Title: Best of You
Drabble #8: Need a Light?
Theme: Bonding
Pairing: Cid/Yuffie—friendship, damnit. Otherwise is just...wtf. Implied Leon/Yuffie
Words: 815
A/N: So I lied. This chapter isn't about Sora. It's Cid time, 'cause Cid needs some time in the spotlight as well. Sora's chapter got moved back because...well, I don't know why, I just felt like it.
Cid was a simple man.
He didn't need much to bring him happiness. All he really needed was a few Gummi blocks to tinker with, three hearty meals, and a pack of cigarettes. His life wasn't all that out of the ordinary. The most unusual thing that he'd witnessed all damn week was Yuffie double dipping her fries in Leon's ketchup. The swordsman's facial expression was priceless. In the end, however, Leon didn't say anything. That was probably the most amusing part of the whole fiasco, Cid thought with a chuckle. The kid was growing soft in his old age.
But nothing could prepare him for what happened next.
He was leaning on the counter in the Accessory Shop when Yuffie came tumbling down the chimney. Before Cid could even string together a "What the hell?", the ninja stumbled out of the fireplace and crossed the room to stand directly in front of him. "Cid," she said seriously--or as serious as one could be while covered in soot.
"What's the problem, runt?" Cid wondered curiously.
She hesitated for a moment before sticking out her hand and asking, "Do you have a smoke?"
Cid blinked. And stared. Then blinked some more. "What?"
Yuffie sighed. "I need to clear my head. I can't deal with this. I've tried everything, but nothing else works."
"Have you asked Aerith for help?"
"Yeah, but that ended in Cloud hunting me down."
"Is it one of those problems? Y'know...girl stuff."
"Would I be here if it was?"
Cid fell silent. After a few moments, he fumbled in his pocket and offered her a cigarette. "Need a light?"
>:>>:>
"So what's your problem?" Cid asked. The two were now settled at a table in the cafe.
Yuffie inhaled and burst into a coughing fit. This wasn't going exactly how she'd expected. "Boys," she managed to sputter in between coughs.
"Ah. If it makes you feel better, we do get smarter as we age."
"Really? Then what's Squall's problem?"
"...beats me."
"Nobody believes me when I say that Squall and Riku are acting weirdly."
"Of course they are. Anyone with eyes can see that."
"Exactly!" Yuffie exclaimed. "Wait a minute. Why are you so agreeable today, old fart?"
"Why aren't you as annoying today?" Cid countered.
The two fell silent for a moment. "Maybe we're having a moment," Yuffie suggested.
"A what?"
"A mutual agreement in which we realize that we don't have to constantly annoy the hell out of each other." Cid said nothing in response. Instead, he took another breath, let out a smoke ring, and grinned. "That is SO cool!" Yuffie said excitedly. "Let me try--"
"What the hell is she doing?" a new voice boomed.
Cid winced. It seemed as though Leon had found them. "What do you mean?" he returned as nonchalantly as he could manage.
The Gunblade wielder moved towards their table and pointed at Yuffie. "This!" he said angrily. Then to Yuffie, "Did he put you up to this?"
"I asked for one, Squall. Geez. I'm eighteen, I think I can smoke a lame-o cigarette if I feel like it."
Leon pinched the bridge of his nose and took a moment to gather his wits. "Give me the cigarette," he commanded calmly.
Yuffie gaped before shaking her head defiantly. "What? You're not the boss of me!" she proclaimed, cringing as she realized how childish she sounded.
Leon sighed. He snatched the cigarette from her hand, snuffed out the flame with his fingers, and gave Yuffie his fiercest glare. "Training. Waterway. Now."
Yuffie tried to stand up to that glare, but it was no use. She dropped her gaze to the floor and muttered something incoherent. Cid thought it suspiciously sounded like something along the lines of, "Stupid bipolar Squall." She spared Cid a small, grateful smile and took off for the Waterway.
The two men watched the ninja run off. Cid leaned back into his seat and put his hands behind his head. "You're only holding her back, you know," he said sagely, his cigarette dangling precariously from one corner of his mouth.
"I know."
"You're know you're either gonna have to get out of her way or grow with her."
"I know."
"She's not a kid anymore. She's got a brain. She catches more than you think."
Leon sighed again. He knew. He knew all too well. He tried to find the words to explain why he did the things he did. Just as the words came to mind, however, Leon was interrupted by a fuming Cloud storming after Yuffie. "I swear, if you don't give me that number..." Cloud said menacingly.
"Aw, does poor Cloud-y's pride have a boo boo?" Yuffie blew a raspberry over her shoulder before darting around a corner, Cloud on her heels.
Cid and Leon watched as the two ran towards Second District. Cid took a long drag on his cigarette and asked, "...did I say that she's not a kid anymore?"
"Yeah."
"Scratch that."
"Duly noted."
A/N: Uh. What? Do youknow what happenedin the end? Hell, I wrote it and I don't even knowhow that happened.That so wasn't what I had in mind. It's something though. Why oh why did this have to turn into a story-ish drabble collection?