Confusion and Jealousy

Vincent sighed as he looked at the dawn arising. He glanced as he heard footsteps approaching and smiled at the raven-haired girl who appeared.

"Hello Vincent," She greeted him, a slightly curious expression on her face as to why he was out here. He turned his gaze to the sky as a large howling could be heard.

"Do you hear that? That is Shiva warning of the cold winter." He explained. Yuffie rolled her eyes and put her hand on his arm.

"Vincent," She said gently. "You don't really believe in all this Cetra nonsense do you?"

"Of course I do." He replied passionately. "Cloud believes in them and he's the greatest hero that Midgar has ever known. I believe in what he does! Don't the old ways fascinate you?"

"No," She answered sternly. "They scare me. The magic and potions in them are frightening and unstoppable. It is a religion for the envious. It's not how we were brought up!" She argued angrily, turning to storm away. Vincent grabbed her arm gently.

"I didn't mean to scare you." He whispered, before bringing his lips against hers.

Tifa smiled as Cloud rested his head on her shoulder as she brushed her hair. Slowly he kissed her cheek, moving down to her neck

"Rufus is a lucky man," She sighed suddenly. Cloud gave a small, confused sound at the sudden question before replying.

"Not as lucky as I am."

"Don't you think Aerith is beautiful?" Tifa asked, putting her hairbrush down and turning around to face him. Cloud laughed.

"What a question for such a time and place." He answered, taking her hands.

"Cloud, answer me." She begged. Cloud rolled his eyes.

"Alright yeah she's beautiful but it's a hard beauty."

"You noticed then?" Tifa whispered, looking down at their joined hands.

"What?"

"Her coldness," She explained. "The angry way she looks at us…I don't think she likes me much." She confessed sadly. Cloud smiled and kissed her cheek.

"Maybe because you won your husband without having to fight him." He smirked. Tifa laughed and gave in to his wishes, letting him place a kiss on her awaiting lips.

Hojo leaned around the tree at the sound of the Chocobo approaching. Just as he thought, Sephiroth was making his way towards him. He frowned when he did not see the mask in his son's hand. Angrily, he stepped towards the man.

"Where is it?" He hissed, looking around him. Sephiroth kept a small, satisfied smirk lingering on his lips as Hojo continued to moan.

"I stuck to my part of the deal! Where is my mask?" He cried.

"We weren't sure if it worked." Sephiroth replied coolly.

"It worked!" Hojo snapped. "I know it worked! You just want the materia for yourself!"

In a swift movement, Sephiroth unsheathed his sword and stabbed Hojo in the stomach. His smirk turned sadistic as he pushed it in deeper.

"So what if I do?" He sneered before he pulled the blade out slowly and painfully. He watched his father slump to the ground before he mounted his chocobo and set off back to Midgar.

Cloud entered the room somewhat cautiously, slightly worried and curious as to what Rufus would call him for. He found the King leaning on the fire mantelpiece, a troubled expression written over his face.

"Rufus," Cloud greeted, letting his presence known. Rufus looked relieved to see him and gently put his wine cup down.

"What's wrong?" Cloud asked. Rufus sighed.

"Can I speak openly to you and know that you will not tell anyone else?" He questioned in barely a whisper. Cloud frowned and nodded.

"Of course," he replied. Rufus looked to the floor.

"It's the Queen…she…well, she won't…" He took a deep breath at watching Cloud's confused expression and knew he just had to come out with it.

"Cloud, she won't let me into her bed." He whined softly. Cloud blinked and opened his mouth only to find no words of comfort.

"Rufus…I'm sorry."

"Midgar needs an heir!" He continued frantically. "I must have a son."

"Well, if there was anything I could do I would but…" Cloud began but Rufus interrupted him by holding up his finger.

"There is something." He insisted. "You matched her strength on the Northern Continent but her's isn't even her own. It comes from a Cetra belt that she wears. Now if you could take the belt from her…"

"No Rufus!" Cloud hissed sharply, thinking the King wanted him to sleep with the Queen. "No." Rufus read his expression and rolled his eyes.

"I'm only asking you to remove her belt not substitute for me in…some other way." He answered before taking a step towards the dragon slayer.

"You will not help me when I gave you my only sister in marriage?" He asked in a hurt tone. Cloud looked up at him with slight guilt and Rufus continued.

"The mask worked on the Northern Continent but if you don't use it now then all of that was for nothing." Cloud sighed and looked down at the floor. This wasn't an easy choice.

Everything was quiet around him, signalling that dusk had fallen and Tifa's soft breathing alerted him that she was asleep. He glanced at her with slight guilt before he rolled out of the bed and took the mask. As he opened his bedroom door, he met Rufus waiting nervously.

"Shadows and Vapours…all the same." Cloud whispered, merging once more into Rufus' form. Rufus nodded slightly before slipping into a hiding place. Cloud waited until he was out of sight before walking to Rufus and Aerith's bedroom.

"Goodnight Your Majesty." Yuffie said as she and a few other maids walked past. He nodded slightly at them before hurrying inside the room. Yuffie and the others continued walking until a soft voice called out to her. Turning, she saw Vincent smiling at her.

You guys go ahead." She said to the girls before walking towards him.

"I have something to tell you," He said seriously. Yuffie giggled.

"I love you too." She moved to kiss him when footsteps caught their attention. Yuffie frowned as she saw Rufus walk towards his bedroom door and listen up to it.

"He just passed this way!" She hissed to Vincent. Rufus stepped away from the door and walked away again.

Aerith smirked as he entered the room and she remained where she was on the bed. He walked towards the bed, his eyes boring into hers.

"I just want us to be happy," He pleaded. "To be man and wife."

Aerith tilted her head to the side and sat on the edge of the bed for a moment, before slowly standing before him.

"Look at you, my King." She whispered, reaching over and stroking his chest teasingly.

"You are a match for me, are you not?" She asked playfully. Quick as lightning, he grabbed her hand with force. Aerith raised an eyebrow.

"My my, his strength returns." She whispered, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"Strange…how it comes and goes without warning."

He responded by harshly pushing her arms down when she grabbed at his hands. He twisted them around, making them tug at the clippings of her belt at the back. She struggled against him and wiggled her arms, trying to get out of his grip. On her last push, she heard the clippings being undone and blinked as he held her belt in front of her.

"That's what I needed to know." She replied after a moment. She slowly sat down on the bed again, looking up at him softly.

"Now you can be my husband." He seemed to hesitate at her words before he walked towards the door.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"To get rid of this witchery and when I come back, I expect you to be my wife." He ordered before slamming the door.

Yuffie and Vincent watched the other Rufus leave the room, glancing at each other as he walked away. A moment later, another one appeared and Yuffie clutched her head in puzzlement. He lingered outside the door before opening it and entering. Yuffie frowned as the door closed and Vincent turned to her.

"Do you swear to keep this secret?" he asked. She nodded.

"On the Northern Continent, I saw two Rufus' too. When my brother returned from defeating Aerith, it wasn't Rufus who entered…It was Cloud." He continued, staring at her widening eyes.

"And I know it was Cloud who truly defeated her!"