Chapter 62: Changes
"Ahhhh! Nothing like a good soak to make you feel so much better…" Yuffie said as she slowly led the way back inside their bungalow.
After sleeping most of the night curled in Vincent's arms, she was pulled from her rest abruptly and quite painfully when spasms racked her body, all radiating from her bad hip and thigh. Her gunman had promptly awakened at her first whimper and immediately lifted her into his arms. With her face buried within the crook of his neck, he carried her outside, hitting the button for the automatic hot tub cover. Before she knew it, he had freed her of the pajama bottoms and was left sitting on the edge of the hot tub in her panties.
Vincent quickly removed his sleep pants, leaving him in his boxers. Hopping into the heated water, he pulled across his lap. The heat and the gentle yet firm massage of those tense muscles slowly brought her relief. Together, they watched the sun rise in the east over crystal clear waters
Despite the pain that pulled her from her sleep, the worry that he felt for her and the loss of sleep felt by both, they both knew that they would never forget this particular sunrise.
Unaware of their shared thought process on their morning, the raven haired male smiled, making a sound of agreement to her pain-free words. Seeing her bathed in the light of the rising sun was a sight that he looked forward to seeing every morning.
"Are you sure you are well, Yuffie? He asked as they entered the kitchen.
"Yes, much better." She looked over her shoulder with a smile. "I think I'll take a couple of those muscle relaxers and see if that helps."
Vincent nodded his head, following her into the bedroom, watching as she yawned. Slipping into the bathroom, he gazed into the drawer containing a few pill bottles and after reading the labels, he shook two of the pills into his hand. Enter the bedroom, he watched her pull dry clothing free and sat heavily on the bed.
"You've taken these before?" He asked, looking at the unfamiliar white pills..
"Yeah, but rarely. I bet these are almost expired. When we were fighting, we used magic and potions so often that I think it helped prevent the spasms." She shrugged and swallowed them dry "Don't know how all that medical works, especially when magic and potions are involved."
Vincent sat with his back to her, allowing her to change. "Yuffie…"
"Yeah Vince?" She said as she sat on the bed beside him, stifling another yawn.
"We did not get much sleep last night. Would you like to rest for a while?"
She looked as though she were about to protest, but another face-splitting yawn interrupted her, causing a small smile to tip the corner of his lips. "Maybe that's a good idea. We can have a late breakfast together and figure out what we want to do later."
"That is agreeable." He stood and pressed a kiss to her forehead, then retrieved his own clothing.
"Are you going out?" She asked, closing the heavy curtains to black the bright rays from pouring into the room.
"Yes, I think I will take a walk, but I wont be gone long." He watch as she nodded in the newly darkened room and climbed into bed. Vincent cranked up the air conditioner a bit, knowing that like himself, she liked to sleep in cooler temperatures.
"All right. Have fun." She gave him a sleep smile, prompting him to press his lips to hers in a light kiss.
"Rest well, Yuffie." The gunman said quietly as he left the room. He ventured into the still-unused guest bedroom, quickly shucking his damp boxers and changing. Once finished, he silently made his way back to the bedroom, cracking the door open, he smiled when he saw she was already sleeping.
The bungalow was dark and quiet when he closed the front door. Crimson eyes closed. He had intended on heading into town, but something was pulling his attention to the north. Eyes opened but narrowed as he tried to figure out what the strange sensation was, he let out a soft grumble.
"Chaos."
"I sense it too."
"Do you know what it is?" He asked the demon, still gazing to the north.
A chuckle was heard from his demon. "I might have an idea…a theory, really…" He trailed off.
"And are you going to tell me?"
"Nope.
Vincent growled his irritation at the demon, earning only laughter as a result. "Vince, head north. You won't have to travel very far."
The nagging sensation caused him to cave and give in to his demon's request, but not before letting a few choice words slip at his suddenly tight-lipped demon. Turning in the direction of the strange pull, Vincent started off at a brisk walk. It didn't take long for his walk to turn into a run.
It truly felt good to stretch his muscles, to feel that subtle burn as the houses and bungalows became further and further apart. Eventually the road veered off towards the Corel Mountains, but Vincent continued north over the vibrant green grass. He could tell that he was getting very close to the source of the sensation he felt back at their little vacation home.
As he neared the area he was being pulled to, he slowed to a walk. He didn't feel threatened as he drew closer, so his weapon remained concealed in its small holster. So caught up in his musings, it was Chaos that forced his body to stop.
"Pay attention Vincent. Look." Chaos commanded with amusement in his tone. Truly, his host had been so focused on the feeling he had been feeling, he wondered if he would have noticed Hojo if he had been standing right in front of him.
Claret eyes regained their focus and scanned his surroundings, then promptly widened in surprise. He knew.
.:-o-:.
Yuffie felt the veil of sleep lifting from her mind and fought it for few moments, before eventually giving in. Gray eyes slowly opened and a groan escaped her. She did not want to get up, still tired from their late evening and early rise, but she knew she wouldn't be getting back to sleep any time soon.
Pushing the blankets back, the ninja stared at her legs, willing them to move. There! Her big toe twitched in response to her brain's lazy command. While sitting there, she went through a series of stretches; after what pulled her from her sleep, she had no desire for a repeat.
"I'll just have to take it easy today…but that doesn't mean I can't have fun." She said to herself, tossing her legs over the side of the plush bed. Pushing away her stalling, she hopped out of bed and moved to the dresser, pulling out various items. Two swim suits were laid on the comforter. "Hmmm…"
Looking at the black one piece and the white bikini, she drew her lip between her teeth in thought. The decision was rather quickly made. Gathering her things, she made her way into the bathroom where she deposited her burden on the counter top. What little clothing she was wearing, was stripped away and tossed into the hamper.
She sighed at the sensation of warm water hitting her skin and stood there, allowing herself to enjoy the sensation. Allowing her mind to drift, it went to the one thing that seem to inhabit her thoughts quite a bit as of lately; Vincent and their recently evolved relationship.
Things were perfect. Vincent had a tendency to close up around others from time to time, but he had changed a great deal. Even the others could see it. Tifa had also become a source of support for the gunman. 'Lucrecia would be happy to see how he has changed.' She thought with smile. She truly loved the man. Every time he came near, her heart would race and she felt giddy in his presence.
She quickly shampooed her hair and stood under the water jets, wrapping her arms around her small form, enjoying the cooling water as it ran through her hair and over her skin. Pulling herself out of her thoughts, the young woman reached forward, turning off the water.
Yuffie heard the sound of the front door close. Draping a towel over her head and wrapping one about her body, she paused as she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Tilting her head to the side with curiosity, she unwrapped herself and tossed the towel on her head to the countertop.
Her body had changed a great deal during the near year since she had joined Avalanche. She had matured; her body didn't hold much of the tom-boyish appearance that she had before. A few inches in height had been gained, maybe one or two, but she could see the difference in being 5'2" to being 5'4". Her facial featured had softened a touch and that was accented by the fact that she was allowing her hair to grow out.
Gray eyes drifted lower. A slight smile and a blush graced her face. She was no longer flat chested! A full B cup and though definitely not Tifa, she had grown nicely proportionate for stature. A flat, toned stomach was thanks to her active lifestyle and training with Cloud, Tifa and Vincent back in Nibelheim. Her hips seemed a bit more flared than she remembered, almost rounded. Placing her hands on her hips, she gave her reflection a small smile before reaching for her towel to finish drying off once more.
The white bikini was donned and her clothing was slipped on over the silken material. After strapping on her brace, Yuffie stepped from the bathroom and let out a squeak when she was pulled into strong arms. Her surprise was quickly pushed away, she melted into his embrace and hummed her delight as his fingers trailed down her back.
A kiss placed on the sensitive skin just below her ear caused her body to shudder, bringing a smile to his lips. "Join me for dinner tonight, Yuffie?" He asked, his voice a whisper.
She nodded, finding it a touch odd that he was asking, then shrugged. With all of their friends in town, it made sense that he would ask so she didn't make plans. "Of course Vinnie. What time were you thinking?"
"Five."
"Sounds good. You wanna go grab something to eat now?"
"Yes." He released her. "Do you wish to spend time with Tifa and the other today? There is something I'd like to discuss with Tseng."
"All right. Let's head out." She took his hand in hers. "Do you want me to meet you back here?" A nod was her answer as they vacated their little residence.
.:-o-:.
The clock in the living room read 4:50 pm and the living room door flew open, startling one of the two occupants of the room.
"Hi Tseng! Hi Vinnie!" The blur called as she darted down the hall, slamming the bathroom door.
"I believe she was dragged shopping this afternoon. She's running a bit late." A small smirk traced the gunman's lips. "I knew she'd be delayed so I changed our reservation time."
Tseng stood, shaking his head. "I will leave you to it." Vincent nodded, walking the advisor to the door and bidding him good evening.
Vincent took a seat on the couch listening to Chaos chuckle at the disgruntled grunts and curses. Eventually, the young woman emerged from the bedroom and the former Turk was hit with a wave of Déjà vu. In those crimson eyes, Yuffie was a sight of pure beauty, straight from a dream.
Literally.
She was wearing a yellow sundress that he had not seen outside of his dreams. Her hair was loose, falling a bit past her shoulders and a pair of white sandals were strapped to her dainty feet. He stood, moving to stand before her. His hand gently ran down her arm."Yuffie, you look absolutely beautiful."
"Thank you, Vincent." She said, blushing and allowing her eyes to travel his body. A pair of black linen pants had made their way out of the closet and joined the black 3/4 length t-shirt. She hadn't noticed before, but his skin seemed to have gained a touch of color thanks to their time in the sun. He made simple articles of clothing look amazing. She shook her head, clearing it. "You ready?" She asked.
With a nod and an offered arm, he grabbed the pack he had placed near the door and escorted her out the home.
.:-o-:.
Vincent held his ninja's small hand in his as they walked across the hardened sand, the water occasionally washing over their feet. With the way she had been pulled from her sleep, he knew that dry sand wouldn't be the best for her. Dinner had been peaceful and perfect. The couple enjoyed themselves immensely.
The evening sun still burned in the blue skies, keeping the air warm as they reached the stretch of beach just outside of their little beach house. Yuffie dropped his hand and stepped into the surf til the water reached mid-calf. Turning to her gunman, she gave him a smile. "I'm going for a quick swim. You wanna join me?" She asked with enthusiasm.
"Are you sure?" He asked.
"Promise I won't overdo it." She crossed her heart as her smile grew. "So…?"
"I'll join you soon, Yuffie. You go ahead." He said moving a few feet up the beach, then took a seat on the warm, dry sand.
She gave a playful shrug and grinned mischievously. Yuffie took a few steps towards him, slowly pulling the sundress over her head, her cheeks flushing with warmth when she heard Vincent's soft intake of breath. The ninja turned to the water to hide her blush.
Vincent's eyes closed when he saw the white bikini clinging to her tanned skin. She looked like a demigoddess! Her golden skin contracted nicely against the pale fabric. When those scarlet eyes opened once more, they were drawn to the thin ties that rest on her perfect hips and mid back. The urge to reach out and loose those strings was quelled. Eventually his gaze moved up, meeting her own stormy gaze as she smirked at him. The yellow cloth that was her dress, landed in his lap before she walked into the surf and disappeared into the waves.
"Wow…" He heard Chaos mutter in his mind.
Still speechless, the gunman agreed with his demon as he attempted to push down his arousal. Though the stretch of beach was nearly abandoned, he still felt the red tinge of embarrassment rise in his face thanks to his body's natural reaction, which he fought to regain control of.
After he regained his focus, his hand relaxed the grip he had on his pant leg.
"Come on Vinnie!" She called from the water where she floated peacefully.
Vincent reached into the bag, removing two towels and placing them on the top of his pack. His shirt was removed, exposing his well muscled chest and stomach. His shoes were toed off and his pants removed, then folded into a tight bundle with her dress, leaving him in his black boxers.
As Yuffie made her way out of the water, she couldn't help but to admire her Vincent. His build was strong but he wasn't overly bulky like those body builders found on the main beach. She could describe him easily as being elegant in appearance, with pale skin and long dark hair.
'Lucky!' she crowed in her mind as she reached him, taking his hand.
"Took you long enough!" She beamed at him, dragging him into the water and splashing him before diving beneath wave.
Vincent immediately dove into the water, swimming hard and gaining on her fast. Crimson eyes opened beneath the salty water, quickly catching her by the waist and bringing her to an abrupt stop. She was pulled to his chest as he propelled them both to the surface, giving her a triumphant smile as her stormy eyes met his.
Yuffie stopped her futile escape attempts as they emerged from the water, each drawing in deep droughts of air. Her chest was crushed to his while he kept them afloat easily.
"Vincent, you cheated! You know the rules! No use of Mako enhanced strength or abilities in the middle of a chase!" She griped.
"I'm am aware of the rules, Yuffie." He said with a smile. "But I couldn't allow you to escape so easily." A kiss silenced any further protests.
The ninja felt as though she was drowning even though she was above the clear water. Her lips were soft against his and her body felt hot, despite their immersion in the cool sea. Her lungs burning slightly, she broke the kiss, allowing a soft sight to escape her while his fingers trailed down her spine.
"Vinnie, I love you."
"As I do you, Yuffie." He replied, holding her as the floated lazily in the water.
They continued to wade lazily in the water together, with Vincent making sure she didn't overdo it. Crimson eyes turned to the sky above as he held her in the chest deep water. The sun would be setting soon. Leading her from the water, they dried off and put their clothing back on over their swimwear, clasping each other's hand as they walked, but Yuffie found her arm jerked slightly as Vincent lead them towards the front of the house.
"Vincent?" She questioned.
They rounded the bungalow where a motorcycle was parked outside. "Do you want to go for a ride?"
"Of course!" She bounced, earning a chuckle from him.
"I'll be right back." He took their pack inside and grabbed the keys left by one of the bungalow employees. When he closed the door, he took a moment to watch her sitting astride the bike, her feet on the ground as she mock-rode the powerful machine. He made a mental note reserve time to show her how to ride.
"Ready?" She asked, her eyes bright with excitement.
"Yes." He quickly tossed his leg over the bike and felt her shift a bit then hand him his helmet.
"Where we goin'?" She asked through the helmet's mike.
"You'll see once we get there. I promise you'll like it." He started the engine and once her arms were wrapped tightly around him, eh steered them both towards the north.
.:-o-:.
'Perfect timing.' Vincent thought as he brought the motorcycle to a stop and cut the engine. The sound of the ocean and the occasional gull's song were the only thing that broke the silence of the area. His heart felt oddly light and peaceful thanks to this place.
He dismounted and removed his helmet as she did her own. She was easily lifted from the leather seat by his strong arms. The ninja inhaled deeply, scenting a mixture of the sea and flowers in the air. The scent was familiar, but she could not place it. "Vince, where are we?" She asked, gaining a small smile from the male before her.
"Yuffie, do you trust me?"
"Of course I do." She responded immediately, her head tilted because she studied him.
"Close your eyes." He took her hand in his. "I promise I won't allow you to fall."
He watched her beautiful ashen eyes disappeared and gave her hand a squeeze. With great care he led her up the gentle slope. It was easy to guide his little ninja, avoiding the various flowering bushes and sporadic rocks. He smiled when she commented on the fragrant blooms they passed, knowing she was fishing for information, however, she would get none.
Reaching the last bit of their short walk, he paused at the brief but slightly greater incline. "I am going to carry you for a few moments." He told her before lifting her slight weight into his arms. A kiss was placed on her temple as he trudged up the incline and came to a halt, placing her back on her sandal clad feet.
Giving her a slight turn in the direction he wanted her facing, he took a deep breath. "Yuffie, open your eyes." He whispered after kissing the soft skin below her ear, holding her back against his chest.
She enjoyed the sound of the waves, the cool, flower scented breeze and it was at that moment that she recognized the scent. 'It reminds me of the perfume Aeris would wear.' She thought with a smile as she allowed her eyes to open.
Irises that seemed to hold the very essence of storm clouds widened as she took in her surroundings. A gasp escaped her and she turned within the confines of his arms.
"Vincent, this is the place from my dream!"
He smiled. "I know."
Her eyebrow arched as she gazed up at him. "What do you mean, Vinnie? How could you know?"
"Yu…the night that you had your nightmare in Wutai and it ended on this point, I had a dream also. On some level, we were there…we where here together. Everything about you in the dream was as it is now." Vincent ran his fingertips through her hair. "Your hair is the same length, you were wearing this yellow sundress and I feel the same sense of peace that I felt then."
He looked out to the ocean and then turned to the east, looking over the bay of water to see the setting sun in the east. He stepped away from her, slipping his hand into the pocket he had been guarding all day. Her tiny hand was captured by the gunman and he drew in a shuddering breath before going down on one knee.
Yuffie's eyes widened and her knees felt weak.
"Yuffie, the time that we have spent together has been wonderful and I don't want it to end. I want to have you in my life. I want to wake up every morning with you by my side. I don't want to go a day without seeing you always smiling at me." Vincent brought her hand up and gently kissed it. Looking up into her eyes as she was bathed in the light of the setting sun, tears coursed down her cheeks.
"Kisaragi Yuffie, I love you. I always will." He pulled a black velvet box from his pocket and opened it, revealing a ring of platinum. Three rows of small diamonds surrounded a beautiful round emerald. A second platinum band completed the set. It was truly stunning!
"Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
Yuffie let out a sound that could only be described as a laugh mixed with a sob. "Yes Vincent, I'd love to be your wife."
Vincent slipped the jeweled ring onto her finger, leaving the wedding band in the box for now and quickly returned it to his pocket. He scooped his fiancée up and kissed her deeply, only breaking away from her lips when breathless. The gunman spun her around, gaining a gleeful yelp from her.
"Yuffie, you don't know how happy you've made me."
"Actually Vinnie," She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I dreamt of the day that you would ask me." She admitted. "I don't want anyone else."
He moved them a touch closer to the point's edge and sat facing east, pulling her into his lap in the process. Yuffie let out a content sigh, leaning back against his chest while they watched the sun dip behind the Corel Mountains, giving the couple a truly beautiful sight to behold.
As the first stars began to make their appearance, she heard her love's wonderfully deep voice. "Yuffie," He whispered. "I think you should tell Tifa and Cloud the reason you didn't return to Wutai after our fight with Sephiroth."
"I was thinking the same thing. Then later, we can invite everyone to the mansion…then I can tell them. It's time for me to come clean and I think I'm ready." She looked to him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "I hope you don't mind me not wearing my ring around anyone but Cloud and Tifa until we announce it to the rest of them. It'll be a nice shock to them."
Vincent chuckled. "I've actually considered this love." He slipped his hand into his pocket again, removing the box once more. "The box is custom." He flipped open another level below the ring, taking out a long platinum chain and clasping it around her neck. It was long enough to conceal the ring within her shirt when suspended from the chain. "I don't mind, Yu. Whether you wear the ring now, or later when you tell everyone, it does not change the fact that you will soon be my wife." He said, kissing along her shoulder, unable to express how truly content he was at the new step their relationship had taken.
.:-o-:.
Yuffie stepped from the bathroom, fresh from the shower and draped in dark green silk. She smiled as she took in the sight of her fiancé. Vincent was lying on top of the sheets of their king sized bed, wearing his silk boxers. His arms were folded behind his head and his eyes were closed, though there was an uncharacteristically wide grin on his face.
A blush heated her cheeks as thoughts of the things that she wanted to do to the dark haired man lying on the bed raced through her head. Giving herself a mental slap to clear her mind of the images that made her skin tingle and her heart pound. The young woman took a deep breath, smirked, took a few steps backwards then ran forward, landing on the bed.
Vincent's eyes snapped open as he was bounced slightly into the air above the bed as a certain, tiny woman landed on the mattress. He hit the bed with a thud, letting out a small grunt as she sat on his stomach with a wide, infectious grin.
"What are you doing, Yuffie?"
"This!" She said, kissing him tenderly. Vincent's hand traveled under her nightgown and roamed the skin of her lower back, pulling her down and pressing her form against his. He traced circles on the warm, tanned skin, causing her to moan against his lips.
When they broke apart, Yuffie placed her forehead against his, panting against their kiss. "Vincent…I love you." She placed another kiss on his lips as he took her hand in his, his thumb running across her finger, brushing the ring that encircled it
"I love you too." He said as she made herself comfortable, lying with her arm across his chest, her head nestled on his shoulder. Soon they were both pulled into a peaceful slumber, their first night as an engaged couple.
.:-Author's Note-:.
Not gonna be long for this one. I'm sorry to those that I promised that this would be up over the weekend, I had my family here and babies around constantly...Now I can breathe!
Well! They're engaged! I actually had most of this written when I first started to this story. It's been tweaked slightly, lol, but its still the same basic chapter.
I actually have a picture of the ring that he gave to her...I don't care if no one else likes it, I think the emerald suits Yuffie over a honkin' diamond. I do wish that the emerald in the pic was a touch darker, but I'm sticking with it. (I darkened it a bit before I posted the photo, lol) I also commissioned a bit of art for for this chapter. I've posted the image to my facebook so if you go to my profile page, at the top, it will link you to my facebook. I made the pictures public so you don't have to friend if you don't want to.
One thing about the commissioned picture that you should know is that it was flipped. When Starlightdevil, (I commission starlight for a lot of stuff because I love SD's work so much), was drawing the picture, she had the canvas flipped when she drew Vincent, then had it flipped again when she drew Yuffie...so the ring is on the wrong hand/finger, lol. I told her NOT to change it and that I liked it the way it was.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well as the art for it. Thank you SO much for reading and I appreciate each one of you. I think I have another scene in mind for my dear artist to draw in the future...
This story is NOT over!
Ezzie Valentine