Chapter 8

Sneaky

The group quickly finished dinner and was conversing at the table when they heard a loud crash. Yuffie remembered about the weapons room and Cloud and Cid were still at the table. Cloud hopped up from the table and faced the source of the crash as well as everyone else. Just then Vincent came around the corner completely drenched and shivering, though barely noticeable.

"Oh no" Yuffie whispered as she clamped her hands over her mouth.

Vincent stopped five feet shy of Cloud who was staring in disbelief. Cid was amazed at how Vincent could keep his composure. That's when he noticed Vincent was clenching his jaw and it became very clear not only to Cid but everyone else that Vincent was trying very hard to remain calm and not shoot anyone.

"Vincent, how did this…" Cloud started.

"Yuffie" Vincent growled cutting him off. He walked past the group and could her Yuffie whimper as he passed her She could feel the cold air flowing from his body. He went to his room and closed the door behind him locking it. He needed to get out of those freezing clothes and into a warm shower to bring his body temperature up. It normally didn't bother him to be cold as long as his clothes were dry, but adding that blizzard materia to the water literally froze him to the bone. Getting out of his wet clothes he dropped them in the toilet, they would be dry by the time he was out of the shower.

Everyone stared at Yuffie. She finally cracked under the intensity.

"I'm sorry! It was meant for Cloud, Vinny never goes in there!"

Everyone just laughed.

"I'm surprised he remained calm. I wouldn't have." Cloud said winking at her.

Barret who was still laughing got up and headed for his room.

"I'm gonna watch some TV, see ya when we land" he said walking down the hall.

The night was still early. They usually chose to relax on the night before a chosen mission like this.

"I gotta set the ship on auto pilot for the night, then I am with Barret. We should be there by morning." Cid said smiling. He walked up the helm to set the controls and then to his room.

Cloud and Tifa began cleaning up and started dishes. Yuffie sprang up from the table, she just had a brilliant idea and she was sure that this time it wouldn't backfire. She ran to her room and grabbed the silk pajama pants and her lock picking kit. She would be back for the chocolates. Sauntering across the hallway she smiled when she wiggled the door knob to his room knowing he always locked it when he was in the shower. Pressing her ears to the door her smile widened.

She hung the silk pants over her arm and pulled starting working on his lock, it only took a few seconds to get it open. Quietly she opened the door and walked in. She listened for the click to make the door was closed. Putting the pants and kit on his bed she put her main pick in her pocket. She tip toed to his bathroom and peered inside through the door he left open. He had a black towel hanging on the towel rack and his clothes on the toilet seat except for his cloak and boots. Smiling again she sneaked in and grabbed his clothes off the toilet making sure not to be heard. His shower was so hot the mirror fogged up and steam hung around the room like a blanket. Since his bathroom tiles were black and his shower curtain was black the light in the ceiling above the shower cast a faint shadow through the dark curtain. His head was tilted back and his human hand running through the waterfall of black hair.. Smiling again knowing that he hadn't seen her this time she snuck back out to his room only leaving him the towel.

Setting his clothes down on his bed she walked over to the closet and opened the door. It made a loud creak as she did. Cringing she looked around the corner into the bathroom. Seeing that Vincent was so engrossed in his shower that he didn't notice it she sighed with relief. She turned back to the closet and opened the drawers to the built in dresser. She wanted to see what his wardrobe consisted of, mainly out of curiosity. All she found was black boxers, some socks and a couple black t-shirts. Pulling open the last drawer she did find a pair of black jeans, but nothing that she would consider stylish. He really needs new clothes she thought to herself closing the drawer and then the closet door. It went quietly that time. Noticing it had a lock on it she pulled her pick from her pocket and managed to lock it. Yuffie walked over to his bed and sat down crossing her legs under her. It was really comfy. She looked on his night stand and saw the small metal key sitting next to his clock, she quickly pocketed it. Bouncing up and down a little bit she heard him turn off the water and pull the curtain back. She waited on his bed with a silly grin plastered on her face.

Vincent stepped out of the shower and grabbed his towel. Briskly towel drying his hair he let it fall around his shoulder looking the same it always did. He wrapped his towel around his waist and looked down at the toilet where his clothes were no longer waiting for their owner. Tifa knew he did his own laundry and no one ever bothered him when his door was locked. He stood there starring at his barren toilet when it donned on him. Chaos stayed quiet up until this point, he chuckled.

(Figure it out all on your own did you?)

"Yuffie" Vincent growled.

(There you go host. She snuck in while you busy.)

But how did she even get in here he asked himself. Who would have thought that the great Vincent Valentine would be scared of Yuffie? The thing was he was terrified of her at the moment, she was holding his clothes hostage and all he had was his towel. What would she think of him when she saw all his scars?

(You can't stay holed up in you bathroom all night host.)Chaos sneered. As much as he hated to admit it Chaos was right. He slowly walked to the doorway and peaked around the corner to his bed. There sat Yuffie who did a little wave. Pulling his head back in he took a deep breath and stepped out to face the cunning ninja who was still on his bed with his clothes. Whatever she had planned worked, at least for now since he only had a towel for protection.

She giggled as she watched him step out of the bathroom wrapped in his towel and clutching it in a death grip with his human hand, his metal arm across his chest holding his bicep.

"Hi Vinny" she said excitedly.

"Yuffie, can I have my clothes" Vincent asked quietly. He dropped his head down so his bangs could hide his face.

"I don't have them Vinny" she smiled mischievously.

"Your hand is on them." He replied lifting his head up so he could stare into her stormy grey eyes. No one has ever seen him lacking this much clothes with the exception of Cloud and Tifa who had to remove his shirt so they could bandage him up after he carelessly let a boarhound almost have him for dinner. It went after Marlene but he was closer and faster. It turned its claws on him as he pushed her away. He didn't have time to get his gun out; all he could do was claw back. Now Yuffie was sitting on his bed seeing in all his pale glory.

Yuffie stopped bouncing and stared at the stoic gunman in front of her. He is ripped she thought. Though he had a lot of scars she was focused on his build. His arms were muscular and defined, his abs were chiseled, his legs were amazingly strong. Under his clothes he kept this amazing body hidden. They made him look more menacing and scary, but almost frail. From where he stood and what she saw he was far from fragile and now she understood when Cloud said that Vincent was the strongest one of the group, though she was sure it was for another reason.

"Damn Vinny" she said smiling.

Right away he lowered his vermillion eyes to the floor focusing intently on one board. She is staring at my scars, my sins he thought letting his bangs fall in his face again.

OH CRAP! I said that out loud. Yuffie cursed herself. Feeling she might have actually offended him she hopped off his bed scooping his clothes up with her in one single movement.

"Vinny, wait here, I wanna do something for you" she smiled then opened his door.

"Do I have a choice?"

"Nope"

Yuffie closed the door and left Vincent alone wrapped in his towel.

Remembering he had a pair of pants in his dresser turned and grabbed the door handle and twisted. It didn't budge; he then walked over to his nightstand and realized that she took his key. He could shoot the door open, but being as close the engine room as he was he figured that would be a bad idea. He was definitely screwed now. He sat down on his bed and cursed himself for not hiding it again. The only thing he could do now was put up with Yuffie until she relinquished her hold on his clothes or the key. His clock said 6:30.

"This is going to be a long night" he said to himself.

(Could be fun too)

No it can't, why do I always get into situations like this?

(She doesn't give you many options)

His other demons laughed at Chaos's last comment, Vincent winced inwardly.

He sat with his back to the door waiting for Yuffie to return dreading what she had planned next.

Smiling she sat his clothes down on her bed kicking off her shoes. She couldn't help but to giggle at the sight of leaving Vincent wrapped in a towel in his room. Walking out of her room she headed for the kitchen meeting up with Cloud and Tifa in the hall and grabbing Tifas arm in the process taking her back a few steps. Cloud looked back at the two girls and shook his head. His bad feelings came rushing back but he suppressed them as he walked to his room to settle in for a movie.

"I did it" Yuffie whispered

"Did what" Tifa asked.

"Follow me"

Yuffie spun on her heels pulling Tifa to her room. Once Yuffie was out of the way Tifas eyes widened.

"Yuffie, are those?"

"Vincent's; Yep, but I left him a towel" she replied bouncing up and down happily.

"Oh Yuffie, please tell me you aren't planning anything bad are you?"

"Actually no; I was hoping you could fix the holes really quick since I am no good at it. Here, I have the needle and thread" Yuffie handed them to her though she wasn't sure where she pulled them from.

Smiling she sat down on her bed and went to work fixing the holes in his pants and shirt. Ten minutes later she winked as she left Yuffies room. Yuffies scooped up his clothes that were finally dry and the chocolates and scurried across the hallway to Vincent's room.

Tifa watched her enter his room, smiling she went in her own room. Like or not Vince, she really likes you she thought to herself.