A/N: 5/13/06 Rewriting this (yeah, three years later), because I can, nyeah! It's oh-so disgustingly written and deserves a good clean up.
Love is Like a Rose - Chapter 1: Only Hope
Yuffie sat slumped in a plush red couch in library, listening to Leon and Aerith talk animatedly about the sealing of Kingdom Hearts. She heard the words being spoken, but she didn't really understand what they were saying. Normally Yuffie would never pass up an opportunity to eavsdrop on a conversation, but today was different. Today she was busy watching and observing.
She sighed softly to herself and blew a strand of hair that was tickling her face with an upturned lip. She scowled as she heard Aerith burst into a harmonious laughter, as she saw Leon looking at her in that way a man looks at a woman. Don't get her wrong, Yuffie loved her friends. But she was growing rather tired of their "flirting." She hated the way Leon would yell and scowl at her, but whenever Aerith was around he would control his temper. Yuffie felt like a little sister that Leon was only civil to because Aerith made him. If he could only see through the annoyance and irritation, he would see that he had captured Yuffie's heart.
Despite the fact she had company, Yuffie had never felt so alone.
What was it about Leon that captured her interest? His eyes? Hair? His chiseled muscular frame? Clear, baritone voice? Yuffie didn't know. What she did know was that her infatuation with Leon was a waste of emotions and daydreams and time. She felt like she was chasing a butterfly that kept dancing out of her reach. It was torture, being so close to him yet feeling as though she were a million miles away from him. Yuffie laughed inwardly and shook her head; she'd always had a knack for picking things that were bad for her.
Yuffie fixed her opal gaze on Leon and Aerith once more. She watched Aerith hand Leon a white rose and rolled her eyes when Leon thanked her and made some cheesy pick up line. Aerith blushed and gasped quietly when Leon took both of her hands in his. They stared deeply into each other's eyes, and Yuffie had a foreboding feeling in the pit of her stomach. Oh no, it's the big "I love you" confession, she thought sadly.
After a moment of silence, Leon cleared his throat. He'd never done this before. Hell, he'd never thought he'd get the chance to do this. Needless to say it was downright terrifying. What if he said something stupid? What if he did the wrong thing? He could feel Yuffie's curious gaze on him. He hoped she wouldn't embarrass him. Taking in a deep breath, he began, "Aerith, I--"
But he was cut off as the library door swung open and Cid came in, cursing unceremoniously. He took his cigarette out of his mouth. "Aerith, I found some annoying guy down by the Gummi Ships," Cid boomed, leading a man with sparkling, clear eyes and spiky blond hair that shot out in all directions into the room.
Silence filled the room for a moment, Yuffie, Aerith, and Leon studying the stranger. "Aerith?" the stranger asked with a waver in his voice, almost as if he didn't dare to believe it.
Aerith's emerald eyes welled up with tears. She recognized that voiced from anywhere. Her voice trembled as she whispered, "Cloud? Is that you?" Leon dropped Aerith's hands and felt his heart sink. This certainly wasn't a part of the plan. He looked at Aerith pleadingly, not entirely sure what he was pleading for. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. But Aerith had stood up, and was now facing the man.
"Found him wandering around mumbling, 'Where's Aerith?' over and over," Cid continued. "He wouldn't shut the hell up so I dragged him up here."
Aerith found herself burying her face in Cloud's shoulder, arms firmly wrapped around him. She murmured, "You're back," in between sobs as she pulled him even closer. Cloud uncertainly embraced her back, stroking her long brown hair gently.
Yuffie watched Leon stand up abruptly and clutch the rose tightly in his hand. His eyes flashed with anger and hate; seconds later hurt softened his sapphire gaze. For reasons she couldn't understand, she wanted to get up and hug him, make him forget about his broken heart, even though she knew that Leon most certainly wasn't a cuddly kind of person. But she realized that he didn't need another girl in his life right now. All he needed was someone to listen to him and be his friend; she could do that. It was better than being ignored by him, she decided. He loved and lost once, and loved and lost again. Yuffie had a feeling he would just turn her away in an attempt to finish picking up the pieces of his broken heart, but she still had to try.
Leon was numb with an indescribable emotion coursing through his veins. He felt angry at Aerith for forgetting about him, he hated Cloud for showing up at the worst time ever, he hated himself for opening up to another girl after Rinoa...but he could hardly believe that the same thing could happen to him twice. Twice some other guy came in and swept his love away right under his nose. He felt shock, anger, hate, and heartbroken.
Leon lowered his gaze to the floor and bit the inside of his cheek to keep his temper in check. Clutching the rose even tighter in his fist, Leon fled the library as quickly and silently as he could without actually running. He didn't even notice the sharp thorns that cut through his glove and into his skin.
Hoping to leave his troubles behind him, Leon picked up his pace. He wasn't sure where he was going, but he knew he had to get away. And fast. His pounding heart beat in rhythm with his booted feet that slapped against the tiled floor as he increased his speed. Minutes later, Leon found himself at a balcony overlooking the Rising Falls. He panted heavily, running a hand through his hair. He steadied himself on the railing and looked up to the dark sky, letting the wind blow his brown hair astray.
"Why the hell do I bother?" he whispered angrily, clenching his fist in rage. He would have rather Aerith verbally reject him than run off to another man before he could even confess his feelings. He looked at the rose, whose thorns had pierced his skin painfully. He threw it up and let go of the rose...
...and someone caught it. "Hey Leon," a soft voice greeted. Yuffie cradled the rose carefully, playing with the petals.
"Go away," Leon said dully, not wanting Yuffie to see him at his worst.
Silence. Then, "You know, love is like a rose. It can be such a beautiful thing, or one of the most painful things you've ever touched," Yuffie said thoughtfully, looking at the sky.
Leon hung his head, thinking over what Yuffie had just said. She was right, he realized. How very...un-Yuffie-ish. Since when had Yuffie become so wise? He glanced at her, looking into her opal eyes that reflected the starry night sky. Leon straightened up. "Yuffie, promise me you'll never change," Leon said softly, fixing his eyes on the Rising Falls.
Yuffie focused her gaze on the tall, dark haired man before her. His eyes shone with anxiety. She nodded and said with a cheery smile, "Promise." She stepped closer to Leon and gave the white rose back to him. "Don't throw away your love, Squall. You might need it some day."
Leon didn't have the energy to correct her and took the rose, twirling it between his fingers. Yuffie smiled at him before walking back inside. Leon listened to her footsteps fade away. He exhaled loudly and shot one more desperate look towards the sky. "Don't throw away your love, Squall. You might need it some day." The echo of her words played in his thoughts again. Who else could he give his love to? Two women had already thrown it away.
A sudden idea came to mind. He turned and jogged after Yuffie, hoping to catch up with her. Leon turned down a hall and caught sight of her dark hair. "Yuffie!" he called out gruffly to her retreating back.
Yuffie spun around at the sound of his voice. She waited for him and said, "What is it, Squall-er, Leon?" she mended her sentence at his look of disdain he always wore whenever she called him Squall.
"You forgot this," he said in a husky voice, holding up the white rose.
Yuffie took it, her eyes sparkling with confusion. "But, what--"
"You told me not to throw away my love."
"...And?" Yuffie prompted, utterly confused.
"Just take it already," Leon urged, extending the rose to her. She took it and Leon stalked off again, leaving her speechless.