SEASONS CHANGE

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Casual Otaku
[email protected]

* -  indicates thought
 

*LEGAL STUFF*
I do NOT own Final Fantasy VII or it's characters. They are the property of  Squaresoft and it's affiliates.
This is a work of erotic fanfiction (it just takes a while to get to the juicy parts) and should not be accessed if
your local laws forbid it. The song lyrics and title are the property of Arista Records and hopefully the
former members of Expose.

A young girl ran towards the sounds of battle. She knew where the soldiers had gone, and she
had to get there. Her father was the most powerful warrior in the entire village, but that didn't
mean that he could fend off so many opponents at once. Loud, pained cries began to ring out
and she increased her speed, willing herself to go faster. As she neared the fray, she started to
bring her shuriken to the ready, conveniently forgetting she still had a long way to go with her
skills.

Yuffie finally reached the pagoda, only to find the fight was already over. The bodies of
wounded, and unconscious soldiers littered the ground. The formerly bright blue uniforms,
turning a deep purple as the cloth soaked up the flowing blood. A tall man stood amongst the
carnage, the slight glow around his body fading as the battle high wound down "Yuffie," he said
without looking back "You should not be here, this is no place for a child." She swallowed a
lump of nausea over the scene and responded. "I wanted to help you Father." He smiled and let
out a slight sigh. "Yuffie, I have never lost a battle. I do not require protection. Besides,
according to Chekhov [aye, aye Captain Kirk :-P (couldn't resist)]  you can barely fight off an
Adamantaimai without assistance."

Yuffie blushed furiously and tossed her long black braid over her shoulder. It infuriated her to no
end that she could still get her butt kicked by those guys. Godo laughed, sensing his daughter's
frustration. She truly had a warrior's spirit. Her skills easily equaled those of many in Wutai, and
she hadn't even reached her tenth year. One day she would be just as powerful, perhaps even
more powerful, than himself. He only wished she were a little more feminine. If it weren't for her
long hair many would mistake her for a boy. "Come, Yuffie." he sighed putting his arm around
her shoulder. "I think we should talk."

Yuffie quickly forgot her frustration and fell into step beside her father. She still felt a little sick at
the stomach as they stepped over the bodies. Godo turned her head away from the groaning
soldiers. He could have killed them easily.  He hadn't though, because he'd sensed her coming
and wasn't ready to expose his little girl to that level of brutality just yet. Death was all part of
the circle of life, and it would show it's ugly head all to soon.

Undetected, a set of light brown eyes watched the pair retreat. "Very impressive." he
whispered. The young man leaped off the rooftop, landing with a feline grace. He tugged his
spotless black suit back into shape and sighed. The Turk had been sent to Nibelheim with a
message for the scientists there, only to find Lucrecia had left him for Hojo. He had come here
to try to escape the pain, Wutai had always seemed like a home to him.  The traditional
pagoda's, the faces of Da-chao, the people steeped in ancient culture. It all called to something
deep inside him, and the Shinra were trying to take it all. He was begining to doubt his
involvement with the organization, he got to see all the negative aspects in his line of work, and
they far outshone the good.

The wounded soldier grasped his ankle and began to gasp "P-ple...please he..." Vincent looked
down at the man in disgust and yanked his foot away. "You should not have overestimated your
skills soldier."  He kicked the man over before he got any more dirt into his wounds and walked
away. As a Turk he was not supposed to show sympathy or mercy, but as long as nobody was
watching.... He slid a small green orb out of his gun's handle and tossed it at the man, before
continuing down the stairs.

He hoped the soldier would heal well. Vincent's father had not, and he'd died from
complications, leaving his mother, sister and himself with a lousy military pension. The Turk was
still haunted by those early years. He'd had to turn to thievery to help keep his family fed and
sheltered as they shifted from place to place, never settling down. Then came the day that would
change him forever. They'd had the good luck to finally get some honest money, but the bad
luck to choose a store that was marked for a hold-up. The stand-off had resulted in the deaths
of everyone but him and a man dressed in a sleek black suit. As a young boy, he's wanted to be
as cool and calm as that man had seemed. The Turk had stood there totally composed, he
could have been waiting in line for all the emotion he displayed. In his youth Vincent thought that
meant he couldn't feel pain, and Vincent had wanted nothing more than to stop the pain.

Vincent sighed, heartbreak just seemed to follow him around. Sometimes it didn't seem worth
the effort to get up in the morning. He shook his head, trying to dispel the depression. *I need a
drink.* The Turk headed to the Turtle's Paradise and got a bottle of sake. He was just about
took take his first sip of the potent liquid when a huge ruckus began outside. The other patrons
stood up and flooded outside. Vincent just lifted a brow and continued to drink. Then he heard
a new sound, the sound of someone using a materia. *Must be more soldiers, the people here
prefer to fight hand to hand.* Deciding the show might be fun he left the half full bowl of rice
wine and turned to walk out the door.

Only to fall forward as a huge explosion rocked the building. *What the hell is going on out
there?* Vincent quickly regained his balance and ran outside. The wounded soldier was back
on his feet, apparently having used the Cure materia the Turk had tossed at him, and out to
cause some damage. Godo stood in the center of the wreckage clutching the thick splinter of
wood embedded in his shoulder. Two villagers lay dead nearby, bodies pierced by shrapnel.

Guilt crashed into Vincent's system with the force of a sledgehammer. *Oh god! This is my fault,
this is all my fault! If I hadn't helped him....* The young man clenched his fists in frustration. He
wanted to help, but in this outfit anyone could recognize him as a Turk. If word of interference
got back to HQ it could end his career. The soldier raised his sword and began to charge up for
another magic attack.

Suddenly a small blur leapt from the trees and threw a small knife into his shoulder, causing him
to loose his concentration. The pale aura of gathering energy winked out as he staggered from
the impact. Growling the masked man glared at the little girl standing in front of his target.
"Yuffie!!" screamed Godo, "Yuffie, Run!! You can't handle this, just run!" The young ninja
looked over her shoulder, "But Father, I can't leave you..." She shouldn't have dropped her
guard. The soldier had begun to charge up the second she was distracted and he was unleashing
his attack. "Ultima!!"

Yuffie gasped and froze as the bright green bolt of energy flew towards her. Godo summoned
the last of his strength and knocked her away, catching the blast in his chest. The samarai was
knocked back several feet and lay still. Yuffie stared in horror at the wounds. There was so
much blood!! "Now it's your turn you little bitch!" said the soldier as he ripped the shuriken free
and began to advance on her. Yuffie began to back away, tripping over debris. She winced as
she hit the ground and stared in wide-eyed fear as he raised his sword above her. Tears began
to flow as she realized she was going to die, this man could, and would kill her.

Then a shot rang out and the soldier slumped to the ground in front of her. The crowd parted
and stared at the stranger who'd pulled the trigger. Vincent twirled his revolver, and holstered it,
gunslinger style. He didn't let any of the emotions tumbling through his system leak to his
seemingly cool exterior. *What...what did I just do?!? Why am I getting involved?!?* Out of
the corner of his eye he watched Yuffie crawl over to her father.

*I'm getting too soft for my line of work.* he thought as he walked over to the dead soldier's
body and rolled him over. *You bastard. I never should have shown you mercy. She was just a
little girl.* He grabbed the man's sword and pulled the two materia free, clicking his Cure
materia back into place. He pocketed the other one, and decided to bury it, he couldn't begin to
imagine where the man had gotten it.

Yuffie threw herself over her father's body as the stranger in a dark suit approached. He smiled
at her protective instincts. "Don't be afraid little one. I want to help." She shook her head
vehemently. "You're a Turk. Turks don't help!" Vincent sighed, "That's not entirely incorrect, but
I'm not on duty right now, so I'm just a normal person." Yuffie looked up at him and saw a
surprising amount of warmth in his whiskey colored eyes. She looked down at her father and
nodded, it couldn't get much worse.

Vincent held his gun horizontally over Godo's body and called on the power of the materia. A
bright white light shone down over the samarai and the wounds began to close. Yuffie watched
the demonstration in awe. "How did you do that mister?" He smiled and tapped the small green
orb. "Do you know what this is?" Yuffie shook her head. "This is a materia, it allows you to use
magic." The young girl stared at the tiny emerald jewel. "Materia...." she whispered.

The crowd finally recovered it's senses and several people rushed forward to help Godo back
to his pagoda. Vincent was carried along in the crush of bodies and before he knew it he was
back at the Kisaragi household sitting in front of a table laden with food and drink as the
denizens of Wutai fawned over him, calling him a hero. Each time he heard the word he felt a
stab of guilt. "Please," he tried again for the umpteenth time "I don't deserve...." A elderly
woman on his right cackled "Modest too!!" Vincent blushed for the first time in years and
decided he should just give up. The men left as soon as it looked like he was settled and began
to set up a patrol.  After several hours passed the group finally showed him to a room near the
koi fountain and dispersed.

Vincent dragged off his clothes, collapsed onto the sleeping pad, and was asleep before the
sheets even settled. The day's events had left him mentally exhausted. He didn't even stir when a
small shadow slipped into the room and sat down beside him.

When he awoke early the next morning, Vincent was immediately aware of a warm weight
snuggled against his chest. His eyes snapped open and he stared down at Yuffie. She looked so
sweet in sleep. He felt warm memories of his sister, Sara,  flooding back. She used to crawl into
bed with him just like this. He would hug her awake, then listen to her talk about her day with
the exuberance reserved for five year old girls alone. Then she would watch him prepare for the
coming evening as she told him where to start his hunt. Sis was great at scoping out the
neighborhoods while she charmed more food onto the table than he ever would have thought
possible.

He sighed as the memory faded. It was nice to have a happy one for a change. He slid a hand
onto Yuffie's shoulder and gently shook her. "Ummph, five more minutes Dad...." Vincent tried
to suppress a smile. It appeared she shared that trait with Sara as well. "Yuffie, I'm not your
father." Yuffie reluctantly opened her eyes. "Uhh, hey where? What are you doin' here?"
Vincent finally let the smile spread across his lips. "I could ask you the same question." Yuffie
blushed and sat up quickly. "Oh yeah, I'm supposed to tell you that Dad is okay now. He's not
very happy, but he healed well."

Vincent nodded, "That's good to hear." He sat up and stretched. "Hey, what's your name
mister? I forgot to ask."  Vincent shook his head, "I  know, it's best you don't know my real
name. I'll need to leave this place soon," Her face fell a little, "but I suppose you can call me
Zen." Yuffie brightened up at once. "Okay, but why Zen?" He smiled, "It was my sister's
nickname for me, she always said I was zen because I would...." Yuffie tilted her head as he
trailed off. "You would what?" He shook his head. "Ask me when you're older."

He looked around the room, something was missing. "Uhhh, Yuffie? Where are my clothes?"
She smiled, "I got them washed, they should be dry soon." she said. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot.
Your other stuff got blown up in that explosion. I'm supposed to ask you for a list of
replacements." Vincent dropped his head and sighed. "It figures." Yuffie frowned
sympathetically, "It's okay, it's all free." He let out a rueful laugh. "Never mind, can I get
something to wear until my clothes dry?" Yuffie nodded and grinned. "Sure, just a sec." She
bounced out of the room and headed up the hall.

Vincent fell back onto the pad and sighed. He'd killed a Shinra employee. He knew the people
of Wutai would cover him, but he also knew the company wouldn't care. He had to leave, the
President was already upset at Godo for his resistance, this could send him over the edge.
Yuffie slid the doors open and came back inside, but the bounce in her step was gone. Vincent
looked up at her, "Yuffie?" She began to sniff and rubbed her eyes with the robe she'd brought
for him. "I heard Dad talking to the other elders. He....he..." Vincent walked over to her and
held her shoulders. "What is it?" "Oh Zen, he surrendered! He gave up! The Shinra own Wutai!"
the little girl burst into tears and began to sob pitifully. Vincent sighed and held her against him.
Would the damage he caused never end?
 

Several years pass.....

Cloud shook his head as he looked at the mystery ninja sprawled out on the ground in front of
them. "Who is she, Cloud?" asked Tifa. He shrugged. "Got me, never seen her before." Vincent
took a closer look, a vague sense of deja vu tickling at memories still fuzzy after so many years
locked in a basement. ".....she seems familiar somehow." he said. His two companions looked
over at him. He shrugged, "Sorry, I still can't place her."

Cloud sighed "Well, I suppose I should see if she's alright." He kneeled down beside her and
lightly slapped her cheek. She groaned and sat up shaking her head. Then she hopped to her
feet and growled. "You spikey-headed jerk! One more time, let's go one more time!" Cloud's
jaw dropped a little in shock, but he decided to humor her. After several moments of verbal
sparring the fiery young girl talked her way into the group. As they quickly hurried on their way
she jogged behind Cloud saying "I'm Yuffie, nice to meet ya!"

Vincent blinked a moment. *Yuffie?!? That's where I knew her!* He looked at her out of the
corner of his eye. She'd changed a lot over the years. The long black hair had been sliced
boyishly short in an attractive pixie cut, and her developing curves were showcased in an
extremely revealing pair of khaki shorts and a cutoff sleeveless turtleneck sweater in a rich
shade of forest green. Apparently, Tifa wasn't the only warrior who kept her clothes to a bare
minimum. She still had that appealing grin, and when she flexed a wrist he saw she also had the
materia he'd given her all those years ago. She'd become even cuter than he'd expected.

He gasped as he realized he didn't feel the brotherly warmth he had in the past, the heat passing
through him was decidedly sexual. *What the....what am I thinking? She's a kid!* He scowled
darkly and did his best to squash the unwelcome desire. He succeeded to, at least until she
hopped up beside him and asked "Hey, have we met? You look awfully familiar." Vincent
debated between truth and half-truth, he wasn't sure how she'd react. "Perhaps." he said and
did not elaborate.

Yuffie frowned. *Sheesh, what a grouch.* she thought. She fell back and began to walk beside
Tifa. "Hey Tifa, is he always like that?" Tifa smiled sweetly. "No, not always. He can be very
nice, it's just that he's.....sad. Something has hurt him, and he tries to stay cool so it doesn't
show." Yuffie shook her head, adults were just plain weird. "I just don't get it." she huffed and
decided to change the subject. "So where are we goin'?" Tifa smoothed a stray hair back into
place and said "We're following someone. We'll just stop in the next town to look for clues."
Yuffie looked up "Oh, who're we looking for?" The woman fell silent. Cloud turned back to
them and said, "Sephiroth, we're looking for Sephiroth."

Yuffie's jaw dropped. "You're joking, right? I mean, the, Sephiroth?!? I heard he was dead!!"
Cloud shook his head and kept on walking. "That creep ain't dead" growled Barret as his group
came down from a nearby hill. "We met his ass on our way over here from Junon. He done
killed a lot of people." Cloud smiled and made introductions. After the passing of names Yuffie
scratched her head, "So, like, is this revenge or somethin'?" The entire group, with the exception
of Cait Sith and Aeris nodded. "So why are you two, err three here?" she asked looking at
them. Aeris shrugged, "I want to find myself. This seemed like an interesting way to do it."
Yuffie digested that, she wasn't sure she understood, but she accepted it. The ninja girl turned to
the toysaurus "What about you two?" Cait grinned, "Only one, and I'm here because I need to
know how a fortune I told works out."

Yuffie sighed and fell silent as well. She was begining to wonder if the materia was worth getting
involved with this motley crew. *Who am I kidding? With all the fighting they must do they'll
have to most powerful materia ever!* She smiled to herself and dreamed of using all that power
to scare the Shinra right out of Wutai. She looked down at the tiny yellow orb on her wristlet.
This was the first materia that she'd ever owned, and although it wasn't very useful she never
stopped wearing it. She thought about the day she'd gotten it and an old memory suddenly
kicked into place. *Heh, heh. So we meet again, 'eh Zen?*

The group spent several weeks together before reaching Rocket Town. Sharing life and death
battles had a way of bringing people together, and it was no different with Yuffie. She was
becoming extremely attached to Cloud and his entourage. Then they crashed the Tiny Bronco
and it was suddenly possible to fulfill her original purpose. She was begining to doubt her
decision, but she had to do this, she couldn't give up. Wutai's honor was at stake. She subtly
steered Cloud towards her hometown, and tried to ignore Vincent's suspicious gaze.

Vincent cursed himself as the cage clanged down around him and Red XII. He'd seen this
coming, he'd just really wanted to trust her. Cloud worked the switch and raised the metal bars.
"I'm sorry about that guys, I shouldn't have listened to her." Vincent reached over and pulled the
opposite switch, the cage clanged down once again. "As I thought, either way we would have
been trapped. She's crafty." *Just like I used to be.* He tossed his cloak over his shoulder and
followed Cloud out of the tiny house. "Where do you think she could be this time?" asked the
swordsman. The gunslinger met his gaze "......the bell house. Come on."

Vincent froze as he felt Yuffie reach around his waist to replace the materia she'd stolen. It was
the first time she'd gotten so close. He was still coming down from the combat high of their
recent rescue mission and this added stimulation almost made him jump out of his skin. He
shifted deeper into his cloak and tried to tell himself it was just a casual embrace, no different
from being jostled on a train. Then Yuffie kissed his cheek, and he gritted his teeth to keep from
yanking her around and getting a real kiss.  *This has got to stop. I can't keep thinking about her
like this.*

The party headed to Cosmo Canyon to ask Bugenhagen if he knew anything about the Temple
of the Ancients. Unfortunately, he didn't, but they decided to stay for the night before continuing
the search. Cloud, Tifa, and Aeris all headed to the Cosmo Candle and sat around it staring into
the flames. Barret and Cid went up to get a look at Bugenhagen's machine since neither had
seen it yet. Cait Sith headed to the kitchen, as usual.  Although it still struck her as odd that a
toysaurus needed to eat. Red XII was in his room napping and Vincent had disappeared
somewhere. Yuffie decided to hunt the former Turk down.

She finally found him on a secluded ledge near the edge of the dwellings. He was staring at the
sunset, his long black hair and the blood red cape billowing out behind him. He'd changed a lot
since they'd first met. Cloud had taken her aside and explained the unique aspects of her old
friend, but it was still hard to believe. She had yet to see Vincent use a limit break, so other than
the ruby-red eyes he seemed pretty normal to her.

He could smell her behind him. A combination of sweat and youth. He'd managed to convince
himself that his earlier twinge of desire had been a fluke, the result of so many years alone and
an unattached female. An attractive, unattached female. An attractive, unattached female, that
was sitting down beside him. *Damn it!!* He fought the urge to growl as he felt his lust come to
life once more. She sat down beside his feet and pulled her knees to her chest. *Think of
Lucrecia, what would she think if she knew...*

"Why are you out here by yourself Vincent?" she asked. "Or shall I call you Zen?" she continued
looking at him out of the corner of her eye.  He stopped midthought. "You remember?" She
giggled and flopped back, her breasts jiggling slightly with the movement. "Course I do. It's not
the type of thing I'd forget. You just keep coming to my rescue." She crossed her legs and put
her hands behind her head, and Vincent tried his best to keep his gaze on her face and not
lower. "Why didn't you tell me who you were?" The heat in his blood cooled immediately. He
sat down beside her, "I wasn't sure how you'd react. I thought you may be upset at me." She
met his gaze, "Why would I be mad?" He looked down at his feet. "I'm the one who gave that
soldier a Cure materia." She shrugged, "Yeah, and....?" Vincent jerked back around.

"Don't you see, if I hadn't helped that soldier. Those poor people, your father, all of that
damage....." Yuffie held up a hand "Whoa, whoa. Gawd, Aeris was right. You really do like to
blame yourself for everything." Vincent stopped and stared at her. "Quit looking at me like that.
You're were trying to help, it's not your fault he was such a jerk." The former Turk laughed, and
laid down alongside her. "Okay, I won't blame myself anymore." *At least, not out loud*

The two fell silent and looked up at the stars. "So why did your sister nickname you Zen?" He
chuckled and shook his head. "Hey, I'm older now." she said as she rolled over and leaned
against him. *Augh, not again!* He could feel her slim body pressed against his frame and his
body was letting him know that it liked it very much. He sat up quickly. She looked at him
curiously, "Is it that bad?" Vincent shook his head, "No, just a little embarrassing." Yuffie
grinned, "Come on, out with it!" He stood up and walked closer to edge. "I had this tendency to
become lost in thought after I did something wrong. Sara, that was my sister's name, said it was
like I was meditating over my sins." She continued to gaze at him flipping her wrist in a gesture
that asked him  'such as?'  He mumbled, "I used to be a thief too." not wanting to mention some
of the more colorful reasons.

She sat up. "No shit?" Vincent winced at the vulgarity. Cid was beginning to rub off on her, he'd
have to talk to the pilot about his language around her. "I'd prefer you not put it that way, but
yes. I was trying to support my family after my father died. Unfortunately, eight is a little young
for gainful employment." Yuffie scrutinized the man in front of her.  *So he used to be a thief
too, no wonder he suspected me.* "Where is your family?" Vincent sighed, "All gone. I'm alone
in the world." She tilted her head. "So, we don't count or somethin'?" He flushed a bit and
shook his head, everyone kept telling him that. Maybe one day he would really believe it.
"....you're right. I'm not alone."

Yuffie jumped up, walked over to him, and bumped his hip with her own. "That's right, now
don't forget it." She followed his gaze out over the canyon. It was an extremely impressive view.
The steep red walls looked violet in the darkness, and she could hear the sounds of  night birds
and crickets. The inky blackness of the deeper canyons looked almost liquid, like a river of
darkness. She could almost imagine some fantastic creature swimming about the murky gloom.

The wind picked up a little and she shivered slightly. Vincent noticed, and instinctively pulled her
underneath his cloak. She sighed as she felt his heat radiating into her, he was a lot warmer than
he looked.  She leaned closer and rubbed her cheek against his chest. Truth be told she'd had a
crush on him from the day she met him. She'd also had many a fantasy about him, and although
she knew he probably saw her as a little kid, she wasn't about to pass on a chance to sneak in a
cuddle.

Vincent tried not to jump when he felt Yuffie rubbing against him. He knew he should push her
away, but he really wanted to feel her against him. He sighed, wishing he didn't have to be
proper, and listened to his conscience. "You should go in now Yuffie, the dessert nights can get
very cold." She nodded and slipped out of his hold, looking over her shoulder once before
going inside. He took one last glance at the stars, and followed.

It was a few more months before they were alone again. The group was still reeling from the
loss of Aeris and Yuffie couldn't believe she was gone. The Ancient had taught her the essentials
of healing, allowing her to discover the Clear Tranquil limit break. She'd tried to teach her about
being more feminine, even if it appeared to be a lost cause. She'd held her and told her she
understood after she'd stolen the materia. Now she was gone, Aeris was gone and the man
responsible was still out there.

Vincent looked over his shoulder at Yuffie. She seemed so much older now, her eyes were
haunted, and he could see she had lost some of her fire when Aeris died. He felt guilt weighing
down on him. So many people had been hurt because he'd allowed Sephiroth to be born. If
he'd tried harder, if he'd fought for her, maybe Lucrecia wouldn't have gone to Hojo.
*Lucrecia.* he hung his head a little as he realized how long it had been since he thought of his
lost love. He was often afraid he could forget her,  it got a little harder to remember her face
everyday. *I can't forget something like that about someone I love! Can I?*

Yuffie's voice interrupted his dark thoughts. "Hey Vincent, can we take a break?" He checked
his watch and nodded. "It is getting late, let's set up camp." He looked towards the river
searching for a good site, unaware of the slight blush that stained Yuffie's cheeks as she
suddenly realized she'd be spending the night alone with the former Turk.

The pair settled on a small clearing near the edge of a waterfall . Vincent watched her slim hands
as she untied the knots on the pack with expert fingers, wondering how they would feel on his
skin. *Great, just great. I'm turning into goddamned a pedophile!* Yuffie smiled as the ropes
loosened, then looked inside the bag. "Ugh, trail mix, oatmeal, rice? I'm so sick of rations."
Vincent shrugged, "It's better than starving." The young ninja gave him a petulant glance, then
looked towards the nearby forest. "I know, I'll go find us some wild vegetables. We can mix it
with the rice and make soup." Vincent watched her go, fighting the urge to follow. He knew she
could take care of herself, and he was going to have to do something about the erection hiding
under his cape before they had to get into a tiny tent together.

After he felt she was far enough away, he stripped down and dove into the clear water, letting
the cool current soothe him. He swam over to the waterfall, and suddenly noticed there was an
opening in the rock below it. He entered the tunnel, following the strange glow that emanated
from deep within. He entered a cavern, and broke the surface, surprised at the sudden warmth
of the water. Then he looked down, and realized there was a small mako fountain at the bottom.
The glow of planet energy turned the walls of the pool into a never-ending swirl of colors. It was
like swimming in a liquid rainbow. *How beautiful, I've got to show this to Yuffie.*

Yuffie headed back to camp, feeling quite pleased with her excursion. She'd found some
berries, wild onions, mushrooms, and various herbs. *Now if I can just catch some fish, we'll
eat like kings.* She grinned to herself as she made her way towards the clearing and then
stopped dead in her tracks. Vincent was walking to the edge of the water after his little swim
and the sight of that soaking wet, naked chest overloaded her senses.

Vincent stopped midstride when he realized Yuffie had returned, very glad that he hadn't gotten
any closer to the bank. As it was the water barely covered his waist, a few more inches and he
would be exposing a lot more than his chest. *I should have kept the boxers on.*

The young ninja flushed slightly and averted her gaze, dropping her satchel of goods near the
fire. She started pulling out a pot and tried to act as nonchalant as possible. She turned her back
on the glorious sight, and began to boil some water from the canteen. "I don't suppose you'd be
willing to catch a fish or two while you're in there?"

Vincent smiled at the slight shake in her voice and admired her tenacity. Yuffie never let anything
faze her. "Sure, but ummm could you toss me my underwear first?" Her blush became
noticeable even from his distance, but she got up and walked over to the neatly folded pile of
clothes. She picked up the heart-covered boxers and grinned. Her father owned seven pairs
just like this. She met his gaze and tossed the soft cotton to him. "Skinny-dipping Zen? I never
knew you were an exhibitionist." The former Turk turned as red as the hearts on his undies and
headed into deeper water to put them on.

Yuffie bit her tongue and went back to their pack, she pulled out the rice and smiled. *Well it
does have to be washed first. If I happen to get a peek while I'm cleaning it, it just can't be
helped.* She poured a small portion into a collapsible bowl and walked to the water's edge
removing her boots and socks on the way. Vincent was making some really interesting
contortions trying to get the boxers on underwater without letting anything too embarrassing
break the surface.

The blush staining her cheeks burned hotter as she tried to imagine what was hiding under those
hearts. She'd never seen a man before, and really wasn't sure what it would look like. She
shook away the naughty thoughts and bent to the task at hand, rinsing the rice, and splashing the
milky runoff onto her skin to keep it soft. When it was close to running clear she went back to
the pot and dumped it in.

In the water Vincent had managed to get the boxers on and was concentrating on trying to catch
the promised fish. Then he noticed Yuffie pouring rice water onto her exposed legs. He
remembered his mother and sister using the same beauty secret. He growled as an erection
started to form in spite of the chilly water. *Urgh!!! Why can't you stay down?!* he thought
glaring at the newly formed tent in his shorts. He dove deeper and tried to think about anything
but the sight of white fluid sliding over those slim thighs. A silvery flash passed by his right and
Vincent smiled, giving chase.

Yuffie was stirring together the rice and onions, when Vincent came up beside her carrying one
of the largest fish she'd ever seen. She grinned and accepted the cleaned and gutted animal.
"Whoa!! How'd you catch this thing?" Vincent shrugged and waved his claw. She looked down
at the carcass and noticed five deep holes. "Ooo, that had to hurt." Vincent smiled, "Funny, I
didn't feel a thing." Yuffie almost dropped the fish. "Did you just make a joke? The eternally
gloomy Vincent Valentine actually trying to be funny?" Vincent blushed but didn't respond,
instead he sat down and grabbed a handful of berries.

Yuffie chuckled, and decided not to tease him anymore.  She had a fish to cook. She stuffed the
holes with herbs, before impaling it on a sharp stick, and putting it near the fire. "It's going to
take a while for this to cook, you wanna talk or something 'til it's done?" Vincent paused, lips
still wrapped around a wild strawberry, and remembered the cave. He quickly finished off the
sweet little fruit and stood up. "I found something under the waterfall I would like you to see."
Yuffie looked over at the falling water. "I don't see anything." Vincent pulled her to her feet,
"You have to swim. The entrance is underwater." Yuffie gave him a cheeky grin, "Oh so now
you want me to skinny-dip with you?" The man dropped her hands like she'd burned him and
she instantly regretted the remark. "Sorry Zen, I just can't help teasing at times."

Vincent nodded and tried to put the image her jibe had created out of his mind. She went into
the bushes and emerged a moment later in a simple one-piece swimsuit in a deep shade of red
that bordered on burgundy. He stared a moment. "What's with you.?" Vincent coughed, "Do
you carry a swimsuit with you everywhere you go?" She shrugged, "I paid a visit to Costa Del
Sol before we met, and I just never unpacked it." Vincent nodded, uncertain if he should be
happy or disappointed she wouldn't be swimming beside him in wet undies. Then he felt the
erection that had faded during his vigorous swim after the fish trying to return. *Happy, I should
definitely be happy.* he thought, wishing there was a cure for blue balls right about now.

He quickly walked back into the water and swam towards the falls.  "WHOA, GAWD, the
water's freezing out here!" Vincent smiled, and turned to face her "It should feel warmer as you
start to move." Yuffie shivered and swam towards him. "Whatever, now what did you want to
show me?" He pointed to the cave, "It's down there, take a deep breath and follow me." Yuffie
shrugged and did as ordered.

Yuffie broke the surface about the same time as Vincent and took a gasping breath. It was far
more difficult for a normal person to hold their breath that long and her lungs were burning. She
was about to remind Vincent that she didn't have any Jenova cells to help her stamina when she
looked down and saw the fountain. Her mouth dropped and she giggled in delight. "Wow, how
cool." Vincent smiled and looked around the cave a little.  Shinra couldn't possibly know about
this place, or they would have had a reactor up before you could blink.

He looked over and met Yuffie's gaze. "Oh Vincent, your eyes..." she gasped. Vincent frowned
a little, "What about them? Is something wrong?" Yuffie shook her head. "It's so cool, the
glowing....here take a look." She pulled the knife she had strapped to her thigh out and handed
it to him. Vincent smiled, the ninja never went anywhere without a weapon since the Corneo
incident. He held up the shiny blade to look at his reflection and almost dropped it. The normally
red glow had taken on a kalidoscope of colors. "Oh.....my." he whispered for lack of a better
response.  He knew the ruby light would increase or decrease with his emotions, but he never
knew it could do this.

He handed the knife back to Yuffie, but she wasn't concentrating and the blade slipped from her
grasp, slicing her palm. She winced and cradled the wound to her chest. Vincent grabbed her
wrist, pulling it towards him, and watched the wound slowly leaking blood. It appeared to be
quite shallow, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Not really thinking about it he pulled her palm to
his mouth and licked the area clean, sighing at the taste. It had been a long time since he'd had
blood in his human form, since he tended to get all he needed for sustenance during his
transformations. It had a much different effect in human guise,  desire raced through his veins
and he yanked Yuffie against him as he kissed the area above her pulse.

Yuffie gasped as the metal claw bit into her hip. Strange sensations were washing over her,
making her skin hot and tight. She was afraid suddenly, the intensity of emotion too much for her
youth and inexperience. "Vi-Vincent?" He shook his head as the note of fear broke through the
haze of  lust. Then he realized what he was doing, what he would have done if she hadn't
spoken. *NO, NO, What am I doing?* He quickly released her shaking his head in horror. *I
would have taken her, drank from her, Oh God, what kind of monster am I?* He dove down
under the water and quickly exited the cave, unable to stand the look of fear and confusion in
those dark brown eyes.

Yuffie watched him go, feeling an odd sort regret. She sighed and looked at her hand, gasping in
surprise when she realized the wound was partially healed. *I didn't know he could do that.*
she thought. Shaking her head she decided she should return to camp. She dove down towards
the bottom trying to retrieve her knife, but soon realized it was much deeper than it appeared,
she wouldn't be able to get it back. She returned to the surface for air and sighed again. The
weapon contained the Throw materia she'd gotten from Vincent, she hated to loose it, but it was
far beyond reach.

Vincent was bundled up even more than usual when she emerged from the lake. She couldn't
even see his eyes, he had already eaten a portion of the meal, and if she didn't know better
she'd think he was asleep. The silence was thick with tension, and she began to wish she'd never
opened her big mouth. Now he thought he'd hurt her and he'd be gloomy for the longest time.
"Vincent, I'm alright, you didn't..." his grunt cut her off. "Please Zen, I...." He growled and
stalked off. She watched him disappear into the woods and fought not to start bawling. She
absolutely hated tears, and she didn't want to add to his burden by letting him see her cry. She
gathered her pride and pulled out the tent. She pushed the button to activate the temporary
shelter, and crawled inside. It would be gone by morning, having dissolved after suffusing it's
interior with healing vapors. She sniffed and wished her sorrow could disappear as easily.

Tifa looked at the pair as they joined up again on the Highwind a few days later. *Something's
happened between those two.*  She hated seeing them both so unhappy and trying not to show
it. She went over to Cloud and nudged him. He smiled and leaned over to kiss her. She put a
hand over his mouth before he could. "Not now Cloud, I want to talk to you." He grinned and
kissed the palm instead, chuckling at the exasperated look she aimed at him. "Okay, I'll behave.
What can I do for you?" She tilted her head towards their companions.

Cloud followed the gesture and looked at Yuffie and Vincent. He shrugged, "What about
them?" Tifa sighed, Cloud was a sweetheart, but he could be real dense at times. "Can't you see
how upset they are? Something happened while they were alone together." He took another
look and realized Yuffie did seem uncharacteristically gloomy. It was harder to tell with Vincent,
he always had a dark aura about him. "Yeah, I see what you mean, but what should we do
about it?" Tifa patted his cheek, "You're going to make him tell you what happened." Cloud's
jaw dropped, "What? Tifa you know you're better at that sort of stuff than me." She smiled
serenely, "I know, that's why I'm going to talk to Yuffie." He shook his head, "Okay, fine, but if
I come back with that claw up my butt it's going to be on your conscience." Tifa smiled and
watched him walk over to the former Turk. "Thanks, Cloud."  He waved his hand as if to say
'Yeah, yeah, whatever.' and continued on his way.

She sighed and hopped off the platform, landing near Yuffie's side. "Hello Yuffie."  The young
ninja looked up and put on a bright and obviously forced smile. "Hey there Tifa." She put her
arms around the girl's shoulders and hugged lightly. "It's okay, you don't have to pretend. We
can go to your room and talk about it."  Yuffie sighed, "You can tell, huh?" The woman at her
side nodded. "Okay, but not right now. I still need time to think, alright?" Tifa nodded again and
rubbed Yuffie's shoulders in encouragement, before going back towards the bridge.

Meanwhile, Cloud was trying his damnedest to get Vincent to fess up. "Come on Valentine, I
can tell something's up with you two. If this is too public we can talk in the meeting room."
Vincent glared at him and shook his head. He wasn't about to admit his sins to the one person
he looked up to in this world. He didn't want to see disgust cloud his eyes. "I don't want to talk
about it Cloud, just leave me be." The blonde shook his head in exasperation. He'd have a
better chance of convincing Cid to give up smoking and become a nun, than getting information
out of the man. As if he heard his thoughts the pilot spoke up. "Hey Cloud, we're almost to
Junon. The submarine dock's there, right??"

"Yes Cid, it is. Please land." Cid grinned and turned to his trainee, "Okay you damned rookie.
You heard the man, set 'er down, and try not to knock us on our asses." Said rookie grinned
himself and landed flawlessly.  Cloud sighed and put a hand to his head, Cid swore more than
anyone he'd ever known. It was made worse by the fact that he didn't even seem to realize he
was doing it. He was just glad the crew took it all in stride, otherwise the pilot would have a
mutiny on his hands every time he opened his mouth. Cloud looked over at Tifa who waved and
pointed at the two they'd just been discussing. He nodded to indicate he got the message.
"Yuffie, Vincent, get ready. We're heading into Junon."

Yuffie shuddered and danced in place, trying to fight the claustrophobia of the tiny submarine.
"Ooohhh gaaawd. I hate ships, I hate 'em." Cloud grinned and touched her palm in sympathy.
"We'll head to the surface soon. I promise." The swordsman had gotten turned around after
picking up the huge materia and was trying to get his bearings. Deciding he might do better
above sea level he pushed a button and felt his blood rush a little as the sub rose quickly and
burst to the surface. They popped up inside a crater and disembarked. Cloud noticed a cave
nearby and unable to contain his curiosity he headed towards it. There was a woman inside.
Vincent gasped in recognition and ran towards her. "Lucrecia!!"

The two remaining party members watched the exchange in fascination. They gave him a slightly
dirty look when he returned and followed him back to the submarine. "Why'd you lie to her
Vince?" asked Yuffie. He looked over at her. "The truth would have destroyed her. I....couldn't
do that to her. I care for her too much." Yuffie's heart fell a little, he still loved her, that meant
she didn't stand a chance. Cloud watched the unspoken emotions sparking between the pair
and rubbed his chin. *Hmm, I think I'm beginning to see now.* He made up his mind. He was
going to try and see if ganging up on the man would work, but it could wait until the gunslinger
had some time to recover.

It took longer than Cloud had intended to get back to Vincent about what had happened
between him and Yuffie. They'd been to space and back since then, and it was Vincent who
came to him. He asked Cloud to take him to Lucrecia's cave before they headed back to the
Ancient City. Cloud nodded and agreed, taking Tifa with them. This time Lucrecia wasn't there,
all that lay in the cave was a small piece of paper that explained the one form Vincent had yet to
achieve and a wickedly powerful gun called the Death Penalty. The former Turk reverently
picked up the items and clutched them to his chest. He knew she'd left to seek her death, the
convenient lie had been for nothing. "Lucrecia...."

Vincent was even more quiet than usual when they returned to the ship. He stood in his usual
spot, not really seeing the world around him. His eyes were begining to take on the same blank
and glassy stare Cloud's had during his coma, and it was frightening his companions. Yuffie was
nearly hysterical, but terrified to approach him.

Tifa took her aside and finally made her talk about what had happened between them. As the
girl wound down from her tale, Tifa stared at her in mild shock. "And that's everything Tifa, he
wouldn't even look at me." she sniffed. The woman sighed and tried to find the right words. She
pulled Yuffie into her arms and stroked the soft hair as the tears fell. "Shhh, shhhh. It's okay
Yuffie. You didn't do anything wrong." The young ninja sniffed again. "Then why did he keep
avoiding me?" Tifa smiled, "Yuffie, I think he likes you a great deal, he's just afraid to admit it."
The sniffs died down and the young girl sighed, "I don't understand." Tifa explained, "I think
Vincent is afraid to let himself love. He must be terrified to feel that way about someone after
what happened with Lucrecia." Yuffie met her gaze. "That way?" Tifa nodded. "You mean
THAT way, that way?" Tifa blushed but nodded again. Yuffie blushed as well, she would never
have guessed that the feeling could be mutual.

"Now Yuffie, he's still hurting from loosing Lucrecia. You shouldn't approach...." Yuffie nodded,
"I know Tifa, he needs to be sad a while, but that look is downright scary." Tifa put her hand on
her chin. "Yes, I know. You can console him, just, try not to be provocative." The young ninja
tilted her head,  "But I wasn't...." Tifa smiled, "I know, you didn't mean to be. Men just tend to
be hardwired to their groins at times." Yuffie grinned, that was about a close to a dirty joke as
Tifa would ever get.

Meanwhile, the men had given up all pretense of tact and had dragged Vincent to the meeting
room during a marathon drinking session. The former Turk popped back into reality coughing
up whiskey. "What the fuck?!?" Cid grinned and stopped forcing the drink down his throat.
"That's the way Vince, always knew you had it in you! I never trust a man who isn't willing to
drink or swear once in a while." Cloud grinned and grabbed a wedge of lemon as he downed
another shot of tequila. "I guess that makes you the most trustworthy man on the planet, eh
Cid?" The pilot grinned as well and slammed the spiky blonde across the shoulders. "Damn
straight, Strife." Barret just shook his head, wondering how they'd convinced him to carry the
poor vamp into this room in the first place. Red XIII sniffed at his screwdriver and wrinkled his
nose in disgust. "How can humans drink this stuff? It smells like rotting potatoes." Cait Sith
laughed, "That's fairly accurate Nanaki. Vodka's made from fermented potatoes. I prefer a nice
cognac myself."

Cid lit a cigarette and pulled out another bottle. "Got some of that too cat." He tossed the bottle
at the toysaurus knocking Cait right off his mog mount. "A swig or two of that'll leave ya feelin'
real nice." Red XIII grimaced and took an experimental lap from his glass, just as Vincent burst
out, "What the hell is going on?!?" Cid took a puff of the cigarette and shrugged. "You were
looking way too fucking gloomy, and there's nothin' like a little fire in your belly to heat the
blood and make you feel good." The other men (or males as the case may be) shrugged, and
nodded their concord. Vincent fell back in his chair and shook his head, leave it to Cid to
choose booze over conversation. He picked up the bottle and took a healthy swig, Cid had
already poured a good bit down his throat, he may as well finish it off.

Red XIII chuckled as he drank some more of his spiked orange juice. "Hey, not too bad. It
does feel nice and warm going down. It still tastes awful though." Cid grinned and rubbed his
mane affectionately, "Way to go Red!! Now all we have to work on is that fuckin' formal way
you have of talkin'." Barret watched Cait pick up the bottle that was almost as big as he was
and take a sip. "That's it...you assholes are getting way too weird on me. I'm goin' to talk ta
someone wit some sense." The huge gunman strode out the door, but smiled, they had gotten
Vincent to come out of his shell. The gunslinger was on his own now.

Tifa and Yuffie met Barret in the corridor. Yuffie grinned and gave the burly man a hug. "Hey
Barret, where is everybody?"  Barret smiled, the young thief had really grown on him.  He
reached down and returned the hug. "They all in the meeting room tryin' to drink each other
under the table." Tifa's jaw dropped in disbelief. "Barret, how could you leave Vincent alone?"
The gunman shrugged, "He's with 'em, drinkin' like a fish last I saw." The two ladies stared at
him in shock. Barret flushed a darker shade of brown,  "Hey, it wudn't my idea." Tifa recovered
first, "So he's aware again?" The dark man nodded, "Don't think he had a choice. Not wit th'
way Cid was pourin' booze down his throat." The woman put a hand to her head. She just
couldn't believe these men sometimes. "Let me guess, Cloud is with them." Barrett nodded,
feeling sympathy for the blonde. If the look on Tifa's face was any indication he was going to
need every one of those weird cells that helped him heal so fast.

The next morning everyone but Barret and Yuffie was conspicuously late rising. She sat across
the table from the gunman, sipping on a cup of tea. "You think they're okay Barett?" He nodded
and grinned a little. "They fine, prolly just got themselves one helluva headache." Yuffie sighed
and went back to her tea. She'd never drunk alcohol before. It was funny in a way, she was
willing to steal, but she wasn't willing to sneak a sip of liquor. After hearing of the nasty side
effects she was shocked anyone would want the stuff. She pulled out a Tranquilizer as a wave
of nausea hit and gulped it down, she didn't think she'd ever get used to ships.

Vincent came down first, he nodded to Barret, who took the hint and quickly vacated the room.
Yuffie blushed as he took the seat beside her, and finished the last of her tea, waiting for him to
say something. "I'm sorry Yuffie." She wasn't expecting an apology, and the cup slipped from
her hand to clatter against the table before rolling off the edge. Vincent caught it midfall and
gently set it back on the table. He met her eyes and said, "I've been treating you badly lately and
I wish to apologize." She smiled and threw her arms around him. "I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to
make you upset." He returned the hug with his good arm, before setting her back in her chair.
They sat in silence a moment as he looked out the window.

Yuffie was about to speak when a familiar voice could be heard coming down the hall. "Ouch,
Tifa, you don't have to be so fucking rough! Owww! Okay, okay, I'll apologize!" The girl failed
to suppress her laugh as Cid was dragged into the room by his ear. Tifa noticed them both and
let him go, blushing furiously. She rarely played hardball, preferring to talk her way through a
confrontation, but Cid's methods had upset her. The pilot rubbed his burning ear and grinned.
"Hey Yuffie, Vince, how the hell are ya'?" He glanced over at Tifa and shuddered, an angry Tifa
was very dangerous thing, and he didn't think lady luck would choose him over her. "Errrm,
sorry 'bout that whole booze thing Vince, didn't mean to make ya' do somethin' against yer will."

Vincent smiled behind his cloak. Tifa must have thought the worst to resort to force. "It's alright
Cid, after all, it did work." The pilot grinned. "See Teef, I told ya...." he trailed off, the glint
hadn't left her eyes. "Well, I'm off to the bridge. Give a yell if you need me." The man turned and
literally ran away. Tifa watched him go, then turned to Vincent. Her eyes softened immediately
and she quickly strode over to his side. "Oh Vincent, you had me so worried. Are you okay
now?" He nodded and felt his blood pressure skyrocket right along with his embarrassment
when she hugged him to her chest. ".......Tifa?" she met his eyes and tilted her head. "Could you,
release me now?" She blushed prettily and quickly let him go.

"Well, I'm going to start breakfast now. What would you like?" Vincent shrugged, "I enjoy
everything you prepare, I'll trust your judgment." She smiled sweetly and turned to Yuffie. "How
about you sweetie?" Yuffie made a small grimace and shrugged. "It doesn't matter, I probably
won't be able to keep it down until we land." Tifa's eyes softened again and Yuffie stood up
before the woman could pull her into one of the same smothering holds she'd used on Vincent.
"I'm going up on deck for some air. Call me when it's ready."

Yuffie waved good-bye to the others as the Highwind rose out of sight. Cloud had insisted that
everyone spend some time with their families before the final battle with Sephiroth. She looked
down at the set of master materia he'd given her before they flew off. It was hard to believe
over a year had gone by since she met him, it seemed like forever and yesterday all at once. She
sighed remembering the materia she'd lost at the mako cave. That simple, almost useless orb
meant just as much to her as all the power she held in her hands. *I wonder where Vincent will
go? He has no family.*

Vincent pulled up beside the waterfall and hopped off the gold Chocobo. He wasn't certain why
he'd returned here, something just seemed to call him. He pulled off his clothes and dove into
the water, making his way back to the mako fountain he had shared with Yuffie all those months
ago. He looked around the cavern, remembering the sensation of her body against his, the taste
of her skin and blood. He sighed, the memory still had the ability to arouse him.

Cloud and the others had been more amused than anything else when he'd finally admitted his
desire.  Their acceptance had done a lot to ease his sense of guilt.  It didn't completely go away
however.  Part of him still kept associating her with the little girl from so many years, and it
made him feel like a pervert. He rolled over and looked down at the fountain. Something was
glittering at the bottom of the pool. *Isn't that Yuffie's...?*

He dove down, feeling his ears pop as the water pressure grew. His lungs were screaming by
the time his hand closed around the knife. He pushed off the bottom, stirring up a cloud of sand,
and began straining for the surface. Black spots were forming along the edges of his vision and
he wondered briefly if his body would ever be found if he were to drown. Finally, he broke the
surface and took in great, burning lungfulls of air. He looked at the small yellow orb embedded
in the knife handle and chuckled. *With my luck she won't even remember she lost this. Oh
well, it would be nice to see her for a little while.* He dove down and exited the cave
wondering if he would still be welcome in Wutai.
 
Yuffie grinned at the birthday cake and the eighteen candles that were crowded onto it's
surface. "Come on Yuffie, make a wish." said Godo dropping an arm around her shoulders. She
nodded and thought about a certain ex-Turk. She closed her eyes and blew out the candles in
one breath. The people around her cheered and began handing her presents. Her father winked
as he handed her what was obviously a new weapon and asked "Did you wish for a victory
against Sephiroth?" She shook her head, "No way! I already know we can do that. I used it for
something special." Godo chuckled, his daughter never showed anything but confidence in
herself and her companions. He was happy she'd found such wonderful friends.

Just then an annoyingly arrogant voice chirped up, "You're practically a woman now Yufe, so
when are you going to quit being such a tomboy and get a boyfriend?" She glared at Shake,
who stood up and ran for all he was worth. She considered giving chase, told herself it was
childish, then did it anyway. She turned the corner and ran straight into a very tall, and very hard
male body. "Oww, hey watch where....Vincent?"

The former Turk smiled and put his hands on her shoulders, to steady her. "Yuffie." She broke
into a grin and flung her arms around his chest. "Oh Vincent, it's so good to see you. Are the
other's here too?" He shook his head, "No, it's just me. I wanted to bring you something." She
let him go, "You knew it was my birthday?" Vincent blushed, "......actually I didn't. I just found
something you left behind, and I thought I might return it." Her grin fell a little in disappointment,
"Oh." They fell silent a moment. "Well, now that you're here you can join the fun." she giggled
before grabbing Vincent by his artificial arm and dragging him in to the party.

Much to his surprise, Yuffie was thrilled with the return of her weapon. She kissed him loudly on
the cheek eliciting several whoops and catcalls that made him blush, again. He laughed a little
self-consciously and accepted his slice of cake as Yuffie finished opening her gifts. Then it
struck him, Yuffie was eighteen, she was well on her way to adulthood.  He sighed and
rearranged his cloak, his libido had just figured out that same fact. The former Turk closed his
eyes and tried to ignore the little voice that insisted  //She's old enough now. So there's no
reason you can't take her. You know you want to//.

A shadow fell across him and he looked up at a broadly grinning Yuffie. "Earth to Vincent,
meditating again? What did you do wrong this time?" He blushed a little as his most recent
fantasy faded. *I just imagined ripping that excuse of an outfit off and taking you on the table
until you scream, that's all.*

 ".....nothing, just daydreaming."  Yuffie tilted her head, she had the distinct impression the vamp
was hiding something. "Well anyway, everyone's leaving. If you're going to stay I can show you
to your room now." Vincent nodded, "Okay, I could use some rest." *And a chance to let off
some tension.*

Vincent chuckled as he was led to the same room he had occupied all those years ago. "Here
you go Vincent." said Yuffie handing him a set of towels. "I'll be in the other room, so if you
need anything at all just shout." The former Turk nodded and bit his tongue to keep from telling
her exactly what he needed. The young ninja stood on tiptoe and pressed a quick kiss to his
lips, "Sleep tight, Zen." He clenched the towels in a death grip, trying with all his might not to
grab the girl and toss her onto the sleeping pad.  Yuffie gave him one of her trademark grins
before slipping through the doors, pulling the screens shut on her way out.

Vincent let out a shaky sigh and laid down on the mattress. "You aren't even trying to be sexy,
are you Yuffie?" He pressed his fingers to lips that still tingled from her kiss, they came away
stained with a pale gloss. *When did she start wearing make-up?*  He began to think of the
other subtle changes he hadn't really paid attention to. She had been wearing some soft barely
there scent tonight, and her hair was a little longer as well. Her formerly skinny looking limbs
were starting to take on the softer more curved contours of womanhood, and her breasts had
started to press quite enticingly against the tight sweaters she favored. Once again that little
voice inside reminded him that she was technically a woman now. //So why do you keep fighting
this?//

*That's a good question...why am I fighting this?!?* The former Turk sat up and a feral smile
crossed his lips. *Okay Yuffie let's see just how willing you are to satisfy my needs.*  He
silently slipped out the door and headed to the room their party used whenever they were in
Wutai.

Yuffie sighed as she shrugged off her robe and began to rub lotion into her damp skin. The cool
bath had soothed her tension somewhat, but she wanted something else. She finished applying
the lightly scented moisturizer and sat down on the sleeping pad. *Damn, I'm horny.*  She
thought about the man staying just down the hall and let out a small grunt as she flopped back
onto the mattress, sending her breasts jiggling.

She looked down at the soft mounds of flesh and grinned, she was no Tifa, but she felt she was
filling out quite nicely. She massaged the fleshy globes, it felt so good to get them out of those
damned sports bras. She hated having to wear the things, but bounce was not a good thing in
the heat of battle. Her stroking slowly shifted from soothing to stimulating and she let out a
pleasured sigh and slipped her other hand between her thighs. *Oh well, if I can't get the real
thing. I'll just have to use my imagination.*

Vincent paused as he heard a soft feminine sigh emanate from the  room. It was amazing he
could hear anything at all over Godo's snoring.  The sigh was soon followed by a low moan that
piqued his curiosity. The former Turk slid the door open a crack and peered inside. His jaw
dropped as he beheld the highly erotic sight of Yuffie masturbating, her slim fingers sliding in and
out of her tight pussy, and glistening with her arousal. He pressed his eye closer to the crack as
the soft sighs turned into quick pants. A pause as she bit her lip, then a muffled cry as her juices
squirted out on her hand while the orgasm took her. Yuffie slumped back down and looked at
her soaked fingers, before shrugging and licking them clean. Outside the door Vincent was
certain his erection was simply going to burst through his zipper at any moment.

With what felt like and amazing amount of restraint, he stood back, and rapped on the wooden
slats of the door. Yuffie quickly yanked her robe back on and called out, "Y-Yes? Who's
there?"  "It's me Yuffie, may I come in?" Yuffie blushed and pulled the sheets up to her chest
before calling out. "Sure, come on in." Vincent slid the doors open, smiling under his cloak at
her shyness. *We'll fix that soon enough.* He turned back to the door once he was inside and
used his claw to punch a hole in the thick reinforced paper, before roping his bandanna around
the slats,  so they couldn't be slid apart from the outside.

Yuffie watched him 'lock' the door and bit her lip. "Vincent?"  He sat down beside her and
began toying with her hair, "Yes Yuffie?" She swallowed a lump in her throat. "Why did you
lock us in?" He smiled and trailed a finger along her chin and down her neck, "Because I don't
want to be interrupted." The finger continued it's downward path and was now trailing between
her breasts.  Yuffie shivered and tried to remember what she was about to ask. "Interrupted?"
Vincent nodded and used his claw to lightly scrape her jaw, "You don't strike me as an
exhibitionist, so we'll keep this private." Her jaw dropped a little, *Does he mean what I think
he means?* she thought, unable to get her voice to work.

Vincent leaned in and began to kiss her, using the slightly gaping expression to slip his tongue
into her mouth and lick the tender walls. Yuffie groaned and returned the kiss with enough skill
to shock the former Turk. He groaned, then pulled back a moment. Yuffie blinked her eyes and
looked up at him. "What is it? Why'd you stop?" He chuckled a little, "You're very good at that,
it makes me wonder. Is this your first time?"  She turned a bright shade of pink and replied,
"You're the first man I've ever been with." Vincent smiled and was just about to kiss her again
when another thought struck. "Hold on.... When you say 'the first man' does that indicate you've
been with a woman?" The girl quickly shifted from pink to red, scowling at the amused look on
the vamp's face. "Oh, I see....was it good?  OUCH!"

Vincent winced and rubbed the lump on his forehead where Yuffie had just socked him. The
ninja watched the lump recede, shifting from an angry red to a pale pink before disappearing
completely. "Hmph, that's no fun. You heal too fast." she growled getting to her feet. Vincent
laughed and grabbed her robe with his claws, yanking her back down to the pad. "Don't you
dare!!" she gasped even as the thin silk was ripped off her body. "Oooohh, how could you! Do
you have any idea how much that thing cost?" Vincent shrugged and lifted her legs over his
shoulders. "I'll get you a new one." he said as he leaned back, leaving only her upper back
touching the sleeping pad. He licked his lips as he stared at the perfectly trimmed pubic hair just
inches from his face.

Yuffie felt her annoyance melt away under the heated gaze. Vincent met her eyes a moment,
then dove down on her glistening muff. She gasped at the unexpected ferocity, she hadn't know
it was possible for oral sex to be that rough. Vincent took her clit between his teeth and lightly
nibbled on it, occasionally stabbing his tongue into her hot tunnel to lap up the gathering juices. It
didn't take long at all for her to come and he grunted as her thighs clamped around his face. He
took a couple deep breaths when she let him go, and stared at her breasts. Then continued the
harsh stabbing laps as he reached down to pinch the pebbled nipples.

Yuffie hissed as the metal points bit into the sensitive skin, it hurt, but it was a good hurt. The
cool metal claw moved away from her nipples to torture the pale brown skin around them. She
tossed her head and arched up even further as another orgasm hit, leaving only her head and the
very tips of her shoulders on the mattress beneath her. Vincent slid his synthetic hand away from
her breasts as she shuddered with the release, and trailed it along her back smoothly, keeping
the pointed tips from grazing the skin.

She gradually wound down, and he continued to stroke her soothingly. Yuffie sighed as he
slowly pulled away, letting her lay down in a normal position. She looked on as he stood and
began to remove his own clothes. Not surprisingly, the majority of his clothes had snaps, so the
one normal hand was all he really needed to take them off. He got to the pants last and when his
cock sprang free, her jaw fell open at a truly comical angle. Vincent chuckled at the expression,
he got it quite a bit. "I know, it's a little long, but...." Yuffie shook her head. "A little?!? There's
nothing little about that thing!!" Vincent looked down at the throbbing erection that ended just
above his bellybutton and grinned. "I'll take that as a compliment."

He got back onto the pad and began to part her legs again. Yuffie clamped them shut like a vise
"HOLD IT!!! That thing can't fit inside me!!" He groaned slightly, he got that all too often as
well. "I'll go slow. If the pain gets to be too much, just tell me, and I'll stop." Yuffie looked down
at the pulsing member, torn between desire and fear. She met Vincent's gaze and thought about
all they'd been through together. This was a man she could trust with her life, she should be able
to trust him in bed as well. She bit her lip and nodded, relaxing her thighs and letting him slide
between them. He slipped his fingers into her slick pussy and slowly stretched the walls as he
searched for a barrier.

He found it and began to trace it gently as he leaned forward and began to kiss her breasts.
Yuffie shuddered a little, bracing for the pain. "Shhh, try to calm down. It will hurt worse if
you're tense." Yuffie nodded and did her best to relax. Vincent looked up at her and caught her
gaze as he lifted his head so she could see his tongue tracing her nipples. She was soon caught
up in the alluring sight and her tension dropped away. She leaned back and buried a hand in his
dark, silky hair. As soon as he sensed the loss of anxiety,  Vincent stabbed his fingers forward,
tearing away her hymen. Yuffie gasped, then let out a small cry, involuntarily yanking at the
handful of hair.

Vincent winced, but continued to gently probe her until the pain faded.  She slowly released her
death grip on his hair as the sting melted away. He looked up at her sympathetically. "I'm sorry,
but that was necessary. Are you okay now?"  Yuffie blinked her moist eyes and nodded. "Can I
keep going?" he asked. She took a deep breath and nodded again. Vincent nuzzled her cheek
affectionately and smiled. "Thank you." He grabbed his length and positioned himself at her
entrance, slowly pressing forward. He slid in with a slight pop, and gritted his teeth against the
urge to slam his way into her

Yuffie let out a low moan, it felt so good to have a man inside her.  This was much, much better
than fingers and she instinctively understood this was what she'd been craving. Sweat began to
bead on the former Turk's skin from the effort of his restraint as he continued to bury himself
inside her. Then he hit the back of her tunnel, but there were still a few inches left to go. He
panted as he pulled back slightly, then thrust forward again, getting a little deeper with each
stroke. Eventually he managed to get all the way to the hilt and he stopped there, savoring the
feeling of being completely embedded within her.

Yuffie groaned, it felt like Vincent was pressing against the base of her lungs, but she loved it
anyway. Then he began to move, and total bliss flowed through her veins. Vincent leaned
forward and braced his prosthetic hand below her shoulder as he brought the normal hand
around to stroke her hard little clit as he continued his slow deep thrusts. Yuffie cried out at the
unexpected stimulation  and immediately came. Her inner muscles clamped down on his cock,
rippling along the length and making him moan with pleasure.

The next orgasm was harder and he knew he was about to loose control.  He fisted his hands in
the sheets on either side of her chest. He groaned and looked into her eyes. "Please, please let
me..." he whimpered. Yuffie looked at the desperation in his ruby red gaze. If that glow got any
brighter she was certain it would start beaming out like lasers. She nodded, not really certain
what he wanted, but wanting to make him happy.

He pulled her into his embrace and began to thrust like a madman. The pace was so brutal the
screens rattled slightly with the vibration. Yuffie dropped her head back, this hurt as well, but
just like everything else he did pleasure easily outshone any pain. Her groans grew steadily
louder as she sensed another orgasm building inside her. Then she felt the prick of his fangs
entering her shoulder and it all came flooding out. She literally screamed with her orgasm and
crushed herself against the man above her. Vincent covered her mouth as the cry began, hoping
it had gone unnoticed, but continued his harsh thrusts, getting yet another orgasm out of her
before he followed. Yuffie grunted as she felt his heat splashing inside her, she could feel him
throbbing with each spurt, and it kept her on the peak until he finished.

Vincent sighed and continued to drink a moment, before slipping out his fangs and licking the
wound until it closed. Then he rolled to the side as the exhaustion of total satiation took him, and
pulled Yuffie against his chest. He waited until he was certain his voice wouldn't shake then
asked, "Are you...hurt?"  Yuffie tried to say no, but her voice still wasn't working, so she shook
her head then snuggled closer before going out like a light. Vincent chuckled and reached over
to grab the blanket from one of the other pads, and dragged it across them. It had been a long
time since he managed to screw a woman to sleep. *Speaking of sleep....* Vincent yawned, he
was feeling pretty tired himself. He'd been from one end of the planet to another today, and the
long night of sex had drained all the energy he had left.  The radio at the head of the pad
popped on and he goggled a bit at the time. *Whoa!!  New record...no wonder we're tired.*
He reached up to cut it off, but then a familiar song came on. He smiled as the familiar words
took on a whole new meaning, and listened to the end before flipping the alarm switch and
falling asleep.
 

Seasons change
Feelings change
It's been so long since I found you
Yet it seems like yesterday

Seasons change
People change
I'll sacrifice tomorrow
Just to have you here today

END

Yaay!! Another story done (maybe not done well, but done)!! Shouts go out to NeoCactuar and The
Unknown Gamer for putting up with being my guinea pigs whenever a new idea hits.  Smoochies for all the
bishounen (I just love pretty boys). Sakura Lemon (even if it doesn't post anymore) for introducing me to
lemons.  SuperSaiyanLuisa  for being the first to host a fic.  The Grey Archive for hosting all my smut and
it's sister site The Golden Archive for hosting the WAFI (Warm And Fuzzy Incident).  Oh and I can't forget
you dear reader for making it this far.  Thanks for reading my work....Peace!!