Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or FFVII

AN: It's been a while since I've posted, sorry. I've been busy working on one of my original stories lately but I started feeling bad about not posting so here you go! If I get any requests to continue this I might. I really have no idea.

Selfishness

"I must atone for my sins Yuffie," he said, eyes blank.

She felt her jaw tighten and she turned so she wouldn't have to look at him anymore. Once she had mastered the rage in her chest she spoke, with her back to him. "And they say I'm the selfish one."

She heard the swish of his cloak behind her, knew he was turning to look at her again. She also knew he wouldn't ask what she meant. Too proud for that. She had never met a man so proud and narcissistic, if that was the right word, and yet so broken before him.

She walked away. If she stayed she might punch him, and while she knew she would enjoy it, she didn't want to risk getting punched back.

The next day they were partnered up again, Cloud ignoring the spiteful looks she threw him, or just not noticing. Red XIII was there too and she made sure to talk to him instead, laughing and joking and listening to his rumbling purr and absolutely not looking at Mr. McEmopants.

When they rejoined the rest of the group at night and she was out gathering dandelion leafs for the soup (or salad. Yuffie kinda tuned Aeris out when she started talking about food preparation.) he cornered her. Well, not really cornered, but he stepped out of the shadows and waited for her to put the kunai at his throat away before asking.

"How am I selfish?"

And Yuffie set down the basket half full of dandelions so she wouldn't throw it at him and took a deep breath and said, "I'm going to hit you now for being a blind dirt bag."

And she did. He looked slightly surprised but didn't otherwise react.

"You're the selfish one because it's all about you. Your sins. Your atonements. Not even the right sins! And the way you're 'atoning'? Yeah, right. Man oh man. The only reason you're helping to save the world is because you blame yourself for not stopping Lucrecia." She spat out the name. "Not because, oh hey! It's the world! Even if you want to die, maybe the other few million people on the planet don't! And the sin? Not stopping Lucrecia. A woman who didn't want to be stopped. Not for the bunch of people you killed as a Turk. And the atonement was to lock yourself away for thirty years? Not to, oh I dunno, better the world or something with your actions? Yeah, you're the selfish one. I do terrible things, but I do them for Wutai."

She took a step back, panting. Yuffie shook her head, leaned over and grabbed the basket and started back to the campsite. Vincent stood there in the shadows with a strange look on his face but she didn't look back.

"Cloud?" she asked, handing the basket to Aeris who smiled up at her. "Partner me with someone else tomorrow. I'll even take the old man, I just don't want to be with Vincent anymore."

"Fuck you, brat," Cid spat from around his cigarette.

"Oh, Cid, normally I make the guy pay for dinner first, but since you asked so charmingly-"

"Yuffie."

"Ah. Sorry, Cloud."

He stared at her with those mako blue eyes, considering. "Fine. You switch with Barrett. You'll be with Cait Sith and Cid."

She smiled up at him. "Thanks Cloud, I appreciate it."

He hadn't yet looked away from her face and she was starting to feel uncomfortable. "Yuffie?"

"Yes?"

"Solve whatever problem you have with him soon."

Yuffie huffed in annoyance. "It isn't my fault he's being a total funsucking vampiric selfish emotard."

"Yuffie."

"Yes, Cloud?"

"Fix whatever problem you have with him soon. You have a week to do it yourself, then I manipulate things."

"Fine, Cloud. But I'm not the only one with a problem."