----x. Renegade Hearts
Chapter 5: Visiting the Memory

"What?" the small girl blinked, cereal box in one hand and toast on a white plate in the other, as she gazed uncertainly at the youth who had just appeared in the kitchen doorway.

He knew it wasn't that she hadn't understood; she simply hadn't heard him clearly. "I said I was going to come with you today. To his grave." He stated again, arms crossed over his bare chest. He watched her carefully.

She simply nodded, ignoring the fact that a very fine piece of meat was before her, and turned back to the bench, grabbing the carton of milk on the bench and pouring it into a waiting bowl. Black bangs, as neat as if she'd never slept, cascaded over her face as she bent to her task, effectively forming a barrier between her emotions and the watcher.

After a few moments of silence she glanced up. "What?" she inquired again, dark eyes void of any excessive emotion.

Riku nearly grinned. "Do you always repeat yourself? I was just wondering if you were going to tell me where the bowls are kept."

She didn't even colour, simply pointed the hand now holding a piece of butter-smothered toast to a small door behind her. "Pantry's just there. They'll be right in front of you." She reapplied herself to her task.

He crossed the tiled floor silently, almost bumping into her as he found a plate and backed out into the only slightly larger area of the kitchen. Only a quick sidestep of Yuffie's prevented a calamity. As it was, she sighed irritably as a few splashes of milk dotted the dark tiles.

"Sorry," he muttered, hurrying out of the way of her business-like steps as she stomped over to a tiny stainless-steel sink and seized a damp cloth. He grabbed the Weet-Bix and shoved six into his bowl, and poured his own helping of milk over the top as Yuffie mopped up the mess, a perfect little frown of concentration on her small face.

She flapped a dismissive hand at him, hunting for more wet patches. "No matter. Just sit down and eat. If you're going to come, I want an early start."

He snorted, ignoring the voice in his head that said you should be nice, it's her dead boyfriend we're going to visit… "And you don't call ten to five an early start?"

She just shook her dark head, and chucked the cloth into a bin – miniscule, like everything else in this damn kitchen, Riku noted – secreted in the back of the pantry. Almost aggressively, she grabbed the piece of toast she'd abandoned to clean the floor and bit into it, tearing off a satisfying chunk and chewing.

One silver eyebrow arched in amusement, but he just shook his head and gazed at his now sugar-coated cereal when she glared at him.

"Whatever." Yuffie broke the silence with a flat statement and a dramatic flourish of the arms. "I'm going to go get dressed." She carried her bowl of three Weet-Bix and milk and her extra two pieces of toast with her as she exited.

A pair of angular aquamarine eyes watched over the rim of a bowl as the thin cotton-clad figure left the kitchen, loose white material billowing with every movement she made.

It was the dark-haired girl's turn to raise an eyebrow as Riku stepped out into the snow-filled street and closed the door behind him. "Sorry I took a while," he offered by way of apology.

"I wasn't going to say anything like that. What's with all the leather?" she asked, eyes glimmering as she looked him up and down.

He glanced at his garb and shrugged. Long black cape- very 'in'. Leather pants courtesy of Kadaj in the Coliseum, when I beat Cloud… leather riding gloves a 'present' from Hook that time in Neverland, when we talked… oh. There's leather on my shirt too. And I thought it was just cotton. Eh. "It looks good, and it's comfortable...?"He told Yuffie timidly. She rolled her eyes.

"Maybe it's a good thing Squall isn't still around to see you. He used to be very possessive of his leather. Wouldn't let anyone else wear it." She gave him a tiny grin and locked the heavy door, then slipped off down the street.

"Well, it's good that it's all black, right?" he hurried to catch up to her, long legs easily covering the distance. His long silver hair was irritating him; the wind kept teasing strands away from his control and dancing them in front of his eyes. With a growl he swiped at them as he awaited Yuffie's response.

The ninja glanced at him, slightly amused. "I guess so. It's not like it's the actual funeral, you know."

He paused a moment, gesturing at her clothes in bafflement. "What about you then? I'd call those clothes pretty dark."

She glanced down at them, then back up at his face. Her eyes were filled with sorrow that wasn't quite concealed. "I wear this all the time," she told him in soft tones.

He struggled to hide pity from his expression – when hers didn't change and she began walking again, he knew he'd succeeded. You know the last thing she wants is pity, he berated himself. If anything, she'd rather pity you. The thought raised his ire slightly, but it was quickly cooled as he remembered the night before.

-x-X-x-

Yuffie simply nodded, tears pricking her own eyes. They weren't for she herself anymore; they were for the stranger that she had rescued. Not for the one who had died- but for the one who lived still. She twisted back around so that her back was curved into his chest.

-x-X-x-

She hardly cares for herself at all, he realized, watching her slim figure, disguised with the dark baggy winter clothes, tramp on ahead of him. She only lets herself have one selfish day a year – the night before he died.

He ran up to her again. "Yuffie–" he began, wondering what to say.

She looked at his face, and her eyes darkened. "What?" she responded stonily, for the third time that morning. The pre-dawn gloom hid nothing, and he wondered what she saw in his features.

"Ah…" the Keyblade wielder cast about desperately for something to say, something that wouldn't offend. "Er… after we visit his grave, let's go get something to eat." Ack… couldn't have said it worse. No feeling whatsoever. And damn. Now I'm blushing. Why? Why me?

The suspicion in her face vanished almost immediately, replaced by the smallest of shy smiles. "You mean it?" she gazed up imploringly into his eyes.

He was completely taken aback. That was so clichéd… and it sounds like I just asked her on a date, and she said yes right away… and wow, not suspicious any more… he swallowed. "Yeah. We can go… wherever." He waved his arm expansively in the air.

She grinned, suddenly lighting up. "Thanks." The ninja said, grabbing his arm and propelling him forward, not noticing the small flinch that accompanied contact with him. "I really need someone's company today. But come on! We have to get there before dawn – that was his favourite time of day, y'know."

They rushed off down the cobbled street towards the very edges of the Third District, dodging piles of dirty snow. Riku noted that his guide avoided the Second District.

Yuffie wailed dramatically just as they reached the graveyard. "Ack! I forgot the snacks…" she cried, about to turn back, then realizing that she had to be at the grave before the sun rose. Riku grabbed her shirt as she almost slipped in the mud at their feet, steadying her.

"I brought some," a quiet voice said from the shadows. There was a hint of compassion in the otherwise emotionless tones – Riku was sure Yuffie wouldn't notice. She was only watching out for pity. He steeled himself as the tone hardened slightly, and Cloud stepped out from the shadows. "And what's he here for?"

"Hey Cloud." Yuffie gave a small wave, her spontaneous side suddenly repressed again – another memory of the past, the silver-haired man thought, watching her. "I couldn't leave him alone at my house, could I? And besides, I asked him to come."

A strangled sound escaped the stoic blond, and he turned his piercing blue gaze on Riku. "She seriously asked?"

"She most certainly did," the ninja girl retorted, latching onto Riku's hand and pulling him in through the gates. Again, he flinched as his hand closed around his gloved one. "And she prefers being called Yuffie, or Sexy, or The Greatest Ninja In The World."

The warrior allowed himself a hidden smile at the sight of the indignant Yuffie hauling a guy a foot taller than her in her wake. It vanished as he remembered that she used to do that with him too. "If you say so, Yuffie-The-Greatest-And-Sexiest-Ninja-In-The-World." So he followed, tattered crimson cloak swirling impressively behind him on the wintery zephyrs.

"There it is." The small white hand emerged from a loose dark sleeve to single out one grey tombstone from the others; it stood alone, isolated, and yet it was curiously unnoticeable. Yuffie, her pale face unreadable, had led them unerringly to the location of Squall Leonhart's grave.

She sped her pace a little, arriving at the stone moments before her two companions did. Arms crossed about herself, hugging the wind-blown clothes tightly to her suddenly delicate-seeming form, she stood and gazed at the stone, with its epitaph engraved, as deeply etched into the stone surface as Riku, watching, realized the death was etched in her soul. She remained there, motionless and oblivious to everything about her, as Cloud stood behind her for a scant moment then turned and dropped the haversack he'd been carrying to the ground.

Curious, the silver-haired fighter glanced over her shoulder. His eyes flickered over the epitaph, drinking it in like it could somehow give him sustenance.

SQUALL LEONHART
Respected by all, loved by few
But that love was strong

He died at age 28, defending Traverse Town from Heartless

He was a good man. He will be missed
by many.

Above all the writing, a small simple engraving of an angel watched over the grave. It was an image he found raised unwanted emotions in his hardened soul, and he gazed at it a while longer before Yuffie snapped him out of it by laying an arm on his wrist. It was, as always, an electric shock to the fighter who pointedly avoided physical contact with any living being unless during a battle.

"–has it ready now," she was saying, looking at him.

"Sorry," he mumbling, tearing his eyes from the symbol and focusing on her words. "What was that?"

She scowled, an automatic reflex to being ignored and having to repeat herself. "I said, Cloud's set up the food. Did you hear that one?"

…I suddenly have the insane urge to laugh. At her. What is with her? He swallowed the chuckling down and followed her to where a few metres away, Cloud had spread a small picnic blanket and watched them impassively, his home-made snacks placed artistically in the center of the mat. Yuffie giggled as she joined the blond, wiry-muscled man, who smiled back at her and placed a chocolate-caramel cake in her hand. It was a gift she received with apparent glee, and Riku smiled at the sudden naivety.

Cloud's demeanour turned frosty when Riku joined them. By now, he'd guessed that it was only the blond being protective, and irritated over yesterday's incident, and simply let it pass instead of getting fired up like he usually would have. The food was really good – not that he told Cloud. Any words between the two of us will probably spark an argument. And you're not supposed to do stuff like that in a graveyard.

Then he paused mid-chew. Wait… and eating a picnic in front of a damn tombstone is normal?

The next half-hour passed quickly, with complaints of the cold from Yuffie and stoic silence from her companions. Finally she stopped wishing for the sun to arrive and turned to Cloud instead. "Cloudy... how's Aerith?" she asked, peering up into his face.

There was a small smile playing about his lips as he thought about his reply. Riku, who was never blind to that sort of thing, realised that there was something between Aerith and the man immediately. His ears pricked up, and he scolded himself. Anything for gossip – to hear how something so normal is going.

"She's well. She called late last night. Said she wanted to be here today, but one of the boys – you remember Denzel, Yuffs? The one who had the biggest crush on you? – Denzel's been sick lately and she needed to keep an eye on him. She's sorry she couldn't make it."

Yuffie smiled and nodded at him. "Next time you talk, say thanks to her from me. Tell her I'm missing her, and I'm going to visit her sometime soon. Oh. And, um, hi to Denzel. Tell him that beautiful as I may be, I'm still too old for him." There was a most ungainly cackle from the girl.

Cloud's fine eyebrows had darted up, and hid immediately under his blond spikes. "Visiting soon? Okay, I'll tell her..." there was a pregnant pause. And this pause was so far gone that it was ready to go into labour. Yuffie smugly sat, not volunteering any more information.

Across from the pair, on the very corner of the picnic rug, the aquamarine-eyed youth straightened suddenly, looking off to the east. Yuffie followed his gaze curiously, and her expression became at once jubilant and melancholy. "Sunrise! The sun's finally up! Well, that fake sun Merlin made, anyway. 'Cause, yeah, you know, Traverse Town being in a perpetual state of darkness and all." Laughing uneasily, she turned quickly to the gravestone beside her, and murmured something that couldn't be heard clearly, although to Riku is sounded like "And again you aren't here."

The sun's blood-read rays soaked slowly into the picnic blanket, and spread across the bare earth to the stone, eventually touching it. It illuminated the angel in an eerie way, so that the etching almost seemed alive, and looking serenely down on the earth with still wings. And as the light crept along the ground, creating shadows and highlights, changing the landscape completely and paving the streets of Traverse with crimson shades, Riku watched her. And when the sun had risen fully, illuminating the small group fully, Riku was still watching the lithe girl, with her lips slightly parted and red glints in her ebony hair.

Eventually, Cloud cleared the rug and packed the leftovers into the canvas haversack they had come from, and left with few words of parting, and no condolences. Watching their farewells, the black-clad fighter knew they didn't need condolences. They both grieved for the dead man, but neither needed to say it.

He left them alone, standing at the edge of the cemetery. The pair watched him fade into the shadows along the street, as was his wont – dark and gloomy, and black, and all that, Yuffie caught herself thinking in a spurt of amusement that was gone as suddenly as it had come – then she turned to Riku.

She spoke quickly, not cutting any corners. "You know, Riku, there's one thing wrong with you."

"What's that…?" He asked slowly, warily.

"You turned evil."

"What?" He spun to face her, shocked. If his thoughts had been drifting before, all his attention was now fully on her. "And where did you hear that?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "It's true, then. You really did."

"Common knowledge, Yuffie. Common knowledge. What I don't know is how you found out."

"Oh, so it's common knowledge, but I wasn't supposed to know? How does that work, I wonder? Well, you didn't tell me, which I think is pretty… mean. You're supposed to tell friends things like that." She crossed her arms and scowled up at him.

"Oh, so now we're friends–" Riku couldn't remember the last time he had felt so bombarded, and automatically put the shields up.

"Of course we're bloody friends!" Yuffie exploded. "You bastard! I took you in, I looked after you after you got mauled by a whole heap of Shadow Heartless, and I even goddamn asked you to come with me to Squall's grave! And you say in oh-such-a-surprised-and-hurt voice, 'Oh, so now we're friends'! But the worst thing is, I had to hear something like that from Cloud. Not you, who it was all about – from Cloud. You can be sure that it wasn't too flatteringAnd now I don't know what to be more pissed off about – the fact that you turned to the side of evil and fought against Sora, who happens to be a good friend of mine, or the fact that you neglected to tell me about it!" She was working herself up into a rage now, hissing each syllable as though they hurt her throat and she just wanted them out. Her eyes were burning with angry tears.

"And now you don't even ask me why I didn't tell you!" Riku shouted back. "If we're friends, then you should care about the reason and not just the fact!"

Yuffie took a deep breath, stormy eyes flashing at the man before her. "Tell me then." She said abruptly. "Tell me what you didn't have the balls to tell me before."

Riku winced. It hurt when she said it as callously as that. In fact, it just hurt that she was being so crude, so unlike herself. He took a deep breath too, and let it go slowly. "I didn't tell you…" he began, and cleared his throat.

"You're stalling…"

"I know, goddamn it, alright?" He burst out. "I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to hate me. Stop, Yuffie – I'm talking now. Even Sora fought against me, when I tried to do everything I could to help Kairi. You can't know how much it hurts, to have your best friend turn against you. I didn't want it to happen again. Even now that I'm not evil, people still shun me, those who know. You didn't. I wanted to keep it that way."

"Damn, you're a fool!" Yuffie yelled, the moment he finished. "Couldn't you tell just now, when I mentioned it? Couldn't you tell that I wasn't disgusted, or shunning you, or scared of you – couldn't you tell? If you'd just told me, we wouldn't even be having this fight right now! Don't you get it? I actually like you!"

Her dark eyes were both pleading with him and glaring at him, a combination his reeling thoughts found disconcerting. And attractive, the most treacherous and personal part whispered almost indistinctly, with obvious malice.

Hmm. It would appear that I thanked a lot of people… wow. XD. Um… thanks again? For Ann, as per usual. I'm thinking of writing a small thing where Yuffie does, indeed, remove Riku's pants. I think Ann should like that muchly. Dang, but every time I read back on this, no matter how much I cringe, I'm still glad I wrote it.

----Tally. -liekomgzduh.-