Aeris was in total shock, her face cringed at the thought. "You're engaged?"
I nodded moving swiftly toward the bar to poor myself a shot."And if he's here I have to leave." I swallowed the shot in one gulp, wincing as it burned the back of my throat, "I need to leave now, he knows I'm here I need to leave."
"What on earth happened before you came back Yuffie?" Tifa was starting to worry, I'd scared her. Which is quite reasonable, since she has been taking great care of me so far.
"A lot Teef a lot." I began to mount the stairs two at a time racing into my bedroom to pack.
"You're not leaving we'll protect you." Tifa was franticly following me, I could hear a slight trembling in her voice.
"Teef I have to leave If he finds me I'm dead, or worse, you're dead."
"No, no, no, seriously, we'll set you up in the attic so no one even knows you're here?" She was pleading with me now, at any moment she would drop to her knees and beg. "Please I'll get Zack and Aeris to move in so we have even more people to protect you. Just tell us what happened."
"I can't tell you, you wouldn't believe me anyway."
"Yuffie!" it was Zack, damn it. "What are you doing?" I turned to leave and ignore him, but to no success I felt my body being pressed harshly into the closest wall, the silver blade he carries was a sharp reminder not to make any sudden movement. Especially whilst within his grasp.
"What are you doing?" He'd grabbed my hand and begun to bone lock it against my shoulder blade.
"I'm leaving, I have to." Tears for what seemed like the hundredth time this week fled my eyes. "I don't want him to find Me."
"Who Yuf?" He'd loosened his grip, not enough for me to escape but enough that it no longer hurt. "His name is Akio Katsuo.'N' he's my fiancé."
He let go, and let me collapse into his embrace, I felt kind of guilty, this was Aeris' man. But she didn't seem to mind.
"Its okay, Yuf, we'll protect you. We won't force you to talk about what he has done" he turned back and glared at the girls. "Just know that I'll kill him if he comes near you."
Tifa and Aeris took this as their cue to leave and went back down to the bar.
"Thanks" I sunk to the floor and Zack exited my room, leaving me in a mess on the floor. I could hear the kids arguing in the next room and decided on a shower. Maybe then I could hop into bed and sleep the rest of my life away.
It only took a second or two but the shower felt like ecstasy, the heat covered my being in this false hope and security. I felt like maybe Zack was right and he could keep me safe. I didn't believe it though. There is a big difference between feeling and believing. My heart told me to stay and my head told me to run. What was I supposed to do?
I stood in front of the mirror tracing all the scars on my body with the tip of my finger, there were long deep scars and small shallow ones. Ones from Zack, ones from Akio Katsuo and a few from other endeavours throughout my life. My most recent one was the bus incident, the scar was hideous, it still held flecks of purple and green bruising and of course black scorch marks where flesh had been burned to prevent further infection. Damn I look disgusting.
Goose bumps shivered over my naked form, still standing in front of the mirror, naked after ten minutes. Finally I decided I should dress and head down stairs to eat. As I dressed I watched as my form hid miraculously behind the thin material. "You almost look half decent Yuff." I smiled at my reflection and headed out the door.
I was greeted by Vincent holding a bowl of soup out to me. His muscled arms holding out the bowl like a child holding out a present. It was damn adorable. "Come on I know you don't want to head down stairs." He directed me to my bedroom, away from all the clatter and arguing.
Placing my soup on the bed side table he watched as I got comfortable beneath the blankets and pulled my bowl over. He stood there for a few awkward moments just staring at me. So I placed the bowl down and moved over. It was a double bed so there was plenty of room for the man.
"Here take a seat." I patted the empty spot with my right hand. Walking over awkwardly he sat and began to untie his shoes.
"Is that difficult?" I know that seems like an odd questions but the man genuinely looked like he was struggling he'd obviously had a couple to drink.
"Can be, I've gotten used to it over the years." He replied smoothly, not wanting the attention brought to him. Yet he continued to struggle.
"Here." scooting off the edge of the bed and onto the floor I landed on my knees. Not trying to be suggestive I swear. I began working on his shoe laces, when I successfully undid the two of them, I roughly pulled them from him, falling back on my arse as I pulled the first one too hard. A giggle escaped me, I looked up in hope he'd be laughing with me... Not at me. But he wasn't laughing at all. In all honesty I think he was mortified. That I helped him? This is not good.
"What's that face for Vinnie?"
He coughed, shook his head then pulled a sort of smile at me.
"No face."
"Lier, there was a face..."
"There was no face. Promise."
Lier. Whatever, maybe it wasn't intentional.
After removing his shoes and his socks I climbed over him back to my spot. Reaching back over him to grab the TV remote and my soup.
"So what do you want to watch?" I turned to face him. "There's that face again, what's it for? You can't deny it I can clearly see it."
He pulled his cape higher on his face obviously hiding from me.
"Vinnie? What's wrong? Have I done something? I know I can be a jerk sometimes and I don't really know how my actions affect others. What's wrong?"
It really seemed like I was avoiding eating soup this week, each time I had been handed it I never actually got around to eating it.
"No, Yuffie you haven't done anything wrong. I'm just not used to your affections. That's all."
"Oh thank heavens. I thought you were dying or hated me or something." I threw in a little smile for effect.
"I could never hate you Yuf." He looked thoroughly embarrassed, the meaning of his words hitting him moments after he'd let them fall from his mouth. A damn fine mouth it is too. My oh my I could kiss them all day. They're soft yet rough at the same time, sometimes he has little bite marks on them where his overly sharp teeth have obviously chewed them.
"Yuffie?" Damn it I was staring.
"Hmm?"
"Why are you looking at me like that?" He emphasised the 'you and me', aww I like the sound of that, you and me, in reference to Vincent of course.
"No reason, you're just gorgeous is all." There you go I said it, I admitted it, to him, my oh my.
He never ended up replying just blushed and pulled his collar higher on his face. How cute. Cute? It made me wonder how old the man was? I mean I know he's much older than Zack, I'd heard Cloud talk about the age gap before.
"Vinnie how old are you." It was a stab in the dark type of question, either he would answer nicely or get up and leave, but I needed to prove to myself that his age wasn't that bad and it didn't make all that much difference, so I asked.
"Technically?" What kind of damn response is that?
"No, when someone asks your age what do you answer?"
"Depends."
"On?" This was bloody tedious.
"Why they need it." Okay that was a statement, but it hinted as a question, I hate cryptic people.
"Say if I was asking because I wanted to ask you on a date and I needed to know you were legal?"
A full chuckle left his body, yes his body, he shook with laughter allowing his collar to slip a little.
"Yuffie," he continued to chuckle. "You know I'm legal. But if it means that much to you, when asked, I say I'm twenty seven. It's only if someone asks my date of birth I tell them different."
"Interesting." I said stroking my pretend beard.
"What is?" he chuckled.
"How cute you are when you laugh." Smirking directly at him I continued to eat my soup.
"Why do you insist on complimenting me?"
"Compliment? No, no Vince. You misunderstood. I'm just stating the truth." I handed him the half eaten soup bowl to place on my night stand. "All truth with me. What do you want to watch?" I began to skim through the TV guide with the remote. He never suggested anything so I chose some reality TV show that we didn't really have to 'watch'.
"Can we play a game?" He nodded in response. "Twenty questions?"
"Do you really have that many questions to ask?" I nodded smiling. "Alright you first then."
"One. What's your birthdate?" I received a death glare for this, I'm sure he attempted murder with that look.
"Really Yuf, it means that much to you?" I nodded intrigued now, "October thirteenth."
"And the rest..." I pushed.
"Nineteen fifty' " I nodded trying really hard to do the math in my head... Damn sixty four, wow really?
"One, did you really just get a kick out of working that out in your head?"
Ashamed I looked into my lap and nodded,
He started to speak again. "Two, do you care?" It seemed like a genuine question, he seemed to be readying himself to run if the answer was negative.
"No not really, you're still hot. And you stole my turn so that means you need to be extra truthful from now on, and add in all little side stories that come with it." He smiled down at me accepting these new rules with glee.
"Hmm, two, is that a glove?" I pointed to the claw on his left hand.
A deep chuckle rumbled through his chest as he began undoing buckles and removed the 'glove' from his body.
"I'll take that as a yes." I took the newly exposed hand into my hands and began tracing the lines and scars that presented itself.
"Three," he started. "If I asked would you, go with me, to the new restaurant opening down the road?"
"Of course Vinnie. Why?"
"As a date?"
It was my turn to blush, cuddling into his side I nodded vigorously. He wrapped his long arms around me and onto my lower back. Okay that sounded like he has gogo-gadget arms but he wrapped his arms around me enough to allow me to feel the distinct heat and scent of him. Wow he smells amazing, a mixture between wine, 'man smell' and obviously gunpowder. Okay when I say it like that it doesn't seem overly attractive, but I swear by the heavens it is.
"I would." I emphasised. He grinned, almost ear to ear.
"Three. Can I kiss you? Again?"
He never replied. Thank heavens. His reaction was much better, although I believe it was partially the alcohol talking, I didn't care.
He kissed me. Aggressively at first, then slowly it melted into numerous little sweet kisses that trailed my jawline. Neck and oh... His teeth nibbled the outline of my collar bone and slightly lower, savouring every inch on skin he could. My hands wound their way to his cape buckles, unfastening them with ease as the cape fell dramatically to the floor. Normally the thought of removing Vincent's clothing would have aroused me beyond belief but two problems arose. One if he removed mine I would have to much explaining to do, scars like mine don't come from Zack's kind of training and he'd know that. The second problem was that he was covered in buckles. It would take longer to undress him than the act itself.
Vincent had ventured his hands down to cradle and rub the tops of my legs.
"Umm. Vinnie... Can we, ah..."
"Slow down?" He smiled as I nodded. "I can still do this though right?" He lowered his lips to mine, and I moaned in reply.