Yuffie Kisaragi chose the wrong time to start listening to Leon's angry rants. She had annoyed him to his breaking point yet again and he had, surprisingly, snapped. It had only happened four times; Leon never really showed his emotions in general. This time was different, however.
Yuffie knew she had annoyed him. She sat across from Leon, grinning like the Cheshire cat.
Maybe I'll actually listen this time…just to hear Squallie out, she thought with an evil grin.
"Stupid, idiotic girl! My name is Leon! L-E-O-N!" Leon growled, as if he was speaking to a four-year-old. "Can't you get it through your thick skull! GET IT RIGHT! No, in fact, just do me a favor, and stay out of my life!" Leon snapped.
Cloud had once scolded Leon for taking Yuffie for granted.
"Tch…don't meddle in my business, Strife…" Leon said. The spiky-haired blond had glared at him.
"Don't take my sister"-Yuffie and Cloud had fondly referred to each other as brother and sister ever since Yuffie helped Cloud ask out Aerith-"for granted. You'll regret it," Cloud warned. Leon's grip on the Gunblade became loose as he smirked.
"I doubt that."
The ninja stared at Leon, her indigo eyes darkening with hurt. She searched her mind for a snappy comeback, but she couldn't find anything. Sure, Leon didn't say anything absolutely horrid, but she had heard the general hate and dislike in his voice. Yuffie opened her mouth, and then closed it. She repeated it once more. Her heart, broken and mangled, beat with pain in her chest. She couldn't break her gaze away from Leon's stormy gray eyes. Instead, Yuffie clenched her fist and dashed away.
Leon stared at the retreating figure with surprise. What had happened! In all the days that Leon had snapped, Yuffie had never, EVER ran away. Most of the time, she would:
1) Act serious for two seconds and then burst out laughing,
2) Giggle and continue to annoy him, or…
3) Totally ignore him and attack him.
He shrugged it off.
She'll be okay tomorrow…he thought with certainty. Hell, she'll be okay by tonight.
A little part of Leon, however, was filled with guilt. Had he really hurt her that bad?
Yuffie gulped, willing herself not to cry. She blinked away her tears, and swallowed thickly, fighting to control her emotions.
"…stay out of my life!"
…Fine, she thought with grim resolution. I will. I'm not needed. She took a breath, wiped her eyes just to make sure they were dry, and then strolled through the door. A fake, bright smile was plastered onto her face.
"Heeeeyyy, lovebirds!" she teased as Cloud and Aerith, surprised, pulled away hastily. Both were blushing bright red, but Cloud had a satisfied smirk on his face. Yuffie winced. The only hard part about staying away from Leon?
Oh, yeah. She was in love with him. Yuffie loved Leon just as much as Aerith loved Cloud.
"Y-Yuffie!" Aerith stuttered; her hands folded delicately as she sat down. The ninja envied the flower-girl. She's so graceful, and-and beautiful, and-and…
Aerith was the spitting image of beauty and grace, while Yuffie, on the other hand, was a tomboy with no manners and a never-ending fountain of energy.
"Yuffie," Cloud greeted. His lips twitched into a smirk, but for a second he looked confused. "Where's Leon?" he asked. Usually the Gunblade wielder followed in afterwards, looking tired and worn out compared to the hyperactive Yuffie.
"Oh, Sq—Leon? He's still out training."
Cloud and Aerith froze. Aerith glanced at Cloud.
Did Yuffie just say 'Leon?' Cloud's blue eyes flickered back.
I think so…
"Um, Aerith?" the ninja asked hesitantly. Aerith turned towards her. "If it's possible, could I switch rooms with you tonight?" Aerith raised an eyebrow, while Cloud frowned. The spiky-haired blond sensed something was wrong.
"Yuffie, are you--?"
Yuffie turned around, fake-smiling. "Cloud, I'm fine, really! Please, just…I'm fine. I'll be back for dinner," Yuffie assured. Yuffie walked out, just in time to come face-to-face with Leon.
The Gunblade wielder looked surprised. "Yuffie."
"Leon," she said simply, and walked away. Too bad she left her heart with him.
The second Yuffie had said his actual name, he knew something was terribly wrong.
"Yuffie?" he said again, but the ninja-girl ignored him and walked away. Some part of him told him to chase after Yuffie. Leon refused to.
I'll talk to her tonight.
Yuffie huffed, tossing her four-point shuriken and then running up the wall to catch it. Her breath was uneven as she sat on the wall, her eyes watching the sun set. Hollow Bastion was magnificent at twilight.
"Looks nice, huh?" a voice murmured as Yuffie stared ahead, still not surprised.
"Mm," Yuffie responded. "Aerith sent you to talk to me, right?"
"No," Cloud said, smiling, "I came of my own volition." He grinned at his 'younger sister.' "What's wrong with you?" Yuffie contemplated on whether to tell Cloud the truth. She decided against it.
"I'm the Great Ninja Yuffie! I don't get hurt!" Yuffie said.
"So it's about Leon, right?" Cloud guessed.
"NO!" Yuffie said a little too quickly. She shrugged, and then grinned, that evil smile coming back. "I'm fiiine, Cloud." She jumped off the wall, brushing her knees off as she grinned at the spiky-haired Cloud.
"I am starving!"
"I didn't do anything," Leon replied calmly. Aerith set more food on the table.
"She called you 'Leon!' Something must have happened," Aerith said. "Leon, Cloud told you not to take Yuffie for granted," Aerith warned. "I agree with him. She won't always be there."
"I doubt that I'll care. She's an annoying kid, Aerith," Leon responded gruffly.
"A kid that you care about," countered the flower-girl. "Deep inside of you, there is a part of you that cares about Yuffie. Maybe you even love her"-Leon snorted at this, but in reality he was afraid of admitting the truth-"but Leon, please don't treat Yuffie like a burden. She had feelings, too."
Leon sighed just as Yuffie walked in. Cloud followed suit as he sat down. He greeted Leon, and proceeded to eat as Yuffie sat down as well.
"Dinner is awesome!" Yuffie said enthusiastically as she dug into her food happily. Leon remained silent, but his attention was focused on the Great Ninja Yuffie sitting before him. The tension in the air was awkward until finally, Yuffie stood, holding her plate. "Um, Aerith?" Aerith turned towards her. "I'm going to the library. I, erm, have some flowers…er, books, I need to pick…ERM, READ!" Yuffie stuttered and then dashed out.
"Did she just say she needed to go to the library to pick flowers?"
No one answered Cloud's question. Leon stood, staring at where Yuffie sat three seconds ago. Wordlessly he stood and walked in the same direction.
I need to talk to her.
"…Leon loves Yuffie, doesn't he?"
"More than he realizes, I think."
"He's taking her for granted," Cloud growled, his blue eyes dark. "Yuffie's my little sister. I won't let him hurt her."
"Oh, he won't, Cloud," Aerith said softly, touching him on the arm. "Trust me. They love each other. I know Leon won't let himself hurt her anymore. Leon…" Aerith bit her lip, and then smiled as Cloud pulled her towards him, pressing his lips gently against the flower-girl's.
She sat, reading a book while eating her dinner. Yuffie was stretched comfortably, her butt parked on the chair, her legs propped on the table in front of her. Yuffie wiped her hands messily on her shorts, and then stood, trying to put her book away.
"I hate being so short," she muttered. "Why can't anyone else be short! Well, Sora's short, but…"
A hand reached up and pushed the book in for her as Yuffie grinned. She thought it was Cloud.
"Thanks my big br-…" Yuffie paused as she saw Leon in front of her. His hand was still on the book, making the jersey he was wearing a lot less interesting than his long, muscular arm. "Oh. Erm, thanks…Leon…" said the ninja, picking up her plate slowly.
Please let me walk away! Come on! God, if you're up there, you'd better let me get through without him saying anythi—
"Yuffie." Yuffie paused in mid-step, glaring at the ceiling and shaking her fist.
"Yes, Leon?" she asked, turning around. Oooooh. Leon was much closer than she had expected as he stepped towards her. She stepped back.
"…What's wrong with you?"
"What do you mean, 'what's wrong with me?'" Yuffie asked. "I'm staying out of your way. Duh," she said, and then began to walk away.
"Yuffie!" Leon called, trying to get her to come back as he strode after her, grabbing her wrist.
He nearly choked as he saw what had happen. Her eyes, those bright, forgiving, indigo eyes were stained with tears.
"Let go of me, Leon," Yuffie said, trying to keep her voice even as she flashed a smile at him. Leon didn't let go; that smile was so fake, unlike the real ones that he was starting to miss.
"Please, let go, Leon!" Yuffie said again, her voice unable to stop quivering. Finally she pulled her hand free and dashed away quickly as Leon stared after her. The only thought on his mind was this:
…I…made her cry…