Disclaimer: If you think boo owns Final Fantasy VII, you're nearly as delusional as she is.

boo: Hey! I represent that statement!

"Vinnie! Come on!" Yuffie whined, almost literally dragging him towards the bar. "It's hot! I don't understand how you can be wearing that and not dying of heat stroke or something! Have you ever had heat stroke? It's not fun, Vinnie! Not that I've ever had it, but I've seen other people with it, and it's not fun! Honestly Vin, how do you expect to get a girl if you're always wearing that spooky cloak and all that black? You look like a freakin' vampire!"

Vincent sighed as they entered the cool bar. It was just like Yuffie to drag him to Costa del Sol like this. And it was just like him to let her. If he had been left to his own devices, he would have stayed in that mansion for all time, never leaving. But somehow she had known that's what he'd do. So, here they were. Most days she was dragging him out of the house on some crazy adventure, and he let her. He let her for more reasons than he could ever give voice to.

He let her because she was the weirdest person he'd ever met. She was the kind of person who could sing quite well when she wished to, but sing badly anyway. The one time Cid had teased her about it, she stunned everyone by singing beautifully for the next week. When he asked her why,she said it was therapeutic. She said he should try it, what did he mean he didn't sing?

He let her because she could be completely serious one moment, and then spouting nonsense next. He would never forget after Aeris' death, when they had been talking about death, she had said "She's gone, and the worst part is, all I can think is that any of us could be next!" Then all of a sudden she was asking him why couldn't bunnies fly, weren't their ears big enough to make them fly off through the sky like birds?

He let her because on rainy days she felt trapped. It hurt him to watch her sitting curled up by the window, blaring rock music, no matter how often people asked her to turn it down. As soon as the sky cleared, she was back outside, doing cartwheels, laughing, enjoying her life, and dragging him along, don't he know sunshine kept a person healthy?

He let her because she insisted she didn't like dogs. When Tifa and Cloud got one for Denzel, she demanded they go over there, cause after all, some one had to tell Denzel dogs were evil, didn't they? And she did, all the while scratching the grinning pooch's rump. And then, they had to go back everyday after that, cause what if he didn't get it the first time, or the second, or the third?

He let her because of all the silly schemes she came up with to steal Cloud's materia. He let her because she kept on trying to get him to go on dates. He let her because she barged into his room every morning and dragged the sheets off him. He let her because she smiled, and laughed, and made trouble, and annoyed everyone, and never stopped trying, ever.

He let her drag him out into the world because, more than anything else, she was Yuffie.

"So I was talking to Tifa yesterday, and she said the Cloud said that Cid said to get your skinny butt out of the mansion, and come visit him and Shera. Did I tell you she's pregnant? Cid is flipping out about the whole thing! And Shera's making him quit smoking. About time! And he's gunna have to stop swearing too! It'll be great! I can kick him in the head, and all he can't swear at me anymore!" Yuffie laughed maniacally, and dragged him over to an empty table.

"I would not do that Yuffie." Vincent said softly, sitting on the other side of the table from her. A waitress came over and took their orders.

"Aw, come on, Vin-Vin! I have to take advantage of this opportunity while I can!"

"No."

Yuffie pouted. "Oh, fine. But you have to pay for the drinks." Vincent nodded. He would have paid anyway, but Yuffie liked to pretend she was conning him into things, so he let her.

"Yuffie..." He started, then stopped.

"What?" She asked, tilting her head at him. He hesitated, then steeled himself. He pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to her. She took it. "A key? Vinnie, why are you giving me a key?"

He looked down at the small piece of metal in her hand. "I have decided to move to Kalm. I'm re-keying the mansion tomorrow. That key is to my new house." The waitress returned with their drinks. Vincent paid her, and she went back to work.

She looked down at the key, and back up at him. He could see the question in her eyes, but she didn't ask it. Instead she took a long drink of her soda, and looked out the window. He took a drink as well, and watched her. Yuffie wasn't quiet often, and when she was, whatever she was about to say was worth listening to.

"Vinnie, do you remember the day we defeated Sephiroth?" She asked finally. He nodded. "We fell in the life stream. I don't know what you saw, but I know what I saw. I saw myself. It was dark, and I was alone. And then I saw you, and you were alone too. And I decided that day that if both of us were alone, if we survived, we could at least be alone together." A single tear slipped down her face, and she brushed it away.

There were so few that saw her like this. To most of Avalanche, she was an immature brat, who never shut up, and who was never serious. Before her death, Yuffie used to go to Aeris with her serious thoughts when she thought no one was looking. He knew this only because he had walked in on one such session. They had never spoken about it, but when she had come to him to talk after Aeris' death, he knew why. He was grateful for it. That she came to him meant she trusted him.

She looked up suddenly. "Hey, can I paint your cat green when we get home?"

"I don't have a cat, Yuffie." He pointed out.

"Well... No... But I could always give you one! Mittens just had kittens! You should see them Vinnie, they're so cute! And there's one that looks just like her!"

"I don't need a cat, Yuffie."

"Well, you need some kind of pet!" She insisted, then began to tell him exactly why he needed a pet. They finished their drinks, and she dragged him back out into the sun, and the heat.

And he let her.

boo: Tada! Thank you for reading. Now, if you'd be so very kind, there's a little button in the right hand corner I'd like you to press...