DISCLAIMED: (08/03/09) All mistakes are mine.
EDITED: (09/16/09)

Characters: Cloud/Yuffie, Godo, mentions of Rufus, eventually all of AVALANCHE
Rating: M for the eventual sexing.
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: So a bit lemony in this one, but not much. Didn't mean to but the characters have a life of their own sometimes and you gotta go with the flow. Did I mention that you all rock?


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ЄөЦŕҐїŊģЭфΘμÐ

Chapter 七

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They make it to the old man's cave and find it empty. They also find a small door in the wall. Before they enter though, Cloud and Yuffie experience a myriad of emotions and Cloud presses Yuffie for answers.

"Come on, Yuffie." He said quietly, but earnestly. "Tell me."

She was shaking. "Don't, Cloud."

He stepped even closer, if possible. "Tell me."

She made to move away, but he gripped her arms. She was faster than him in a fight, but she was no match for his strength.

"Please…" she said, quietly, her voice tired. "What do you want me to say?"

He stood there staring down at her for the longest time before she heard him sigh. "Nothing. Let's go."

As he stepped away, Yuffie was left with strangest feeling of relief and feeling utterly bereft. Rubbing her arms to warm herself up, she turned to see Cloud crouched in front of the hole, peering inside.

He started inside without a word to her. Still unsteady, Yuffie dropped to her knees and followed.

-

Cloud was a mess. He cursed to himself as he paced outside the cave. Honestly, he didn't know what was wrong with him. He'd been fine just being friends for the past three years. He didn't know what compelled him to continually try and beat the information out of her. When she was ready, she'd tell him. He had to trust her on that.

He knew this mission and sending him on it wasn't her idea. He knew if she had another choice, he'd probably have never known about it. It was her pride that he admired and shook his head at, for she never asked for help. It wasn't in her nature to show weakness and he knew in her culture and her status as a royal, asking for help was like admitting failure. Thus why he continued this quest with her.

Okay, that was a lie. Well, not entirely the truth. He did want to know how she really felt about him. And yes, she was a more than capable warrior in her own right. But the thought of her being alone, facing the type of danger he'd seen the past few days. . . .damn it, the thought was unbearable. He rubbed his chest as if to ease the ache it brought about.

Pride and his semi-uncertain feelings be damned, he was not about to let her disappear into the Lifestream with everyone else he'd ever cared about. And this Saosin. A gaijin or not, Cloud was going to hand them their asses if they got in their way. Yuffie had more than earned her spot as ruler of Wutai - some outdated law of marriage and coup d'état were not going to take it from her. Not if he had any say in it. Which may be difficult since she still saw him as an outsider.

Cloud tried to ignore the hurt he felt at knowing that. He knew after what Shinra did to her home, she had every right to be wary, but he'd never felt this close to anyone. Tifa had been as out of reach growing up as now - Aerith, he'd only known for a very short time - and Zack, well he didn't remember a lot of his time with him.

Yuffie was different. He supposed maybe meeting just once a month wouldn't have forged a close friendship on her side of it, but damn. It had been all he could handle with any regularity. Plus, he hadn't wanted to burden her, what with her royal schedule. He'd had no idea she'd had any deep feelings towards him - and still didn't really, since her silence only frustrated him.

Which turned his thoughts to his not-so-uncertain feelings towards her. Gaia, was he whipped. Though he hadn't wanted it to, his heart had lightened considerably when Godo told him he was Yuffie's choice. Obviously, it was not the same as hearing it from Yuffie, but the man had looked so dejected and sincere, that it was difficult not to believe him. Of course, he could be Yuffie's choice simply out of lack of other options and she'd never thought to actually ask him since he was a gaijin.

But it was done. The hope was planted there. Which was a bitch since she wasn't up for talking. She smelled great, her body fit perfectly against his - so perfectly he suddenly had a hard time keeping his hands to himself - but then he'd always known she would. Their friendship had kept the less platonic feelings at bay. Now he was a mess. Pacing through the dark mere feet, and more than aware of it, from her bedroll. Desire for what he thought he couldn't have was clouding his mind.

He'd almost lost her in that cave today. His desire to get as far away from the thing that almost took her from him warred with her obvious exhaustion. He gave in, letting her recover, knowing her nerves wouldn't be able to handle riding the chocobo through the dark plains.

As soon as they entered and placed the package on the pedestal in the small, almost claustrophobic sized room, a clamor started up like the sound of a million insects rushing around them. Their enemy had been Fire Ants. Panicked, Yuffie told him to activate the pedestal.

"Sonkei," he'd said, not bothering to look at the package as it rose amidst purple light. His attention was on the surrounding walls and their millions of blood-sucking opponents.

As soon as they'd entered, a hatch had fallen shut over the opening and insects now covered it. Light suffused him then, just like the previous two times. It threaded through his pulse, echoing his heartbeat until he could feel the raw power energizing him. It was a high he'd never before experienced and briefly wondered if he'd miss it once this was all over.

"Fire ants?" Yuffie exclaimed, after casting Scan. "Feel like castin' some Shiva?"

Cloud nodded. "Yeah." Closing his eyes, he summoned the ice god, grabbing a hold of Yuffie as they both faded, reappearing above out of the destruction path. As the concentrated ice spell decimated the population of fire ants, they both returned to earth.

Before they could relax, huge jets of flame exploded out of the walls. They ducked out of the way of the one in front of them, but Yuffie cried out immediately after that.

"Yuffie!" Cloud exclaimed, looking around, ducking as more flame jetted out all around him. He saw her through the din, rolling around on her back in pain. Before he could move, a loud sound above caught his attention. With the flames everywhere, he could see the previously unseen ceiling was now arrayed with a set of dangerous looking spikes and it was getting closer by the second.

Casting Shield on himself, he quickly rolled towards Yuffie, stopping over her. Casting Big Guard on them, he looked around for the exit, momentarily disorientated.

Spotting it, he lifted her into his arms and dashed towards it, shouting out "Sonkei." The wall gratingly rose, Cloud growing anxious as he waited. He had to duck down as the spikes grazed his hair.

Casting a quick Regen on Yuffie, he asked, "Can you climb out on your own?"

She nodded, her face a picture of pain. She rolled out of his arms and on to her hands and knees as she crawled out of the opening, Cloud close behind.

As they both cleared the mini tunnel, there was a resounding crunch as the spikes drove into the dirt floor, dust exploding outward as the cave entrance slid shut with remarkable speed.

Cloud took a moment to curse it for its snail pace at opening, before turning to Yuffie, who was curled up into a ball next to him. He saw the burns on her side and back and cursed.

Placing a gentle hand on her head, he softly spoke the incantation for full-cure. As sparkling blue light seeped from his hand and into her, he saw her relax a little. He was relieved to see the burns healing, afraid the fire had been enchanted. Apparently they were too early on in the quest to have to worry about that. That brought up the question of just how long and how many more caves he'd have to endure before the end.

Yuffie was lolling to her side, and he caught her pulling her towards him as he shifted to make room. He lowered her gently to the ground.

"Yuffie," he called softly, but urgently. When her eyelids fluttered, he asked , "Are you alright?"

She merely groaned.

"Hold on," he said, smoothing her brow before getting up and crossing over to the cot. After shaking out the bedding and checking it for anything poisonous or harmful, he came back over.

Kneeling beside her, he touched her cheek. "Yuffie," he called to get her attention. "I'm gonna move you to the cot."

She immediately started to protest, to which he shushed her.

"I checked it already. Come on," he said as he carefully lifted her. She let out a whimper that went to his chest as he stood. She suddenly went ice cold in his arms. Alarmed as her teeth started to chatter, he rushed over to the cot, setting her down.

She whimpered again when he started to pull away and he was startled as her arms wound around his neck, tugging him to her.

"C-cold. S-s-s-so c-c-cold," she chattered through her teeth.

Scared and not sure what to do, he knelt and rubbed her arms briskly, trying to get the heat back into them. Cursing when his gloves rubbed roughly over her skin, he threw them off not caring where they landed before resuming his attempts to warm her.

Frankly, he was at a loss on what to do. If it was magical in nature, he wasn't sure if a potion would help, and which spell would. And how she got it was a mystery as well, since he got nipped by the flames before casting Shield and he wasn't turning into a human ice cube. A thought came to him and he brushed his mouth next to her ear.

"Yuffs, did you get bitten?"

Her head nodded against his chest.

So it wasn't magical. Reaching into his pack, he pulled out a hyper. He hoped it would heat her blood temperature without any harmful side-effects, but at the moment, it was all he could do.

Pulling back slightly, he popped open the top before shoving it under her nose.

"Come on, Yuffs. Drink this," he told her.

She shook all over as she lifted her head, her breath ragged as if she had trouble taking it in. He had to hold her chin to steady her as he tilted the vial to her mouth. She grabbed hold of his hand with both of hers making it more difficult.

He spilled some but got most of it down her throat with some coaxing before the vial clattered to the ground as she shook out of control. Shifting up, he sat on the bed as he pulled her back into his arms, rubbing as much warmth into her limbs as he could.

"Rub your chest," he said, recalling survival training from his time with Shinra. It was the first thing they told you when dealing with possible hypothermia. "I've got the rest of you," he breathed, pulling the threadbare blanket around her. He wished he had the bedroll, but it was outside with their chocobo and there was no way he could leave her at that point.

"C-cloud. I-i-it hurts," the last word came out on a hiccup.

"Shh," he hushed her gently, rocking her close. "I know it does, Yuffs."

Pressing as close as he could to her to hopefully share his body heat, he still felt her practically burrowing into his chest. Scared when her shaking didn't even lessen when it should have a few moments later, he cursed.

Desperate, his hands moved down, rubbing her legs vigorously, concentrating on her thighs. He searched the room for something, anything. His eyes lighted on the fireplace built into the stone wall. Tearing one hand away, he chanted the spell for fire, lighting the rotting logs still resting there.

He felt warmth seep into the tiny cave immediately and he realized it was because his body temp was dropping with hers. Deciding quickly that he had no choice, he murmured into her ear.

"Yuffs, I'm gonna move you in front of the fire. Hold tight to the blanket for me, kay?"

Her head bobbed quickly in answer. Quickly, he tightened his arms around her and brought her to the fire. Setting down on the floor with her, he spoke in her ear.

"Alright, I'm gonna go get the bedrolls outside. I'll be right back," he added when her arms tightened painfully around him. "I promise," he soothed, rubbing her back.

When her grip loosened, he gently untangled himself and with speed he didn't realize he had, he sped out of the cave and to the chocobo's side. Practically ripping the pack from the bird's back, he mentally promised to make up for his roughness later as he raced back inside. Yanking the bedrolls from their fastenings as he slid to his knees at her side, he was unprepared when she threw herself at him. Her skin was still like ice and it took his breath away.

Cursing, he yanked the bedroll around her. Pulling out another hyper, he yanked out the top with his teeth, before forcing the liquid down her throat again. Taking a moment to lay out the other bedroll on the ground next to the fire, he quickly pulled her down on to it, covering her with his body, slipping under her blanket with her.

Impatiently, he unlaced his boots and hers, tugging them off and to the side before tucking their feet under the bedroll, his warm limbs tangling with her icy ones. Her feet on his shins was a shock to his system it was so cold.

Laying half across her, he rubbed her legs as he willed his warmth into her. Her shaking was growing less violent, but her lips were still blue. She was fading fast. He despaired, knowing what he had to do. It wasn't that he didn't want to, but he didn't want it to be like this. He was sure there was another way but he was out of his mind and at a loss what it could be and Yuffie was fading fast.

Wetting his lips, he hesitated briefly before lowering his head. The cold of her lips against his was as shocking as her feet. He breathed warm air against her in between massaging the warmth into her mouth and chin with his lips. Her small hands, pressed tightly against her body, crept up his chest, curling into the fabric of his duster, before slipping a hand inside the vee of his zipper. Pulling his hand from her thigh, he yanked the zipper down, shrugging the garment off. She whimpered as his heat covered her unhindered and his hand returned its attention to her thigh.

Moving his mouth to her neck, he felt her slowing pulse speed up and nearly cried in relief. It meant she wasn't immune to outside relief. As long as he kept up his attention to her, her body heat should return.

As his hand slowed its ministrations to more deliberate caresses along her thigh, he made love to her neck with his mouth. When this created gooseflesh, he moved back to her mouth, sliding his tongue in to caress hers. She reacted favorably, her body arching into his and so cold was she that he actually felt the wave of heat flow through her. His hand tightened on her shapely thigh, and she tightened it around him, her heel rubbing up his calf.

Her responses to him left him breathless like the cold couldn't and he reacted accordingly. Breaking the kiss to take in air, he immediately moved his mouth to her ear, nipping it and laving the shell with his warm tongue.

Warmth flooded through her as she surged against him. Settling between her legs, he pressed her down into the bedroll below. Rolling his hips against her, he elicited a gasp as she arched into him. Closing his eyes, he forced himself not to react too strongly, but it couldn't be helped. He was hard and wanting. And she was soft and willing. All that was stopping him was the horrible feeling he was taking advantage.

But then she took the choice from him as she lifted his head and pulled his lips to hers. He noted her color was returning before his eyes shut as he enjoyed the feel of her beneath him. Her lips and tongue were fierce as they battled with his, her breath rasping as she tried to get closer to him. The way she was squirming beneath him was making him breathless, his hips jerking involuntarily against her.

Her legs continued to climb his, causing him to settle more intimately against her. Closing his eyes, he buried his face in her neck and took a shuddering breath, trying to regain control, but she wasn't having it. Her head turned and he felt her teeth latch on to his ear, her tongue flicking his lobe.

"Cloud," she breathed, her voice desperate, "Please…"

With a growl, he raked his hand down her side and hip, curving over her behind and pressing her more firmly against him. Her breath hitched as she bit her lip, pressing her face into the curve of his neck. He pressed kisses to her ear and neck, murmuring words of endearment in between caresses.

Soon she was shaking with need, not cold. When he didn't go any further, she grew impatient.

"Cloud, I need you."

Still reluctant, he hesitated. "Yuffie, I…"

Arching into him, she added a husky, "Please," to her plea, her warm breath feathering his ear and thus clouding his senses. Shaking, he unbuckled her belt, releasing the extra catches and shoving her shorts down her slim legs. She was left in her skimpy top and panties. Settling back over her, he pressed his lips to her soft ones, the icy blue having long been replaced with plump red. Her tongue was liquid heat against his as he allowed his fingers to tug her top down. He trailed kisses over her chin and down her neck. His hand slipped down over her hip, his callused fingertips scraping across her quivering abdomen before delving beneath the thin fabric separating them.

Her body jerked slightly as his cool fingers slipped between her wet folds, a soft exclamation forming on her lips. His tongue found her nipple as his fingers rubbed her below. Her legs fell wide as his fingers dipped into to her warmth, sliding deep. She arched her back as he kissed around her breast, laving and suckling it thoroughly before moving to the next one. His fingers kept up a rhythm down below, his thumb rubbing over her clit in slow, teasing circles.

She was whimpering with need, willingly at the mercy of his hand and mouth. He worked her to a fervor, until she was incoherent with desire. He kept his strokes steady, drawing out her pleasure and thus her heat. Her fingers raked through his hair, tightening spasmodically as he continued to bring her closer to the edge. Heat soared through her with each stroke of his tongue over her skin.

Her taste was beyond compare, intoxicating him, and he savored the sensation as she came apart beneath him, his name on her lips.

He continued to stroke her as she came back down. Lifting his mouth from her breast, he trailed his mouth up to hers, meeting her heavy-lidded gaze with one of his own.

Their lips met once, and then again as her body slowly relaxed. Slipping his fingers from her, he trailed his hand up her body, caressing her stomach, his thumb circling her navel. She quivered, grabbing his wandering hand and twining her fingers through his. He deepened the kiss as he tightened his hand around hers. She squeezed back softly, her limbs lax.

Lifting his head, he watched her eyelids droop as she smiled sleepily up at him.

"How do you feel?" he asked, his voice deep with unfulfilled need. He pushed it away in favor of her welfare.

"Warm," was her velvety soft answer. It tugged on something inside him, never having heard her this docile and relaxed. Always, always, she was full of energy, her tough exterior there to shield her when she faltered.

Now she lay pliable and yielding in his arms, glowing in the aftermath of her orgasm and he still had no idea what he meant to her or how he could go on without her in his life. And it scared him.

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She had fallen asleep quickly after that and he'd held her for a while, watching her doze. Her features stayed relaxed and open and to his relief, her body temperature did not falter. When the fire turned to embers, he forced himself up to tend to it, tucking the blanket tight around her, and found he couldn't go back to bed.

That was how he found himself outside, beating himself up over the urge to lay his heart at her feet and hope she took pity on him or to just wait and let her come to him. He knew she could very well try to distance herself from him after this if he let her, but he wasn't about to.

Pacing quickly, he knew what his real problem was; the one keeping him from her bed. After having a taste, he only wanted more. Feelings he'd kept dammed up for the past three years had been released in that cave and now there was no stopping them. He honestly didn't trust himself so close to her without making a real ass out of himself.

It wouldn't be such a big deal to stay away from her that night, since it was obvious to him that he wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight, except he didn't want her to close up on him when she woke. And he knew if he wasn't at her side come the morning, that's exactly what she'd do.

Closing his eyes, he breathed deep, forcing himself to relax. His sure-fire way of accomplishing this in the past had been to think of her and that's what he did, imagining her and her easy-going smile as they bantered good-naturedly each month. However, this time he zeroed in on the way she tilted her head at him when he told a story. And how her brow curved almost elegantly when she called him on his bullshit. And how her laugh lit up her whole face, her dove-gray eyes glittering with mirth. How her cheeks heated when he made a double entendre, simply to get that specific reaction.

Rubbing his face, he didn't understand how he didn't realize it before. He was falling for his best friend.

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ЄөЦŕҐїŊģЭфΘμÐ

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A/N: So Cloud reflection time. Gomen ne, if that was too much too soon for ya - the circumstances didn't leave much room for romance in that instance and Cloud was a gentleman under the circumstances I think. I didn't plan for that much at this point, but that's how it wrote itself out.

Next, Cloud and Yuffie make a deal and Yuffie's countrymen catch up with them. Romance, adventure, and battling all in one. ;) Don't forget to drop me a quick note so I don't forget. I should've responded to everyone who reviewed the last chapter by now and again, sorry for the delay. Still a little nauseous. =O A huge thanks again to everyone who's read and dropped me a hello here and on 'Legs';)