Author: This whole thing was just so awful… I was such a little spazz-writer back in the day. Yuck. Not to say I'm now super-epic or anything… Guhhh… Hate explanations. Just read the damn chapter.

Disclaimer: I own nothing from Final Fantasy.

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Yuffie sat on a squishy gray couch staring at the small marshmallows that swirled in her cup of hot cocoa. She almost signed aloud but held it back so as not to concern Cloud further. The blond was currently sitting across from the modest glass coffee table in a simple dark blue armchair. His glowing blue eyes were regarding Yuffie in a way that made her squirm.

'He's always so intense.' she mused. 'At least he isn't asking a ton of questions and considering how I acted…' Her thoughts trailed off to their chance encounter just hours ago.

After their initial greeting in Kalm, Yuffie had broken down and simply clung to him while bursting into tears, telling him everything without him even asking. He didn't say anything. Instead he simply held her close, rubbing her back in what could have been an affectionate manner. It wasn't until she collected herself enough to stop crying did she ask what he was doing in his 'old hometown'.

"Business." He simply stated. "I actually have one more delivery to take care of. I won't be long." He picked up a duffle bag by the door and left without another word.

:: A few hours ago::

Cloud had taken the distraught ninja to lunch, a humble café with a homely and comfy feel on the northern part of town. He insisted that she eat as much as possible and that he would be paying. She made it her policy to never argue if something is free. They ate quietly, both lost in their own thoughts until the blond finally asked in a quiet voice, "Where were you going?"

She sniffled uncomfortably in her chair not even looking up to meet his eyes. She stated in a slightly nasally voice, "That's just it! I don't really know where I can go. I don't have anyone to go to with and I can't go back to my Dad with," She pointed to her stomach, "this. Even if I wanted to start on my own I forgot all my money because of Vi...Er… I guess I really have no where."

Cloud was silent for a time just watching the short haired princess. He sipped his tea and Yuffie thought she could almost heat the gearsturning in his blond head.

"Come live with me." He finally said.

"Wha..!?"Yuffie was so shocked she looked up wide eyed to meet his stunning blue stare and for a moment that was all she could focus on. Yuffie had always loved Clouds eyes. Such a brilliant and haunting blue color that held so many secrets that they always caused Yuffie to blush. Even in her state she couldn't help the heat rise to her face. 'Do not. Check out. Former Boss.' Yuffie reprimanded herself.

"Y-you want me to live with you?" Yuffie asked. She felt the tears fill her eyes and couldn't stop them. Not out of sadness. Cloud was opening his home to her. Her tears were of joy and relief.

"Sure." He stated shrugging his shoulders nonchalantl.

"I couldn't do that." She thought aloud, 'Why not?' She thought to herself, 'I really have nowhere else to go!'

"Why not?" Cloud said, "You said you have nowhere else to go."

"So, here I am!" Yuffie said allowed. Cloud brought her to his home in Edge City, the city that was built where Midgard once stood, and took her to his spacious one-bedroom apartment near the orphanage both he and Tifa currently owned. When they had first arrived he had instructed her to get comfortable. He soon left, to where she had no idea.

This time she did release a sigh as she finally took in her new living quarters. Gray-colored carpeted floors and white walls described his place along with small pieces of simple furniture. That's about it. No pictures or anything personal to really show that anyone lived here. Yuffie looked around once again not really sure what to do with herself. She couldn't very well do much in here since the couch and Cloud's chair was the only thing in the 'living room'.

Standing up she went to the kitchen and wasn't too surprised at that she found in the cupboards: one glass, one plate, one bowl. She did smile when she also noticed and odd and particularly large chocobo coffee mug. Yuffie snickered when she remembered that she was the one to get that for him last year for his birthday.

Going to the (what she suddenly realized was the ONLY) bedroom in the apartment saw a bed with a black comforter and an alarm clock on a small nightstand. The Ninja praised Gaea that there was an actual T.V. in the corner of the room. 'At least now I know I won't die from boredom!' Walking to Clouds closet she found a dresser and a few empty hangers. There was also a wooden dresser in the closet. She considered the dresser for a few moments longer wondering why he would keep it here. Not feeling as if she is doing anything wrong, she stared rifling through his dresser drawers.

'Huh, who would have thought he was a boxer-briefs kind of guy.' She thought holding up a pair of his underwear. She also found a lot of black shirts, black pants, one pair of dark jeans, and an odd manga titled School Girl Play. The cover had two girls, one with long blond hair and the other with short black hair (something similar to Yuffie's hairstyle) in short school uniforms.

Not seeing anything else to look at Yuffie plopped herself down on the bed and started looking through the book. The first page was of the two girls in school uniforms sitting on a bed. "Oh Mika! You have a stain on your shirt. You better take it off so I can clean it!"

"Oh!" The other girl said blushing, "You take off yours too Hina! I'll feel better. Tee hee."

Yuffie's eyes widened as she continued to read. 'Oh dear Hades…'

:: Two hours later::

"Yuffie!" Cloud said coming through the front door, a couple of large bags in his other arm. "I'm back. Where are you?"

"I'm in the bedroom!" Yuffie said. "I'm hungry so you better have brought me something to eat that isn't cottage cheese. That's that only fucking thing you have in your goddamn fridge."

"Remind me to talk to Cid about how he speaks around you the next time I see him." Cloud said as he tried to get the annoyed twitch of his eyebrow under control. He fished out a smaller bag to give to Yuffie, hoping it would meet her expectations.

Cloud walked to the bedroom to find the young girl sprawled out on his bed watching T.V. She turned to look up at him with hopeful hungry eyes. She gave a mischievous toothy grin as he handed her a bag of food. She took out the fast food burger and munched away happily. "I brought you some of Tifa's clothes until we can get you some for yourself. He said, "I also brought a lot of food and some DVD's so you can stay occupied until I get some more stuff for the apartment."

Yuffie smiled up at him after taking a particularly big bite of food. "How ong aph I stafing wit yo?" Yuffie asked her cheeks puffed out with food. He couldn't help the smug smile that played across his face as he said, "As long as you need to. Besides, Tifa has always complained when she would come over that I need more stuff in my apartment."

Yuffie swallowed the food and wiggled her eyebrows at him. "Oh! When has Tifa come over, you sly dog you!" Cloud just blushed and bopped her head playfully telling her to not to say such things. "So, where am I sleeping Cloudy?" Yuffie asked tilting her head to the side.

"The bed of course." He stated, "I'll sleep on the couch or the floor in the living room."

Yuffie shock her head and said, "That stupid couch is so old and beat up you'll never get a good night sleep! Plus the only blanket you have is the one I'm currently sitting on."

Cloud raised a blond eyebrow and asked, "Then what do you suggest?"

"We'll share the bed!" Yuffie said putting her fist in the air excitedly, "SLEEPOVER!" She yelled happily. "We'll stay up late telling spooky stories and braid each other's hair."

When she saw the horror stricken look Cloud gave her she sighed. "Is the horrified look because of sleeping next to me? Do I look like I have cooties?" Cloud still looked uncomfortable and she sighed. "Hey. We're both adults! We can share a bed no problem."

"Yuffie, that idea seems incredibly inappropriate."

"Look…," She said seriously. "I just don't want to be alone right now. Okay? Super Ninja Yuffie is really scared and depressed and really needs you. I have a baby in the oven and I don't know the first thing about taking care of anything or anyone other than myself. Just please let me stay here, okay?" The brunette frowned and refused to meet his eyes. Having to ask for anything, even in her current state was hard.

Cloud sighed and hand his hand through his spiky blond locks. "You better not be a blanket hog."

::Some time later::

Turns out Cloud was a cuddleer in his sleep.

'I'm being spooned by my old crush.' Yuffie thought absentmindedly as the two lay in the comfortable bed. She was currently in a pair of Tifa's pajamas (a large button up cotton shirt and matching pants) which was three sizes too big for the petite Yuffie. Wrapped in the blanket and Cloud's strong arms Yuffie felt a little better about her situation.

'Things will work out hopefully. Cloud will help me while I get my shit together. I can probably get a good job here or at least rob some of the richer saps in the area. I will be fine… I wonder how Vince- NO! No, I will not think about that jerk every again! I don't need him! He probably already forgot about me and is back mourning his dead wannabe girlfriend.' She felt tears forming and her eyes and couldn't help the small sniffle.

"Yuffie?" Cloud said in his sleepy voice. He pulled her closer to him and said soothingly next to her ear, "Don't think about it. Think about something else, anything else."

She sniffed. "Okay…" Yuffie's thoughts then drifted to what she found earlier, "Oh, Cloud, just so you know… Since I'm living here for now, you really need to find a better place to hide your hentai."

A soft 'plop' sounded seemed to echo in the bedroom as Cloud hit Yuffie in the face with a pillow.

End Chapter 2

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Author: For your information I might refer to Vincent as a vampire but he isn't actually one in this story. In the game, if Yuffie is in your party when you first recruit Vincent, she actually shouts 'Vampire' at him. That is the only reason he would be referenced as one. Gawd.