Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII, Naruto, or InuYasha. I am simply taking some of the plot ideas, characters, and concepts and am twisting them for the mindless non-profit enjoyment of myself and others...in other words don't sue. Also the term "Costan" used to refer to the language and accent (Latin American Spanish) or in this fic the people of Costa del Sol is the brain child of one Don'tCallMeBones a fellow Reefie author, I would like to thank her for allowing me to use it in this fic.
Reeve stood outside the hotel the warm costal breeze flowing through his hair. It was a nice change to the harsh winter cold in Junon. He had arranged for Yuffie and him to stay at one of the many shorefront hotels for the duration of their stay. The the suite had two bedrooms, a full bathroom, a living room and a small kitchenette. He would be in meetings for entire morning and would have to return for another after lunch.
He looked down at his watch, she was supposed to have been there over an hour ago. He had already tried texting and calling a few times, just as he was about call again he heard a familiar voice behind him.
"Not calling me AGIAN are you? Take a hint I am busy, I have to meet a friend, and I am running late..." Reeve swung around to see the ninja he had been waiting for behind him.
"To busy to even talk to me?" He asked cracking a smile.
"Yeah well he is a real whiner this one, I think he'd cry if I didn't show up..." She rolled her eyes at him before being pulled into his arms and hugged tightly.
"Bones Reeve they break under pressure." She hissed as the man squeezed her.
"So what took you so long anyways, the airfield is only a fifteen minutes away?" He asked releasing her.
"Yeah well I kinda got sick on the flight over and then couldn't get a cab..." Reeve grabbed one of the many bags she was caring and started leading her into the hotel and up to their rooms.
"So enough about my vomiting issues... How are you Reeve?" Reeve looked down at her as they walked. Taking in her appearance he felt a bit uneasy. Her hair was longer brushing her shoulders, she looked thinner and had subtle dark shadows under her eyes.
"I am doing good, boring meetings, drawing blueprints, playing leader same old story." He smiled when the girl rolled her eyes at him laughing.
"I see you got a hair cut." She reached up ruffling his newly cut hair, as they reached the door of their suite.
"So I have a meeting I have to leave for soon, but I should be back for lunch around two, thats ok with you right?" He asked as he opened the door.
"Of course, as long as I actually get to see you and some point I do realize this is technically a business trip." She answered tossing her bags on the floor.
"I am not as immature as the others will have you believe, well not totally." She giggled. Reeve set the bag he was carrying next to the others and reached out grabbing her hand.
"I am well aware of that.." He pulled her back to him hugging her again.
"God Reeve, why so touchy feely all of a sudden." She stuttered causing the man to laugh, she could feel the vibrations of his chest against hers. The butterflies in her stomach started fluttering.
"I just missed having you around, is there something wrong with that?" He asked bringing her to arms length. He didn't completely understand it himself, he just felt the need to hold her. She just looked up at him a puzzled look on her face.
"No, I suppose there is nothing wrong with that..." She replied cocking her head to the side. He was all dressed up in a business suit, his hair cut and goatee trimmed. She was used to seeing the slightly rumpled Reeve, she had to admit the clean cut one was nice to.
"So you have to go to a meeting huh." She said pouting a little bit before a smile lit up on her face.
"Thats ok, I have been looking forward to going to the beach anyways. You go do boring shit and I am going to go tan. I am sooo dragging you with me tomorrow though no excuses!" She lectured, Reeve just listened to her nodding his head. He had freed up most of his schedule for the following day.
"Well, sadly princess...ow that hurt." Reeve rubbed his shoulder wear she had punched him It hadn't really hurt that bad but he liked messing with her.
"Don't be such a baby, and DON'T call me that!" She chided, before finally allowing Reeve to finish what he was saying.
"Anyways, like I was trying to say before someone assaulted me, I have to get going. But I did bring along a friend to keep you company while I am gone." Yuffie had figured out where he was going and arched an eyebrow at him.
"Hey girly long time no see..." A familiar accented voice called out behind her.
"Reeve? Did you really have to bring along your dolly?" She groaned.
"Hey I am NOT A DOLL, and I am not that happy about being ye babysitter either I will have you know." Yuffie growled at the robotic cat, causing Reeve to laugh.
"Right well, I am sorry I have to leave so soon. You kids play nice now." He said still laughing as he headed for the door.
"This is cruel and unusual torture Reeve, they have laws against that ya know!" She yelled as he walked out the door only receiving a wave. She quickly pulled out her phone and texted "You Suck" over and over. At about ten messages she grew bored and tossed her phone on the counter.
"So what do you say we go to the beach Cait?" She sighed, the robotic cat sat on the couch blinking at her.
"You are water proof... this time...right?" she continued after not getting any response.
"Yeah, Reeve made sure I had "special" upgrades before we came out here. Since he was convinced you would try to kill me the first chance you got." The cat explained eyeing her warily.
"Hey, no hard feelings, your...er...master? He sent you to mess with my stuff. I retaliated, it's business." She replied waving a hand in the air.
"If you should be mad at anyone it should be him..." Yuffie held out her hand to the robot.
"Truce?" The cat glared at her hand as if it would burn him, his yellow eyes distrusting.
"Oh come on." She waved her hand, little did he know she had her other arm around her back her fingers crossed. The cat grabbed her out stretched palm and shook it.
"Ya got yourself a deal lassie, but I'll still be keeping my eye on ye." Yuffie rolled her eyes.
"I am sure you will..." she laughed.
Cait watched her, he still didn't fully grasp why his maker liked the girl so much. Why would you like someone who destroys your things and prints bad things about you the newspaper. Of course there was a lot of things about people Cait didn't fully understand. This girl had destroyed several of his bodies and yet here she was asking him to accompany him to the beach. He understood what a friend was but friends were not supposed to hurt one another. Yet Reeve had done things to "hurt" her as well, he knew because his maker had sent him to do these things. Like put hair bleach in her shampoo, friends where not supposed to do things like that.
The robot shook his head it was to much for his cpu to process, maybe he would ask Reeve later. Reeve was good at explaining human relationships. Cait watched as Yuffie disappeared into her room with her bags. Awhile later she returned wearing a bathing suit, and a bag and a towel slung over her shoulder.
"You're being way to quite fuzz butt you better not be up to something." Yuffie muttered leaning closer to him, before tugging on his whiskers.
"Hey, stop that!" He cried batting her hand away.
"Just checking to make sure you alive...er working, you ready to go?" She asked grinning at him.
"You bet!" The little robot replied jumping up onto the couch and pumping his little fist. Yuffie laughed, thinking back to what she thought shortly before meeting the little robot's "maker". As it turned out she was right, he is a lunatic.
"Technically we are talking about less than 2% of the population are in the two hundred million gill or less income represent 98% of the..." Reeve rubbed between his brows he had a migraine coming one.
"This past week only about one-third of our sixteen thousand, strong insiders list saw their stock rise, the great bulk of them just between 1 and 10,000 gil. Still regardless of the markets direction..." He had been sitting for hours listening to the men argue back and forth about funding.
'It's always about funding, money this money that blah blah blah blah' Reeve just nodded listening to each man take his turn talking. Though at this rate he wouldn't be surprised if he ended up having to break up a fight.
"Shares surged 48% this past week, news is the company will be selling on behalf of the main stock holder, which offered an 8 gil a share takeover offer..." It was official his head was throbbing.
'I wonder what Yuffie's doing?' Reeve pulled out his phone, he frowned noticing there where no new messages from her. Slipping it back in his pocket he resumed listening, placing his hand on his chin.
He maintained a look of interest not wanting to offend the men from Costa del Sol who were currently arguing over the recent stalk market. A great deal of the WRO's funding had come from other peoples investments. Beside, Rufus Shinra the WRO was in the pocket of many rich men all "trying to give back". Though Reeve knew it for what it really was. An investment, pay now to help rebuild the world, and then the world will repay you later.
"Off-shore oil services is an increasingly important business. With a notable exception of Mideel in the south, most of the new major oil plays are off-shore, off of equatorial Costa del Sol, a small cap would produce 900 million gil a month easy!" Reeve glanced down at his phone again it was already past noon.
"Well what do you think Commissioner Tuesti?" The one man finally said causing Reeve to look at him. The man was vary stout and reminded Reeve of Palmer to much for comfort.
"I think we should wait before starting anymore off shore drilling. We are currently working on alternative energy sources and it would prove to be more costly in the long run if we set up the oil rigs only for them to become obsolete in a few years." Reeve replied watching the mans face first become angry at the mention of waiting but then turn to a smile as Reeve explained the potential profit loss.
'That an I refuse to become another president Shinra, destroying the planet for greed.' He thought to himself but he dare not voice such things. He had to appear to actually care about money. As the meeting progressed he became more and more irritable, his stomach growled. At around two o'clock his phone vibrated in his pocket.
'Hey Cait and I are going to go get lunch are you going to be done soon? -Y.K' Reeve sighed sending her a text back before shoving the phone back in his pocket. Running a hand through his hair he continued listening to the men as they began discussing alternative energy sources.
Yuffie lay on the beach soaking up the sun, a "sleeping" Cait lie next to her. She smiled looking at the beautiful scenery around her. The sky was clear blue not a cloud present, it was almost hard to tell where sky began and sea started. In Wutai it was snowing this time of year.
"What time is it Cait?" She whispered causing the little robot next to her to stir. The cat sat up and closed his eyes briefly.
"1:03, why?" He answered as he opened his squinty yellow eyes. Yuffie stood up and brushed the sand off of her.
"Just curious." She answered before fetching her phone from her bag. Glancing at it she noticed there where no new messages. Frowning she put it away.
'Reeve must still be busy' she thought to herself. Part of her grew a bit irritated but that was quickly squashed by the rest of her that reminded herself that he had responsibilities.
"Come on lets go for one more swim before we head back." She said to the robot, who earlier that day she had shoved into a pair of swim trunks she had bought from children's clothing store.
"Alright!" The cat sprang up from his little beach chair. Yuffie started laughing, she had had to drag him back in from their last swim.
"You know cats aren't supposed to like water..." the robot stopped sprinting to the shore and turned back looking at her.
"They don't?" the cat asked sadly as if he had been caught doing something wrong. Yuffie nodded her head as she walked up to him.
"Don't worry your secrets safe with me." She giggled grinning at him. The cat blinked up at her his face still questioning.
"But do they really? I am supposed to BE a cat right?" Yuffie cracked up laughing.
"You like your cape right?" The cat nodded.
"Your robes? Your boots? the trunks I brought you?" The cat continued nodding.
"Well cats don't where clothes either, you're a robot Cait. You can BE anything you want." She explained rolling her eyes. The little robot cat's eye grew wide, which Yuffie thought looked really wired.
The little cat watched as Yuffie rolled her eyes and walked past him and into the water. He could be anything he wanted to be? This was a daunting concept, another thing he would have to talk to Reeve about later. He followed Yuffie into the water, his new plaid swim trunks swishing with his steps. He liked wearing clothes, he also liked that Yuffie took him shopping for clothes. She hadn't even forced him to try on and ugly dresses today, so far today was a good day.
For the next hour the two of they swam around in the ocean, occasionally dunking and splashing one another. Although after awhile Cait began feeling something pull his tail from below. At first he had accused the ninja, but after it happened a few times when he saw both her hands above the water he began to worry. Yuffie bit her lip, he had no idea she was using her toes to yank his tail.
"Maybe it's a fish..." Yuffie didn't not have enough time to react before she found a soaking wet robotic cat firmly latched to the top of her head.
"What the hell Cait!" She screamed trying to pry him off of her, the robot shook his head.
"Nope Ye take me back to shore right now lassie I am not going to be eaten..." Yuffie stopped struggling and looked up above at Cait who was hanging down her forehead to look at her. Shinning yellow met gray.
"Eat you?...Reeve has got to tell you the facts of life." She laughed beginning to swim back to the shore.
"Facts O life?" The robot asked.
"Yeah you know the food chain? Fish don't eat you! You eat the fish! Unless it's a shark but that's another can of worms." She rambled.
"Of you mean like how fish eat worms?" He responded, Yuffie arched an eyebrow as her feet hit sand.
"Sure why not, can you get down now?" Cait looked at the water suspiciously.
"You where swimming fine not more then five minutes ago, suddenly you're gonna act like a cat?" The robot just looked at her confused.
"NOTHING IS GOING TO EAT YOU!" She screamed shrilly causing the cat to jump and land in the water wish a splash. Sighing she continued to trudge back to land. When the two reached the spot where they had left their stuff Cait proceeded to shake like a dog and splatter water all over everything.
"Fucking hell Cait!" Yuffie cried shielding her self from the spray. However when she looked over at the now fluffed looking Cait she couldn't not help but crack up laughing.
"What are ye staring at?" The fluffed robot asked in a thick accent only causing the ninja to laugh even more. Once she got herself back under control she grabbed her phone and sent Reeve a text. She figured that he would have to be done soon, and that her and Cait could pick up some lunch on the way back to the hotel. She has seen a nice looking Wutainese restaurant while they were walking around town. She wanted to go inside an see if any of the food was really Wutainese or the fried crap foreigners tried to pass off as Wutainese.
'Should be done here shortly. -R.T' Yuffie read off her phone, Yuffie bit her lip looking down at the phone in her hands.
"Cait come here, lets take a picture and show Reeve all the fun he is missing." Cait nodded and the two of them snapped a quick photo together. They quickly packed their things and began walking towards the end of the beach. Once there Yuffie ducked into one of the changing rooms to change back into street clothes. Coming back out she was not happy about what she found.
Maybe about ten feet in front of her stood three guys, one of them had Cait by his tail and was holding him up in the air.
"What is this thing?" One of them asked the others, he was laughing as he continually dodged the blows Cait was swinging at him. Yuffie grit her teeth stomping up to them.
"Put him down right now!" She yelled grabbing Cait out of the man's hands and setting him down. The little robot quickly ducked behind her legs.
"Oh god I am sorry, is he yours?" One of the men asked leering down at her. Yuffie knew the look the man was giving her, she had seen it on Reno hundreds of times. It made her sick.
"Yes as a matter of fact he is now leave him alone." She snapped back ignoring the pain at the back of her calf where Cait had pinched her. She was aware he wasn't hers but she wasn't about to tell these three.
"Really, I am sorry. I just saw the little guy out here all alone and thought we could help him find his owner." Yuffie said nothing as the man walked up to her the others flanking him. She wanted to snap back at him about how that didn't look to be the case. With the way they had been manhandling the poor robot behind her. She instead found herself wondering just how many bones of his she could break as he invaded her personal space.
"You aren't from around here are you?" He asked gently looking her up and down. Her pale complexion was probably a dead give away that she was in fact not from the costal town. Yuffie glared up at him, she knew his type attractive, cocky, and dumb. Cait watched what was happening his yellow gaze flicking from the girl to the men and back. She was looking at them the same way she did an enemy in battle, they however were sizing her up in a completely different way.
"As a matter of fact no, I am hear visiting friends, they just moved downtown." She lied her fingers twitching as her body tensed.
"Oh well thats great let me show you around..." He replied placing a hand on her shoulder. Yuffie placed her hand on top of his a squeezed, it would look like a friendly gesture if not for the grimace on the man's face.
"I am really sorry but I have got to be going, maybe next time." her voice was calm friendly even. The man yanked his hand away cradling it in his other one.
"Yeah sure... maybe next time" the man muttered sending her a cold glare. She just smiled back at him, watching him and his cronies leave.
"Why didn't you smash em to wee bits?" Cait asked after tugging on her shorts to get her attention. She turned her gaze from the retreating men to look at Cait standing below her.
"Don't worry your fuzzy little butt I took care of it..." She began walking away. Cait cocked his head to the side all he had seen was them exchange pleasant words.
"Ye did?" He asked again catching up with her.
"Yes Cait... I broke his hand, was that not enough pay back for you? I could go and attack them still if you want. Though I am not sure how well Reevie-poo would appreciate us causing a scene." Seeing her point he nodded following her. Yuffie took a deep breath calming herself. Back in Wutai she had been undergoing serious training. She bit her lip as they continued walking, it was becoming harder to adjust to normal life after spending so much time in the field.
'Chekhov said I would get used to it, able to turn it off...' Sighing she pushed all those thoughts in the back of her mind. She was not about to let a few dumb jocks looking for a bit of fun to ruin her vacation. She needed to learn to handle her temper better, things had changed a lot since meteor and the fall of Shinra. She was a celebrity of sorts, she not only represented AVALANCHE, but she was a political figure head in her country. She could not go around robbing people and causing mayhem anymore.
Reeve looked down at the picture Yuffie had sent him for the fourth time in the past hour. She was at the beach wearing a black bikini. She had a beach towel tied around her hips and wore sunglasses and a large brimmed straw hat. On her shoulder sat Cait Sith wearing a pair of neon green plaid swim trunks and a huge grin. They both were smiling at the camera flashing peace signs, and had obviously just gotten out of the water. His eyes roamed over Yuffie again, from the sweet smile on her face to the drops of water reflecting off her skin. The message sent with it read "Wishing you were here" and thats exactly what he was doing.
"So thats why you have been so desperate to get out of here the past hour?" Said a voice from over his shoulder. Reeve turned around seeing one of the investors behind him. They had just called the meeting to a close and were all saying their goodbyes.
"I don't blame you, If I had that waiting for me I would be clawing at the walls to." The man pointed down at the phone smiling, Reeve snapped the phone shut.
"Oh she is not my..." He stammered getting to his feet.
"Wife, girlfriend, companion I don't care Tuesti just don't let her slip away. You have to hold on to something as nice as that." The man laughed slapping Reeve on the back, Reeve not knowing how to take what the man was saying just smiled at him. The group all left afterwards leaving the commissioner in the empty office. Sighing Reeve began gathering his paperwork placing it neatly back in his briefcase. Sitting down he ran a hand through his hair. He was bone tired already and he had a meeting that evening at six with Rufus Shinra. That left a whole three hours to get back to the hotel spend a little time with Yuffie before going to Rufus Shinra's condo.
'Some vacation..' he thought dryly, pulling out his phone again he looked down at the picture. Pressing a few buttons he turned it into his wallpaper, as the picture grew he noticed something. His eyes squinted as he looked closer, just beneath where her bikini top ended tucked right beneath her ribs was a black mark of some kind.
'I didn't know she had a tattoo...' he thought to himself, making a note to ask about it later. flipping the phone back closed he shoved it back into his pocket. Sighing he stood from his seat grabbing his brief case. Making a mental note to grab some tylenol on the way back to the hotel he left.
After a short cab ride and a quick stop at a store Reeve finally returned to the hotel. Upon entering the suite he was greeted by a vary humorous sight, Yuffie and Cait were on the couch wrestling over the remote arguing over what to watch. Reeve began laughing alerting the other two to his presence.
"Your back!" Yuffie exclaimed leaping off the couch abandoning the fight with Cait.
"I ordered us so lunch on the way back it should be here in a few minutes." She stopped in front of him and began bouncing on her heels.
"That sounds great I am starved." He smiled down at her.
"I can only stay a few hours though I have another meeting tonight." Yuffie's smile faltered she had really been looking forward to hanging out with him. Reeve walked past her taking off his jacket he tossed it over the back of one of the chairs in the living room. He looked down at his coat for a moment frowning. He had seen the way her smile had faded, he really did want to stay but he couldn't.
"I have that I.Q test if you wanted to take it now before we eat." he said walking into the small kitchen hoping it would cheer her up. It worked, she came bounding into the kitchen after him.
"Yeah sure." She cheered following him and plopping down at the table. Reeve smiled handing her a packet of paper.
"You ready to cry when I make you feel stupid?" She giggled taking the paper from him.
"We will see.." He replied opening the mini fridge and pulling out a soda. Yuffie immediately began working on the test.
"So what do I get when I win?" She asked cheekily in between questions. Reeve just leaned against the counter behind her watching.
"I don't know what do you want?" Yuffie stopped writing and bought her pen to her lips.
"I want you to quit asking what you said back in Wutai..." She answered before turning back to the test. Reeve arched a brow grinning.
"Okay, well how about this. If you don't beat my score you have to tell me. If you do I won't ever ask you again. That doesn't mean I can't find out other ways." He smiled there was no way she was going to beat him. His I.Q was one point below the level of genius. She was smart but she wasn't that smart.
"Deal." She said catching him off guard. She hadn't even put any thought into the question, she was so sure of herself.
"No get out of here so I can concentrate." She waved a hand over her shoulder. Reeve laughed and went into the living room. Sitting down next to cat he grabbed the remote out of the robots hands changing the channel. The cat looked up at him gapping ready to protest. Reeve just arched a brow at the little robot who immediately looked away and pouted before finally getting up and leaving to go recharge in the other room.
About fifteen minutes later there was a knock at the door. Reeve looked over his shoulder as Yuffie emerged from the kitchen.
"Just in time, your testy thing is on the table done." she said as she opened the door. Reeve's eyebrows went up into his hair as he watch her pay the man.
"Yuffie you were only in there twenty minutes how can you be done?" Yuffie shrugged setting the food down on the coffee table.
"I am done, go look." she replied pulling the food cartons out of the bag. Reeve got up and went into the kitchen. Sure enough there on the table sat the test, all of the questions answered in Yuffie's messy handwriting.
'That test should have at lest taken an hour...' He thought slipping the test inside his brief case. Returning to the living room he sat down on the couch next to her.
"This stuff is so good, you have got to try this.." She said in between bits of the food she was currently devouring. Reeve looked over his food at her and shook his head.
"No, I am ok." He answered, she rolled her eyes.
"Come on Reeve live a little it's just sesame noodles you'll love it I promise..." She whined Reeve just shook his head.
"Do I have to hold you down and force you to try it?" She asked arching an eyebrow. Reeve glared at her playfully as if saying "I'd like to see you try it". After a short struggle filled with laughter Reeve found him self being sat on. He was pinned with his back against the end of the couch, Yuffie sitting on his chest and arms.
"You should know better then to fight with me Reeve." She lectured pulling a few noodles out of the carton with the chopsticks. Reeve bit his lip glaring at her. He had gotten the upper hand a few times but she had somehow managed to use his weight against him and flip them, pinning him.
"Now are you going to try this or am I just going to have to pile them on your face until you have to eat them in order to breath?" She laughed. He refused to open his mouth as she tried to feed him, finally after the sauce began dripping down his chin he relented opening his mouth.
"See that wasn't so hard." she grinned at her victory. Finally able to worm his arms out from underneath her, he sat himself up more causing her to slid down into his lap.
"Yeah Yeah, so what is this called." He asked trying to grab the carton out of her hand. She yanked it away from him.
"It's cold sesame noodles and you are not allowed to touch them, I know how you operate. Food stealer!" Reeve chuckled, she seemed to make it her job to introduce him to new things. Things he would inevitably like only to have her turn around and horde them.
"You have got sauce in your goatee" She laughed handing him a napkin, he quickly wiped his face and tossed the napkin back on the table.
"You not going to share?" he place a fake pout on his face, she wasn't buying it not even for a second.
"I'll share, but you're not touching it understood?" He arched an eyebrow at her in confusion. But when she fished out another lump of noodles from the container and held it out to him he suddenly understood. Somehow the rest of their meal went just like that. They talked about various things thought the meal, Reeve's hands resting on her thighs his thumbs rubbing the flesh beneath them occasionally. Neither really gave their intimate position much thought, both where simply happy to be with their friend again.
"So when do you have to go back?" She asked setting the empty food cartoon back on the table. As she leaned the short tank top she was wearing rode up exposing a slip of black ink.
"I have to leave in a half hour." He replied reaching up to push her shirt up further.
"What is this?" He asked running his fingers across her side.
"It's just a tattoo..." she whispered sitting back up.
"Can I see?" He asked his hand resting on the hem of her shirt that had slid backdown to cover the tattoo. She bit her lip and nodded, Reeve gently lifted her shirt and inspected the tattoo.
"Soul of creation..." He whispered as he ran a finger across her tracing the kanji.
"You're getting better at your Wutainese.." She said bitting her lip his touch tickling her side.
"Does that mean anything specific?" He asked not removing his hand. Yuffie looked down into his deep brown eyes, she wondered if she could explain to him what she didn't even fully comprehend herself.
'Oh I was praying one day and passed out, woke up with this mark seared in my side... Yeah that will go over real well' She hadn't told anyone one about what had happened at the temple, and she wasn't planning to until she understood it herself.
"Not particularly no..." she lied without batting an eye, trying to ignore the warmth of his hand. Reeve didn't think on it to much just assuming it was a reference to her technique "all creation".
"So did you have any interesting plans for while I am gone?" He asked rubbing her legs affectionately. Yuffie looked down at his hands, her eyebrows arching at the affectionate gesture.
"No, probably going to take a nap, watch some tv." she shrugged, before leaning closer to him deciding to mess with him.
"Why afraid I might run off to some club and get into trouble while you're away." She batted her eyes at him. Reeve's heart skipped a beat, he knew she was messing with him but that still didn't mean her actions didn't effect him. He looked at her his eyes roaming over the delicate features of her face. She was breathtaking he could admit that now but she was still off limits.
'Still... doesn't mean I can't screw with her right back...' He thought a smile creeping onto his face. He leaned closer to her grinning as he noticed the slight flicker of apprehension in her eyes before it disappeared.
"And what if I am? Can't have you running around causing trouble, It would strain my diplomatic relations with dear old dad." Which in part was true, though he was sure Godo would have a lot more to say about him having Yuffie in his lap. The two of them openly flirting with each other even though in jest.
'Don't mess with the best Reeve, you'll always lose' She laughed internally.
"Oh can't a girl just have a little fun?" She cooed taking her hands and running them across his chest. Inside she began cheering as she watched Reeve's eyes widen ever so slightly and heard his breathing stop. Squashing the nerves that where currently raging inside her she leaned in an went for the kill.
"You understand don't you commissioner?" She whispered in his ear deliberately making her voice breathy. Reeve snapped picking her up off of him and standing up. The girl instantly broke out laughing having won their little game of chicken.
"You're evil." He hissed even though he was grinning.
"Your point being?" She asked finally reigning in her laughter. Reeve chuckled shaking his head. Yuffie got up off the couch and began cleaning up the mess.
"You should go change your shirt Reevie boy. You've got sauce on it here, and here." She said pointing to two different places on his shirt. Reeve looked down noticing he did in fact have a few stains on his shirt. He left Yuffie to finishing cleaning up as he went into his room to grab a clean shirt. Noticing Cait perched on the windowsill he stopped.
"Cait what are you doing?" he asked the little robot who was gazing down at the city below their suite.
"Thinking..." Reeve arched an eyebrow at his uncharacteristically vague answer.
"About what?" The robot swung around and hopped down unto the floor.
"Why do you make me go to Wutai and do mean things to Yuffie if she is you're friend?" Reeve sighed he really didn't have time for another philosophical discussion with the robot.
"It's one of those complicated human emotional issues isn't it?" The robot asked his maker having seen the look on his face.
"Yuffie said you needed to teach me the facts o life, you know the fishes and the worms." Reeve's face grew a look of complete shock and then amusement.
"What the hell did she tell you?" The man laughed, even though part of him feared what twisted things she might have told the robot, apart of him was filled with sick morbid curiosity and amusement.
Cait explained about the fish and the worms and how cat's weren't supposed to swim but he could because he wasn't really a cat. After a fifteen minute explanation along with a hundred questions Reeve finally was able to get away by promising he would talk with him more about it later.
"You!" he said firmly pointing an accusing finger at Yuffie as he entered the kitchen,
"Me what?" She asked putting the leftovers in the fridge and pulling out a soda. He didn't answer instead grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms.
"What did I do?" She asked genuinely confused as he reached down pushing the hair out of her eyes.
"I bet you thought you were funny planting all sorts of thoughts in his little brain and then leaving me to pick up the pieces." Yuffie looked up at the smiling man confused for a second before she finally realized what he was talking about.
"Oh yeah...that was funny wasn't it?" she laughed, but then became confused once more.
"So wait you're hugging me because I fucked with Cait's head...oh I get it." She smiled.
"Do you?" He asked raising a brow.
"Yeah, you're messing with my head." She answered, brown eyes gazed into gray.
"Am I?" Yuffie thought about it for a few moments, before she began doubting herself. Reeve saw this in her facial expression and laughed.
'Oh he is good...' she laughed internally as she realized what was going on.
"I have to get going princess, I will be back later, try and stay out of trouble." He said blocking her swinging hand as he said the nickname. Yuffie sent the man a weak attempt at a glare. It just caused him to laugh more and ruffle her hair.
Yuffie sighed looking at the clock after he left it was almost five o'clock. Without much else to do she left to go take a nap in her room just as Cait came out of his and sat down to watch the tv.
She sat in the dark not able to see anything, not hearing anything except the slow drip of water dropping from above. How long had she been here? She had lost track of time, a long time ago. Trying to not think of how tired and hungry she was she looked around trying to see something, anything. Only blackness was there to meet her. The cold was creeping up on her again, sending chills up her spine.
'You failed them...You let them die...They all died because you were to weak...'
The whispers where coming back, she shook her head clawing at her ears. She knew they weren't really real, they where just voices inside her head. She had control, but try as she could she couldn't stop them as they whispered to her in the darkness.
'Weak...Weak...Weak...' She began pounding her hands against the cold stone walls next to her. She couldn't see them but she could feel the solidness beneath her hands.
'You disappoint me... to think I was given such a weak excuse for a daughter...' It was her mothers voice this time whispering in her head. Yuffie shook and began sobbing, each heaving breath sending pain coiling through her body.
"It's not real, It's not real." She whimpered over and over rocking back and forth her hands covering her ears. But it didn't help, the voices continued coming, they took turns. Sometimes it was her mother or her father other times it was her friends, even the other shinobi from the village.
'You were nothing but a hinderance...you didn't help us at all...' Tifa's voice whispered to her.
'To think I would actually be friends with a insignificant whelp like you...' Reeve's voice tormented her.
'You're nothing...you're weak...' it was Vincent who spoke this time. Yuffie snapped and began screaming, scratching at her own face.
"Shut up shut up shut up!" She screamed starting to hyperventilate, her breath lost she started to become lightheaded, passing out the silence returned. She was awoken by the sound of a heavy metal door creaking open.
"Lets see if she is ready" a male voice was heard from the blinding bright light that suddenly streamed in the room. Yuffie brought her hands up to shield her eyes pressing her back against the wall. Feeling someone grab her arm she was viscously yanked to her feet.
"On your feet!" The voice spat before pushing her out of the room, she tried to tell where she was as she was lead through several rooms. To weak to focus on anything she allowed them to lead her into a room and sit her down in a uncomfortable wooden chair. Disoriented she barely even noticed when they tied her hands and legs to the chair.
"Who are you?" Yuffie tried to lift her head from it's slumped position but was to weak. Her eyes where barely able to focus on the masked man in front of her before his fist slammed into her face.
"TALK BITCH, WHO ARE YOU!" Yuffie spit out the blood that was pooling in her mouth, one thought repeating in her head over and over in a mantra.
'Be strong, be silent' The man repeated his question before hitting her again when she failed to answer.
This went on for what seemed like ages as pain wracked through her body. They would give her a small break only when she seemed to be loosing consciousness. The man would change his question occasionally asking "who she was", "where she was from", or "why she was here". She soon lost track of how many times they hit her, she could feel blood running down the side of her face and down her neck.
"Maybe some more time in the hole will loosen that pretty little mouth of yours" The man whispered his face getting vary close to hers. She could feel his hot breath puffing out from beneath his porcelain mask. Gathering all the strength she had in her she threw her head back before smashing it into his, breaking the mask. The man recoiled grabbing his face. Yuffie grinned weakly as more blood ran down her face from the fresh cut on her forehead.
"YOU WHORE!" the injured man yelled still holding his face. Another man came out from behind him and backhanded Yuffie sending her and the chair flying onto the floor. She cringed as she landed on her hands bound behind her back. She felt a sickening snap and pop followed by more pain, she was to weak and to stubborn to cry. Taking deep breaths she tried to push the pain down. The uninjured man grabbed her by the neck and lifted her and the chair back up.
"You think you're funny?" he seethed, Yuffie pulled her head up and looked into the cold blue eyes behind the mask.
"I am fucking hilarious" her voice was hoarse, and faint as the man squeezed her neck hard enough to bruise. The man chuckled before setting her down and untying her. Grabbing her before she could slump out of the chair he bodily picked her up by the hair at the back of her head.
"We'll see just how funny you are in a few days..." He promised dragging her back through the rooms and shoving her back into the dark room. The door slammed shut just as Yuffie hit the ground. The room descended into darkness, Yuffie crawled across the dirt floor and curled up in the corner. Pressing her beaten face to the brick walls letting the coolness sooth her swollen cheeks. Yuffie was just about to let herself slip away into sleep when the voices started again.
Yuffie bolted upright in bed sweat pouring off of her, breath heaving she quickly looked around trying to asses where she was. Recognizing her surroundings she pulled herself out of bed. Padding over to the window she looked down at the busy streets below. She tried to focus on the people passing by and push the memories of her nightmare out of her mind. She looked at the clock behind her, she had only been out two hours. Sighing she looked back down at the streets, her heart was still moving a mile a minute the adrenaline making her feel on edge. She knew Reeve would not be back for awhile, but it felt like the walls where closing in on her.
'You're having a panic attack Yuffie...slow your breathing' she thought to herself trying to force her rapid breath down. But try as she might the tightness in her chest would not go away. She looked around her heart speeding up, she needed out, she needed to get out and get air.
'no...no...you need to control this...breath dammit breath...' She pressed her forehead to the cool glass window her fast breath puffing against it. She reached a trembling hand up to the glass placing a palm to it.
'You're fine...breath...in...out...in...out...' she thought to herself trying to push the feeling of dread that was creeping up her spine leaving chills in it's wake. She closed her eyes only to be meet with the vision of masked men and the pagoda in flames inside her head. Her eyes snapped open her heart slamming against her ribs. She felt like someone was choking her, she felt like nothing around her was real.
'I need out I need to move, thats the only way I can get this to stop, I need to run, fight, I need to MOVE!' she thought franticly. Her eyes caught a neon sign outside the window. Walking back over to the window she peered down at the neon sign several blocks down the street. She bit her lip debating, she knew she should probably stay put. A seventeen year old girl of her "standing" could never be seen off galavanting in clubs and bars. As much as she loathed it she understood the reasoning behind it, but she felt like she was being smothered her heart bounding in her chest.
"Fuck it" she hissed tearing open her bags to change, she needed to move, she needed out. It took her all of five minutes to change and dig out her fake ID. She left the suite before Cait even had a chance to get up from the couch and question her.
Reeve looked down at his phone as it blinked silently at him luckily they where taking a small break at the time so he was able to answer it.
"Hello?" He answered.
"Hey Reeve we have a small problem, well I don't now if it is a problem or not...because I didn't get to ask where she was going..." Reeve arched a brow at Cait voice as it came through the phone.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"Well the lass tore out of here like the place was on fire not more then five minutes ago, I tired to ask her where she was going but she ignored me..." the robot explained.
"Okay I will take care of it." Reeve said before hanging up the phone. Setting the phone back down on the table he thought about what he should do. Should he leave her alone and just let her come back on her own. Then again her father knew she was here with him, if she managed to get herself into trouble it would reflect badly on him. Not to mention the possibility of the press getting hold of anything, they had after all been hounding the whole group since meteor fall. And like it or not she was for lack of a better word royalty because of her standing in Wutai. Sighing he waved a hand to the turk standing in the back of the room motioning for Tseng to come over.
"Yes sir?" Tseng asked as he got closer to his boss.
"Yuffie left the hotel and has not told anyone where she is going. Have the others track her down and make sure she is alright." He told the man, he could not help but feel bad sending the turks for her. Though it was necessary he could not help but feel like he was betraying her in some way.
"Yes sir." Tseng replied before walking away pulling out his cellphone. Reeve sighed rubbing his temple.
'I really hate this job sometimes.' he felt bit guilty, if he had been there maybe she would not have left without saying anything.
That in and of itself made him worry, why hadn't she said anything? Remembering the test in his briefcase he pulled it out and began looking at it. Rufus and the others soon returned and resumed their meeting. Reeve listened adding his own two sense on occasion, thinking he was writing notes the others paid no attention to what he was doing. Reeve smiled when he came across a question that had Yuffie's scribbled handwriting next to the circled answer.
"Seriously what kind of dumb question is this? Epic dumb who pulls these questions out of their asses?" The little note read. A few others had the words "dumb" "easy" and "really dumb" scrawled next to them. Tallying the score Reeve's raised his eyebrow.
'This can't be right.' He thought recalculating the score, he began to think back to when she had taken the test. Trying to figure out if it was possible for her to have somehow cheated. Finding nothing he looked down at the numbers staring at him, 139 the same exact number as him. After a few more hours the meeting ended, as Reeve was getting up he overheard Tseng talking into his phone.
"What do you mean she got away?...She did what!...I don't care!...Find her!" Tseng hissed snapping his phone shut. Tseng turned to Reeve who was looking at him expectantly.
"Sir, we seem to have a situation" Tseng told him, Reeve arched a brow he had a sinking suspicion his night was about to get interesting.
-TBC
Author Notes: Reviews equal updates! So review review review