Broken Promises

There were few occasions as of late where the pilot slept through the night without waking several times. Usually he would experience strange nightmares or dreams, but this night passed without as much as a hint of a nightmare. In fact, his dreams were so unimportant he couldn’t remember what details were when he began to stir early in the morning. A single blue eye peeped out from behind lazy lids, he was attempting to see just how bright it was before he decided to go opening both eyes and searing them with sunlight. To his pleasure, the sun had barely begun to rise and the surrounding area was blanketed in a very faint light.

He closed his eyes for one more minute, taking a deep breath of the crisp, fresh air. As his chest rose, he noticed something heavy upon it giving resistance to his inhalation. Yuffie had stayed. That, or she was too far asleep to have realized where she was. He craned his neck, opening his sleepy eyes to see a head of black hair. The strands of hair were messy, thrown about as if she’d tossed and turned all night. She couldn’t have, she was in the same position she was in when he last looked at her.

Yuffie shivered in her slumber, the chilled morning breeze nipping at her skin. Cid brought his arms up, wrapping the small girl tightly to keep her warm. The cold must have stirred her, her breathing became uneasy and she whimpered something that slightly resembled to word cold. Without warning, she stretched and nearly clipped his nose with her hand, causing him to dip his head out of reach.

“Brat…” He mumbled.

“…ol… Old man?” She was a bit incoherent. Suddenly, her head sprung up and tired slate eyes stared at him with curiosity.

“Welcome back.” He said, smugly.

She looked around, and back. “We slept out here…?”

“You think?” He was tempted to tease her for such a silly question, but resisted. “Ya passed out on me.” He grinned.

“Did I really?” She gasped, a little embarrassed. She hadn’t had that much to drink, had she? Maybe she was just tired from the day before. A sly smile curved her lips, “So you just decided to crash out here with me?”

“You wanted me to leave you out here alone?” He tilted his head to the left.

“You protected me.” The smile widened until her teeth peeked out.

“Yeah, yeah princess. Get off me, would ya?” He grumbled. He hadn’t thought of it that way, he really just didn’t want to wake her. Waking Yuffie was like waking a hibernating bear. Not something you wanted to do unless you felt like being injured and growled at, or worse. Now she was acting like some damsel in distress saved by a knight. Where she drew that conclusion, he didn’t much feel like guessing.

“But I haven’t thanked my knight properly, yet.” She batted her eyelashes, earning a look of confusion in cobalt hues.

“Shit, you’re wacky when you wake up, you know that?” He said as he jerked his head back straight.

“Me?” Her lips formed an ‘O’ “Never.” She shook her head, and managed a way to slink upward against his body. Her squirming brought his temperature up and took his mind straight to the gutter. Her nose was inches from his when she froze.

“Y…yes, you.” He stammered. She was making him nervous; he hadn’t a clue what she was scheming in that head of hers. She was capable of anything.

“You’re nervous…” She could all but smell it. He really hadn’t felt quite this way since he was a teenaged boy. Then again, he hadn’t been around such a young, beautiful girl that happened to be all over him in quite a while. It was almost sinful. He was giving her the upper hand, though, and that made him unhappy.

“Well…” He gathered her up and pushed with his legs, sending her flat on her back. She let out a little squeak as their position reversed. He was dominant now, and she gave a nervous smile, unknowing. What, exactly, did he plan on doing?

“Who’s nervous now?” His grin was pure evil. He chuckled and climbed off her, offering her a hand which she eyed suspiciously.

“Ass.” She crossed her arms and sat glaring toward him.

“Fine.” He turned and began to clean up the mess he’d made dumping everything off the blanket.

Yuffie watched inattentively while he stooped and gathered various things, placing them messily in the basket. Slender fingers absently traced her lips, and the memory of kissing him washed over her. She wondered if it had been a dream, his confession and the kiss. They all seemed so out of character and she had trouble believing he actually wanted her to stick around. She fought a silent battle, trying to convince herself to ask him what everything meant.

“Cid?” She trembled.

“Yeah?” He paused with a plate in hand, turning to face her while she fidgeted with the blanket beneath her.

“You… kissed me.” Not exactly what she meant to say.

Brilliant conclusion, Yuff. “Yeah… I guess I did.” He nodded.

“So…what’s it all mean?” She wasn’t brave enough to ask if she was serving only as a distraction, or if he had genuine interest in her. She really didn’t have to, he knew women and he knew exactly what she was questioning.

“Fuck if I know.” His answer did not sate her desire in any way, shape or form. If anything, it served to discourage her. He saw the evidence in her eyes. “Let’s just get back, okay?” His feelings were quite conflicted. She was forbidden, and that only made her more tempting. He was supposed to be gathering his head after being left a little broken. He was not supposed to be on the verge of feeling for someone that he shouldn’t find more than a friendship in.

She felt her heart sink into her stomach. A confession rattled her mind, she liked him. More than that, she really liked him. Since when? That crush she harbored during their adventure was put off as a girlish desire for a masculine sense of security. She thought it was one of those crushes that just went away with no real purpose. How wrong she had been. Here she sat, staring at him while he held her feelings in his hands. What had she been thinking, allowing herself to come here and run interference? What compelled her to believe that she could save him from whatever fate had in store? He dismissed their romance as a lapse of judgment. She was irate. Her world spun and she felt dizzy. If there was one thing she hated, it was someone else being selfish. Usually, one dislikes the qualities they in fact have. She hated selfishness because she disliked it in herself.

“You’re such a sick bastard.” She whined. With that, she gathered the rest of the supplies while he looked on in surprise. She threw the gathered items in the basket with force and swept the blanket out from beneath his feet, which consequently sent him backward with his arms flailing. She rolled it into a ball and shoved it beneath one arm, while grabbing the basket with the other hand. She was determined, and her gait proved that much as she stormed away. His jaw hung agape and he was entirely unsure of what just happened. He didn’t mean for his words to come out the way that they did, and she was always quick to anger. Perhaps this was precisely why they should not be involved. Even still, he couldn’t let her leave like this.

“Yuffie! Wait up, shit.” He cursed, jogging after her.

“Why?” She growled. “It’s obvious you’d rather I leave and get out of your hair.”

He stopped, staring wide eyed. “Where the hell did you pull that from?”

“Your body language.” She was running now, and with all the items in her arms, it looked pretty funny. Had the mood been less than it was, he might have made a humorous note about her crooked jog.

“My…” He trailed off with confusion spread all over his face. “My what?” He took up his steps again, jogging beside her.

“Can’t you hear? Or do you need a hearing aid?” She hissed. He really had her worked up.

“Damn. That hurts… Yuff.” He feigned offense. It really didn’t but he thought she might stop if he got to her well enough.

No such luck. She was full fledged now, running with a purpose. He did the only thing he could, he chased her. She’d have to stay in one place to pack, and that would be the only way to talk sense into her.

The run to his house went quickly, and she burst through the doors and threw the picnic items on the floor into a tizzy. A bottle shattered against the linoleum in the kitchen, leaving a spill of amber liquid. Cid would call that a party foul, he was one to cry over spilt beer. She had to get away, but the hard thump of boots came at the door with determination. Seconds later, he was in the room with her. His chest heaved and he let out a breath to calm his pulse. This would be the perfect opportunity for her to break a cigarette and yell at him for that, but she found no appeasement in that notion.

“Body language…asshole.” She repeated absently, staring at his boots with a ragged look. She paced the wall to keep the urge to hold him at bay. She just wanted to feel his arms around her, to ignore the reality of the situation and live for herself, and for him.

“Look… you want body language? Here.” He was practically yelling. She stopped dead in her tracks when his voice rose, and she was finally looking at him.

He stepped toward her, backing her up with each stride. Her small back hit the wall with a thud, and she froze like a deer caught in the headlights. Before she could dodge him, he was inches from her with his arms on either side of her. She was trapped between the wall and Cid. What a predicament. “I’ll show you body language.” His voice was merely a whisper; his breath tickled her lips as it flowed.

Yuffie was unsure of what his intentions were, but he made them clear in seconds. His muscular form pressed against hers, and his lips were upon hers once more. The kiss was electrically charged, highly passionate, even more so than the night before. Her thoughts blended and inhibition disappeared. She was a wreck of emotions. Fear, desire, insecurity, anger and above all, a feeling of being completely weak in the knees. He did that to her. What gave him such power? You’re falling for him, you always have been.

Rough hands were all but consuming her, traveling her body and eliciting a soft, feminine moan. This was certainly body language, and it screamed desire. However, it did not express anything beyond that. She couldn’t be used. She wouldn’t. She brought her hands against his chest and shoved him back. He stumbled and looked at her with confusion.

“Cid… I’m not a toy.” She lowered her head.

“I never thought you were.” His voice stayed calm.

“You’re only using me to get over Shera.” She cringed.

“You’re fucking kidding me. Yuffie…” He shook his head in disbelief.

“You…” She couldn’t say it. The words refused to come.

“I knew this would happen, damn it. I knew. That’s why I came in early yesterday; I was going to tell you I couldn’t go with you.” He confessed. Her eyes rose and met his, she looked like she was going to cry.

“What’s so bad about this?” She threw her arms wide and glared at him.

“You’re… too fucking young. They’ll all look at me like some child molester. Plus, you’re confused. Why would you like some dirty old man when you could have anyone you want?” That was blunt. Way to go, Cid.

“Why do you care what the hell they think? Like they’re all in a place to judge? Tifa, who fumbles after Cloud, who is chasing a ghost, who once dated his best friend? Vincent, who happens to be stuck on the past and drowning in it deeper than anyone could ever drown? Barret, who leaves his daughter with friends rather than raising her on his own? They all have sins, Cid! Who the hell are they to say I shouldn’t lo—” Her voice died. I couldn’t have been on the way to saying those three words. That wasn’t true; I was only in the heat of the moment. I’ve liked him since I met him, but love isn’t just a crush and a kiss.

“You shouldn’t what…?” He really looked like he was going to fall over. He caught the first two letters of the failed word, and he could discern enough from that. “What are you talking about, Yuffie? I’m just a fucking waste of time… a drunk, chain smoking old man with nothing to offer.”

Has he always been this low on self esteem? He seemed cocky enough through everything but maybe that was all a show? Or did Shera do this to him? What a witch! Here sits an amazing man who thinks himself a waste of time because she was a weak hearted bimbo who couldn’t handle a little of a hot temper and a lot of cursing. “How… how can you say that about yourself?” She paused, a single tear slipped down her cheek. This was just too much. Time to lighten the mood, Yuffie style. “Where has Cid gone? I don’t remember agreeing to see Cloud today?” A wide grin swept over her lips.

Cid was stunned at the sudden change. He wasn’t sure whether to laugh or to be insulted. He blinked hard. Again. “What the…hell? Cloud?” He looked like a lost little boy.

“Yeah. Mr. Emotional Unfit to Help a Soul Tie Their Shoes, Let Alone Save the World and Forget about a Dead Chick … dude.” The name calling didn’t go as smoothly as she had wanted it to. She had planned on a simple word or two to describe his faults, but that wouldn’t suffice.

“Mr. Emotional Unfit to Help a Soul Tie Their Shoes…” He trailed

“Let Alone Save the World and Forget about a Dead Chick.” She finished, “You got it.”

“Brilliant, Yuff.” He couldn’t hold it back any longer, he laughed openly.

“I know, isn’t it impressive?” She felt a flush overwhelm her cheeks, but she simply giggled along with him. The laughter felt good, as if it requited her desire to be with him. Never in her life had she felt so utterly confused. A part of her wanted to be selfish and flee Rocket Town before he could cause her any more hurt. The stronger part of her wanted to stay, and convince him to give her a chance. Groveling wasn’t on her agenda, but she was already figuring out what fit in.

“Yeah, if he could only hear what you just sai--” Cid was cut off by a ringing from the counter. His landline was shrilly alerting them that someone was calling. She watched as he jumped over to the counter and grabbed the black cordless with a simple greeting.

“Speak of the devil…” Cid grinned, and Yuffie knew exactly who was on the line. This revelation caused her a good laugh. “Hey there Spike, what’s up?” He was fond of pet names. He pressed the speaker phone button and set the phone on the counter.

“Tifa asked me to call…” Cold and distant as ever, his voice came across the living room.

“And?” Cid was inches from calling him some sort of name in good spirit.

“She’s throwing some sort of party… she wants everyone to come.” He said, coolly.

“A party!” Yuffie bounded over to the phone, excitedly speaking. That’s right! It was that time of year again. Tifa always had a yearly get together to keep in touch with everyone.

“Who’s that?” Cloud asked.

“That’d be the ever annoying ninja.” Cid flashed a smile toward Yuffie.

“Hey!” She wailed. “Screw you.” She flipped him the bird and smiled to Cloud as if he could see it through the telephone lines. “Hiya Cloud. I’ll be there! Wouldn’t miss it.”

Cid had some ideas about her comments, but settled for grabbing her middle finger and holding it tightly in his hand, until she whimpered. “You should keep that thing where it belongs…” Not until the words came out, did he realize what Cloud must be thinking of the oddity. Yuffie was there, she was happy and she was receiving a lecture about keeping things where they belong. Great.

“Yeah, yeah. Let go!” She whined, and wriggled away with her white finger. That sounded even better.

“What is going on over there?” Came the voice from the phone.

Cid thought quickly, “Yuffie needs a babysitter.” Too quickly. He’d meant for it to prove how silly she was being and that she needed to be watched. Instead, it sounded as though they had an illegitimate child that would need to be watched in order for them to attend the party. Yuffie began to giggle.

“What?” Cloud sounded a little strange.

“We’ll see you in a couple fuckin’ days.” He clicked off the phone before he had the chance to say anything else. Yuffie was doubled over in a fit of giggles, realizing now how deeply he’d buried his foot in his mouth. He eyed the laughing girl, and approached without her notice. A light pinch was applied to her derrière as she was bent over, and a gasp exuded from betwixt parted lips. All those giggles drowned in a big, exasperated growl as she glared at Cid who was just beginning to sneak away.

“You… pervert!” She pointed, and he began to laugh. That was the exact moment she had decided to play. She approached him while he laughed, and with quick, trained movement she snatched the goggles from atop his head and waved them in his face.

Cobalt widened, his beloved flight goggles were off his head and in the hands of Yuffie. That was absolutely unnecessary. “Give ‘em back!” He reached, but failed. She giggled and turned toward the hall, sprinting away.

Cid looked a little stunned, but gave in to chase her round the corner. He was hot on her heels with long strides, and reaching out toward any part of her he could manage to grab. After all, the hall was only so long. Her door was fast approaching, and he couldn’t let her to the room. Just as she attempted to turn in, his arm came across the opening in front of her and successfully blocked her entry. “Ha!” He exclaimed, but the road block just wasn’t enough. She took off down the hall, headed straight for a place he’d rather she didn’t see.

Long strides resumed and he’d nearly caught her at his door, arms reaching out to stop her at the threshold. Failure again, and she giggled madly while passing into his room. She attempted to close the door, but his strength wouldn’t allow it. He was pressed hard against the door, and she was no match. She glanced around the room for something to use, but found nothing. Plan B. She backed off the door and he came crashing through it in a whirl of blonde hair, who knew she had held such force back. Unfortunately, she was out of luck. She picked the wrong place to stand and as he came flying in the door, he knocked into her and they fell to the floor.

With the force and his weight, the oxygen fled her lungs and left her gasping, completely out of breath. The goggles flew from her grasp and across the carpet, but for now, Cid didn’t seem to notice. He lifted his weight off her as best he could, while staying to brush stray strands from her face. She writhed beneath him, looking a little dizzy due to the lack of oxygen.

“Shit..” He cursed, a worried expression wrinkling his brows. He gathered her up and set her on his bed, careful to keep her upright in order to help her breathe. The position certainly helped her regain her composure, and she began to breathe evenly. Cid sighed, and sat beside her. She looked him over, noticing the way he had worried. It seemed his worry pointed her in the right direction. He clearly cared for her, more than she knew. She was wrong earlier, and she could see that plainly.

“You okay?” He asked, brushing a hand across hers.

“Yeah, thanks… just needed to catch my breath.” She nodded easily, assessing the way his hand brushed hers. The worry that flooded his eyes moments ago had all but disappeared due to her safety. The idea was sweet, and she felt her resistance die with his worry.

Yuffie repositioned herself, using her arms to pull him close. This time, she’d intoxicate him. Her lips brushed against his ear lobe, sending signals throughout his spine that brought on a tremble. Soft breaths fell into his mind, raising the hairs on his neck. The pilot’s flesh grew hot beneath her affections, and he was indeed drunk with her touch. His hand cradled her cheek, turning her face so that he could view her perfect lips. The infatuation he’d felt for her kiss bubbled up, and he wasted no time pressing his lips against hers.

Without breaking contact, he maneuvered until she fell back against the pillows. For the second time during the strange day, he was on top of her with every inch of his body tingling. Never had he felt such insane, reckless need. This was out of control, and she was the only one capable of doing this to him.

The tension in the kiss could have choked a man to death, and when his hips fell between her thighs, he growled a deep groan. His calloused hand ran from her knee down to the very top of her thigh, groping until she purred. This encounter was headed one direction without a single hint of conscious discretion.

Adept fingers began to work at the belt that served to hinder her desires. She worked the buckle loose and nearly ripped the leather from the belt loops, tossing the dangerous item aside to the floor. The button was the next obstacle, and with unabated determination, she brought the round metal away until the zipper became the target. A light sound reverberated through the room as the zipper fell, one step closer to vanquishing her soul. She had never felt such desperation in her own body, and the hunger she felt through his finger tips only brought her further into carnal fantasies.

His tongue teased against her lips, and his hands wound down to her own clothing. The battle was uneven, and she needed to be unbuttoned. Just as he began to work the clasp, a clangorous interruption bellowed from the second cordless on his nightstand. The kiss snapped and she groaned in heavy disappointment. He collapsed against her for a moment, seeming to gain contempt for the ringing object. An arm reached, fingers encircling the phone and bringing it to his ear while managing the talk button.

“Yeah!” He snarled.

“Cid?” A meek feminine voice came from the other end of the line. The colour drained from his face and his eyes seemed to glaze over.

“…” He said nothing. Yuffie furrowed her brows in curiosity.

“Who is it?” She questioned breathlessly, sounding as though the deed they were minutes from had come and gone.

“So he was right!” The voice sounded angry now. Who was right? What is she talking about? “I called Quinn to check up on you, to make sure you were okay. He mentioned some woman staying with you. I thought you’d actually care when I left, but I guess I was wrong.”

“What the fuck, Shera?” His voice boomed, and Yuffie’s eyes went wide.

“You could have made this all better, instead… you… you bastard.” Her voice broke, and she cursed for the first time in ages.

“You said not to come after you. Excuse fucking me for listening.” He sounded worse than he had in the past few days as he moved away from Yuffie, standing at the side of the bed.

“I was testing you. I wanted to see if you actually cared!” Shera argued.

“You wrote that you didn’t care for me that way, and you expect me to come begging after you like a fucking dumb shit?” He chuckled arrogantly.

“Oh, so it would make you a dumb shit to come after me?” She was near tears, and he could hear it in her voice.

“Shera… I’m not playing these asinine head games anymore. You always worked an angle on everything, every fucking thing. You made your choice.” He found a certain relief in being the one to end the conversation. He clicked off the phone and set it back in the cradle. With the phone, went the weight of the guilt he’d been carrying around. She hadn’t left him because he wasn’t good enough… she was playing games like she always did. She had grown insecure in the past year leading up to her departure. Constantly testing him and playing games, accusing him of various sins. It was obvious to him now that she had done that due to the fact that she could not handle his nature. He wasn’t polite or secretive like she was, nor was he clean and perfect. She tried to change him over and over, but she failed.

Yuffie wanted nothing of the sort; she wasn’t working an angle or trying to change him. She was here because she wanted to be here. He was the way he was, and she seemed to accept that. Perhaps scaring her off was a bad plan, despite their differences. Still, the situation would need to be viewed. Now that their one way road had met a detour, he realized that following through was something he couldn’t do right then and there.

“…id? Cid!” Yuffie’s voice broke through his reverie.

“Sorry…” He looked to the floor.

“Are you okay?” She was so genuine in her care.

“Fine. I think we should get some rest… I have a lot of work to do on that damn ship, unless ya feel like walking to Edge.” He was purposefully avoiding the situation. She hadn’t figured Cid for such a complicated being. Nor had she ever thought he would have such control. He was masculine and powerful, and usually those types didn’t think before acting. Clearly, she had continually underestimated the complexity of Cid. She simply huffed a frustrated breath and hopped off the bed.

“You’re right… night!” She tried to sound as energetic as ever, but ended up sounding rather disappointed as she began toward his door. We’ll just pretend this didn’t happen. One step forward, five steps back. Then his arm snagged around her waist.

“Stay.” A simple word. The word that shattered her resolve to be cold toward him after his assumed ignorance.

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Uh-oh, a bit of a cliff. Not such a bad one, though. Let your mind wander ;) So... a lot happened here, but overall I think the progress is at a decent pace. Not too slow but not too fast? I think the way Shera handled things was a very typical thing that I have seen a lot of women do, however, Cid is not the type to put up with it. Closure is just around the corner for him. Keep in mind, she had left some time before Yuffie arrived, so he's had a fair amount of time to process everything. The party in Edge will be quite fun! I can't wait to write about it. Hope you've enjoyed chapter five, and please drop by a review! I might feel inspired to get chapter six out a little sooner :D