Elision

A/N: My first Final Fantasy fanfic I guess, had to involve Vincent in some way since I think I have more or less an obsession with the character that will not leave. Nevertheless, I ship him with Yuffie- although I also kind of get the idea that he had taken Lucrecia and turned her into some kind of untouchable angel in his mind, not really unlike Cloud's whole deal with Aerith. I guess you have to feel bad for Yuffie in this scenario.

Also, I'm pretty sure that Vincent doesn't have a phone, but if it's anything otherwise, please do notify me.

(My god, this has to be the first bit of het I wrote and stuck online in more than two years. I don't know whether or not to laugh or cry...)

"…and Cloud's dropped by twenty percent, since you know- he's become such a moody ass after we saved the world, out of everything possible…" Yuffie was saying, in that airy, slightly whimsical tone that Vincent had long since gotten used to from their traveling days together back when Sephiroth had been planning the destruction of the Planet, "He's still got the prettiest eyes though- hey, Vince? You still with me here?"

She had convinced him to keep around a phone after they had parted ways- something that had been done through what seemed like an eternity of pleading and making pitiful faces, which after a while, Vincent had decided that the ninja had an amazing talent for. It had been a few months since they had last seen each other, despite how often Yuffie might bombard him with useless texts and calls about frivolous things he only pretended to care about so that it may keep her content.

They had ran into each other by chance. He promised her a drink after returning the stolen materia of some unfortunate man back to him, discreetly leaving it in his coat. Old habits as it seemed, did in fact stick.

"My name is not Vince," he replied half-heartedly for nostalgia's sake because they both knew that despite whatever, he would always be Vince to Yuffie, who would ignore him every time he tried to point it out and resume with her optimistic chatter. That at least had not changed, though it still made him slightly uneasy. Yuffie simply contrasted with his own persona so much- her bright smiles and careless attitude as she waltzed through sunny afternoons, so reminiscent of the past days when everything had been alright and Lucrecia had still been there, Sephiroth only a dream and he, not what he had become in sacrifice. Sometimes her eyes almost scared him, for they were so similar to Lucrecia's own that they would haunt him, whispering of his own past failings and what could have been.

(But she was not Lucrecia. No, Lucrecia was gone, with only his memories of her keeping Chaos' struggles dormant within his soul.)

Yuffie didn't miss it when his hand tightened around the glass, threatening to crack the delicate material- though if she noticed anything wrong, her face did not betray it.

"Whatever. Loosen up, Gaia knows you need it. For that, you're at ninety three."

"…what?"

"Gosh, if you would only listen sometimes!" she threw her arms up, dishing him a mock version of a scowl, "Ninety three percent on the meter of favour- favourability and dropping, Vince. Watch out, it's sinkin' rapidly."

He shrugs, not knowing what to say. Small talk has never been something he had been fond of and if he correctly predicts, something that he will never be fond of. Words have never come to him easily, the illogical notion of using the tangible to describe what wasn't stranger, or really- just an area he was lacking in, not to be mistaken for apathy.

Yuffie laughs (and it almost sounds bitter), "But I bet Lucrecia's still at the top of yours, huh?"

"Yuffie-"

She's quiet, something too unlike her to be- an antiphrasis to her person. There is silence for a few minutes as neither of them knows what to say, to be only described as nervous, awkward, unnatural. Vincent vaguely remembers sipping the drink that he has not touched all night.

"It's not fair." she finally speaks up, and he's surprised at the amount of anguish in what was normally one that held none of any, "It's always her. You- you loved her, didn't you? You still do."

"…"

"Say something, damn it!"

But he can't because he doesn't know how to respond, and Yuffie grins a humorless grin, knowing that she's treading in dangerous territory.

"I love you, Vince. Otherwise why would I have…"

Love.

Love.

Love?

It has been such a long time since he's contemplated on the meaning of the word (he thought before that love died when Lucrecia went) and hearing it from Yuffie's lips makes him stiff with shock and remembering. If one were to speak of his outlook on the current situation, it was like as if he was there, frozen in animated suspension whilst the passing seconds rearranged themselves from logical transitioning to join in the pathos of the senseless dimensions that surrounded his person.

Because he couldn't. Couldn't bring himself to teach her the meaning of sin, despite how tempting it may be.

"I'm sorry." Yuffie whispers, with genuine guilt.

He's sorry too, but if anything, they both knew from the start that it was an impossibility, what she wanted between them. The past had been too painful, Lucrecia the martyred angel. Yuffie was too precious to lose in the same way.

But when he forces himself to meet her remorseful eyes, he almost feels broken too, like the cross that he had been forced to carry.

(Because she wasn't Lucrecia. Lucrecia mattered too much. Yuffie was still too young to know what a monster he was- to know of the sins that he had been condemned of, the curses and the ghosts of what had happened before that still shadowed his existence…)

She ran before he could say anything more, and Vincent knew that he saw tears.

I'll admit that I really don't like the ending... but I really don't know how else to write it. Nevertheless, please do review. Thank you!