Leaning on You(FF7)

25

~Yuffie's POV~

Cloud flops back onto the inn bed, sighing with contentment as his spikes sink into the pillow. Barret rolls his eyes and kicks off his boots. Red, Cait Sith, Tifa and Vincent all have the other room that we rented for tonight. There are plenty of small, insignificant towns on the way to Sumter, so there's no need to stock up. Actually this is beginning to remind me of when Avalanche first began. Tracking across the wilderness, monster attack after monster attack, sleeping on the rocky ground through thin tent material, witnessing each other's pasts, and pulling each other together. I don't know why these memories are popping up, particularly the ones where Barret and I never got along or when I would get Cid to cuss me out. But one in particular won't move, the scene playing over and over through my brain. It was the night I realized my attraction to Cloud.
The sound of chirping insects puts us on our guard, but we're all too tired to think much of it. Those bugs may sound harmless, like your average cicada, but out here in the harsh wild, they grow to the size of the big oaf with a gun arm. The only thing good about the man is how well he can cook the meat that Red takes down. I've only been in Avalanche for about three weeks, but I can sort out the personalities fairly well, the parts they all play.
Boobs gets the bad guys to be nice and let us pass, Grumpy makes dinner, Red hunts dinner, Pink-Bow cheers Vampire Guy up, Vampire Guy always takes night watch, Smoky tries not to accidentally burn up all the dry fields, Spikey bosses us around, and that cat thing just doesn't shut the heck up. Which is my job. I'm the conversationalist. They love me. Especially Grumpy.
"Time to get to sleep, guys. Tomorrow we're heading out for the Keystone," Cloud announces.
"Eat your food before I do," Barret jams the hot meal in Vincent's face.
The pale man's stoic expression doesn't change as he simply takes the roasted meat in his hand and discreetly passes it to Red. This guy's creepy. Never eats, never sleeps, hardly talks. But he's good enough company when Barret's trying to kill you for stealing his materia. He let's me hide behind him and under his cape uttering a complaint, sometimes directing the big man in search of me in the wrong direction. But only when he feels good. And can only tell he feels good when we see him thoughtfully stroking Red's mane.
"I'm heading in. You coming?" Tifa looks at Aeris.
The girl nods and together they zip themselves up in their small tent. The first night I was here, they pushed me away when I followed, claiming that there was no room left. I slept outside that night, teeth chattering until sunrise. Since then, I've sat by the fire and snuggled up to Red, hoping that his body heat will keep me warm. I don't get why they accepted the new people faster than me, but I still don't feel very welcome at times.
"Night, Spiky," Barret shoves the back of his leader's head and crawled into another tent. Cid shrugs and clambers in after him, both men distancing elves in the small space.
"I think I'll take the night watch, Vince," Cloud says steadily, stretching. The tall man eyes him for a second before heading off toward the woods. Creepy... Is he gonna hang off a tree in there or something?
"Goodnight," I mutter to no one, mostly because no one is listening.
Then I wait for Red to curl up to the fire before curling my back up against his. But sleep won't come. And I kinda have to pee, but Vampire Creep is out in the woods and who knows? He could be a total perv! So instead of bugging the poor orange animal further, I stand and sit on one if the large stones near the fire, sharpening my shuriken as I heat the four points.
"Couldn't sleep?" A voice startles me. Jumping, I turn to see Cloud leaning against one of the roughly barked trees nearby.
"Nah," I shake my head, continuing my previous actions.
"You need your energy, you know," he sits beside me on the boulder quietly. My breath catches as he scoots about an inch closer.
"I-I k-know," I stutter uneasily, butterflies erupting in my gut. I'd never developed many crushes, even for a teenage girl, but this was one slight liking I was taking toward someone I didn't think would disappear easily.
"Here," he reaches out for my hand after a moment of silence. I freeze when one of his warm hands covers mine, guiding my blade strokes down my weapon. My whole body is stiff and I can't breathe as he watches a few sparks fly with concentration. His bright eyes are glowing against the darkness of night, and his tongue pokes out between his lips in concentration. Blushing, I realize I was staring instead of focusing on whatever the heck he was doing. Besides making my heart rupture, of course. Finally, he releases me, a small on his lips and content with his work. "That's much better."
"Thanks," I mumble, forcing in oxygen.
"So you have family anywhere?" I almost cringe. They don't know that I'm using them. And how could I tell them, especially this guy, who makes my gut explode. The only other thing that makes my stomach do that is a boat. There's no way he and I will ever be a thing, but as long as I like him, I won't tell him.
"Wutai. My dad's the emperor." I answer quietly, looking at the ground.
"What about your mother?"
"Dead," I reply flatly. Heat spreads across my knee, a warm hand laid on my leg in comfort.
"Sorry about that."
"Don't worry," I say, but my voice is strained. My plan will never work if I can't figure out a way around this. Cloud Strife, what have you done to me?