Distraction

"I am never getting on this airship again," Yuffie mumbled, leaning against a crate in the cargo hold. She'd read somewhere that airsickness was supposed to go away with age; once this was all over, Yuffie swore that she'd find the author of said article and reassure them that they were wrong.

Quite possibly with a good deal of violence, especially if Highwind maintained his current flight patterns. Then again, she could just take out the crotchety old pilot instead…

A voice from behind her distracted her from her scheming. "Not even for all the materia in the world, Yuff?"

On instinct, Yuffie jumped to her feet and spun around, ignoring the fact that her stomach hadn't quite joined the rest of her. "Hey, Spikes… and yeah. No." Brown eyes gleamed playfully. "Why? You're offering?"

"Would it matter?" Cloud's tone matched hers, but his face was pale.

"Point taken." As she replied, Yuffie remembered that he wasn't too good with airships either, and she tapped the adjoining crate to the one she'd sat on in welcome.

We might as well stick together, us land lubbers," Yuffie joked as he joined her, cheeks paling as the Highwind jolted erratically. "Urk… I knew I should have stayed in Wutai and been a typical princess…"

Blond eyebrows quirked at her choice of words. "I think you'd have died of boredom."

Although she chuckled, her tone was a little hurt as she replied. "I can be plenty princess-like when I need to b—mmmph." Clapping a hand over her mouth, she leaned forwards. After a few moments, she lifted her head out of her hands, and tried to stand. "Thas' it. I'm gonna go kill Highwind, then I'm gonna come back here and die, 'kay?"

To her surprise, he grabbed her arm and pulled her back to sit down. "Save it for when you can walk, Yuffie." He received a glare and a shot in the arm for his concern, but Cloud continued. "What you need – what we both need – is a distraction from the fact that we're flying." At her puzzled expression, he pulled a deck of cards out from the small pack at his waist. "You know how to play 'Slap'?"

She grinned. "Damn straight I do! You're looking at a pro, Spikes."

He returned her smile, and divided the cards between them.

As it turned out, they were equally matched. Although both their hands were stinging after a few slaps, and Yuffie complained loudly after getting a splinter from their makeshift table, the time slipped past until a crackle over the intercom informed Yuffie to 'get her scrawny arse aboveboard and help with landing.'

Yuffie scowled at the interruption… until she realized she was holding the larger portion of cards. "Guess I win," she grinned.

He only smiled and shrugged. "Guess you do, Yuffie…"

She made it halfway to the ladder before turning. "Thanks, by the way." At his nod, she paused in thought… only to smile wickedly, and dash back to the swordsman. Before he could voice the question she could see in his eyes, Yuffie leaned over and brushed a quick kiss on his cheek. "To keep you distracted 'till we land, Spikes," she replied, unasked.

With an irreverent wink, she disappeared up the ladder, leaving a pile of cards and a bemused swordsman.

Distraction, indeed…

… finis…

Disclaimer: (checks) … nope, still not mine.

Sabriel's Scribbles: This is dedicated to Firefly99, whose works (especially "This Is Not A Yuffentine") led me to look twice at my Reffie tendencies… I don't see permanent change in the future, but Cloud and Yuffie are admittedly a very interesting duo to write together.

Written as the second challenge from a half-hour fic challenge night between Solain Rhyo, Drakonlily, and myself.