touch, so tell him he can give me a call and I'll fix him up before you all head back to your homes." He hefted his pack over his shoulder, heading for the door.

"Thanks for everything!" Yuffie said as Vincent opened the door. "Have a nice stay."

"You both as well." He moved towards his black chocobos, who stood when she saw her master. With two clicks of the tongue, the smith started back towards town.

Vincent closed the door and turned to the ninja, surprising her with a kiss. He smiled against her lips and wrapped an arm around her when she began to sag. "Thank you." He murmured against her lips.

It took her a few moments to process his words, but she knew what he was thanking her for and simply replied with a soft "you're welcome."

She picked up Vincent's rapier as he grabbed Cloud's gift and went to the bedroom. The blades were hidden beneath the bed, both being too large for the safe. As Yuffie got to her feet, Vincent watched as her eyes lit up.

"So can we go for the ride now?" The ninja asked, rocking back and forth on her heels.

"I'll retrieve our weapons."

"Alrighty Vince!"

.:-0-:.

After the weapons were gathered, Vincent placed a call and was assured that a bike would be brought to them. Bottles of water and a few pieces of fruit were tossed into a bag as Yuffie stepped from the hallway leading from the bedroom. He took a moment to admire how the denim hugged her thighs and clung slightly to her long, shapely legs. His crimson eyes moved up her form, eventually meeting her stormy, amused eyes.

"Like what you see, Vincent?" A blush graced her cheeks as she cocked her head to the side.

"Yes." He answered simply, his lips twitching with amusement.

They both turned to the door as the chimes of the doorbell sounded through the living room. The young man at the door greeted the gunman with a smile as he handed over the keys to the motorcycle. Aaron, the young man, gave them a few last minute directions, telling them they could leave the motorcycle outside of the bungalow or drop the bike off at their rental station near the office. With a nod of thanks, they watched as he jogged to a young woman on a moped, with a revving sound of the engine, they took off towards the main strip.

Vincent gave the keys a shake. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah!"

He scooped up the bag and made sure his weapon was secure, watching as his ninja dashed out the door, strapping her weapon on in the process. He followed, taking a moment to lock the door.

"Nice…" She said appreciatively, running her hand over the shining chrome and pristine black fiberglass that made up the sleek machine before them. Oh, she was definitely looking forward to this! Her inner adrenaline junkie was already frothing at the mouth.

Vincent, though unaware of her thoughts, was in agreement with her. He too was looking forward to speeding across the grassy plains. Finding himself eager to go, the gunman placed their supplies in the saddlebags and threw a long leg over the seat. With a turn of the key, the bike roared to life. He hit the stabilizer controls before waving her on, holding a helmet out to her.

Yuffie bounded over and was perched behind him in no time. Helmets were donned and the engine revved twice as her gunman glanced over his shoulder. "Hold on tight." She jumped when she heard Vincent's voice through the microphone system in her helmet, mimicking him as she pulled down her visor.

A shiver traced down his spine at feeling her breasts pressed against his back. Small but strong arms wrapped around his waist. When he felt her squeeze him, Vincent shifted the bike into gear.

"Woooooo Hoooooooooo!" Yuffie's voice rang out as they shot off down the road and out onto the plains.

Vincent smiled as he heard her excited cry, pushing the bike just a bit more, easily coaxing more speed from the engine.

.:-0-:.

It was several hours before Vincent pulled into the driveway of their cozy little bungalow. Yuffie grinned as she removed her dainty hand from beneath the fabric of his shirt, hugging him tightly from behind. She wasn't quite sure when her hand had come to rest against his heated skin, but she enjoyed it immensely.

Releasing him from her grasp, the ninja hopped from the motorcycle, her adrenaline still running strong in her veins from their ride. They flew across the plains with Vincent steering the powerful machine through moves that would be highly dangerous to the novice rider, with ease. It felt so good to just get out and ride. There were no worries about pending marriages, unwanted advances from women other than a certain female ninja, or pending reunions with long lost or estranged family members.

Vincent watched Yuffie with a smile as she recounted her favorite points on their ride. Though he didn't say it aloud, he enjoyed the sounds of her happiness, the warmth of her small body against his back, and the way her arms felt wrapped around his waist. A soft sigh escaped his lips as he followed her into their dwelling, however he was almost caught off guard when Yuffie was suddenly in his arms, her legs wrapped around his waist.

A thump sounded, breaking the monotonous hum coming from the air conditioner as his back collided with the front door. A pleased sound slipped from his lips and his mind went fuzzy as her lips met his. His hands moved to the ninja's thighs and for the first time in a long time, he cursed the glove he wore on his hand.

Yuffie broke the kiss and smiled. "We'll have to do that again. It was fun!" She placed a light peck on his lips after he nodded in agreement, then she was lowered to the floor, his arms still around her.

"We have to leave soon or we'll be late." She reached up and cupped his cheek before pulling away. Vincent' nodded and followed his princess to their bedroom.

.:-o-:.

"Oof!" The ninja hit the hardwood floor with an involuntary grunt, thanks to a self guided mini missile, also known as Marlene Wallace.

"Auntie Yuffie!" The little girl called and grinned, hugging the youngest Avalanche member. "I missed you!"

"Missed you too, Kiddo!" She gave the girl an equally tight squeeze before Vincent helped her to her feet.

Marlene looked up to the gunman before giving him a happy smile and hugging him tightly around his long legs. The corner of his lips lifted in a small smile as he gave the girls head a gentle pat on the top of her brown locks. With a quick hello to her 'Uncle Vinnie', she dashed off in search of her papa.

Leaving the entryway, they were greeted by their comrades and Yuffie was promptly hugged by Elmyra and Shera as the guys greeted Vincent. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as Vincent followed Nanaki off to a quiet corner of the room. After trading a few barbs with Cloud, Cid and Barrett, she followed Shera and Elmyra to the kitchen.

"Hey Teef, need some help?" Yuffie asked, hugging her with one arm.

Tifa smiled as she stirred the seasoned chicken as the beef browned. "If you guys want to help, you can!" She gestured to the lettuce, tomatoes and other fixings. Everything else is almost done." Yuffie washed her hands before taking on the lettuce and grabbing a large knife, going to work on her task.

"Hey Tifa, I thought Reeve was suppose to be here too?"

"Well apparently they got delayed with their meeting ran late. They'll be here in the morning."

Yuffie nodded her understanding before being pulled into a conversation with the two older men. Unfortunately, Yuffie had no female relatives but as she looked around the kitchen, listened and participated in the conversations around her, she wondered if she did have aunts, a grandmother, and female cousins, would it be like this? She shook her head. It didn't matter because right now, she was simply content with the way things were.

.:-o-:.

Vincent stood outside with Nanaki at his side, waiting in a companionable silence for Yuffie to say goodnight to Cloud and Tifa. The former Turk had to admit that tonight was quite enjoyable. He spent much of the evening speaking to their four legged companion and occasionally chiming in the conversations around them. Their friends seemed to understand Vincent's occasional discomfort, discreetly allowing him to join the conversation when he chose to.

His little ninja stayed by his side after the announcement that dinner was ready. Their after dinner conversation and games were played with her head resting on his shoulder, eventually ending with her head pillowed in his lap with her legs resting over Cloud's thighs, her fingers running through Nanaki's fur lazily.

He was pulled from his musing when Yuffie closed the door and graced them with a smile. "You two ready?"

Both males nodded and she met Nanaki's golden eye. "Yuffie, you two don't have to see me back to my room."

"Nonsense!" She entwined her fingers with Vincent's as they descended the stairs. "It's been a while since I saw you and its not like we're taking you all the way back to Cosmo..." She said as he led the way, occasionally gazing up at the sky.

"It is nice to get away from home every once in a while." The gruff voice said as they continued heading north. Nanaki looked to the sky, taking in the beauty of the stars above them. "It's not the same as the Canyon, but the stars in general are beautiful."

"They really are!" Yuffie said as he padded at their side, turning her gray eyes towards the heavens. "Perhaps they are not stars in the sky, but rather openings where our loved ones smile down to let us know that they are happy." She quoted softly.

"That's beautiful, Yuffie." Nanaki's lips curled slightly and she knew that he was smiling.

"A saying from the Icicle area, correct?" Vincent asked, reaching out to take her hand into his.

"Yup!" She squeezed his hand and smiled up at him. "Mom used to say it. During the summer, we would go outside and lay on the grass at night and she would point to the brightest star in the sky and say 'If I become a star, I'd be that one so that every time my little girl looked up at me in the sky, she'd know that I'm happy for her, happy to have her as my little girl, and happy to see her every night, growing and becoming a strong, beautiful woman.'" Yuffie laughed softly, "Then she'd tickle me until I begged her to stop."

"She sounds like a wonderful woman." Nanaki butted her hand with his head.

"She really was!"

The trip ended quickly as they led him to the door where he was sharing his room with Yoshi. Nanaki took in their joined hands and gave them his snarl like smile. "Have a nice night you two…don't do anything I wouldn't do." He watched as Yuffie's cheek darkened, his lone eye taking on a slightly saddened light.

"I'm glad that you two decided to take this vacation together. Its clear to me that your bond has grown and is even stronger than before." He butted her free hand with this head. "I hope that one day I'll find a mate that looks at me the way that you look at Vincent."

"Nanaki…" She started sadly and was interrupted as he shook his head and allowed his smile to return.

"Don't worry about me. I'm not the last of my kind and I've been in contact with the tribe living in the northern side of the canyon. They went into hiding when Shinra began capturing various species but not before they captured two breeding females and one male pup. Luckily they were able to recover one of the females and the pup. They did their duty from afar and kept the creatures from the Gi caves as well as other fiends at bay, seeing but unseen."

"The ninja dropped down and hugged him around his neck before pulling back and smiling. "We're happy for you, Nanaki."

"As am I for you. Both of you." He ducked his head as she stood. "Goodnight Vincent, Yuffie."

Vincent nodded back in greeting as Yuffie told him to sleep well as he disappeared into the hotel. With that, the couple opted for a peaceful walk back to their bungalow.

.:-Author's Note-:.

What Yuffie quotes is an Eskimo Proverb, which is why I had the quote come from the icicle area, lol. Keep in mind that this chapter hasn't been edited yet. I've had two surgeries in the last couple months so I've been recovering, but now I'm back at work. I'm adjusting to being back since just after Christmas.

Speaking of the holidays, no matter what you celebrate, I hope you all enjoyed it.

Usually I try to respond to each review, but this time around I just wanna say thanks to all of you who reviewed the last chapter!

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Cookies to you all!

Thank you for reading!

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