(Chapter 4)

Whisperings

Yuffie got inside the comfortable bed and allowed herself to sleep until four the next morning. If Vincent ever were to catch a bit of rest it would always be between four and five in the morning. Yuffie remembered this from all her spying she did on him during his first few weeks with the crew. At exactly four she slipped out of the bed wearing only a sports bra and a pair of underwear. She picked up her shorts from the previous day and put them on, but didn't bother grabbing a shirt. She snuck down the hallway across the grand staircase and down the other hall towards Vincent's bedroom. She pulled a pin from her hair and very quietly picked the lock and opened the door.

Yuffie poked her head into the dimly lit room. Aww Vinny sleeps with a nightlight! There was a single candle burning with wax running down it onto the gold tray it sat in. Vincent lay on top of the sheets of his bed still in his clothes from the previous day. He was turned on his side away from the candle, facing Yuffie. His face was buried into the crook of his right arm, with his gauntlet hand resting on his side.

Yuffie tip toed around the room completely unnoticed by the sleeping man. She noticed there was a book near him and a glass of ice water behind him, the ice cubes had not yet fully melted. It was obvious to her that he must have just dozed off. She snickered as she snuck over to the table by his bed and picked up the glass water. She stifled her laugh as she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and got the camera ready.

"Vinny?" she tapped his shoulder lightly. Vincent quickly lifted his face from the crook of his arm and in that same moment Yuffie poured the glass of ice water directly on him, snapping a picture of his surprised reaction.

He gasped and wiped a hand down his drenched face, then pushed his wet bangs from his eyes. "Yuffie…" he grumbled as he sat up and glared at the giggling girl sitting on the floor holding her stomach.

As she recovered from the laughter she stood up with her hands on her hips. "That's what you get for blowing me off!"

Vincent blinked.

"Anyway, I'm hungry!" Yuffie crossed her arms and pouted at the expressionless man in front of her. He reached over and closed the book next to him.

"You'll have to wait." He said softly. He stood and blew out the candle before walking out of the room, leaving Yuffie in the dark.

"Wait for what?! Fire up that stove and cook me some breakfast!" Yuffie charge up behind him down the hall way and was right on his heels as they walked down the stairway.

"There is noting to cook, Yuffie. The diner in town does not open until six." Vincent said calmly and walking slowly as if he didn't have an impatient ninja at his heels.

Yuffie groaned and plopped herself down on a velvety dark red couch in Vincent's den. Vincent took a chair that almost reminded Yuffie of some sort of throne. After a period of lingering silence, Yuffie spoke again. Vincent sighed as soon as she opened her mouth.

"You don't got a TV or anything? No wonder you stay so out of touch with the world." Yuffie looked around for anything that could possibly be of interest to her. She didn't have any success so she decided to stare at him. Vincent was staring into the fireplace as if there were an actual fire burning.

Six o'clock couldn't come fast enough for Yuffie. Her stomach was so empty it no longer had the motivation to growl. Vincent hadn't yet got himself a form of transportation so they had to walk into town. That didn't suit Yuffie well at all and she complained the entire way. Vincent's right eye was twitching by the time they had reached the small diner.

"It's Vincent Valentine…"

"Hey isn't that Vincent Valentine…"

"Wow it's that demon guy…." The people in the diner instantly began whispering as Vincent walked in the door. Yuffie trailed in behind him still grumbling about her feet hurting. She went quiet and looked around at all the people that were staring at her.

"How many?" A waitressed dressed up in a frilly dress and apron asked.

"Two." Vincent answered coolly.

Yuffie followed him and the waitress to a table and sat directly across from Vincent. The table was so small, sitting like this felt so up close and personal. Yuffie could only stare down at the menu. Vincent wasn't aware of the closeness. He was more conscious of the constant scrutiny he was receiving be the people sitting around them. He hated feeling like the center of attention.

"Is that his new girlfriend…?"

"She looks so young…"

"Didn't his lover die…?"

Vincent shut his eyes and tried to drown out the whisperings. His heightened sense of hearing picked it up so well everyone might as well have been screaming in his ears.

When the food came, he and Yuffie ate very quickly. Both of them with the same goal of getting out of the diner as quick as they could but had different reasons. As if on cue, as soon as Vincent's gold boot hit the sidewalk outside a clasp of thunder sounded and heavy rain poured down from the sky. Even so, the people on the street seemed more interested in staring at the great Vincent Valentine and his mystery companion than sheltering themselves from the rain. A few people recognized Yuffie as the princess of Wutai and a former accomplice of the WRO, but many others had no idea who she was.

Neither Vincent nor Yuffie wanted to stand there any longer so they took off running towards the trail that leaded to the mansion. Their retreat set off more rumors of the towns people. Once out of the public eye, Yuffie stopped to catch her breath. She was already soaked through to her undergarments so there was no rush getting anywhere dry. She stared at the sky and let the rain hit her face. There was always something about the feeling of the cool rain drops hitting you face on a warm day.

Vincent cocked an eyebrow at her as he noticed she was grinning up at the sky with her eyes closed. Nothing about her situation could be this joyous. He looked up into the sky as well trying to see what he was missing. He closed his eyes and let the rain hit his face too. As soon as he closed his, Yuffie opened her eyes and looked over at the man standing beside her.

"Feels good, doesn't it Vinny? It's like…washing away all your sins." She said softly. Vincent opened his eyes and looked down at her.

She turned back to the sky. "...wash away everything and make you clean again as if nothing ever happened." Tears were now rolling down her cheeks, but the rain hid them. Vincent could sense her sadness anyway, though he did nothing to show it.

"If only it worked that way." Vincent said turning away from her and continuing up the path. Eventually Yuffie followed him as they continued on towards the mansion. Once inside they separated and both took showers.

Vinny, where the hell are you?! Yuffie thought walking around his mansion in only a towel. She didn't have anything but her spare shorts and since Vincent kept his place pretty drafty so she'd rather see if he had anything more decent to wear.

"Yuffie."

"Ah!!" Yuffie spun around to see Vincent standing behind her. She was in his library now. "Geez, Vinny. Hey you got any clothes I can wear?"

Vincent shook his head no. All of the clothes in the mansion were Hojo's and Vincent made sure every garment was burned. He kept a purple blouse of Lucrecia's, but as far as he was concerned it wasn't for Yuffie to wear.

Yuffie started to glare at him, but then smiled bigger. "Hey lets have a toga party!"

"A what?" Vincent asked with a raised eyebrow. After Yuffie explained the circumstances of a toga party, Vincent, uninterested, turned on his heels and left the room he picked up his cell phone and called Tifa.

"Hey what's up Vincent? How's Yuffie?" Tifa asked sounded extra peppy today.

"Hmph." Vincent responded.

"Oh cheer up, did you need something?" she asked.

"Yuffie needs clothing."

"Oh ok, no problem I'll pick her up some things and send it there. Should I find some maternity outfits as well?"

Vincent felt a bit awkward. "If you would."

"Ok! No problem! Hey I have a few early customers so I'll have to let you go, alright?"

Vincent hung up without even saying goodbye. He turned around to see Yuffie walking through his front door in a white bed sheet with a flower she had just picked from his yard in her hair.

"Toga toga toga!!" she chanted with a grin on her face. Vincent contemplated visiting his wine cabinet and downing every bottle until he was drunk enough to join her. That might be the only way he could survive these next eight months.