Stargazer
The day was drawing to a close and the AVALANCHE team had begun to set up camp for the night. Cloud the current leader had organised the team with different jobs to be certain that camp was made in time. Tifa had gone with Yuffie to collect firewood while Barret, Cid, Cloud set up where everyone would sleep. Nanaki looked around and noticed one member was missing. Vincent Valentine. Nanaki sighed and walked over to Cloud who had finished up on the camp. "Cloud" Cloud turned around to find the source of the voice before finding a single amber eye watching him. After finding who was talking to him Cloud knelt down so he was eye level with the lion like creature in front of him.
"Oh hello Nanaki is there a problem?"
"It appears that Vincent has gone from the camp site"
With a confused look Cloud stood up and looked around the camp for the gunslinger but found nothing. A confused face turned into a slightly worried one as Cloud walked around the campsite finding no hint to where the gunman had gone. Sitting down on a fallen log Cloud rubbed his forehead trying to think where Vincent could have gone. Nanaki trotted over to Cloud and cleared his throat before speaking. "I go look for him while the you and the others get a fire going" Cloud looked into Nanaki's single amber eye which glistened in the setting suns rays, sighing Cloud nodded.
Meanwhile in the forest Yuffie and Tifa were returning with some firewood when Nanaki walked towards them. "Greetings Tifa, Yuffie"
"Hi Nanaki" Tifa replied.
"Have any of you seen Vincent on your travels to collect firewood?"
"Sorry Nanaki we haven't"
"Wait Vincent's gone missing?" Yuffie asked
"Yes Yuffie, Vincent has gone somewhere and we have no idea where he his" Nanaki replied.
"Well we better get to the camp site so we can discuss this with the rest of thee group" Tifa said
Nanaki sighed and walked beside the two women back to the campsite.
Night fell and the stars littered the sky with their lights shining brightly. AVALANCHE sat around crackling fire which lit the faces of the planets hero's in its fiery glow.
"I wouldn't worry about Vincent he will probably show up eventually" Cid claimed as he stretched.
At that moment a shadowed figure approached the group. Everyone watched the figure approach slowly. The fire lit the figures face up to reveal crimson eyes and raven black hair.
"I am sorry for my absence I was scouting the area" Vincent apologised and lent against a nearby tree which was shrouded in its own shadow.
"Oh come on Vince, come sit by the fire with us" Cid shouted to Vincent who sighed before sitting on one of the logs. Everyone looked at Vincent whose gaze was fixed on the flickering fire. "Are you okay Vincent?" Cloud asked. Vincent stayed quiet making Cloud think that he didn't hear him. So he tried again but ended up with no reply.
"Vincent" Barret said as he touched the gunman a bit roughly on the shoulder making his head snap up and found himself looking into Barret's brown eyes.
"Is something wrong Barret?" Vincent asked.
"Yeah Cloud's been asking if you were alright and you were just being ignorant" Barret complained.
Vincent turned his head to Cloud who was watching him with curious eyes. "I'm sorry Cloud I was deep in thought I'm fine" Vincent confirmed and turned his head back so he was looking at the fire.
"You always use that one if you're being ignorant" Cid mumbled which caused Vincent to glare at him.
"Alright, alright don't call your minions of darkness on me Vamps" Cid laughed
Vincent snorted in annoyance and walked into the shadow of the trees.
-Later that Night-
Yuffie was asleep when she heard movement outside of her tent. Slowly she began to sit up and poked her head out of the opening of the tent and saw Vincent disappearing through the trees. Where's he going? Yuffie thought as she crept out to follow him. She saw Vincent turn a sharp left and followed eventually she headed into an opening and saw Vincent who was kneeling on the edge of the cliff looking over the landscape. She watched him quietly as he unbuckled his cape and placed it carefully on the ground before lying on top of it.
Vincent looked up to the night sky that was covered in the stars glowing light, his ruby red eyes glanced up at the beauty the night sky had to offer. The night's breeze swept over Vincent's pale face and carried off fallen leaves which lay motionless on the ground. Suddenly he heard a twig snap behind him which caused him to turn around. Once he did he saw Yuffie hiding n the bushes hoping that he hadn't seen her. Vincent stood up and sighed quietly before speaking "Yuffie you can come out now". He watched the bushes for a few seconds and saw Yuffie slowly emerging from the bushes.
Oh no what am I going to do? Yuffie's mind was racing wondering if Vincent was angry with her for following him. Before she knew it she walked straight into him and began to fall on the floor. Suddenly she felt someone grab her wrist and pulled her back to her feet. "Oops sorry Vince, thanks for helping me up" Yuffie said nervously. Why am I so nervous?
Vincent saw how nervous she was around him "You can go back to the camp if you want Yuffie" After that Yuffie looked at him and shook her head
"No I want to be outside"
"Suit yourself"
"What's that suppose to mean?"
"It means do as you want"
"I knew that"
Vincent lay back down on his cape and looked up at the stars a few minutes after Yuffie lay next to him and did the same thing. "So Vince, why did you come out at this time?"
"I could ask you the same question"
"Well I wanted to see if you're alright…you know us being friends and all" Yuffie turned on her side and looked at Vincent "Why did you come out?"
"I came to look at the stars"
"The stars?"
"Yes"
"Why?"
"I feel at ease when I look at the stars"
"But can't you do that back at camp?"
"It's not peaceful at the camp"
"Yeah with Cid and Barret sawing logs in there sleep I don't think you could relax there for a long time"
Vincent quietly chuckled to himself and watched the sky again.
"Wow what's that Vincent" Yuffie asked pointing at the sky
Vincent didn't even move to look "It's a comet Yuffie"
"Wait a minute how did you see it of you didn't turn your head?"
"Because the peripheral vision detects objects and movement"
"Peripheral vision?"
"Side vision"
"Oh, so what does your front vision do?"
"Central vision can see details and colours better than the peripheral vision"
"Is that why you see things in the corner of your eye"
"Yes Yuffie"
"But I have never seen anything in the sky before when I have tried to look"
"That's because if you want to be a stargazer you don't try to find things, you don't even think about finding things and they will come to you"
"A bit like our meeting with you Vincent"
Vincent couldn't help but smirk while Yuffie was laughing.
They watched the stars for a while and Vincent noticed that Yuffie had fallen asleep. Vincent slowly stood up and got his cape and put it on top of Yuffie's sleeping form before lying back down next to her and shutting his eyes as well.
Author's Note: This is my first ever one shot. Please review this story I would like to know what you thought of it. Bye.