DISCLAIMED: (09/12/09)

Characters: Reno/Yuffie, Vincent/Yuffie, Cloud/Tifa(minor), Rufus & the Turks, AVALANCHE
Genre: Romance/Drama/Action
Rating: T for language and light adult content.
Summary: Yuffie was just doing something nice for a couple friends. Why her world suddenly turned upside down by two different men was anyone's guess. Explores an age-old question – Vincent? Or Reno? Rated for light adult content.

A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who's reviewed. Sorry this is late - RL is kicking my arse right now. Reno's gettin' a bit more depth this chapter, but then its Reno so it can't last, can it?



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ΜϊЖεΦжҒз€ℓϊηğ§

Chapter

"I'll never let go, Jack. I'll never let go."

Yuffie watched, her face scrunched in distaste, as the red-haired actress proceeded to 'let go' of her frozen dead lover. Hearing sniffling, she turned to the other end of the couch to see Tifa wiping her eyes.

"Are you serious?" Yuffie asked incredulous. "You're crying?"

Tifa gave her a look. Sniffling loudly, she leaned forward to grab a tissue. "Oh, come on, Yuffie. Have a heart."

"I do. Just not for fictional characters."

Marlene glanced at Tifa as well. "It's sad sure, but how can you cry over it?"

Tifa blew her nose, effectively ending their small argument. Yuffie rolled her eyes and stood. "I'm gonna grab some more popcorn," she said, grabbing the empty bowl from the coffee table.

The 'men' had decided to take a fishing trip that weekend and since both women were fine missing out and watching the bar in their absence, they'd stayed. Tifa decided to have a girls' night and watch movies and do 'girly' things. Yuffie agreed to painting her toenails, but refused to put mud on her face.

In the kitchen, Yuffie added butter to the old-fashioned popcorn popper and watched the metal thingy spin slowly, spreading it over the bottom, before adding some popping kernels.

The man Tifa'd hired once she got back to help with the bar stuck his head into the kitchen as they started to pop. His name was Ken.

"Yuffie? Some guy's here to see you. Bright red hair?"

Yuffie glanced at him distractedly. Looking at the popping kernels, she didn't want to risk burning them.

"Uh, let him back here," she called.

Ken nodded and disappeared. A moment later, Reno strolled in, looking around.

"What do you want?" Yuffie said.

Reno walked up to her and watched the old popcorn maker go over her shoulder. "Needed to get out. Elena's driving me up the wall," he answered rolling his neck.

"Oh?"

Reno nodded. "What are you doing?"

"You really can't tell?" she retorted.

Reno rolled his eyes. "Okay, then… Why are you popping popcorn and using an old-ass popper to do so?"

"Well, because it's tough to eat un-popped and this," she held up a container of loose kernels, "is the only type of popcorn Tifa had."

Reno leaned back against the counter. "Where is big boobs anyway?"

Yuffie elbowed him in the gut and he doubled over.

He grunted, "Hey…it was a joke."

"It's not funny."

"Fine. Where is Mrs. Cloud Angst then?" he amended, his manner exaggerated. "And Mr. Cloud Angst, come to think of it?"

"The guys went fishing. Tifa, Marlene, and I're watching some movies." Yuffie gave him a look. "Why? Rufus keeping tabs on us?"

Reno frowned. "What's Shinra got anything to do with it?"

She just lifted a brow at him. "Well, it's pretty 'convenient' that he just gave up his indentured servants from a lifetime of servitude, yet they still come to his rescue when he's in danger."

"You think I still work for him?" Reno asked, pointing at himself in disbelief.

Yuffie shrugged and turned back to the popper.

He dropped his arm and stepped towards her. She could feel him right behind her but didn't turn around. She stiffened when his hands suddenly gripped her upper arms in a death grip.

"Do you think it's convenient that our association with him makes it thrice as hard to find steady work?" he hissed into her ear. "That if he needs help every once in a while, what he pays us for one job will last us a year. That he does this out of guilt, and we have no choice but to accept this little act of charity. Does that sound convenient to you?"

Yuffie finally cried out when he squeezed too hard. Reno abruptly let go of her and stepped back. The kernels were done popping and she turned the machine off, before slowly turning to face the red-head. His hands rested behind him on the counter and his head was bowed.

She crossed her arms and rubbed the red marks his hands left.

"I…I didn't mean it that way," she started. "I just meant, it could easily be a conspiracy, ya know? Rufus says he no longer employs you, and you go and earn our trust and then, I don't know…feed us to the wolves."

Reno raised his head slowly, his look amused. "You have quite an imagination."

Yuffie shrugged. "Rufus could have been putting up an act, wanting to help Reeve with the WRO and all that. Just waiting to get rid of us and continue his plan of dominating the world. He was out of control when he first inherited. It's not that farfetched."

Reno considered her a long moment. Yuffie noticed and frowned.

"What?"

Reno blinked and shook his head. "Look, I just had to get away from Elena. I could also use some popcorn."

Yuffie gave him a bizarre look. "You want popcorn."

Reno nodded slowly. "Yes," he stepped forward, grabbing the popcorn bowl and pulling it forward. Yuffie frowned and stepped to the side as he started to fill the bowl. He popped a kernel into his mouth and grinned at her.

"So what'cha watching?" he asked.

Yuffie rolled her eyes. "Some sappy love story. It should be over by now."

"Let me guess. Mrs. Cloud Angst was bawling her eyes out?"

Yuffie huffed and shook her head.

Reno laughed. "Well, let's see if we can't interest her in some action-comedy flick."

Yuffie shook her head. "She's not going to like you ruining our 'girls' night'."

Reno waved her comment off. Grabbing the bowl, he spoke over his shoulder as he headed out. "Leave her to me."

Reno made himself at home upstairs. Marlene apparently had forgotten old grudges and giggled at his antics. Tifa frowned at him, and then at Yuffie, who shrugged and set the popcorn on the table, sitting in an armchair.

They managed to convince Tifa to watch something a little less dramatic, and the bartender was soon laughing at the antics of an unusual male sidekick pairing. When it ended, Tifa went downstairs to check on the bar, while the other three took turns shooting popcorn into each other's mouth. When Tifa finally returned, the floor was littered with missed 'shots'. She humphed and glared at them all and when she demanded they clean it up, she was bombarded by popcorn kernels.

Conceding defeat, Tifa waved them away and started getting Marlene off to bed. Yuffie was left alone with Reno. She sighed and stood, bending low so she could scoop up the stray popcorn kernels.

"What're you doing?" Reno asked.

Yuffie gave him a weird look. "What's it look like? This is Tifa's living room."

"But we just won – you can't cave now," he argued.

Yuffie dumped her handful of popcorn into the empty bowl and looked at him. She frowned.

"You know, maybe you should get to bed as well, seeing as you're about as mature as Marlene there."

Reno lifted an eyebrow at her. "The AVALANCHE 'Brat' is lecturing me about maturity?"

Yuffie rested a hand on her hip and returned the look. "See how far you've fallen?"

He gave her a less than amused smile, which she also returned before continuing her clean-up. She squealed however, when she was abruptly pulled backwards and found herself across Reno's lap. He grinned at her look of shock and outrage. Coming to, Yuffie started to struggle futilely against his hands holding her hips down.

"Mmm, I'd stop squirming like that love. Parts of me that aren't so 'immature' are still out of my control."

Yuffie froze and looked at him disgustedly. "Let me up right now or I'll—"

"—Or you'll what," Reno cut her off with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

Pursing her lips she narrowed her eyes at him, promising him all sorts of bad things with her menacing stare.

The corner of his mouth lifted. "One kiss."

Yuffie blinked and frowned. She shook her head in confusion.

"One kiss; that's the toll." Reno repeated.

Her mouth opened in shock at his audacity. "You're serious?"

His gaze became intense as he nodded. Blushing, she looked away. He caught her chin and pulled her back, suddenly very close.

Yuffie caught her breath as he studied her face, waiting for him to make a move. He was a breath away from her mouth, when he spoke.

"I don't care to have my head slammed into a wall again so if you want my hands to go anywhere but your hips, you'll have to put them there." And then he was kissing her.

Under his onslaught, she felt herself kissing him back, her hands sliding into his hair. His hands rhythmically squeezed and loosened on her hips as she squirmed slightly in his lap. Before he could let out a moan, he broke the kiss and spoke against her mouth.

"I desperately wanna touch you, Princess."

His words cleared her mind enough for her to look past him. "Th-the door's wide open," she stuttered.

"So?"

Yuffie blinked, looking back at him. "I-I can't."

Reno frowned. "What? Why not?"

But Yuffie was already struggling. "Let me up. Please."

Since she seemed truly frantic and actually said 'please', Reno let her up.

She started to pace. "This…this is just too much. You," she pointed at him, before resuming her pacing, "and-and Vincent…"

"Whoa," Reno sat forward. "What about Valentine?"

Yuffie looked at him a moment before shaking her head. "It's none of your business. I just can't do this."

Reno stood. "Do what exactly? Have a bit of meaningless sex?"

Yuffie paused looking at him wide-eyed. "That…that's all this is?"

Reno snorted as if it was obvious, but seeing as she didn't think it was he said, "Yeah."

"Oh, well yeah," she started, her tone sarcastic. "Why shouldn't I throw myself at someone who no doubt considers a Wutainese Princess to be a great notch on his belt of one night stands. Especially considering I've been too busy trying to save my home and the world to have a real relationship with a guy to begin with!"

Reno moved to the door. "Hey, you know I don't do serious."

Yuffie lifted her arms helplessly. "Well, sure I've heard rumours and know about your jack-ass attitude first-hand. Forgive me if I didn't realize those looks you gave me were purely lust and not something more. They certainly rivaled Vi—nevermind… just go. I'm not a slut; I don't have some itch that I'll do anyone just to scratch it. Just get out." Yuffie glared at him a moment before turning away.

Reno knew he was slightly more invested in her than just a fling, but didn't want to own up to it quite yet, so ruefully he left. Outside, he pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it, taking a long drag.

He had no idea what possessed him to come right out and say it like that. He was usually smoother than that, but then he usually went for women who knew the rules and it never needed to be said. Yuffie wasn't like that—she was a fighter. She'd rather be one of the guys rather doing one of them.

Maybe it was because he was starting to care about her. When he heard her cry out after Ranulf hit her, he'd never felt that amount of rage in his life. But he'd joined the Turks because he hadn't wanted any romantic entanglements. No lasting ones anyway. And being a hired assassin was certainly a good way to avoid those. She was better off without him.

Reno rolled his eyes and snorted. Now he sounded like Cloud. By staying away from her, he was simply saving himself an ass-beating by her and her demented guardians. He didn't care one way or another about how she'd do without him.

ЯεπΘжΨμҒғϊΣ

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The men got back the next night. Apparently everything had gone wrong, from dumping their supplies in the water, to Red catching the boat on fire with his tail, to Cid losing his cigarettes. The third one was a problem for everyone only because Cid was twice as ornery without nicotine and made everyone as miserable as he was.

Tifa greeted Cloud at the door.

"Hey, you're back early. How'd it go?"

Cloud gave her an exasperated look and shook his head.

"It was awful," Barret grumbled as he clomped past them.

"Fuckin' everything went wrong…" Cid came in behind the large gun-armed man.

"Daddy!" Marlene came flying down the stairs and into Barret's open arms.

He smiled and hugged her to his chest before setting her down. "Hey, sweetie."

"Did you bring me anything?" Marlene asked.

"Marlene," Tifa admonished lightly.

Marlene glanced at her with a frown.

Barret cleared his throat regaining the girl's attention. "Well, honey it wasn't that type of trip this time."

"Did you catch any fish?" she asked innocently.

There were some grumbles and mutterings.

"Uh, no not this time," Barret answered.

"Why not?"

"Cause…" and they listed off a litany of things that went wrong and whose fault it was. Yuffie came down at the end of it.

"Hey, everyone—whoa!" she paused, making a face as she waved a hand in front of her face. "You guys smell ripe! What, did you have a soak with the fish?"

Cloud grimaced. "No, actually there were…a few incidents."

Yuffie lifted her eyebrows. "O…kay. Sounds like fun." She spotted Vincent in the corner then. "Oh, hey Vinny."

He nodded. "Hello, Yuffie. How are you?"

Yuffie moved towards him as Cloud turned to Tifa.

"I'm gonna head up and shower."

Tifa nodded. "I'm sorry your trip went bad."

Cloud nodded and gave her a rueful smile. "I'm just glad to be home. Did you and Yuffie have a good time?"

Tifa smiled and nodded. "Reno came over."

Cloud lifted a skeptical brow. "Really?"

Tifa nodded as she glanced at Yuffie. Speaking low, she added, "I'll tell you about it later."

Cloud nodded, before heading upstairs. Tifa turned to everyone else, now sprawling out in her lounge area.

"I'll just whip up something for dinner then. You guys can use the shower after Cloud."

In the corner, Yuffie asked Vincent, "Did you get wet?"

Vincent shook his head. "I was fortunate. How was your 'ladies' night'?"

Yuffie shrugged. "It was alright. Tifa made us watch something sappy. But then we convinced her into an action-comedy."

"You and Marlene?"

Yuffie nodded. "And Re—" she cut herself off.

Vincent was looking at her strangely. "And who? Reno?" he frowned.

"Uh, heh," she gave a nervous laugh. "Yeah, he came around, groaning about Elena bugging him or something."

"So you watched a movie with Reno?"

"…And Tifa and Marlene," Yuffie added, feeling like she did something wrong and not liking it. Glancing at Vincent, she saw his expression was stone. "But afterwards, he was being a jerk so I kicked him out."

"What did he do?" Vincent bit out.

Startled at his intensity, Yuffie hesitated. "Nothing specific. Just…being Reno. Why?"

"I'll take care of him," Vincent replied shifting around.

Yuffie frowned. "Take care of him? What, you gonna whack him? Don't be ridiculous. Just leave it alone. He's not worth the trouble."

"He has no reason to come around here," Vincent insisted.

"Vince," Yuffie took a step towards him. "I can take care of myself. And I really doubt he'll be coming around anymore. Okay? So stop goin' all macho on me, alright?"

Vincent pursed his lips as he stared down at her. He didn't say anything and Yuffie grew uncomfortable under his regard.

Laughing nervously, she bounced lightly on her feet. "Uh, I think I'll go help Tifa." With a quick nervous smile, she took off to the kitchen.

Vincent became aware of Cid staring at him, sitting at a nearby table. Cid had found a pack of cigarettes and was puffing away, considering the dark gun-man.

"You got something going with the brat?" Cid asked, sounding casual.

Vincent simply stared at him.

Cid lifted his eyebrows at this as he leaned forward to tap the ashes off the end of his cigarette.

"Just sounded like you overreacted to the Flame-head coming around."

"He has lascivious intentions towards her; Yuffie is naïve when it comes to men," Vincent finally spoke.

Cid snorted. "Reno interested in Yuffie? No fuckin' way. Tifa maybe, but not that skinny little—"

"She's not a little girl anymore," Vincent cut in sharply. Cid looked at him hard. "If you'd stop your foolish name-calling and actually looked at her, you'd see that."

Cid stared wide-eyed as Vincent stalked past him and out the door.

Angry, Vincent kept walking after he cleared the door. Cid was usually an ass, but he could only take so much. Especially on top of finding that while he spent the last two days with short-tempered morons who're supposed to be his friends, Yuffie was alone with Reno. It was killing him not to know what he'd done to turn her off. He just wanted a clear cut reason to kill the bastard.

His angry wandering had taken him past the hospital and Vincent glanced up as he noticed the object of his homicidal thoughts. Reno stood outside, lighting a cigarette. He stood in his usual indolent manner, though there was a slight edge to it. Vincent reminded himself that this man's partner was in a coma and that he should be sympathetic. However, just because he was stuck at Rude's bedside and Yuffie happened to be the only single female around did not give him the right to pursue her. Vincent crossed the street towards the other ex-Turk.

Reno glanced up, noticing him. Seeing the look on the gun-man's face, Reno shook his head, laughing to himself.

Vincent stopped a few feet from him. Reno looked up at him, amused. "Can I help you, Valentine?"

"Stay away from her."

Reno's eyebrows shot up briefly at his statement before he shook his head with laughter. "How did I know this would happen…" he muttered to himself. To Vincent, he smirked and said, "Or what? You'll kill me?"

Vincent said nothing. Reno let out a snort.

"Right. You were once a Turk."

"I won't warn you again." With that, Vincent turned and walked away, refusing to tempt himself with the prospect of just shooting the man and being done with it.

Reno stared at the retreating man's back as he took a long drag from his cigarette, considering.

ҰμҒғΦєЖυΦπсЭиГ

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Vincent didn't come back for dinner. Yuffie found herself worrying. Reno was a pig but she didn't want Vincent to get the blame for his death. Cid was also staring at her throughout the meal and it was freaking her out. He looked…contemplative.

After cleaning up, Barret agreed to help with the bar that night, so Yuffie took to the roof with Red. She sat on the ledge with her legs dangling off, Red lying next to her, his tail flopping about, lighting up the dark.

She scratched behind his ears until he purred, causing her to laugh.

"How have you been, Yuffie?" he asked.

"Alright," she said, sobering and looking down.

Red lifted his head, and her hand slipped from it. "Are you sure? You seem…different."

Yuffie sighed. "There's just a lot going on lately."

"Like what?" Red asked easily. "Is it the Blue Devils…"

Yuffie shook her head. "No, not that."

Red shoved his nose under her hand and rested his chin on her leg. Yuffie smiled briefly at him, before grimacing.

"Gawd, this sounds so…weird." Yuffie sighed, "Reno kissed me."

Red lifted his head, looking at her in surprise. Then she added, "…And so did Vincent."

Red blinked before chuckling.

Yuffie frowned, "What's so funny?"

Red settled back down on her leg. "I was wondering why Vincent had such a concentrated amount of pheromones when we arrived."

Yuffie gasped. "…Nanaki!"

Red grimaced at his real name. Yuffie let out a laugh after a moment.

"Seriously?" she asked.

Red nodded.

Then she gave the top of his head a disgusted look. "Red…that's really gross."

"It's not like I can help it." Red argued sleepily. "Besides, it's not like I'm the one lusting after you. Or one of the ones rather," he added with a grin.

Yuffie growled as he laughed. "It's not funny, Red."

"One female, two mates," he said amused, ignoring her.

Yuffie snorted. "There's no 'mating' going on. And it's just Vincent now. Reno made it clear he's only looking for a fling."

"Ah," Red supplied. "But you say 'now'…were you considering Reno before?"

Yuffie was quiet. Red finally looked up at her. She twisted her lips.

"I don't know." She looked down at her hands. "He made me feel…different. Good different. Confused but…" She sighed brushing at her fringe. "Vincent makes me feel the same."

"Have you spoken to Vincent about the kiss?"

Yuffie blushed. Red spoke so plainly.

"Uh, yeah. He said he…uh, likes me. But I'm scared."

"Of what?" Red asked curiously.

"…Of becoming my dad," Yuffie said as she looked away. "Love made him a wonderful man, but as soon as my mom died, he changed into the shell of a man he is today, concerned only about materia and gil and glory. He can't stand to look at me because I remind him so much of the only woman he ever loved. I don't want to be like that bastard."

"You don't know that'll happen, Yuffie—"

"I don't know it won't either," she returned sharply. Blinking, she sighed. "I'm sorry, Red. I didn't mean to snap. I just…don't know what to do."

Red nuzzled her side with his nose to show her it was okay.

"Well, you said Reno is no longer an option, right?"

Yuffie nodded before realizing he couldn't see her and said, "Yeah."

"So…do you like Vincent?"

Yuffie shrugged. "Sure. He's a little emo at times, but he's a good listener, a good fighter." She gave him a wry smile. "But then I could say the same about you."

Red chuckled. "Yes, but if I kissed you, I doubt I could arouse the same feelings in you."

Yuffie frowned. "Do you actually kiss? I thought your kind licked or sniffed each other or whatever."

Red chuckled again. "You're moving off the subject. How does Vincent make you feel?"

Yuffie squirmed a bit. "Uh…warm? And not just from his...er, kisses, but when he looks at me too."

"Hm," said Red. "Well, this is obviously new territory for both of us, but it does sound like you like him. As more than a friend. Have you spoken to Tifa about this? She would know more."

Yuffie nodded. "She said to see where this all goes and not fight it."

"Then don't." Red supplied. "Let Vincent pursue you."

Yuffie looked disheartened. Red nuzzled her side again. "Yuffie, he may not be around even ten years from now but…do you really want to waste the time you could have with him?"

Yuffie stared at her feet, thinking. No doubt if she rejected him over her stupid insecurities, he'd retreat into his little Lucrecia Cave bubble and she'd have to live without him as a friend as well as something more. Realizing what it must have took for him to admit feelings to her, after his disastrous relationship with Lucrecia, and all his own insecurities, Yuffie decided she could try to overcome her own for him.

She finally nodded. "You're right, Red. I'll talk to him tomorrow." Resuming her petting, she looked up at the moon. "I just hope he's alright."

ЯεπΘжΨμҒғϊΣ

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A/N: Let me know what you think;)