Broken Promises

Sometime later in the evening, Cid finished as much of the repairs as he guessed could be accomplished for now. His mind wouldn’t let up on why Yuffie had ordered that part for him and managed to get it here right when he needed it. Especially strange was the idea of taking her out, even if it was only to repay her favor. Contemplating this and that, he stood outside in the afternoon sun with his fingers scratching the back of his head. A brief memory of that uncomfortable stance Cloud always had when he scratched the back of his head flashed into view and Cid immediately quit fiddling and tossed his gloves down to the grass, noticing the way the blades curled beneath the edges of the dark brown leather. He was not a young adult, and though the evening ahead twisted him until he felt like a teenager, he reminded himself of this fact each time he felt the urge to smile goofily and take to fidgeting with random items.

Cid Highwind, the collected but not usually calm, was astoundingly nervous. Red blood pumped through his veins, signifying he was alive. He had a certain anatomy, signifying he was a man. Last he checked, he was also human. Where exactly do these three facts point? To the idea that going out to dinner with such a beautiful, not to mention young and fun, woman could lead to things. Things men spend much of their conscious – and unconscious – time thinking about. Things that aren’t of any intelligence when your heart is not yet mended. ‘Just what the fuck am I thinking?’ He questioned himself as he turned to face the dull brown door that led into the old house. With a new purpose behind his heavy steps, he headed into the house with every intention of calling off this evening he promised. He would have to find another way to thank her for the critical part she’d given him. The door squeaked in protest as he burst through and slammed it shut behind him, never one to avoid any unnecessary noise. A flurry of thoughts cast confusion in his mind as he rounded the corner to the kitchen, intent on taking a quick shot of whiskey to dull his nerves.

With the raucous that was Cid entering from the yard, Yuffie had frozen with a guilty look. She hadn’t expected him in any time soon since she figured he’d stay out for quite a while working on his ship. As he rounded the corner, she turned and hid her hands behind her back. The pilot’s purposeful journey ended as he caught sight of her there in the kitchen, only a tank top and shorts to cover the curves of her form accentuated nicely by the way her arms trailed behind her back. ‘Knock it off, jackass.’ He reprimanded, as his eyes lowered down to the wicker basket peeking out from behind her thighs. Noticing his eyes intently set on her legs, she peered down and figured out what she should have known to begin with… surprise does funny things to the mind. Immediately she blushed and sunk further back into the kitchen while he eyed her suspiciously.

“What the hell is that, Yuff?” He grumbled.

“It’s um… well, gawd. It’s food.” She confessed, squirming beneath his burning gaze.

“Food? In a fuckin’ basket? What the hell for?” His arms gestured.

‘What the hell, Cid… haven't you ever heard of a picnic?’ “What do you think it’s for?” She grinned at the sarcasm she’d mustered even in the awkward air.

‘You idiot, you know what for.’ “Well I know. But why do you—” He became aware of her intentions all at once, settling from his altered mood. “I thought you wanted to go out?” His chin raised at her with an accusing look narrowing his eyes.

“I said out to a nice dinner, didn’t I? That doesn’t always mean a restaurant.” She knew how misleading she was earlier, she knew he assumed a restaurant dinner and she’d let him think that’s what she wanted. She knew he’d never agree until he saw all the work she put into this little picnic idea of hers. She offered only a soft smile.

“Yeah but I…” ‘Look at that basket and sweet smile.’ “I can—” ‘She’s starting that puppy dog face and…’ “Yuffie…” He gave up the battle, shaking his head a little just like she assumed he would. “Are you ready to go?” He’d regret that later.

“Almost. Just give me a sec, would you?” She was totally gloating in victory. The smile was back with a vengeance and she was setting the basket on the counter with a lightness about her movements. He simply sighed and went into the living room, sinking into one of the couches as he listened to her rattle this and that in final preparation.

His eyes were distracted when he saw her go bounding down the hall, how would he keep up with that? He heard rummaging in the guest bedroom along with a loud thud, before she came around with a huge blanket dragging on the ground behind her. She must have found it up in the closet, which would explain the noise. He couldn’t help but grin at the sight of her flinging the blanket out in attempt to lay it out square. She tried twice, huffing as the blanket curled on the outside edges, refusing to cooperate. The third time, she simply wound the blanket into a ball with a glare as if the inanimate object would feel guilty for the trouble. Once her blanket battle had come to an end, she glanced over at Cid.

“All set.” She announced, smiling wonderfully at him.

“And where are we headed?” He’d lost the grouchy tone he usually carried as he rose to his feet, wandering into the kitchen to grab the basket to carry along. He was surprised when it pulled harder than he expected, the damn thing was heavy. ‘What the hell has she got in here?’ He wondered, though he’d just have to wait and see.

“You know that little outcropping in the hills, surrounded by the trees just outside town?” She inquired.

“Way over there?” He was just being a grey cloud.

“Yes, way over there. Need a cane?” She gave him an exemplary smile.

“Shut up.” He wouldn’t let her think such things. He rounded the counter and ‘accidentally’ bumped into her, knocking her a bit off balance. She stumbled forward and gave him a glare that would have struck him dead, had he actually been facing her. “You should grab a coat, you’ll get cold later.” He called as he opened the door, noting the chilled air that swept across him.

“I’ll be fine.” She insisted, like a rebellious girl. She followed him out the door, watching him as he walked with a quick pace in the direction of this little spot she’d designated. He was on a mission to prove that his walking abilities were just fine.

She had to jog to catch up to him, matching his stride when she came beside him. She wanted to giggle at the way he was practically running to prove a point, but she had already dealt a couple blows to his ego today and if she wanted a nice evening, it was best not to deal any more. The travel was relatively quiet as they met the outskirts of the small town, and eventually Cid let up on his accelerated speed in exchange for a nice, brisk walk.

“Why’d ya want a picnic, anyway?” He peered sideways at her while struggling to light a cigarette with the basket in tow. She giggled casually while he fumbled with the uncooperative lighter.

“I just like to be outdoors. Besides, it’s a nice evening. Why not?” She shrugged her shoulders. His lighter finally did its job, and he took a long drag off the stick. The exhalation of smoke was carefully aimed away from her, not wanting to incur any of that attitude she had when he blew it in her face.

“’Dunno, just askin’.” He drew a blank on any other sort of conversation as they neared the edge of the trees. The greenery was awkward, sticking out in a sporadic patch. “Lead the way, princess.” He gave her a hint of nod as he paused.

“You said you knew where it was?” She grinned, stopping beside him.

“Well I didn’t know exactly where ya had in mind.” He added another drag of the cigarette, the red embers flaring in the dim light.

“Ah-huh.” She took up her path, leading him in the same direction they’d already been heading. She trudged through the unruly grass and hiked up a ways until she reached the outcropping she’d spoke of.

The turn of the hill had them facing the town, the lights glowing below in large round shapes. They weren’t too high up or far away, but a nice level for star gazing. ‘What is she up to?’ He watched as she went to lay the blanket out, this time flinging it out and then moving to straighten the corners until it became an inviting square upon the soft green grass. Once proud of her work, she stole the basket from Cid and flung open the top. Curiosity took over as he saw her rummage in the contents. A small pillar of wax came first, followed by a dish which she placed the candle on near the side of the blanket. The sun hadn’t set yet, so she hadn’t the need to light the wick. Next she produced several bottles of beer she’d commandeered from his refrigerator, setting them neatly beside the candle. Slate tinged eyes flew up to the pilot, beckoning him to sit with her hand. He obliged, and sat himself on the blanket as she handed him a beer, but not before taking care to flick the top off with a piece of cutlery.

Two plates found a home atop the blanket, and he heard a ziplock bag part with plastic ruffles. She gingerly set the cold pasta contents on the plates, distributing them evenly before adding well prepared sides to the plate. He felt the pull of hidden feelings as he saw the trouble she went through to make this picnic. She was being so uncharacteristically sweet, almost as if she knew what he needed. But, in order for her to have such information, she would have to know what had happened, and he assured himself she hadn’t any idea. He took the paper plate that was handed to him, along with the plastic fork and began to pick at the pasta salad. A bite was chewed cautiously, and she watched intently as his eyes shifted almost as if to say he was evaluating the taste.

“This is good, Yuff.” He grinned as she clapped excitedly.

“Who knew I could cook?” She giggled and began to dig in to her own plate of pasta.

They ate in semi-silence, making small talk as the sun continued to sink into the horizon. The sky was cast a deep pink tinged orange, and she noticed how his rough features appeared softened by the light. He was handsome, she always knew that much. The feathered stubble on his jaw, a strong masculine jaw. The way his deep blue eyes held many secrets she felt the urge to unravel. His lips, though thin, appeared soft and inviting in a dull hue of pink. These things were all noticed when she met him, but she never felt them the way she did in the passing moment. After a short time, when the plates were empty, she noticed his second bottle following suit. She eyed him as he reached for a third, and he grinned. She was still on her first.

“S’good stuff.” He popped the top off the bottle and set his paper plate aside onto the grass, before taking a long sip of the amber liquid. Perhaps this would work to Yuffie’s advantage. She set her own plate away with a devious smirk, which begged questions. “What are you up to now?” A blonde brow arched.

“Nothing out of the ordinary.” She winked with an innocent smile, while lighting the candle on the edge of the blanket in order to gain better sight in the darkened area.

“Oh, well that’s go--” ‘Wait a second; ordinary is a scheming trouble maker when it comes to this girl.’ “Yuffie…” His look was accusing enough.

“I know you’re into whiskey and gin and all that grandpa crap, but I want you to forget about that for a night.” She taunted, while bringing out a wooden flask with foreign writing which he devoured with his eyes. She brought two shallow, delicate cups from the basket, which didn’t appear very inviting to his eyes. Then he reminded himself he was far from repaying her for her favor.

“What is it?” He quickly downed half his beer, as if he’d not get another chance to taste the bitter drink.

“Sake, silly.” The sentence nearly rhymed, which made him want to laugh.

“That’s that fermented girly rice… drink, right?” He scoffed.

“Girly? Sake is not girly… have you tried it before, old man?” He grumbled, suddenly she was back to calling him old. First the comment about grandpa drinks and now blatant name calling.

“Can’t say that I have, brat.” Take that.

“Just give it a shot.” She pleaded, uncapping the portable container and pouring the room temperature liquid into the cups. She held a cup out to him, which he cautiously took from her while assessing the liquid within the cup by sniffing it. To his surprise, it smelled mildly strong.

The cup, which felt awkward in his large hand, met his lips and he slowly allowed the liquor to slide over his tongue where he tasted it before swallowing it down. Yuffie was gazing at him with an anticipatory look as he was downright shocked at how strong it actually was. Whenever a girl handed him a drink, he immediately felt repulsed, knowing full well it would be something fruity with a percent volume of .005 that would leave an appalling aftertaste. This drink did not fit any of that description.

“This ain’t half bad.” He remarked, glancing over at the girl who gloated once again. She was beginning to look a little too proud.

“I told you so.” She chirped, allowing herself to indulge in her own cup. Cid simply marveled at the fact that he had a drink that wasn’t beer, whiskey or gin and was actually less than disgusted. In fact, he rather liked it and indulged himself heavily in this new liquor while watching her slow pace with the drink. Time passed rather slowly as they drank in silence, neither one offering much for discussion. What did come to be said was idle banter about nothing in particular. Cid seemed to be feeling more at ease with her by the hour. She wouldn’t have guessed this sort of outcome from a simple picnic and some liquor. She had come to realize that making sure the pilot was well was of utmost importance to her. This in itself baffled her, never mind the fact that they were getting along so wonderfully.

As the stars peeked out in the navy sky, she leaned her weight back upon her palms, neck craned so she could spot the twinkling lights. She studied them with slight interest, trying her luck at picking out a constellation. This proved more challenging than she felt the mood for, so she gave up with a sigh. She felt warmth tugging at her ears which told her to slow down on the alcohol, but she noted Cid was very much buzzed. This would be her opportunity to pry that precious information from him. Men always bore their souls under the influence of alcohol. She was all but positive he’d likely fall into that trap. Even the most tight lipped of people had emotional spills when liquor was involved. She’d even witnessed this a time or two.

“Hey Cid?” She looked over at the pilot, who had taken to leaning against his elbow in a sidelong position, enjoying his buzz along with the view. Though his eyes were not on the stars, tonight.

“Hey Yuff?” He questioned right back with a smirk

“When is Shera coming back?” She winced inwardly as the words left her mouth, hoping for the best but expecting the worst.

“What’s it to ya?” He pierced into her with cobalt eyes.

“Oh, just wondering, you know?” She tried to be casual, sighing lightly while returning her gaze to the sky.

“Ya want the truth, brat?” She was utterly shocked. Had alcohol really loosened his tongue that much, or was he teasing her with another lie?

“What’s the truth?” She played nonchalance as she settled her sight back on him.

“The whole truth an’ nothin’ but?” He slurred a little this time around.

“What’s that, Cid?” She urged him on.

“She ain’t ever fucking coming back. That’s the damn truth.” His eyes fell and she thought she saw an ounce of emotion claim his features. This was what she’d been waiting for, but now that she had achieved it, she was utterly unsure of what to do.

“What?” She questioned, feigning surprise.

“Yeah, that’s right. She left, for good. Finally pissed ‘er off right.” He huffed and looked up at her. “But you know what? That’s okay by me. I don’t give a damn, her loss.” He lied. She knew he did. Otherwise, why would he have kept the letter crumpled beside his bed?

“She made a mistake, Cid. But you can’t tell me you don’t care…” She wasn’t used to playing this role. It took all the maturity she could muster.

“I did at first, fuck… but you know, there ain’t shit I can do about it. Fuck her. That’s all I have to say about it.” He diverted his eyes heavenward, studying the stars as they twinkled above him. The moment was crucial, and she was trying to decide whether to let the conversation die and allow a new subject, or press it further.

“You sure you don’t wanna talk about it?” She put on her most concerned face, inching over to lean on her elbow, sinking into a mirror position beside him.

He brought his attention to this fragile face he was unaccustomed to seeing. She’d never shown much concern for anyone aside from herself, and she came off as selfish. Now, here beneath the pale starlight, she was drowning him with concern and care. He wondered if she’d known when she noticed all the missing items in his home. Was this thing with the parts and the picnic really in effort to care for him? He stared into slate eyes, watching as a soft breeze tousled short strands around her curved neck. The candle flickered in the wind, causing an intimate dance of light and shadow to befall her lovely pale skin. She was hypnotizing, and the beginning of the issue had reared in the moment she stumbled into his living room half clothed. The romanticism he was denying deep within his heart suddenly felt more right now that he voiced the fact that he was unattached. Though he was far from past the events with Shera, perhaps she would be just what he needed to start in the right direction. He didn’t expect her to solve the problem for him, but she certainly wasn’t hindering his progress. The candle’s flame quickly faded out while he watched her under the illumination only of the moon and stars.

“No, there’s nothing to say. It’s over and fucking done with.” He seemed so callous, but then the light shone. “But there’s hope for me yet.” His words trickled from his lips, singing an unknown tune to her delicate ears.

“What do ya mean, Cid?” She whispered, feeling him closer than she had before.

“Well, you’re here… and…” He choked on the words, unable to voice the feeling that was surrounding his mind as the sentence died on his lips. Before she could react to the sentiment, he brought his hand upward and brushed her soft cheek with his thumb. The touch sent shivers throughout her spine. A mixture of right and wrong; a story she never thought would be written. She knew what they’d say. It could never work. He’s too old, and she’s too young. According to whom, exactly? Even she might have laughed at this situation had she been on the outside looking in. Though the attraction was always present, they were two very different souls. They were constantly teasing one another and bickering, no one would have ever expected what happened while Yuffie was lost in her reverie.

The world drowned when his lips brushed against hers. The stars, the moon, the smoldering wick of the candle… any and all sources of light seemed to fade out into memory as the foreign touch teased against her lips. He set her aflame when he tugged against her cheek, pulling her into a deep kiss while caressing the sensitive skin just below her ear. This was not like kissing those silly teenage boys who were clumsy in their motions. She was kissing a man and a skilled man at that. She would have never thought him to be gentle and inviting in his amorous affections, and this alone seduced her into holding the kiss while his tongue gracefully parted the barrier to her mouth.

He broke the kiss, leaving the lingering taste of Sake burning on her taste buds while she lay breathlessly with her eyes veiled. Perhaps the alcohol or emotion had triggered the affections, whatever the cause, she was absolutely disinclined to explore the reasoning. She finally opened her eyes, finding a pair of blue eyes close by. There were a million questions running rampant in her mind, but she hadn’t the nerve to ask any of them. She simply smiled a radiant smile as he placed one more kiss gently upon the tip of her nose. She expected some sort of cursing to follow, but he didn’t speak. His arms pulled her down against the blanket, and she laid her head gently against his chest with her arms draped over him. She sighed contently, warming to his body as she closed her eyes. His fingers brushed gingerly against the flesh of her shoulder while he peered up at the night sky, ignoring any thoughts he had of taking her beyond a kiss. Though he usually didn’t care about such things, she was to be handled with care. He knew she was untouched, and pushing her that far in one night… under the influence of alcohol was the worst thing he could think of.

As he thought of the possibilities, he noticed the even rate at which her chest moved. He strained his neck to catch a glimpse of her, unconscious with a sly smile curved over pink lips. Lips which he had fallen infatuated with in one lingering kiss. Her smile was contagious, and he laid his head back with a grin of his own. He carefully reached down and pulled the blanket around them, not minding that he dumped most of her carefully set picnic off into the grass, grateful the candle had blown out earlier. He wrapped the blanket and returned to embracing her beneath the night sky. Who would have thought that he’d be here, in this position? The position he desperately tried to avoid earlier when he meant to cancel their dinner plans. What would morning bring? Would this all prove to be one set of mistakes? Would she leave him while he slept, or would she stay despite the difficulties? Such things were a mystery to his fading mind as he slipped into slumber. This was the first night in weeks that he’d fallen asleep while it was still black outside. Unconventional as it may be, he was beginning to feel that she would have more surprises up her sleeve in the days to follow.

----------------------------------------

‘Nother chapter here. I do hope you’ve all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! The chemistry I see between them is so much fun, and I like how she eases him in to doing things even if he doesn’t want to. Yuffie may seem more mature in this little story, but please remember my time line is well beyond that of the game, so she has grown up a bit, while still keeping that certain clumsiness. I’m not too terribly familiar with Sake, so forgive me if a nicked any traditions. I hope to have the next chapter up soon, the mystery of the night will play into it a lot. Soo, how about a review? ;) If you feel inclined to.