DISCLAIMED: (07/20/09)
EDITED: (09/16/09)
Characters: Cloud/Yuffie, Godo, mentions of Rufus, eventually all of AVALANCHE
Rating: M
Summary: Cloud is on the road again, his inability to tell Tifa how he felt sending her into Reeve's arms. Now his only contact with the rest of the world is Rufus for a job and Yuffie, because she could. All games/movies compliant.
A/N: I apologize, this should've been up sooner, but I having been having internet troubles in that I didn't have one. I do apologize for the seemingly shortness. I may post the next chap early just to make up for it.
Aye, I know this is labeled Chapter 5[go] when it's only the fourth chapter. You'll find out in the chapter AFTER this one just why that is. Don't worry I didn't skip anything;P And those who've seen my trailer will finally recognize some of the lines. Now on with the story.
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Chapter 五
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After dealing with yet another strange 'delivery' where he's almost killed again, Cloud wants some answers. And Yuffie seems to know more than she's letting on.
Dialing quickly, as he'd memorized Yuffie's number a long time ago, he waited impatiently for her to pick up.
"Cloud?"
"Yuffie."
"Omigod, are you alright? Did you kill it?"
"Yuffie," he said again, catching her attention.
" . . . What?"
"We need to talk."
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Wutai :: Lady Yuffie's Chambers
Yuffie paced her room. She was beyond nervous. Cloud was coming here and he wanted answers. Answers she did not want to give him. Answers that could very well end whatever it was between them.
Goddamn, Godo.
Everything would've been alright if he just kept his nose where it belonged. Cloud wouldn't have almost been killed again and she'd still be certain of seeing him once a month for the rest of her life. It wasn't ideal, but it was better than nothing. Better than this.
Now she'd have to explain. For she couldn't lie to him. Not now. Not face to face. Explain that he was on a suicide mission. For her. For her hand. Something he never asked for, like everything else that happened in his life.
Da Chao, she couldn't do it. She had to get out of here. She had to get out of here right frickin' now.
Grabbing her Spiral Shuriken and her utility belt, she strapped them on over her bracer. Grabbing her headband she tied it on. Giving herself a quick nod in the mirror, she headed for the window.
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"Where is she then?" Cloud asked with barely suppressed anger.
Godo shrank back at his obvious displeasure. "Sh-she didn't say exactly."
Cloud cursed, turning away.
"B-but, I might have an idea," he called out, catching Cloud's attention. "She's might be at your next delivery."
Cloud narrowed his gaze on the other man. "What do you know about those?"
Godo gulped. "Please. I did it for my daughter."
"Did what?" Cloud asked through a clenched jaw.
The man fairly trembled, but Cloud was beyond caring right now. He was torn between concern and frustration over Yuffie's disappearance. With how she'd been mentioning Godo was keeping her under house arrest, he wouldn't put it past the man to hide her from him.
"Y-you see," Godo started, "I promised h-her mother I would l-let her choose. I haven't k-kept many promises over the years so I h-had to—"
Cloud was growing impatient. "What are you talking about?"
"Potential suitors for the crown must undergo a quest. To prove their worth to the people and their future bride."
Cloud brow scrunched in confusion. "What does that have to do with me?"
Godo's expression was near despair. "You are Yuffie's choice."
Cloud blinked. "Excuse me?"
"She didn't say it outright, but it was obvious." He wrung his hands. "I didn't tell her what I was doing at the time, she figured it out on her own."
"Hold on," Cloud held up a hand, silencing the man. "You're telling me that these deliveries are from you and it's some sort of mission to gain Yuffie's hand in marriage?"
Godo nodded. "I hoped to get it out of the way while Yuffie worked up the courage to tell you her feelings. It was clear she wasn't about to any time soon."
Cloud looked away in thought a moment.
"How're you so sure she has these. . . feelings then? If she didn't tell you?"
Godo gave him a look as if to say 'are you mental?'
"Because she's never as happy as when she's about to see you. Because she'll cut off an important dignitary mid-sentence if you happen to call. Because of a zillion other little things she thinks I don't see." He looked away, his jaw working. "And now, she'll hate me even more because I told you all that."
Cloud's mind was racing with thoughts and questions. He couldn't focus. Looking back up at Godo, he said, "You said you might know where she is?"
Godo nodded. "Growing up, every Wutai warrior learns the story of the Quest. They know the places by heart when they reach adulthood. The women learn too – they think its romantic. Yuffie is no exception. However, with you, since you did not grow up here, I had to use 'deliveries' to get you to the right places. There is a package waiting in Fort Condor for your next one. Yuffie might be there."
Cloud gave a curt nod, turning to leave.
"Strife?"
He paused, not turning.
". . . Don't hurt her."
Slowly, Cloud lifted his head, turning to look at the other man, his gaze hard. "I won't."
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He was moving fast. Faster than ever before. Hoping, just hoping he could catch up with his racing thoughts.
You are Yuffie's choice.
Cloud couldn't fathom it. Yes, he'd had feelings for her near the beginning of their friendship. Very strong feelings for her. He liked to downplay them though and chalked it up to simple rebound after the Tifa fiasco. Then he'd realized maybe love wasn't for him. He'd lost his mother, his best friend Zack, Aerith, and then Tifa. The thought of going through any of that again wasn't appealing. It was downright horrifying actually. It seemed he could handle friendship and seeing as she was persistent; it wasn't hard to stay friends with Yuffie. So he pushed those feelings away.
He still noticed the little things about her; the tilt of her head, the spark in her eye when she was making fun of him, how she huffed when he got the best of her, turning the palest shade of pink whenever he made an innuendo. But he didn't dwell on them. That was dangerous territory, deemed off-limits. Yuffie was tough and certainly an asset in a battle, but she was the youngest of the group and therefore certain respect had to be paid. He'd kill, probably maim first, any man who'd had the kind of dreams he'd had about her while on a long delivery. She deserved better so he kept his thoughts and his hands to himself.
Yuffie never struck him as the type to want to settle down anyway. Maybe that was all bravado. . . .
His frustration renewed, he sped up even faster. How could she have kept his from him? He hadn't realized she would need to be marrying soon - her feelings aside, she could've at least mentioned that.
How long?
He wanted to at least know that much. How long had she been holding this in? How long had she. . . . felt for him what he'd felt for Tifa so long ago. . . . If she really felt anything for him at all.
And then he was there. He'd had Reno, sent by Rufus, drop him and his bike off outside the Midgar Golom Cave, not wanting the chopper to alert Yuffie to his presence if she was there. He didn't need to be chasing her all over the continents. He'd also had them replace his phone.
Killing his bike, he walked it the last hundred feet to the Fort before parking it. Staring up at the large structure, he briefly wondered what he'd find, whether he'd get any answers. Yuffie was not the most forthcoming and could evade with the best of them. It's what made her such a good thief in her hey-day.
Decided, he wouldn't push her. If she wanted to tell him, then she would. But he hoped, he really hoped she would trust him.
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Cloud lifted himself into the main area from the ladder. Scanning the room, he noted the usual men sitting at the table and a few stocking the wares, heading up to the shops. He headed that way, deciding to ask the shopkeepers first.
They said she was taking a rest in the guest room below. Heading back down to the main level, Cloud turned to the walk towards the guest room, but something caught this eye. Standing hunched next to the old man at the table, Yuffie slowly raised her head as her eyes met Cloud's. He noted she clutched one of the rectangular brown packages to her chest.
He stepped towards her, and that startled her into action. Straightening, she turned and took off for the exit. Cloud flew into motion as well, running after her. She disappeared down the ladder, leaping down it, only grabbing random rungs to slow her descent. Cloud swung down the ladder after her, sliding down easily as he wore gloves.
Spinning at the bottom, he saw her racing out the exit.
"Yuffie!"
She didn't slow. Cloud ran after her. As she exited the tunnel, he caught up with her.
"Yuffie, stop!"
Grabbing her arm, he pulled her to a halt, spinning her around. Looking at her with wide, bemused eyes, he said, "What are you doing?"
She looked up at him surprised that he caught her, before looking away.
"Yuffie," he said again after a moment, watching her flinch. His hand fell away as she slowly looked up at him.
He stared at her bemused. "What's going on?"
She cleared her throat and laughed nervously. "Hey, Cloud. Fancy meeting you here."
"Yuffie."
"Alright," she sighed. Pushing her bangs out of her face, she closed her eyes, summoning her thoughts. "Look, I'm sorry my pops decided to go psycho on you and send you on the hell mission. I didn't know what was going on until you were already doing it. But you don't have to worry about it now. I'll handle it."
Cloud frowned. "What do you mean?"
She gave him a small frown of her own. "I'm taking care of it."
He stepped closer. "What do you mean, 'you're taking care of it'?"
His ardor only seemed to confuse her more. Frowning, she said, "I mean, I'm taking care of it. I'm going to finish the quest on my own, and finally prove to my people that I can competently rule my own country."
"Without me," he finished for her.
Yuffie's mouth worked, before she got out, "I d-don't know what Godo told you but, really, just forget it. He's getting up in years you know and doesn't know what he's saying. Look, I really should get going." She'd started to turn away, walking a few steps.
Cloud wasn't having it. She was evading the issue. Taking two long steps, he caught her around the waist with one arm, pulling her back against him. He felt her stiffen in shock, her words cutting off, not moving.
Surprisingly, she felt soft and feminine pressed against him. Always, she was so strong, not allowing anyone to see weakness in her. He bowed his head, the scent of cherry blossoms, leather, and female filling his senses. It'd been so long since he allowed himself to feel this way about her. To allow himself this close.
His breath fanned the back of her neck and she shuddered slightly. "About what Godo said. . . ."
"Please," she cut him off quietly. "Don't. Don't ask. At least, not now. Okay, Cloud?"
". . . When?" Cloud finally said.
She was quiet a moment. Cloud wasn't sure if he'd ever get an answer and then, "After."
She shifted, and he loosened his hold on her as she turned to look up at him. "After I finish this," she held up the package.
He frowned at it. "How'd you get that?"
She shrugged. "I convinced the old dude up there that I was supposed to deliver it."
"And you plan on doing so?"
Her eyes darted side to side in confusion. "Uh, yeah."
Cloud shook his head. "I don't think so."
Her expression turned angry. "And why not?"
"It's too dangerous."
She scoffed. "Don't go ape on me now, Cloud. You know I can handle myself."
He shook his head. "This is different."
"Yeah, it is different," she said, giving him an incredulous look. "I know what I'm heading into, rather than just being along for the ride."
"Yuffie—"
"Cloud, stop. I'm going. Deal with it."
He shook his head. "No, you're not."
Yuffie looked at him in disbelief for a full minute. He held her stare evenly. Narrowing her eyes, she turned to run, but Cloud was too fast for her. Grabbing her around the arm, he pulled her back and pushed her up against the rock wall. She flinched before the impact but he wasn't rough. Looking up at him nervously, she saw he was adamant.
"What's going on, Yuffie? Why the sudden need to get married? Why is this quest thing so important?"
She shook her head looking down.
"Why don't you trust me?"
Yuffie looked up at that and really wished she hadn't. He looked so hurt and confused. Sighing, she let her shoulders sag.
"I do trust you. But you have to understand, where I grew up, we didn't trust outsiders. Since this is Wutai business, I really didn't want to bother you with it."
He moved a hand from her arm to lift her chin. "Yuffie, you can tell me. What's going on?"
Reluctantly, she said, "I have to marry by my twenty-fifth birthday to inherit the throne and everything in entails, or it's up for grabs by the most powerful warrior willing to take it." She rolled her eyes. "These assholes calling themselves the Sasori are ready to do so should I fail to find someone." She grimaced then. "They even have a 'suitor' for me."
"That bad?"
"His clothes are prettier than mine and he wears make-up."
Cloud shook his head. "And you couldn't tell me any of this?"
Yuffie sighed. "I'm sorry, Cloud. What do you want me to say?"
"That you trust me and want my help."
"I don't need your help."
Cloud released her, folding his arms. "Your father doesn't seem to think so."
"My father can go to--"
"Yuffie."
Yuffie huffed. "Fine. I trust you. But this is my deal, I'll handle it."
"Fine. Tell me why Godo thinks I'm your--"
"Don't!" Yuffie jumped, covering his mouth with her fingers. Blushing as he stared at her, she removed her hand. "Just don't, okay?"
"Then I'm coming too."
She blinked. "What?"
"I'll go with you."
"But," Yuffie stuttered, at a loss. "Cloud, you can't. I mean, it's not your fight."
He lifted his hand to her face, bringing her rambling to a sudden halt. After suppressing the urge to touch her for so long, it was odd how easy and often he was able to do so now. How easy it was to get carried away.
"Yuffie," he started, seeing her doleful grey eyes staring up at him. "Either you tell me what's going on with us, or I go with you."
She deflated, before giving him an angry look. "Fine. Just don't think you can order me around from now on."
He quirked a smile as he let his arms unfold. Stepping back, he said, "Are you ready?"
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A/N: Like it? Hate it? Just can't wait for next chapter to frickin' see what happens next? Click and tell me about it. I might just post the next chap early if you do;)
